Barrio Chino Panama

 On our very last day in Panama, I dragged the family out in the middle of a very humid afternoon to check out the Chinatown in Panama City. There was just no way that I could board the plane the following morning without exploring the Chinese quarters. The 10% East Asian part of me is fascinated with the places that my fellow Chinese brothers and sisters settled in after their journeys across sea and land to find new opportunities. 

My expectations were not that high but I was still left a bit disappointed. It turned out that some years ago, the Panamanian-Chinese city folks moved out of Chinatown to another area in the city. Each day, some returned to work in the shops that line only a few small blocks. We discovered many party supply shops, a few handbag/backpack type stores, a few retail shops that sold jewelry, some restaurants and not much else. It was also very, very hot so that did not help my/our disappointed mood.

It was not a total bust though. I did score some knockoff Pandora charms (sterling silver at super reasonable prices) and I found silver evil eye charm for my sister. I was happy with my finds. I would return home with charms that would remind me of our amazing adventure and my big sis would have something too.

The best part of Chinatown may have been the rain that came pouring down as we walked back to our hotel. It was such a welcome relief.  By the time we returned to our room, it was a tad cooler but still hot enough to take one last dip in the hotel pool. And while Barrio Chino Panama was not all that, I am still glad we went. Better to have gone then to wonder what it was like.