Panama IS a police state and it is evident everywhere you go. It is not uncommon to see gun-toting military police patrolling stores, banks, parks, etc. Of course, as long as you're not breaking the law I guess you're okay :) but, still, it IS a bit unnerving. You probably won't see photos of all the military presence everywhere in the tourist pamphlets.
You probably won't see pictures of the incredible traffic jams, lack of parking spaces and lack of (or compliance to) traffic laws. Furthermore, many of the roads are in poor condition and/or were not designed for the load of traffic currently using them. Parking in the city is a nightmare. There are one way streets everywhere. There are streets that start out one way that switch to two way traffic with no apparent warning. Traffic converges from four ways in many areas with no traffic signals dictating which lanes from what side of the intersection go first so that everyone from all ways simply pulls into the intersection wherever they can. Driving in Panama is NOT for the faint of heart!
The city itself is a jumble of skyscrapers and "other" buildings thrown together. There is a lot of very interesting architecture and loads of great restaurants and shopping but also extremely depressed and/or dangerous places in the city. You can be walking down one of the more "affluent" areas and turn down another street only to find yourself in the middle of a "slum" area. And walkers beware! Road and sidewalk maintenance is poor and litter and poop is often like "mines" along the pathways. You must watch for potholes in the roads and sidewalks, uneven and/or broken pavement, missing manholes covers, etc. I would not recommend walking without keeping a constant eye on the pavement in front of you or it could result in a serious injury!
It for sure that the pamphlets will not show you all the depressed/slum areas that are scattered all over the city. It would not be wise for a traveler/tourist to navigate around the city on their own. I would recommend always using a tour guide or taxi to get around the city.
And there IS plenty to see in (or near) Panama City. You just have to make sure you know how to get there and are with someone who does. Some of the places I would recommend: The Panama Canal Locks (a must for anyone who comes to Panama), Gamboa (to see a wide variety of wildlife), the Old Panama Ruins, Casco Viejo, the Metropolitan Nature Park (if you want a great place to hike in the city and see wildlife), the Causeway (for great food and museums) and Ancon Hill (for a great view of the city). Many of the places I have mentioned I written about in one of my other blogs.
Of course, there ARE a lot of cool places to go in Panama and I do talk about a lot of them in my other blogs. Just remember not to go anywhere in Panama City unless you know where you are going or you are with someone who does! This video was shot on the street behind the apartment complex we live in currently. The street in front of the complex is Avenida Balboa, a prominent street in Panama City. It's pretty nice on Balboa but the video shows what can happen if you get off just one street in from the main road.
