Possibly not much but in Panama, you can get a whole lot!

Jessica was out and about with her dollar bills recently—see her report below.

P.S. Speaking of good value…the Panama Owner’s Manual is discounted by 20% for the next 3 days during the final fling of our big Holiday Sale.

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Panama for a Dollar (Yes, Really)
By Jessica Ramesch

I’ll admit it. I became a bit obsessed with Facebook a few months back. It has turned into a great way for readers interested in Panama or International Living to share tidbits or post questions for the IL community. My favorite recent post on the International Living Facebook page asked: “What can you buy for $1 where you live?” At first I thought: “Not much…what can anyone get for $1 these days?” But after a few seconds of brainstorming I realized I was wrong.

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Turns out, I could go on and on about all I can get for $1 here in Panama! At a deserted island in the Bocas del Toro Archipelago, I can get a sweet green coconut full of water. The sellers are usually members of the Ngobe Bugle indigenous tribes that live on the islands. They’ll take a sharp machete to the coconut, hacking off the top so you can enjoy the cool water. Then they’ll crack it open so you can scrape out the slimy innards…delicious!

You can also get a beer for a dollar at most beachside shacks, a gold and green papaya with sweet orange flesh, or a cheap pair of flip-flops if you forgot yours back home. Even the roadside stalls sell trinkets and souvenirs made out of natural materials like the ubiquitous tagua nut for $1 and up.

In the Panama Highlands, I found multiple things for $1 or even less. I had good, strong coffee for $0.35, a filling empanada for $0.50 (more than enough to fill me up for a quick breakfast), and a small pizza for $1.75. Taxis to most anywhere were only $1, as were the colorful mixing bowls I bought at a small store called La Cocina (“the Kitchen”).

At another shop down the road I bought four souvenir postcards of Panama for…you guessed it, $1. In fact, I could come up with long lists for every town I’ve visited in Panama. At the hot springs in El Valle, $1 entry fee gets you a packet of mineral-rich mud for your face…rub it on, lower yourself into the hot water, and relax for as long as you like!

And I’m not just talking about rural areas. In Panama City, most gas stations are full-service (something I really love). I can get a quick check for my car for free…but I usually tip $1. The attendants will check all fluids…motor oil, coolant, wiper fluid, etc…and even make sure your tire pressure is good.

My favorite vegetarian restaurant is a Chinese buffet/cafeteria called La Casa Vegetariana. I can choose four different items from the buffet line for $1. The vegetarian ham pao is $0.50, as are the empanadas filled with either chopped veggies or sweet fruit.

My dad found a small “wholesaler” where he can buy ten packs of platanitos (fried plantain chips) or peanuts for $1. He refuses to buy corn in supermarkets. He points out that vendors sitting right outside the grocery stores sell you corn on the cob…already cooked…for $0.35 each. They also sell boiled and prepared pixbae, a delicious, starchy palm fruit that’s said to be highly nutritious: four for $1.

My favorite, though, is when they have changa for $1 each. The masses of fresh corn, shaped like a skillet bottom, are big enough to feed four. I cut them into pizza-like wedges and serve with garlic and herbs on top. With a salad, the wedges make a delicious dinner for under $1 a person!

Editor’s note: If Panama sounds like your kind of place, there’s a free Panama report called The World’s Best Retirement Program that you can pick up here ->
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Casa Ruiz keeps records of research and development activities as a method for increasing understanding among all the groups of people working in thiis coffee organization. This allows locals to understand better what is known about coffee at all stages, and how the final product is evaluated in the hands of a knowledgeable and serious coffee connoisseur. In-house training process and passing-on practical experience is an ever-present activity. The quality standards are strictly enforced. This philosophy of business instills in the personnel a sense of pride in their work, especially when that “job well done” is recognized by national and international visitors.

There is always something new within the many activities in the coffee industry. National and international practitioners and experts recognize the quality of the local effort, as well as the knowledge and expertise. They also recognize how an organization offers a structure of development and personal progress for those who show initiative and interest on moving ahead on their own path. International micro-roasters, roasters, baristas, and chefs receive training in Casa Ruiz about the capacity and potential of coffees grown in Boquete. Casa Ruiz, S.A. proudly represents a Boquete coffee tradition at the highest quality level possible.