Carnival time creeping up, be prepared

Out and About with Myfanwy Davies

Like it or lump it, Carnival time is just ahead  in every province of Panama, from the government $1.5 million, and counting, crush on the capital’s Cinta Costera to local privately funded, operated, and profitable celebrations.

It’s all part of a tradition that extends back centuries as members of Christian communities prepare for Lent, a time for prayer, fasting and restraint until the most important day of the religious calendar Easter.

While some Carnivals like Las Hablas and Penonome attract thousands of outside visitors and create income earning opportunities for the local community.

Others like the event in Panama City have the opposite effect as citizens stream out of town  by road and air before the four days of festivities, and the city becomes a drivers’ paradise.
This year, the festivals start on Saturday March 5 and run through Tuesday March 8, and by Wednesday noon the city is back to normal, the providers of beer, liquor and hangover cures counting their profits, motorists trying to cope with the growing traffic chaos, which perversely pushes up the sale of gasoline.
If you are looking to sample a carnival atmosphere, traditionally enjoyed by what are locally called the ye ye (pronounced jay jay) crowd, a kind of Panamanian yuppie, you might want to head to Penonome, about two hours drive from Panama City, where local sports bar PesKito sets up headquarters as PesKito Arriba and introduces top city bands to the four day disco, and if you are up to it you can dance and drink the nights away with VIP tickets starting at $50. You might, on the other hand, want to take the somewhat quieter route and join the throngs watching the Carnival Queen and her entourage sail by in a waterborne parade of floats.

But whichever event you decide to favor, remember it's also high season, keep your purse zipped, your wallet hidden your camera close and your eyes open. Don't drink and drive. It's the time when traffic fatalities jump.
Or you can stay in the city, avoid the noise and the march of  half a million feet on the Cinta Costera,  celebrate the empty streets, catch up on all those Academy Award nominated movies, and hope that your favorite restaurant is open for business. {jathumbnail off}

Let me know your ideas  on what to do before Lent.