Casco Antiguo, San Felipe
Panama City, Panama
Last Saturday I was short on time and had to pick up a housewarming gift for a friend. The traffic in Panama City was more than I wanted to tackle. The advantage of living in Casco Viejo is the variety of small shops within a couple of blocks of my home in Casco Viejo. I’d heard about two new stores on Calle 4 near Plaza Bolívar, Entre Pulgas and Artesanías Jacqueline. When I walked into Entre Plugas, Maria, one of the owners greeted me in both Spanish and English. The handmade mobiles are fascinating to watch gently turning in the breeze. All the prices seem so reasonable from handmade beaded hair clips starting at $2.00 to mobiles up to $60. Lara paints the colorful pots, look for the one with Frida Kalo’s image and don’t miss the handmade necklaces by Chabela. This could be a destination location the next time I have to find gifts.
At Artesanías Jacquelíne across the street I found molas, handwoven hammocks, Panama hats and all kinds of souvenirs for to take to friends who live out of the country. It’s a colorful store and Jacquelíne and her staff are very lovely. The grapevine says that two more boutique stores will open before the end of the year. Next time you have lunch at one of the three restaurants on Plaza Bolívar, be sure to wander down Calle 4.
