Disney on Ice:

"Sully", the adorable, bear-like blue-fur monster and "Mike Wazowski", his one-eyed friend, will be part of a troupe of 50 dancers in costume during the "Disney on Ice" show, which will take plce July 25-30 at Figali Convention Center, in Amador.

All of the characters of the famous Disney-Pixar box-office hit will take part in the show, which will be hosted by Mickey and Minie Mouse, accompanied by Donald Duck, and Goofey.

Narrated in Spanish, the show will feature the music of Award-winning singers Bily Crystal and John Goodman.

Ticktes cost $48.75, $38.25, $22.50, $30.90, $14.10 and $12.00. Shows are at 7:00 p.m. (Tuesday and Wednesday), 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. (Thursday and Friday), and at 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. And 7:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

FRIDAY, JULY 7th- HAPPY HOUR HIPPO'S RESTAURANT
5:30pm - 7:30pm
Event hosts: Melanie Holmes & Jim English
Hippo's is located on Calle Uruguay, directly across from the Don Blas restaurant.

MONDAY, JULY 10th - JULY EXPAT SOCIAL!
RINO'S RESTAURANT. Bring a friend or a stranger... everyone is welcome! Cocktail hour starts at 6:00pm. Rino's is located on the corner of Calle 49 & Federico Boyd (between the Hotel Miramar & El Carmen church on Via Espana).

WEDNESDAY, JULY 12th - JUNGLE WALK
Event host: Jim English
The selected jungle site this month is Ancón Hill. Unfortunatelly, this activity is full, but interested parties can sign up for a future walk.

SUNDAY, JULY 16th - Performance of HANSEL & GRETEL -
At 5:00pm We feel this is an event you'll surely enjoy ! Volunteers worked many hours to put together a fantastic set . Retired Director/Producer Bob Stiff (from Hollywood!!) puts on a fully professional show from sets, to actors, and costumes! Tickets are $10 at the door.

MONDAY - JULY 24th - GERMAN NIGHT at Rincón Alemán
Event hosts: Yvonne & Klaus, along with the restaurant owners: Willy Diggelman & Fritz Schmutte
Sample a wide variety of German food! Min. 10 max. 24 people - so reserve early! Admittance with reservations via e-mail.

SUNDAY, JULY 30th- Expat Drop-in and English Literature Book Exchange - At Siciliano's starting at 4:00pm.
Event Host: Jamuna B.

MONDAY, JULY 31st - PIZZA 2 for 1
The meeting starts at 6:30pm at the Flamenco Restaurant Bar near the end of the Amador Causeway. The pizza is 2 for 1 and there are lots of very interesting boating people to talk with. This is a non-scheduled, drop-in event, but emailed RSVP's are greatly appreciated.

WEDNESDAYS - 6:30PM - BRIDGE PLAYERS WANTED!
Event Hostess: Sheila Hawes. Sheila has offered to take on the task of organizing the Expat Bridge Night. She will be orientating those Expats who fit in any category (beginner to pro) in an effort to connect those who want to play, wish to play, or are willing to learn the game. Please send all RSVP's, and questions to Sheila via email: silversurfer428@hotmail.com

UPCOMING IN AUGUST.....
HEALTH & WELLNESS WEEKEND
The activity includes a tour of Panama City hospitals, clinics, and labs. There will be lectures on different options for health care insurance. There are even a few "alternative" health ideas and activities thrown in. The cost is $15/person. Tentative dates are August 11th & 12th.

PACIFIC PANAMA BEACH TOUR: More info in our next issue

MONTHLY JUNGLE WALK: Send in your suggestion for the next nature appreciation walk.

Colorful potery made in La Arena, province of Herrera.

Approximately 500 crafters from all parts of Panama will take part in the 29th annual National Handicraft Fair, at Atlapa Convention Center July 26-August 1.

Organized by Panama’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the purpose of the fair is to promote the talent of small craftsmen, many of which come from remote parts of the republic, to offer everything from a table set featuring motifs of the Kuna culture to beautiful Polleras –the country’s national attire for women.

The fair also offers a number of "non-traditional handicrafts", such as regional Panamanian foods and desserts and wines made of local fruits.

The event will include folklore performances, workshops and activities for all ages.

A young woman from the Emberá-Wounaan nation shows a well-decorated basket made with vegetable fibers.

Mr. Carlos Salazar (center, left) delivers a prize to José Grimaldo, trainer of the winning horse of the race track's "Golden Anniversary Classic" .

Panama City's Presidente Remón Race Track is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month with a series of special activities, the first of which was the Golden Anniversary Classic, held July 2. The race track's management has also announced tha launching of a number of projects to refurbish the facilities, located in the neighborhood of Juan Díaz, 12 km east of downtown Panama City.

The refurbishing projects entail the opening of a new betting center and the construction of an electronic casino featuring 250 machines, as well the remodeling of the race track's two restaurants. The works are expected to conclude before the end of the year, with an investment of 18.6 million dollars.

The Presidente Remón Race Track is managed by Hípica de Panamá, S.A., a subsidiary of Codere, a Spanish-owned entertainment firm with interests in Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay and Brazil. The race track is named after the late José Antonio Remón Cantera, an expert horseman who served as president of Panama in the 1950's.

ExPatsWest recently organized an extra social at the new restaurant at the Vista Mar Resort, located five kilometers past the resort community of Coronado, on the way to San Carlos. The party was held in order to satisfy members who are normally unable to attend the regular Wednesday socials.

The event included a chef-catered, buffet dinner.

ExPatsWest began in February, 2005, as a spin-off of one of the Panama City ExPat Social groups. The group comprises new and established expats, their friends, their neighbors, their families, their guests, and their business associates.

ExPatsWest filled a need for a social group in the area west of Panama City along the highway to Coronado and beyond and up to El Valle and Altos del Maria. Membership presently stands at 140 members.

For more information, call Honey Dodge, cell: 6671-6449.

Argentinian-born romantic pianist, Raúl diBlasio, will perform his new repertoire at Anayansi Theater of Atlapa Convention Center on July 18th.

DiBlasio, considered by many Latin America's response to Richard Clayderman, started his musical career at age 6, but became an international celebrity well into adulthood, playing the national and folk music of each country he visits, as well as a broad range of well-known Latin American hits, and jazz, pop and Brazilian samba. He was nominated to the Grammy Awards last year.For more info call: 226-7005.

Two words: grace and splendor.

The Pollera, considered by experts one of the most beautiful national folklore dresses in the world, will be exalted during its very own fiesta: the National Pollera Festival, which takes place July 22 in the town of Las Tablas, province of Los Santos.

The event, which features folklore dance performances, parades and a contest based on a category system, takes place during the festivities honoring Santa Librada, the patron saint of Las Tablas.

The "tropical" version of the Andalucian female attire of the 15th and 16th centuries, Panama's Polleras were first worn by the peasantry and the servant class of the Isthmus during the Spanish colonial period. Originally made with white linen, the dress slowly evolved throughout the centuries into a veritable hand-embroidered work of art, which presently costs between US$1,500 to US$10,000.

Las Talbas is approximately a four and-a-half hours drive from Panama City. Visitors can choose to take buses departing from the National Bus Terminal, located in Albrook, for fly into the nearby city of Chitré, departing from Marcos A. Gelabert airport, also located in Albrook. The largest accommodations in the region are also found in Chitré.