News from the Panamanian community in the U.S.

Jessica Estrada.

Beauty queen in California
Congratulations to Jessica Estrada, a beautiful, young Panamanian-American who recently won the Miss Panama-California Pageant, in Los Angeles.

The Panama-California Pageant is one of the annual activities of the Viva Panamá Organization, which encompasses Panamanians residing in the western United States (www.vivapanama.org)

Activities in New York
The Panamanian community in New York City will have its 11th annual Panamanian Independence Day Parade on Saturday, October 7th, on Franklin Avenue, Brooklyn at 11:00 a.m.

Also, the community will organize the Caribean Multi-National Business Conference in Panama City, to be held November 9-14. It will cover two important topics: the expansion of the Panama Canal and the Panamanian vote abroad.

For more information, contact Dr. Marco A. Mason, marcomason@aol.com

Says Tourist Boards' Jaime Cornejo:

The province of Colón is about to be re-introduced as one of Panama’s top tourist destinations, according to Mr. Jaime Cornejo, Director of Development and Tourist Investment of the Panama Government Tourist Bureau (IPAT).

The entity is currently working with municipal governments, local hotels and tour operators in order to "create demand", first with local tourism and later, with international visitors. "We want families to consider Colón as an alternative for weekend outings as well as a shopping destination," said Mr. Cornejo.

The renewed focus on Colón is a result of IPAT’s plan to create tourist circuits –regional networks promoted by public and private segments of the industry. The first of these "circuits" is the "Route between two Oceans" –the region encompassing most of the Panama Canal area.

The first meetings towards establishing the program in Colón have defined three main areas: the city and the Free Zone, Eco-tourism and History and Culture.

For the first, plans are underway to refurbish the city’s Avenida Central and increase promotion of the Colón Free Zone as shopping venues. Folklore groups are rehearsing at refurbished parks in order to draw attention and police authorities are cooperating with the population to strengthen security. The program also entails the construction of a new "CEFATI" –IPAT’s tourist information and visitors’ center– on the city’s bayfront.

In the area of eco-tourism, IPAT is working with the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) and Panama’s environmental agency (ANAM) to promote the areas of San Lorenzo, Escobal, and Punta Galeta, which are rich in maritime and tropical forest ecosystems.

The Camino Real, the colonial road used by conquistadors to transport South American riches from one coast to the other, has been included in the Historic and Cultural area of the province. "We are planning to restore the remnants of the route, which includes navigating on the Chagres River –a thrilling adventure for visitors," said Mr. Cornejo.

Although rich in tourist attractions, the province of Colón has received negative publicity due to the urban decay of its capital city in recent decades. However, the opening of two major cruise ports in town (Colón 2000 and Pier 6 of the port of Cristobal) has brought thousands of tourists to the province in the last six years.

Summit Gardens

The Harpy Eagle, one of the most popular residents of Summit.

A team of architects is already working on a new entrance for Summit Gardens, the largest nature park of the Panama City area. The park’s manager, Adrián Benedetti, opened a design contest for the public, which ended in late June.

The new entrance is part of "Master Plan" to elevate the 83-year-old park into a first-class recreational facility and zoo. Panama City’s mayor’s office has teamed up with the Houston Zoo, the Smithsonian Tropical Reaserch Institute, the Wild Animal Recovery Foundation, the Albatros Foundation, Universidad de Panama and a number of companies in order to build modern facilities for the animals, nature trails and recreational facilities. The plan includes the construction of a special sanctuary for the tapir, an endangered mammal species, and the refurbishing of the exhibit center for the Harpy Eagle –Panama’s national bird.

Construction crews are already on the site and are expected to finish works in mid-2007.

There are dozens of species of birds mammals and reptiles.

A ten-hectare segment of Soberanía National Park, on the eastern bank of the Panama Canal, Summit was created by the administration of the former Canal Zone, in 1923 as an experiment to introduce tropical flora species from around the world. It has 150 species of trees, plants and shrubs, including the type of palm from which the fragrance of Channel No. 5 was extracted.

A small zoo, presently the only public facility of its kind managed by the Panamanian government, opened in the early 1960’s and includes local reptiles and amphibians, birds (macaws, tucans, Harpy Eagles) and mammals (white-faced monkeys, jaguars, tapir.) There are also picnic areas, trails, camp sites and conference facilities.

The park is located 25 km. north of Panama City, near the township of Gamboa.

Summit opens daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admittance is $1.00 for adults, and 0.50 for retirees. Children under 11 enter free.