Japanese beauty crown up for grabs

Ten Panamanian beauties, aged from 19 to 25 will be vying next month for the opportunity to become Miss International Panama 2007 and the right to compete for the world crown in Tokyo, Japan.

The judging will take place at the Panama Hotel Convention Center in the evening May 22. Earlier in the day there will be a fashion parade put on by professionals with local broadcasting, theatre and business celebrities joining professional models on the runway to display clothing from a wide range of commercial centers and designers.

The local winner, will be crowned with a a new tiara, designed and made by Rene Combe.

The Miss International Japanese franchise is considered number three, in the world of beauty contests.

Swimming, cycling, running

Extreme sport buffs will be out on April 22 to follow the Saucony Triathlon Sprint at Sherman in the province of Colón.

It is the fourth version of this event, and starts from Sheame Beach continuing through the villages of the former Fort Sherman U.S. military base on the Atlantic coast. The competition will begin at 8 a.m.

More than a hundred competitors, on both individual and team categories, will strive through 750 mts of swimming, 20 km of cycling and 5 km of running.

The triathlon is organized by the Panama Triathlon Union (UTP), organization who will have their second major triathlon of the year, with Olympic competition distances in July.

Last country fair of the dry season

The Azuero International Fair –the last of the long list of country fairs taking place throughout Panama during the dry season – runs from April 19 – May 1. The town of La Villa in the province of Los Santos is the site of the event, which attracts visitors from all over the country.

Since Azuero is the "Cradle of Panama's Culture", expect lots of folklore dance shows, agricultural exhibits and parades, as well as the traditional humor of the region, best exemplified in the parrampanes –groups of local residents who dress as women and wear masks of animals or dolls.

The Fair has something for everyone: folklore and industrial exhibits from neighboring countries, reggae and pop concerts, and games for children.

The town of La Villa is 255 km. southwest of Panama City. You can get their either by rented car or by bus (departing from Albrook's Gran Terminal de Transporte) in approximately four hours. The largest lodging accommodations are found in the nearby city of Chitré, in the province of Herrera, just across the La Villa River.

Gamboa Resort gets ready for major fishing tournament

Green beauty, as seen from the Resort.

Gamboa Rainforest Resort will hold its first fishing tournament of the year, "Gamboa- April 2007", which will take place April 28-29 on Gatun Lake.

The event will offer three standard categories: "Sargeant," "Róbalo," (first, second and third place,) and "Sábalo Real" (1st place.) There will also be separate categories for ladies and children. The tournament will also include a "Best Team Contest", which will be prized with the "Rotary Cup."

Located in the junction between the Chagres River and Gatún Lake, Gamboa Rainforest Resort is Panama's first five-star eco-tourist facility, and offers tours of the surrounding jungle, water sport activities and exhibits of flora and founa. It is owned and operated by Hoteles Bern, which also owns the Miramar Intercontinental, the Crowne Plaza (Panama City) and the Playa Bonita resort (Kobbe beach,) among other facilities.

A relaxing swimming pool at Gamboa Resort.

Do you Hate Hamlet?

Every schoolkid, even if he or she never studied Shakespeare, can mouth "To be or not to be that is the question" But the question is up for grabs at the Theatre Guild of Ancon where "I hate Hamlet". Is running. The first perfomance was April 19 and it will run this weekend, April 20 and 21, and again on April 26, 27 and 28.

Performances start a 8:00p.m. Donation $10.00. For reservations call 212-0060

Piano ensemble opens national concert season

The D'Accord Duo: pianists Sebastian Euler (Germany) and Shao Yin Huang (Taiwan.)

The National Concert Association will start its 2007 regular season of performances with Duo D'Accord, a piano ensemble, on Monday, April 30 at the National Theater, at 8:00 p.m.

The Duo was created by Sebastian Euler and Shao Yin Huang, who met at Munich's Music University as they studied with Karl-Hermann Mrongovius and Begoña Uriarte. Nine months later, they attracted international attention when they won the second prize at the 49th ARD Competition in Munich. Duo D'Accord latter went on to win first prize at the 8th Murray Dranoff International Piano Competition, one of the largest in the world for duos.

The ensemble has toured Europe, Asia and North America and has recorded extensively. Its upcoming concert in Panama City will include works by Schumann, Liszt, Brahms and Academy Award Winner John Corigliano. Tickets cost $30, $15, $5 and $1 for students and retirees. They are for sale at the National Concert Association's headquarter, on Avenida Samuel Lewis, Edificio Comosa. For more information, call 214-7236, or visit www.conciertospanama.net

Festival is in July:

Las Tablas, birthplace of the Pollera

Señorita María Victoria Barrios Cedeño, who will preside over the pollera festival in July.

With your cultural appetite sharpened by the upcoming 1000 Pollera Parade in Panama City, it´s time to plan a trip further affield to celebrate a the Pollera in its true home, the interior.

The National Festival of the Pollera will be celebrated in Las Tablas, July 13-22 and playing a starring role will be Señorita Victoria Barrios Cedeño who has been elected Festival Queen.

The celebration starts Friday July 13 with a folclórico parade through the a principle streets of the town. During the month the festival will be enlivened with a national violin contest and a Camisilla (shirt) and sombrero contest. The sombrero event will be in two categories, luxury (white or colored) and regular (rush). A good time to chose a new piece of headgear.

The festival culminates on July 22 with a grand National Competition of the Pollera and an allegorical parade involving student minstrels, street musicians and, of course, polleras.

It´s worth the trip to Las Tablas to experience first hand a truly national event and absorb the culture of the country

An historical tradition for all to see

Panama’s national pride will be displayed in full splendor on Sunday, April 29 during the Parade of the Thousand Polleras.

Organized by the Panama Tourist Board, the event is a tribute to the country's national costume for women, the Pollera, a beautiful, 16th century colonial attire that has been adapted to Panama's culture with indigenous and African elements. One of the most beautiful and expensive dresses in the world, the Pollera features regional variations in each province.

First held in 2003, the parade also honors all of the country's main ethnic groups and their regional costumes. This year, the parade will be held earlier than in previous years, taking advantage of the dry, sunny weather of April.

Ladies dressed in polleras from all regions of Panama will participate in the parade.

Franchise Forum

The American Chamber of Commerce is holding its first American Franchise Forum at the Panama Marriott Hotel on May 10 and 11. The 2-day event will kick off with a networking cocktail at 6:00pm on the evening of May 10 and then run all day on May 11. There will be five major speakers on general subjects and 12 franchisors from the United States who will each have 15 minutes to discuss their more than 20 franchise options. Each of these franchisors and several more will have booths at the entrance to the meeting hall to go into further detail on their offers. The networking cocktail, all sessions, and lunch on the 11th are included in the $75.00 registration price. After May 2 $100.00. Additional information is on www.panamcham.com

Marko to appear in magic show May 10-13

The magical arts are alive and well in Panama, as Marko, the country’s own greatly celebrated "Master Illusionist", presents four shows featuring his amazing and justly famous magical sleight-of-hand and illusions at Teatro La Quadra, May 10-12 at 8:00 p.m. and a special family show on Sunday, May 13 at 4:00 p.m.

The author of several books on magic and a renowned lecturer and teacher, Marko appeared for over 10 years in his own television show in Spain and has limited his personal appearances in Panama to private parties and gatherings. This limited theatrical run marks his welcome return to the public stage.

Bob Stiff and Lizeth Esquivel, of the radio show "Coffee With Bob & Lizeth", heard weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on 98.9 FM, are producing the show. "Having seen Marko at a party, we instantly decided that his amazing skill and talent had to be showcased in a theatrical setting, "they said "Months later, we are still trying to figure out how he does all of those amazing things! He belongs in Las Vegas!"

Tickets are available at TicketCenter outlets, CD Place and AudioFoto stores. Prices are $10 for adults and $8 for children under 12.

Taxing Times The Taxation and Legalisation Committee of The American Chamber of Commerce is meeting on Tuesday April 24 at the Chamber offices in Ocean Business Plaza, Avenida Aquilino de la Guardia. All members are invited Special guests will be the Director of Tax Administration for the Municipality of Panama, Lic. Mario Miranda, the Chief of Fiscal Control and the Tax Executor (Judge) to discuss the recent changes to Municipal Taxation published in the Official Gazette at the beginning of this year. Members planning to attend should call Maite at 301-3881 or e-mail at amcham@panamacham.com

Expats Events

Mexican rock star presents her latest CD in Panama

Mexican pop star, Julieta Venegas. La cantante pop mexicana Julieta Venegas.

Mexican Grammy-Award-winner Julieta Venegas, will offer a concert at Panama City’s Atlapa Convention Center on May 10 to promote her latest CD: "Limón y Sal" ("Salt & Lemmon".)

Venegas is currently the best-known Mexican rock-and-pop artists abroad. She has sold over 800,000 copies of "Limón y Sal" in Europe and Latin America, for which she was awarded a Platinum Record in Mexico, Spain and Argentina, and a Gold Record in the United States, Chile, Colombia and Central America.

San Diego, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Anaheim, New York City, Houston and Miami are some of the cities in which Venegas is scheduled to perform before her Panama concert –her second in three years. Afterwards, she will offer concerts in Madrid, Barcelona, Zurich and Milán.

Tickets are for sale at all Blockbuster video rental stores and cost $20.00 onwards.

Radio Tribute

One of the must moving tributes to the recent student massacre in Virginian will be broadcast on the Gerryd program, (see pages 28-29) on Sunday April 22, 7:00p.m. 9:00p.m., (Metropolitan 95.3 FM).

If you miss it, you can hear it on the net from Monday April 23 through April 29. It is a masterpiece of editing and provides a fitting memorial to those who died, and a reflective look at our own self-destructive foibles.

Formula 1 in downtown Panama City

The otherwise congested Calle 50, in the heart of Panama City's financial district will transform into a race track on May 1 when 28-year-old, German-born driver Michael Ammermueller races down the avenue with his Formula 1 engine.

Car races in Panama normally take place at the Río Hato track, two hours west of the capital. This time the Red Bull Team, organizers of the event, chose downtown Panama. City for promotional reasons.

The car, built in 2005, will run at 300 kph from the intersection of Calle 50 and Aquilino de la Guardia to the intersection with Vía Brasil (maximum speed limit on Calle 50 is 60 kph, which normally can only be reached at night). Nearby streets and avenues will be closed to normal traffic between 6:00 a.m. and noon, and the circuit will be lined with emergency and security personnel.