Starting yesterday, thousands of people are returning to Panama City after almost 96 hours of fun, rest and visiting their relatives in the countryside. At the Transportation Terminal in Albrook the activity was notable. The baggage-laden travelers gradually incorporated into the normality of the capital, still submerged in the aftermath of the Carnival. Figures from the Ground Transit and Transportation Authority say that as of 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 131.222 vehicles had traveled into the interior and of those 83.540 vehicles had returned to Panama City. The death toll from accidents stood at eight, through last night. (Source: La Estrella)

This year 120.600 vehicles left Panama City and went into the the interior of the country as part of the Carnival celebrations, the ATTT told TVN Channel 2 news, or 1,371 more cars than last year. Of those 57,719 have already returned to the city. It was also learned that eight people have died in traffic accidents during Carnival. The agency spokesman said that a few drunk drivers have been detected. A large number of traffic control officers have been deployed to help speed the return of drivers to the city. The ATTT will keep working until Wednesday at noon. (Source: Panama America)

Severe traffic congestion was recorded Saturday afternoon on the highway bewteen Arraiján and La Chorrera. Several drivers complained because they remained totally stopped for about 20 minutes on the road. Meanwhile, traffic police officers tried unsuccessfully to accelerate the pace of vehicles. The Emergency Operations Center (installed in Aguadulce, Cocle, for Carnival) reported that already about 60,000 vehicles had passed by the weigh station in La Chorrera headed toward the interior by noon today. Meanwhile, authorities have announced they will maintain security operations until Wednesday, 17 February. (Source: La Prensa)

Editor's Comment: I had to go up to the area of the beaches today to take some pictures. We left at about 11:00 am or so and the traffic was heavy but not impossible. We came back at about 3:00 pm and the traffic leaving the city had gotten a lot worse. Most of the people in Panama City had to work until 12:00 noon today before they were "sprung" for Carnival. There were two real choke points that I could see. The first was entering the city of Capira where the drop in speed caused a backup that stretched more than five miles. The second was caused by an accident. Thousands of people were stuck in their cars this afternoon, slowly inching toward their carnival destinations.

Benjamin Solis, Operations Manager of the Albrook bus terminal, said they are taking all appropriate security measures and giving as much guidance as possible to those citizens who who intend to travel to the interior of the country via bus, so that they can do so expeditiously and comfortably. Solis said his staff at the transportation terminal is continuing to work to provide services to the public on the various bus routs and other concerns they might have, and he added that there are National Police officers augmenting security. "This year we expect about 350,000 people will use the terminal to go to the interior of the country, so we encourage people to have a travel plan in order to avoid long lines to to buy tickets and to board buses," said Solis. According to Solis these security operations will continue during the four days of Carnival, and they expect the situation to worsen after next Tuesday when everyone is returning to the city from the interior, however they are in a state of fatigue and need more attention. The most visited provinces, according to Solis, are Los Santos, Herrera, Coclé, Veraguas and Chiriquí. (Source: La Estrella)

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By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Finally. I got my video camera working again. A long time ago I took a trip to Bocas del Toro for something (forget what) and while there I accidentally left the battery charger for my video camera behind. This effectively put it out of service for awhile until I finally got off my duff and ordered a new charger and battery. Anyway, this is my first little mini-project - "Driving Down Via España." Of course if you drive down Via España every day this will be boring for you. If you haven't been to Panama in a long time you might find it interesting. And more than anything else this is mostly about me knocking the dust off of my video camera. Anyway, for what it's worth...

Copyright 2009 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received via email: "FYI: Casey Holleran also posted the same info to a group I am on about the flights. Good news for this area. -- Forwarded message -- Subject: FLIGHTS OPEN TO PEDASI - Saludos from Azuero. Spread the word and get out your credit cards! I just booked a flight from Pedasi to Panama and back on Aeroperlas!! As of February 5th, 2010, there will be round-trip flights from Albrook Airport in Panama to Pedasi on Aeroperlas. Flights will be on Monday and Friday to start, with an additional Wednesday flight to hopefully come soon. Go to www.tacaregional.com to book your flight. Under "Planning and Reservations" click on Pedasi to see the flights. Times are as follows: Ruta Salida - Llegada Panamá – Pedasi 12:30 – 13:25 Pedasi – Panamá 13:40 – 14:35 The cost with all taxes included is about $74 each way. For those of us doing business here and those of us who just like coming here, this is a huge deal. Let's help make sure that these flights continue by booking early and often! Best regards, Tedd Tennis." Good news. Any expansion of domestic air service generally means there's a demand, and the airlines are changing what they are doing to meet the demand. I know there are a lot of projects being built out in that area. Now of course there will be a trickle-down effect with rental cars and everything else that follows more traffic into an airport.

Copyright 2009 by Don Winner for Panama-Guide.com. Go ahead and use whatever you like as long as you credit the source. Salud.

The Director of Panama's Ground Transit and Transportation Authority, Jorge Ricardo Fabrega, said that in some areas they have been able to confirm that the new traffic lights are working very well, in a synchronized manner, for example on Tumba Muerto. While acknowledging there are other areas where the new traffic lights are not working very well, he said "the new lights will not solve the traffic problem, they can only help to regulate the flow of traffic." Fabrega said the company Telvent which is responsible for the traffic lights has two elements working it its favor: that the children are not in school and that the government has changed its work schedules to conserve energy. However, if they do not reach their goal, "then we are not going to pay a penny to the Spanish company." (Source: La Critica)

Editor's Comment: Is it just me, or does this guy kinda look like Michael Jackson in disguise? If you click on the photo you'll see what I mean...

Starting Tuesday morning, 26 January 2010, the Ground Traffic and Transportation Authority (ATTT) will implement changes to traffic flow patterns in the area of Avenida de los Mártires. At 9:00 am the new traffic light located at the intersection of Avenida de los Mártires and H Street will be activated. There will be changes in the direction of traffic for some streets in the area. J Street, which passed by the former Ancon Inn, changes direction. Now there will be two lanes of traffic going down the hill towards Calle Estudiante, with traffic running in the opposite direction from what is allowed now. The left turn from the Avenida de Los Mártires towards Gorgas Hospital at the intersection with J Street will be eliminated. The left turn to go down I Street from the Avenida de los Mártires will be eliminated. The left turn to go down the Calle Jerónimo de la Ossa from the Avenida de los Mártires will be eliminated. It is expected these changes will help to expedite the movement of vehicles in and out of the city via the Bridge of the Americas. (See map - the purple arrows indicate turns that will no longer be allowed.) (Source: Denise Lara for Telemetro)

The Ground Transit and Transportation Authority (ATTT) reported the activation of new traffic lights at various intersections around Panama City today. New signals were activated on Avenida Cincuentenario near the entrance of the San Gerardo de Mayela neighborhood at 9:00 am this morning. Also activated was the traffic signal at the intersection of Avenida Santa Elena with Diego de Almagro Street and the Avenida Ramón H. Jurado, located near the entrance to Punta Pacífica. The agency asked drivers to take appropriate actions and to follow the instructions from ATTT inspectors and Traffic Police officers, who will be deployed to these areas. (By YURETH PAREDES for La Estrella)

Editor's Comment: Be very cautious when approaching one of these newly installed and activated traffic signals. Yesterday I went through the new signal in front of the Santuario church. I had the green light coming from Via España, but the traffic coming from the right side of that intersection (from my point of view) has had the right of way for decades. Even though the traffic signal was activated, I had the green light, and there were about fifteen (no kidding) dudes from the ATTT wearing blue vests standing around, I still approached with extreme caution. And sure as hell, here comes some dude barreling through the red light at about 40 miles per hour, totally oblivious, blowing his horn and *censormode*ing me out because he though I had cut him off, and not understanding why all 15 of those ATTT dudes were all blowing their whistles at him simultaneously. I just avoided the collision by stopping short, and worked my way through as soon as safety would allow. Be aware that some of these new lights change the way you have to drive in the city, and you will now have to stop in places where you never have had to before. Anyway, heads up.