When the scheduled end of the "culecos" arrived this afternoon on Vía España, police officers started to clear the area out and ask people to leave. However there were some people who insisted on going to a tent that was playing very loud music, as reported by TVN Noticias. The police officers saw that there were a large number of drunks who were ignoring their orders to leave, so the police used pepper spray to "neutralize" them. Several people who attended the "culecos" were unhappy with the actions of the police officers. Like the food vendors, who claim that the established schedule is affecting their sales. (Source: Panama America)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Day three of Carnival 2010 is almost done and the news this afternoon has been dominated by carnival-related items. There was a traffic accident on the Bridge of the Americas. A driver of a sedan lost control of his vehicle, crossed into oncoming traffic, and crashed with a small bus. In Santa Ana another small bus ran a stop sign and broadsided a Toyota Prado. Somewhere in the city a "Diablo Rojo" lost control, went into the drainage ditch in the middle of the road, and flipped over. Somebody drowned in Penenome - and unfortunately someone always drowns in Penenome every year. One of the more interesting notes - there was a guy who painted himself green and was running around the Carnival celebrations wearing a "Hulk" mask. Apparently someone wanted to take a swing at him and they got into a fight. The police came to break it up, and they checked everyone's cedulas with the new instant data access system. It turns out there is an outstanding arrest warrant for Mr. "Hulk" so he was hauled away in handcuffs. So far I am really liking this new system - the police are catching fugitives from justice left and right. Anyway, car crashes, accidents, drunk fights - standard fare for Carnival in Panama. The news never talks about the thousands of people who are enjoying a few days off at the beach or whatever with their families without getting into an accident, a fight, or arrested - 99.9% of what's going on is relatively un-newsworthy. Have fun, be safe.

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 Chairman of the Carnival Board for Panama City, Carlos Arias, was detained and taken to the offices of the Justice of the Peace in Santa Ana so he could present the corresponding documents for a temporary disco that has been erected next to the main carnival stage located on Via Brazil. Carlos Arias and Tijerino were taken to the office of the Justice of the Peace after it was confirmed that at least fifteen minors were detected illegally drinking alcoholic beverages, according to a report on TVN Noticias. Those affected said they paid $1 to be able to enter and drink, and when they were caught they demanded their money back. Carlos Arias, said the authorities are being abusive. For his part, the Minister of Tourism Solomon Shamah said it was regrettable that minors have been admitted to this facility and allowed to drink. (Source: Panama America)

Editor's Comment: He was fined $200 dollars, which he can appeal. The Justice of the Peace of Calidonia made the inspection and ordered Carlos Arias to be taken to the office of the Justice of the Peace in Santa Ana, where he was fined because the minors were found to be drinking in the disco.   

The "culecos" were held in Panama City today under the watchful eye of hundreds of national police officers. Many Panamanians attended the "culecos" on Via Brazil, where there are presentations my musicians and water tank trucks to wet down the revelers. The security being provided by the police officers was notable because they were grouped in several sectors in the area. Meanwhile of the six tank trucks originally authorized to spray water, only two were working in the afternoon, and another two were pulled out by the Ministry of Health because they did not have the required permits. Meanwhile the carnival queen and her princesses participated in the "culecos" together with the public and dancing to a band. At about 6:00 pm this afternoon the show on the main stage will start in the gardens of the El Panama hotel. (Source: Panama America)   

By DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - This year "Mardi Gras" or "Fat Tuesday" falls on Tuesday, 16 February 2010 - which is next week. In the next few days everyone will start to have shorter and shorter attention spans as people start to think less about work and more about going off to the beach or the interior somewhere to party for five days straight. The "lucky" ones work just a half-day on Friday this week to get a head start on the long Carnival weekend. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all lead up to the "big day" on Tuesday, the last official day of Carnival. Most people also get a half-day off on Wednesday, 17 February, in order to give them time to drive back from the interior and to recover from their hangovers, sunburn, and indigestion. Carnival in Panama City will be held on Via España this year, which will be closed from Via Brazil all the way down past the El Carmen Church. Starting about Thursday this week the "exodus" will commence as people depart the city for the interior and beaches. I encourage you to get out and enjoy the carnival celebrations. Just leave most of your cash and valuables at home or locked up in a safe place - if you're waking around soaked to the skin with nothing of value but a buzz and a smile, then you're relatively safe anywhere in the country. Protect yourself from the sun with hats and sunscreen. There will be people all over the place - hammered drunk in the middle of the day - falling down, acting stupid, and basically having way too much fun. Just be prepared to put some distance between you and any random drunk who's having too much fun, and be alert for "drunk fights" between people in the crowd. Carnival in Panama can be a blast - as long as you just take a few steps to stay safe. Now let's see ... Ziplock bags, Shorts, Sunglasses, covered cup to drink beer out of that won't get filled up with "culeco" water, Flip-flops, Sunblock, Pepto Bismo, High-Capacity Long Range Water Blaster ...

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 Super Bowl - the biggest sporting event of the year - will be played next weekend on Sunday, 7 February 2010 at 6:00 pm (Eastern and Local time). Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints will square off against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in what has all the the makings for a high scoring Super Bowl XLIV, but the real party will be here in Panama City. The Superbook VIP Sports Club, Panama's premier sportsbook in Panama City, is getting ready for the party of the year. We are pulling out all the stops to ensure this years Super Bowl will be an event you remember. The Super Bowl promises to have something for every sports fan, and we've recently put the finishing touches on some major improvements and upgrades - with the installation of seven new big screen TV's for example - to ensure no matter where you are in the club you can catch all of the action. We know what you're thinking - "only seven televisions?" No, we just installed seven MORE televisions and now there's like more than fifty screens throughout the club. Get comfy on a couch in our VIP section. Pull up a chair in front of the wall-sized projection TV. No matter where you sit or which way you're looking, you'll have a great view of the game. (more)   Click Here To Read The Full Article (394 words)

After much controversy, the Administrator of the Tourism Authority of Panama, Solomon Shamah, announced today that the route in the capital Panama City for Carnival 2010 will be on Vía España. The group responsible for organizing the Carnival celebrations in Panama City said that if Vía España was selected they there would be no major changes and the celebrations would be held from Via Brazil to the Hotel El Panama. Organizers said government agencies such as the National Police, the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc), the Ministry of Health and the Fire Department have all said this route is the safest. They also said the "Culecos" (spraying water from tanker trucks) will begin at 10:00 am, while evening activities will go on until midnight, as they had previously announced a few days ago. Via Justo Arosemena was considered as an alternate route but was dismissed for security reasons. For his part, Carlos Arias, one of the organizers of the festival, said he was satisfied with the decision, and that his is what they expected. Regarding the contracting of musicians, Shamah said that starting today they will begin to develop the list of artists who will be performing on stage. (Source: TVN Noticias)

Editor's Comment: Carnival in Panama is the greatest national party of the entire year. Have a fantastic time, but make sure to protect yourself from the things that can screw you up. If you're going to be out in the sun all day wear some kind of a hat and sunscreen on exposed skin. If you're going to participate in the "culecos" you're probably going to get soaked to the skin so you might want to leave your cell phone and important papers at home or in your hotel room. If you're a hot chick and you're going to participate in the "culecos" then you should know that wearing bras or bikini tops under your t-shirt is illegal in Panama during carnival, so just go with the flow and don't worry about the whole "wet t-shirt" thing.   

The Superbook VIP Sports Club would like to invite everyone to come by this weekend to catch the NFL Playoff Games. Superbook is a fantastic place to watch any sporting event. This week they are focusing on the NFL playoffs leading up to Super Bowl XLIV, they are also looking towards the future and scanning the calendar of upcoming significant sporting events around the world, such as the Winter Olympics, March Madness and the Final Four, followed by the NBA playoffs, the Kentucky Derby, and the World Cup this summer. They have access to all of the required technology and direct channel feeds from several different sources. "Big Mike" says "it doesn't matter if you want to watch something exotic or to see a game that's hard to get - if the game is being played, no matter what the sport or country, chances are we can get it on a screen for you. Just ask."

Recently Renovated: From their website - "VIP Sports Club: Feel all the sports action live in our modern and comfortable VIP Sports Club, where you will have a front seat complemented by the latest in technology with multiple plasma TVs, a huge projector screen and excellent audio. In addition, you can also enjoy the best in drinks along with delicious appetizers and dishes in our bar and restaurant." They've recently completed a major renovation, overhaul, and face lift - to include more, better, and larger television screens (there's like 42 right now and it seems like more go in every day) as well as improvements to seating, lighting, tables, and the entire general atmosphere and vibe. Superbook is a fully licensed bar and nightclub and they are trying to focus more on that part of their business as well. There's a large VIP area available for private parties.

Really Excellent Food: According to Bill Bates, the Food and Beverage Services Manager at Superbook, "we're trying to provide a higher level of quality with our food and to serve things that you can't find anywhere else in Panama. We have all of the regular bar food like hot dogs and hamburgers, but we even upgrade those with special touches and preparations. For example, we have our ground beef specially mixed at the butcher made from high quality lean beef - so they're better for you than a regular burger and they taste great." They also do a grilled "North Carolina style" chili-dog, which is actually a charcoal grilled sausage, split open and filled with (secret recipe) chili and coleslaw. And of course if you would like to "kick it up a notch" they also have a more complete menu with steaks and corvina. Personally, I never made it past the chili dogs and cold beer. Bill says with a grin "for the Super Bowl were going to roast a whole pig right there in the back - once that smell starts wafting over the city people will just follow their noses straight here..." They're really going to put on a great party for the Super Bowl this year.

The Superbook: As the name implies, Superbook is also offers the widest selection in sports betting options in all of Panama. Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, boxing, tennis, golf … they have it all! You can bet live and in-person by visiting Suberbook to place your bets live with their representatives. You can also place your bets via telephone from the comfort of your own home. Call 214-8913 for more information on how to open your phone account. From their website - "Offering the local Panamanian public as well as international visitors the best location to gamble on sporting events, SUPERBOOK is proud to provide a high quality service that has earned the respect of our competition. With the opening of our new location we have amplified our services, and always remain committed to granting nothing but comfort and efficiency to our clients and friends. Keep enjoying our attractive gambling services with top-notch video and audio technology transmitting every single sporting event and match live, now well-complemented by our exclusive bar and restaurant. Located in the heart of the Banking Area in cosmopolitan Panama City, SUPERBOOK brings you action every single day of the week. We are dedicated to providing our clients with the finest and most varied experience in sports betting in all of Latin America. Enjoy your experience and live all the action at the Superbook!"

Location: The Superbook VIP Sports Club is conveniently located in the Banking Area (Área Bancaria) with easy access and ample parking. Superbook - formally known as "Kopas" - is located on the road that runs through the middle of the banking district, on the street that runs right past the Beirut Restaurant and the Marriott Hotel, on the right hand side about a half-block before Beirut. They have plenty of parking in front as well as behind the building and excellent security.   

TVN Noticias - The intentions of government authorities to impose a 2:00 am closing time for nightclubs, bars, and entertainment centers is fueling the debate among state officials, all of whom disagree with the measure. According to the deputy administrator of the Tourism Authority, Fernando de Leon, the decision to implement this measure could mean losses to the commercial sector in the country dedicated to evening activities. According to de Leon, the evening entertainment business could lose up to 60% of their income from this tourist activity which occurs at night, if the so called "Carrot Law" is enacted. He said that most of the participants "in this nightlife are tourists" and therefore this law would have a direct impact on the economy. According to government officials this move to close the country's nightclubs at 2:00 am is aimed toward diminishing levels of violence.