The Joys of the Third World

We almost aborted. Getting from Paris to Baltimore was painful. A three-hour layover turned into nearly six hours sitting

in the Newark airport…compounded by greater than usual frustrations at security…shoes off, belts off, jackets off…still I triggered the alarm and had to be pulled aside for a body search. Little Jack took it in stride, but his parents began showing signs of fatigue. In fact, his father got into such a scuffle with one of New Jersey's more aggressive and less polite security guys that I feared we might be clapped in irons and fitted for orange jumpsuits.

"Why do people in this country keep shouting at us and telling us what to do?" 7-year-old Jack asked.

By the time we arrived at my mother's house in Baltimore, where we intended to leave Jack for a summer visit, Lief and I were nearly ready to stay put. But we'd made appointments, so we pushed on, leaving Jack with Gammy.

Thirty-six hours later, our experience passing through Tocumen Airport made us glad we'd carried on with our trip and reminded us why we go out of our way these days to avoid U.S. airports. Instead of brutish security officials, we were greeted by pretty young Panamanian women selling the required tourist card and directing us through immigration with a smile. No third degree, no intimidating stares, no barked orders…

Ah…the joys of the Third World.

A reader wrote recently to take issue with our representation of Panama City as an easy place to travel to and through, complaining about his recent experience at Tocumen, where he'd been disappointed by the limited shopping, restaurants, etc. Give me a hot dog stand and tacky souvenir shop any day, if that's the trade-off for not having to pay for the privilege of boarding an airplane by disrobing in public.

Lief and I are in Panama for two weeks. Most of our time will be spent in the interior. Lief is scouting land; I'm along for the ride. In Panama City, from where I write now, we're enjoying our first stay in the Bayfront condo we bought pre-construction more than two years ago. We bought thinking we'd sell on the contract before the building was complete, but, in the end, decided to hold on to the unit. Reported returns from others we know with comparable rentals in this city are encouraging, but, more than that, we (especially Lief) intend to spend more time in this part of the world. Having our own place will make the comings and goings less costly and more comfortable.

This has been Lief's project. He chose the unit, and he worked with the developer's agent to furnish it and ready it for rental. The result is a kind of retro-bachelor pad. I'm trying not to read too much into that, and, in truth, the finished product is almost charming in its contemporary way. One wall of the condo is all glass and steel with views, on both levels, of both the ocean and the sky-reaching towers that this city has become known for.

Fewer towers, I hear, are being built than may have been on the boards. At least three big tower projects have been scrapped in recent weeks, and, if you pay attention to the rumors, others may follow suit. Our Panama editors have been reporting on the construction frenzy this city has experienced over the past few years. If you're invested here, as we are, you should be reading their regular dispatches (the best of which we'll share with you this coming week). This is a fast-moving market in transition and attracting increasing global attention.

I wouldn't buy in Panama City today (if you've bought already, as we have, I'd say sit tight). But the capital is a market unto itself. Panama is a small country, but it boasts a great supply of one of the world's most sought-after commodities: beachfront. Thus, Lief's fourth scouting trip inland this year. He'll report of his findings to readers of his International Property Alert.

As I said, I've been invited along for the ride. Jack up north with his grandmother, Kaitlin in the south of France with friends, this is a long-planned getaway for two. Now that I've had a look at the gentleman's digs Lief has set up for himself in Panama City, I guess I should be thankful for the invite.

More from the road,

Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, International Living