Last month we visited the local town of Jose Del Mar to enjoy the atmosphere of their annual seafood festival. Its a typical Panamanian feria or fair with the chance to catch up with the local gossip from locals you haven’t seen since last year. It is a great people watching event but no matter how much you might feel like an outside observer it won’t be long before someone engages you in conversation. It’s more than likely your new friend will have had a drink or two even if it is just after breakfast time since the hard core feria goers don’t waste any time getting into the party spirit. As the day wares on you will want to get something to eat and since Jose Del Mar is a costal village and this is a seafood festival I would recommend some of Maria’s octopus stew or perhaps the conch. Both are wonderfully rich and are prepared by one of the very best cooks on the coast. Don’t forget to wash it down with a beer or two. This years major sponsor was Atlas, but to a Scotsman all the local beers taste much the same. Refreshing but not that interesting. A pint of eighty shilling anyone?

Heather with Nentio Vargas 2011

The big band this year were the same as last and although not in the same class as other “tipico” acts like Sammy y Sandra or Nenito Vargas they certainly earned their fee playing well into the small hours. We made our way home around midnight but the party was really just getting going…