It’s time for our 1st venture BACK into Panama City. Well, at least the outskirts. We took our 30 cent bus to the main road
and hopped onto a bus headed back into Panama City. The buses are really a good way to travel here. An hour later, we arrived at the bus station/Albrook Mall. This is advertised as the largest mall in Central America, and after our day there, I would tend to agree.
We came in on the 2nd floor and checked out the map.
We were looking for the Movil phone store (not just a kiosk) because we wanted to recharge our cell phones. I had tried doing this on the Movil website, but for some reason, the purchase was declined. We found the store on the map and headed off. We walked, and walked, and we saw animals,
and people,
and stores,
and we walked
and walked some more. Finally we found the food court
and decided it was a good time to have something to eat. No shortage of choices here! Even some familiar items from the states, with a Central American twist.
How about Burger King: La Casa del Whopper!! And this is just one of a couple food courts.
Our resources recharged, we set off again in search of the Movil store. My wife finally convinced me to ask somebody, (I’m a guy ok??) and they told us to look for the Dolphin…?? Â Wait, those animals MEAN something?? Â Back to our trusty map. FYI, we only found one map posted at this mall. There might have been others, but we didn’t find them. Well look, dolphins are right below the big gorilla which was at the food court that we JUST had been eating at!! We went downstairs and right there was a statue of dolphins, and just down the hall, the Movil store!! Mission Accomplished!! Both SIM cards recharged. Time to catch the bus back home. The bus station is attached to the mall so we went out the way we came in and found the ticket booth for our area. 2.50 each and we had our bus tickets. Minor confusion here. What looks like gate 57 that the ticket guy had written on our ticket was REALLY gate 51. And in order to get out to the buses, you need to purchase a Rapi>Pass.
Kind of a metro card. And I believe you can refill it on line. Haven’t tried yet. So we got our metro card and got out to the buses and thats when we found out we should be at gate 51…A woman with a monthly metro card had pity on us and used her card to get us through the gate to the RIGHT gate and onto our bus headed home.
Another exciting day living the dream!!!!!
Bob & Suzi's Perpetual Vacation 
Albrook Mall is huge! We didn’t even cover half of it the day we wondered around. Glad a friendly local helped you out at the bus station.
The people of Panama have been nothing but helpful!!! Even with my wife’s and my POOR spanish skills, someone has always stepped up and helped us find the right way or the right words to get along 🙂