Restaurante Bar Amarillis is so new that the signs that have been ordered haven't yet arrived, so it is well hidden in plain view. As you drive on the Pan-American Highway toward the town of San Carlos, you will get past Vista Mar, the entrance to the Assemblies of God church camp, the bus stop with the overpass, and be barely past the turnoff to go the back way into the town. There, on your right, there will be a sign that says "Bienvenidos a San Carlos" and this place that sells tiles, flagstones, decorative stones and other such building and landscaping materials. Restaurante Bar Amarillis is adjacent to that establishment. If you get to the main entrance to town, you have gone about a kilometer or so too far.

If you drive the Inter American Highway in Panama between Chame and San Carlos, during the last weeks of December, you will see homemade “dummies” displayed along the sides of the road standing in front of people’s homes. Colorfully dressed, these life-size, life-like effigies take on a striking resemblance to everyday people. Famous personalities, children, farmers, doctors, seniors and other walks of life are represented.

The “dummies” are a popular end of year tradition for Panamanian families. Called Judas Dolls or Old Year Dolls, they are dressed in old clothes and made entirely of recycled materials.  Coconuts, banana leaves, straw, dried branches, discarded cans, cardboard and old pillows are some of the items are used to create the heads and bodies. Then faces are painted and accessories adorned to give the doll its personality.

On Saturday, December 6th, the Coronado Hotel started their Christmas festivities with a Christmas Parade.   Both Las Lajas and Roberto Eisenmann Elementary schools provided the entertainment.  The parade started on Acuanauta street, continued on to Punta Prieta Ave to finish at the Coronado Hotel reception area.

These two school bands played traditional Christmas melodies and their marching band followed suit. The Virgin Mary was carried on the back of a mule and Joseph walked by her side.  Mrs. Claus waived to the crowd from her cart, which was pulled by live oxen. Saint Nick, along with clowns and the Coronado Frog, waited for them all at the Coronado Hotel gate. 
 

Galería Artesanal is the only place in El Valle de Antón that offers exclusive arts & craft from different artist of the area.  This December 12 until the 24 we will be having a special Christmas sale where you could find the best gifts for this season.  We want to invite everyone to visit us this Friday 12 at 6 pm. for the opening of the sale.  We will have appetizers, Wine, music and more.

The artists:

This is a deliciuos Panamanian recipe taken from Distribuidora Lewis book " This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "

Ingredients:

2 grated fresh coconuts
1 Lb congo peas
4 cups of rice
1 Tsp salt
5 cups of hot water

On September 08, Jim DesLondes opened El Sueno Art Gallery in Coronado which features local and international artists exhibiting a variety of art for all to enjoy and collect. They just recently celebrated their Grand Opening and welcome your visit.

  
Jim and his fiancée, Teresa Martinez, realized their potential to create a space for health, wellness, healing and creative art for the community.  A long time dream of Teresa’s has been to create a space for wellness, holistics and healing. She is a teacher and certified practitioner of Soul Focused Healing which focuses on the Energy Body and Chakra System as it applies to physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing. She has studied and applies many other forms of natural and holistic modalities of wellness for individuals, and our environments. Their goal is to offer classes, workshops, lectures and the space to assist anyone who chooses to adventure and open to a new aspect of wholesome living for your body, mind, heart and spirit.

Anne-Marie Bergeron, owner of El Litoral Bed and Breakfast has a passion for yoga, and credits it for her high energy and good health. She lost 57 pounds doing yoga after the birth of her son.  Anne-Marie is a certified Yoga instructor, who taught it to adults and children for 7 years at a large Montreal fitness center. I am very happy to report, that she is now starting Hatha Yoga classes here in Coronado.

Anne-Marie says anyone of any fitness level can join and gain the benefits of yoga. Her instructions adapts the exercises for each person. “Even people with back problems can do yoga, and it is very beneficial for seniors. Yoga will give more energy, more focus, stronger ability to concentrate. It is not a tough exercise, you don’t feel pain when you do yoga. It improves the body’s ability to work and it also helps you sleep better”.

Hatha yoga is called the Way of Living. By learning how to breath through postures, the body’s vitality and functioning increases.

Anne-Marie tells people to begin classes before Christmas so that its easy to pick it up again after the holidays. Most importantly she says, “do it for yourself, not for anyone else”.