What's Up in Panama?????????

[+ Axiom2001]

For at least six months, I have been interested in traveling to Panama to inquire about future residence. The information that I have received from IL (International Living) is enticing, but I know absolutely NOTHING about its gay/escort scene. I do know that one fabulous Panamanian (Mario Cruz)is a hot hunk porno star came from there, and I expect to see him sometime in 2006 for a second round.

 

Our first tryst was somewhat odd, but I am willing to give it a second chance; at that time I'll be able to broach my question that I ask of you guys.

 

Any place that I plan to reside in the future must meet almost all of my needs in order for me to be a happy camper; I like the location of Panama and what it has to offer to a retiree...., but what about its MEN?

[trilingual]

There's gay life in Panama, but the scene is pretty small. The country itself is small! This is a typical example of "small-country-syndrome" in gay terms: in a small country with a small population, everyone knows everyone else (when they're not married or related to them) and that has a way of inhibiting a big, thriving gay scene. It's very hard to be anonymous or to preserve your privacy. That cuts down on the number of venues and the general openness of the scene.

 

Panama, although a small country, has a varied population, with communities of indigenous people, European descendants, Asians, and descendants of Afro-Caribbean immigrants. The usual mixing of groups has occurred. Lots of eye candy, and lots of beautiful scenery. Worth a visit, but probably not a place for a gay man to retire unless he's already in a monogamous relationship (or expects to be in one soon) and likes a relatively "small town" scene. For those already familiar with Brazil, it's likely to be a bit dull living there.

 

For retirement purposes, Brazil could still be an option. There are smaller, less frenetic cities than Rio with beautiful beaches, tropical scenery, decent gay scenes and lower costs of living, yet they're a relatively short distance from larger metropolises with all the amenities, bustle, etc. for those times when you're in the mood for that! }( Examples that come to mind include Natal, João Pessoa, Maceió, and Aracajú in the Northeast, and Florianópolis in the South. All of them are big enough to have shopping malls, movie theaters, bookstores and the other necessary conveniences without the megalopolitan feel of Rio or São Paulo. Of course, you can always hide away from the world in any of the zillions of idyllic little beach towns that nobody's ever heard of, if you just want to be like Greta Garbo and get away from it all. . .

 

Uruguay is another possibility: Montevideo and Punta del Este are both tranquil kinds of places, but they're just a hop from the bright lights and big city attractions of Buenos Aires or Porto Alegre. Montevideo is actually a pretty big city with the usual amenities, but it definitely has a slower, more relaxed pace than B.A. The gay scene is low-key; Uruguay's another small country and the same dynamics apply as in Panama. But it's just a half-hour flight to B.A. and an hour to Porto Alegre (and three hours to Rio or São Paulo).

 

In the Caribbean zone, the best bet is probably the Dominican Republic, which has the best gay/escort scene in the area and a foreign gay expat community. It's also not a long way from the U.S. if that's a consideration. U.S. citizens shouldn't forget about Puerto Rico, which certainly has a gay scene and where no passport is required! You can just up and move there whenever you feel like it! Of course, there are hurricanes in the Caribbean. . .

 

Lots of grist for the mill, as you can see!

[Guest LatinoRican]

If you have some minutes to kill, there is a Panamanian website: http://www.farraurbana.com which is basically about what is happening in the bars there. Oh, it also has some Panamanian eye candy you can check out. However, it is in Spanish and has no info on living/relocating, etc. Oh well, I guess you can't have it all...can you?