Hotel Occidental — Hotel in David

My next Lookie – Lookie was out to the Far West of Panama – the city of Puerto Armuelles [PA].||||To reach PA, I took a bus again from the Albrook Terminal to the city of David [pronounced Dā-veed’. It is a nice 6 hour ride made more pleasant by the quality of the bus, the varying panorama of the countryside and the stop for lunch half-way there. I usually like to eat within local bus or train stations, but there was a long line waiting to go through the line, I decided to walk down to a KFC I spied next door – and have a piece of Chicken. I am not a KFC fan, but the leg and thigh [with mashed potatoes – cole slaw and Biscuit] I got here was top-notch and well worth the 85 cents. After this lunch, we continued on to David where we arrived in mid-afternoon. There is no direct service from Panama City to PA so I had decided to spend a night here. I knew nothing about this city and so hired a taxi at the bus station to drive me around. Taxis are very inexpensive in Panama and a great way to learn about an area you are unacquainted with – $1 will get you most anywhere in town. I like city-centers in old colonial towns and so had the taxi go there – the Plaza. Right on the square was an old, but clean looking hotel [the Occidental}, so I had him stop – make sure they had a room – and entered. It was NOT the Biltmore – but it was clean, the bed was comfortable, and for $23 I could not expect more. I spent an extra day in David, walking around seeing the sites. It is the third largest city in the country [after Panama City and Colón – each end of the canal] and is scheduled to receive an International Airport in the near future. It is a nice town, but I...

My next Lookie – Lookie was out to the Far West of Panama – the city of Puerto Armuelles [PA]. To reach PA, I took a bus again from the Albrook Terminal to the city of David [pronounced Dā-veed’. It is a nice 6 hour ride made more pleasant by the quality of the bus, the varying panorama of the countryside and the stop for lunch half-way there. I usually like to eat within local bus or train stations, but there was a long line waiting to go through the line, I decided to walk down to a KFC I spied next door – and have a piece of Chicken. I am not a KFC fan, but the leg and thigh [with mashed potatoes – cole slaw and Biscuit] I got here was top-notch and well worth the 85 cents. After this lunch, we continued on to David where we arrived in mid-afternoon. There is no direct service from Panama City to PA so I had decided to spend a night here. I knew nothing about this city and so hired a taxi at the bus station to drive me around. Taxis are very inexpensive in Panama and a great way to learn about an area you are unacquainted with – $1 will get you most anywhere in town. I like city-centers in old colonial towns and so had the taxi go there – the Plaza. Right on the square was an old, but clean looking hotel [the Occidental}, so I had him stop – make sure they had a room – and entered. It was NOT the Biltmore – but it was clean, the bed was comfortable, and for $23 I could not expect more. I spent an extra day in David, walking around seeing the sites. It is the third largest city in the country [after Panama City and Colón – each end of the canal] and is scheduled to receive an International Airport in the...

A mistake was made when we were showed to our room. We asked for a simple room with a fan for $20.90, and were shown a room with air-con. We paid for the room, at the above rate, which was a mistake. Management found out we paid the basic rate for a much pricier room, but gave it to us. Although management was visibly upset at the mistake made by one of their employees, we were visibly over the moon to have the biggest swankiest room we have had in about 8 months. It is basic by most standards, but to us it was a palace. Our room, 215, was on a corner meaning it was bright and airy, as well as dry which was good for our laundry. In passing we saw the rooms for $20.90 and they seemed to lack outside facing windows, so perhaps view a few if you are challenged in the pocketbook. ||Wi fi was not working. The balcony facing the square was great. Again, just because we thought it was a palace does not mean much. You can always pay more somewhere else. But for us it was a real treat. So much so that we extended our stay by a day. So this place was a nice surprise. You may...