The Tantalo hotel had a very good restaurant inside, had a rooftop bar with an awesome view too. Semi douchey crowd at the rooftop, but it is what it is. There's a great coffee shop right across the street from there, couple from San Francisco I believe. It's definitely a westernized area, so there didn't appear to be much in the way of local cuisine. Still, great architecture, museums and restaurants are littered all over the place. As Real Corona said earlier, there are favelas that are close by....and boy you know it if you've stumbled into one, but I never felt threatened or unsafe at all.
We were stopped from entering Chorillo from the causeway. The guy stopped us. Told us we couldn't go any further and flagged a cab for us. Said have a nice day.
http://www.ticketplus.com.pa/FaseHexagonal $30 for Preferencial Este and pickup from the will call downtown when in country, the entire stadium in General admission by quadrants so standing with the other traveling fans shouldn't be a problem
AO Pregame announced: https://www.theamericanoutlaws.com/events/usmnt-vs-panama-the-hex#details Chillin Sports Bar Ave La Pulida con Calle 12 de Octubre, Local 3, Av. La Pulida Panamá, Panama Looks to be about 5 miles away from stadium, looks nice but bummer it isn't closer to stadium. I'll share cab with others to the stadium.
Ok, big change here for AO Pregame: Bar is next door to stadium, I really like the change, Google map below, Pre-Game March 28, 2017 LA HACIENDA See map below - Right next to stadium Panamá, Panama 3 pm Start Time https://goo.gl/maps/jJ7Y7qz6ynR2
Like them or not..... they organize: https://www.theamericanoutlaws.com/events/usmnt-vs-panama-the-hex Tons of events for those interested. Dunk the ambassador? Ok.........
Interesting. I don't think this place existed four years ago. Thankfully there's another option besides the casino.
Thanks for the advice. Worked like a charm. The first guy I spoke with said (in Spanish), "No problems. I have a card." The correct bus rolled up within a minute or two. He tagged me on and refused my offer of payment, even seemed a little insulted that I offered. For where I am staying in La Exposicion, Google maps recommends the slow, local bus because it is direct. So the fare is only $.25. Took a long time with the bonus of passing directly in front of Estadio Rommel Fernandez.
Awesome, good to hear! They are super cool people for sure now go scream your lungs off and bring back 3 points!!! GO USA!!!
I'm chillin in hotel pool, ubering from hotel around 630p. Brought my 11 year old so need to restrain a bit from too much preparty. Booo! Just getting over San Jose hangover. See u guys there.
The AO pregame was in a good spot, just across the street from the stadium at an open air bar/restaurant. The atmosphere was a bit subdued compared to others I've attended, but good enough. The US ambassador and a big group from the embassy showed up for some beers and photo-ops. The ambassador even led some chants and marched with AO to the stadium (before peeling off to his suite, no doubt). The USA section was in an upper corner. The guards didn't seem to check tickets - they directed anyone wearing USA gear upstairs. Immediately below the US section was a 10-person percussion band that played relentless, pounding beats through the match. I'm sure the placement was no coincidence, and it did a lot to drown out most US chants. The US fans did get creative with it and managed to still have a few moments. The Panamanian fans were more than I expected - I didn't realize Panama was that into soccer. Lively and loud throughout, a lot of chants. The "La Extrema Roja" section behind one of the goals looked pretty wild and had a nice tifo display before the match (with tri-colored smoke bombs). They also had a massive banner with a message in Russian characters hanging from the ceiling and stretching across the entire endline. I'm told it said something like "On our way ... See you soon". The Panama fans were all good-spirited and friendly. A bit of a beer shower into the US section after the Panama goal (coming from the suites behind the US section, of all places). But that's to be expected. $2 beers in the stadium, with plenty of vendors everywhere. A great experience, definitely recommend it. I also have to say Panama City is way wealthier (expensive) and more developed than I imagined.
the suite directly behind the US section (101) had Sunil and a few of his colleagues with him in it as an FYI....
Perhaps then it was just Sunil throwing beers at the dopes who were harassing him and flashing the middle finger during pregame I looked back up there during the match but didn't see them again. Just a bunch of Panamanians in the surrounding suites.
Nice report @soccer_23 , I agree with all of it. Bored so I'll put a duplicative write up Pregame: as good of location and bar as we could ask for, but was pretty subdued surprisingly. Ambassador was a nice touch though. Overall, well organized and planned, we marched in together and figured out the typical chaotic entrance system together. Supporters: Very pleased with the numbers, maybe 200? of us there. Love seeing the commitment. The band destroyed any hope of songs, but gotta say that band played awesome jams for 2 straight hours, a very nice consolation. We got in a few good songs during quiet moments, but a capo was needed and a few other songs outside of "we love ya" could be had in the future. Kudos to the few guys that gave it a shot to organize, it was a tough gig regardless. Stadium: Typical track stadium, we were in the corner so pretty far away. But nice new interior it seemed, but damn are concessions brutal. Gotta love the Dominos guys constantly walking around, but that beer line was crazy. However, $2 beers and those awesomely crazy carrying devices are genius. Blown away by passion of the Panama fans, did not expect that at all. They were fired up. Love seeing outside of stadium pregame setups. Lots of grills going, kids selling beer, loud music pumping from speakers. All good. Love seeing fellow BS'ers. @Eddie Stiel you are a legend, brother.
In 2013 or whatever we just bought a couple trays from the beer guy. Glad there's an actual bar/restaurant near the stadium now.
I thought the game was entertaining. Of course, there was physical play, but also periods of end to end action. The size and spirit of the US supporters group were impressive. Much larger than at last year's Costa Rica debacle. US Soccer sold tickets at various price levels for that match so a comparison is a little difficult. The photo accompanying the lead article on the US Soccer website shows the US Section in the second deck above Dempsey's right shoulder. At least 500 people. Sorry I can't figure out how to copy/paste the photo, which doesn't stay with the article when I click on it: http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/201...-fought-away-point-in-1-1-draw-against-panama. I liked Panama City better in 2005. So many new high rises and highways, one cutting right through the Cinco de Mayo center. It wasn't a good walking city before; now it is worse. Back then, I followed a Lonely Planet walking tour of Casco Viejo and I don't recall seeing other travelers. The physical attraction of the area remains. Now it is filled with fancy boutiques, hotels and seemingly pampered tourists and surrounded by an eyesore causeway on the Pacific side, which appears to affect the tidal flow. Wandered into El Chorillo from Parque Santa Ana and then to Casco Viejo. No worries. The little bit of El Chorillo I saw with run down buildings and a vibrant working class street scene were what Casco Viejo was in 2005. And the traffic.....much worse. Maybe because of the over development, getting most of the Diablo Rojos off the road or just bad timing and luck for me. Then again, the remodeled stadium is bigger; the team is more popular, so those things had an impact on access to a stadium to which almost everyone drives. The public buses and Diablo Rojos were mostly empty after the game, crawl as they did. And I didn't see any obvious game attendees on the bus ride to the game. I didn't ride the Metro. I saw lots of its construction between the airport and the city center. Its expansion should ease some of the traffic mess. Now, its coverage is very limited. I managed to goof getting on the bus to the airport yesterday. The stop, directly across the street from my hotel, was jammed as was the correct bus to Tocumen. The bus driver drove past the stop, didn't open the front door, a few people hopped out the back. I jumped in that door, tapped my Metrocard, but the turnstile wouldn't budge. A kind Canalero with a New York accent helped me past the turnstile, informed me of my mistake and said in English, "You get to ride for free." Sorry Panama, I owe you two bits. I thought I had seen people enter via the back door on earlier trips. Traveler tip: you can add value to Metrocards at the airport, but you can't buy them there. The walkway between the airport and the public bus stop at the roundabout is covered and well signed, another notable change from 2005. I hope everyone who traveled to the game had fun. I did. Nice to meet a few traveling US supporters at the game. Every Panamanian I interacted with during my short stay was kind, warm and friendly, even with having to endure my deteriorating Spanish.
Wonder if the reason there were so many yanks there was because if the size able expat population there? 500 is truly an impressive number
Yes, I think so about the expats. Next to and behind me was a group of 6 to 10 anglo gringos who sang both anthems, so I figure they are expats. Maybe I'm overestimating at 500? The Costa Rica match at Saprissa in 2009 had a huge US section. At the time, I thought it was because Costa Rica is such a popular expat and study Spanish destination. Maybe Panama has equaled or surpassed Costa Rica, at least based on soccer match attendance.