Spanish is the official language of Panama. Some people speak English, too, but it is not very common.
It may seem a little strange, but Panama uses the U.S. dollar! Officially, the currency here is called the "Balboa" and some of the coins are different. So, when I go to the store, I use my U.S. dollars and sometimes the Balboa coins. But, they are worth the same. For example, $1 (one dollar) equals B/. 1 (one Balboa).
About $1 or B/. 1.
My best meal this week was vegetarian tacos from a great Mexican restaurant in the city. Panama is influenced by many Latin American countries, so in Panama City, I always have plenty of international options.
This week, for a festival called Carnaval, I went to a concert of one of my favorite Latin artists, Joey Montana! He is from a region of Panama called Chiriqui which is on the west side of the country. Some of my favorite songs of his are "La Melodia" and "Suena el Dembow". They are great songs for dancing.
