Adios Costa Rica, Hola Panama

David, Panama
We have arrived in Panama and were quickly amazed by the differences between the two countries. The most apparent difference just after we crossed the border was the road. I can´t remember the last time we saw a divided highway. Costa Rica does not have great roads. The main highway through the country is one lane each way, is very winding and is often in poor condition. After we crossed the border into Panama it was two lanes each way, arrow straight, and pothole free. I will not miss Costa Rican roads.

Another difference is the people. Panamanians seem much more polite. We judge that based on a few little things like greeting the people on the bus when you get on and getting a greeting back from the majority or the waiter who says ¨buen provecho¨(roughly equivalent to bon appetit) when he brings our food. These are things we have come across in other countries but never in Costa Rica.

What I will remember fondly about Costa Rica is the amazing number of incorrect bills we saw. I would say that when we ate out at a restaurant it was more common for us to receive an incorrect bill than it was to receive a correct one. Most interesting about that is that we were not overcharged but undercharged. Food items were regularly omitted. Our guidebook warns us to be extra careful when dealing with moneychangers at border crossings as they may try to shortchange you. I was therefore quite surprised to receive an extra $10 on a $60 transaction. Our sense of honesty prevented us from profiting from these errors in the majority of cases.