Originally Posted by
kyushuman
Ayyy papi, I do travel South of the Border a lot.
How lucky that you're doing a quick reconnaissance antes de mi cumpleanos!
Of course, you're welcome to come back to PTY and join us Feb. 12-16.....
So your cumpleanos is coming up? woo hoo! I'd totally go back there, nice people and fun city, but fares are up again. I'm looking at GUA now, there's a fare out of NYC for $265 all-in. Wanna go back to your roots for a long weekend with me and show me around?
I'm very tempted and have heard Antigua is very nice...
So PTY was fun. We rented a car b/c we were going to drive 2hrs away from the city to a beach on the Pacific... very nice and relaxing. But I don't recommend renting a car if you are staying in the city, there are no signs and it is difficult to navigate. We manage to get from point A to point B by stopping at gas stations every 5 min LOL.
Anyways, we stayed in PTY one night at the Radisson Decapolis Hotel - very nice, trendy and happening spot. It had a bar with a DJ by the lobby where both guests and locals hang out. There's a sushi restaurant too and it had decent food. All this is an open space with the same ambiance. We got upgraded to a suite on the 26th floor with amazing views of the city. I totallly recommend this hotel, even if you don't get points (you *wood hores!
) There's mall across the street from the hotel and a casino. Things there are pretty cheap! Other day activities are going to the Canal and to the 'Casco Antiguo' - old town. Nice stores and fun to walk. They had a Jazz Festival last weekend so there were lots of 'fiestas' all over the old town.
As far as the gay scene, I didn't explore that much since we only stayed one night. However, we went to this place call LIPS (*muah*) which is a 5-10 min cab drive from where most of the hotels are. We paid like $2 for the cab!!! It is on a second floor of a shopping center and from the outside it looks a little shaddy but I didn't feel unsafe. I did feel we were the only non-locals of the whole place, and it's a big place. Most of the music the play is local (not even Latin music you would listen to in Miami
) We had to pay like $5 to get in, but then we paid $1.50 for an Atlas (Panamanian beer). It was an adventure and experience - well worth the time. You have to go and check it out. I'd like go back ^