(3/28) After sleeping in and resting off the late night (early morning) out with our new friends, Kelly & I got up for lunch at our favorite corner store, Gourmet Super. The store owner, a Mississippian who moved to Panama post-Katrina, reminded us of the artisan fair nearby. As our afternoon plans included an easy day of shopping at Albrook Mall, we decided to take a detour to see the local wares.
Only about 60 miles from Panama lie the San Blas Islands, an archipelago which retains much of its undeveloped splendor and the traditions of the Kuna people. Kuna women sell their work in Panama and are most famous for their beautiful fabrics, called molas, which can be incorporated into purses, clothing, anything imaginable. They're stunning.
The incredible stitch work and detail creates beautiful patterns. Molas range in price from $5.oo (or a $3.00 coin purse) to $100, depending on the quality and design.
Moving on to Albrook, we quickly discovered why this mall has such a great reputation among the backpacker scene: stores had incredible discounts, some particularly for foreigners, and clothes as cheap as $2.00-4.00! Panama is on the USD, which made keeping track of our money easier over the course of the week. However, so much shopping was quite tempting on the pocketbook, as was the fact that the "discount mall" also had a Zara. One would think I'd died and gone to J Crew heaven...
Kelly and I ended our day with dinner at Mostaza, a restaurant with cuisine reminiscent of dear ol' España and delicious dinner rolls that seemed to be just like those at one of my favorite Madrileño dining establishments, La Vaca Argentina. We rushed to Grancelment before its 8pm closing to sample some of the finest ice cream I've ever tasted. After making a promise to come back later in the week for more, we headed home for the night.
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