Panama City Multi-Plaza
Apr 20th, 2007 by Don Ray
I am back in David, but my last day in Panama City I went to Multi-Plaza to get some current prices on a couple of items I am thinking about. I wanted to see if there was much of a price difference between the prices in Panama and in the US.
While I was there I took a few photos of the mall so that you can see how it compares to those in the US.
Here is Tony Roma’s. It is still one of my favorite rib places, but the prices are the same as in the US.
This is a fountain that was just inside the main entrance.
The guard in this photo in the white jacket had waved me off and told me I could not take a photo that showed the inside of the store. I asked why and he said he didn’t know, it was managements policy and he just followed orders. I told him I just wanted to take a photo to show people in other parts of the world what the Panama malls were like. He then called for a manager to get more clarification.
While I was waiting for the manager to come I sat down in a waiting area in the mall and talked to a few locals. One gentleman there said that Multi-Plaza was the most expensive mall in Panama City. He said it was built close to the more affluent developments and therefore had wealthier clients. According to him you can go to the Albrook Mall and save a quite a bit. He said that if it cost $10 in Multi-Plaza, it might cost $5 at Albrook. Since I was just comparison shopping it didn’t matter, but now you know. While I was there several people came that were on a cruise ship that was currently docked so the passengers could see the city.
After a bit of time, the guard waved for me to come back because a manager was on the way. It was a very nice lady. I explained my reason for wanting to take a photo of the outside and gave her a card. She thought about it and said it would be no problem and to make myself at home. This is a big difference from my management interface with ARROCHA.
The following photo was one of the reasons, I went to the mall. I wanted to see if I could get a look at a camera to replace the one that had died. Panafoto had the largest selection I got to see.
This photo gives you a bigger picture of one area of the mall. This mall is three floors high in certain areas.
Here are a couple more stores. This is only a small selection of those that are there.
Before leaving I went up to the third floor which also has the food court. It is a standard food court like you would expect in the states.
In the last photo you can see Leños and Carbon. This is where I ordered. I had heard that they had exceptionally good food. I don’t typically expect much at a food court, but I was willing to give it a try. I really wasn’t prepared to get as good a meal as I got. Here is a photo of the pepper steak I got. This is a single order.
The two steaks were very tender and the flavor was very good. It was the best steak meal I have had in some time. It was accompanied with the following plate of side items.
I actually had more than I could eat. Sharing this with a second person would have been the smart thing to do. I think the price was somewhere around $8.00. I accomplished my pricing mission and enjoyed a great meal to boot. Hope you enjoyed the trip to Multi-Plaza.
I’m going to be needing to replace a camera stolen in Almirante / Bocas.
What did your price expedition reveal? Much of a price difference between the US & Panama City? Here in David it doesn’t seem there are many options.
Hi JP. You beat my next post. The stores carry Sony, Canon, Olympus and Panasonic the most at the larger stores. You can see most of what is in the stores in Panama City from the websites that are in the Links section. Panafot seems to have the most. I didn’t look at Multimax. In general it appears that US prices are usually cheaper.
Glad you’re home.
Wish I had had a video camera when Ellen was trying to find some “bahgin” (She is from Bahston, you know.) sneakers in Multiplaza. The food court saved us from exhaustion. We finally took a cab to the old almacen de departementos where she found bahgins galore. When we came out and hailed a taxi, by chance we got an older fellow whose glasses were actually thicker than the bottom of the old Coke bottles and so dirty they probably weren’t having a big impact on his vision anyway. His understanding of my itsy-bitsty Castilian was pretty nil, as well; so we wandered around Panama City trying to run into our hotel which by some stroke of good fortune we eventually did. Lordie, was he glad. We wonder at times if he made it back to his home territory.
Side note on the XD memory: It’s slow as sin, but useful as a backup on a 500. It’s a major part of the reason for the slowness of the Olympus cameras that have it as their only memory.
How ’bout a posting on taxis in Panama City sometime? They are, after all, the sound of the city. We might have another story to share there.
Thanks for adding your experiences in Multiplaza.
From what I read you have the buy class H XD memory and it is faster. I think there is more than just the memory causing some of the slow functions.
I will try to put something in on taxis one of these days. I have some experiences and most people that have been here a while do.
Hi Don:
Once more, thanks for the trip to the mall. I haven’t been to this one, mainly because of the prices. They seem to be higher than other malls. However, just to “window shop” is a great experience.
Looking through your eyes is a wonderful experience. The quality and size of the photographs you included in this post is awesome.
Did you use the same camera you showed me when we last met? I can’t wait to buy myself a “magic box”.
I’m glad you can hang your hat again at David (grin).
Great post, Don!
Regards,
Omar.-
Hi Omar. Glad you enjoyed tge small window shopping experience. Yes, all the photos were taken with the little A530. It is pretty good for one of the smaller Canons.
Hi Don,
Once again thanks for your awsome pictures. Visiting Malls are my favourite pastime, this mall looks pretty impressive. I visited Albrook Mall two times in the pass and I find the stores very inexpensive. Don, just a reminder you promised to send me a photo of the fruit called Pea Va.
Thanks again,
Lynton
Hi Lynton. Thanks for leaving a comment. Now all I have to do is remember what a Pea Va is.
Hi Don:
In Panama we call the fruit “pifá”. In Costa Rica it is known at “pitsbae” or “pijivalle”. It’s a small fruit that grows in a thorny palm tree and it can be eaten after it has been boiled in salty water.
It inner side is light or deep yellow. The flavor is not sweet, but rather simple with a light touch of salt.
I love to eat it with a cup of coffee during breakfast time. I’m sure you can find it at David’s market. Just ask for a “pifá”.
Just my two cents on the subject.
Regards,
Omar.-
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/pejibaye.html
So this is what I am searching for. I will keep my eyes open.
Thanks Don,
Lynton
I haven’t done anything yet.