Matías arrived about 8 years ago. After living in Ecuador and Colombia, Panama is his third work destination in almost 20 years. In addition to being a great business platform, this Chilean is deeply attracted to the Panamanian early mornings.
“It may seem like a banality, but early mornings in Panama are magical. It’s so amazing to get up at 4:30 am, put on shorts and a t-shirt and go exercise in the different parks in the city. For example, I go to Parque Omar. The City of Knowledge and the Cinta Costera are other options of mine”, Matías says.
At that time, the temperature is usually around 20 degrees. Simply spectacular. Little by little the city begins to wake up. But the silence during the sunrise definitely energizes you and at the same time revitalizes you to start the day.
Today’s sunrise was at 6:35am. Generally a time where you can enjoy the sun at almost any time of the year. In summer that intense orange sky is simply spectacular. In winter you can feel the humidity (if it is not raining) in the environment. In the morning it feels cool, pleasant and it also predicts the heat with which the rest of the day will continue.
And you might wonder why this love for early mornings. It is simple. I was born in Viña del Mar, Chile, where I don’t remember getting up early like this to enjoy the exercise. The mornings are usually cold. And more frost in the winter. It is common to wear warm clothing to practice any sport. In itself, deciding between getting up cold and continuing a few more minutes in bed becomes an issue.
When I lived in Guayaquil I perceived it as a large and unfriendly city for exercise. I remember the Malecón 2000 very well, but getting there was somewhat complicated and the traffic was not helpful either.
And Bogotá…Bogotá is beautiful. Its green areas and parks are truly spectacular. It doesn’t matter where you live. There will always be a suitable place to jog, ride a bicycle (it is one of the cities with the most kilometers of bike paths) or exercise. But the cold will always be an issue.
Panama City has its charm. It’s the perfect size and that means that nothing is far away. Parque Omar is 5 minutes away on foot. The Coastal Strip is 4 kilometers from my home. I can take the car, walk or bike. If I take this last option, I can continue on to the Causeway, the road that connects the Amador Islands and borders the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal.
And finally my favorite place: City of Knowledge. An old fort with which the North Americans protected the security of the Panama Canal and which today is an innovation ecosystem recognized worldwide. Whenever I want, I can I take my car and in 15 minutes I’m there.
In its streets there is history. Everything tells you something and as you walk its streets you come across people who are in the same mood as you. They are enjoying their exercise. You see people on bicycles, others jogging, some arriving to organize their football or baseball game. Sometimes I see yogis practicing and I remember that my mat is waiting to resume its practice.
This is why when they ask me “what is the best thing about Panama?” I happily use the cliché and say “it’s definitely early mornings”.
