Panamanians like to celebrate. In November there are a series of important holidays. Just about everything shuts down on these days, with big parades, music, and plenty of fireworks. This year the major parades will be returning to Casco Viejo (their traditional home) so we expect a lot to be going on in our little section of the City. We will get out on foot to check things out, but no traveling as we expect "del tráfico en tiempo grandesl" (big time traffic) in and around Casco.

• November 3, is "Separation Day" to celebrate Panama's separation from Colombia in 1903 with the writing of the “Acta de Independencia del Istmo,” declaring what was then a province of Colombia to be an independent and sovereign nation called The Republic of Panama.
• November 4 is "Flag Day" - The flags designers had worked on the flag while plans to become a nation were still secret.
• November 5 is "Colon Day" - Independence celebrations continue on this day because it was on November 5 that Panamanian officials persuaded (bribed) Colombian forces stationed in Colon not to fight Panama's separation from Colombia.
• November 10 commemorates the “Primer Grito de Independencia de Panama de España” (The First Cry for Independence from Spain) from the Los Santos Province - the hotbed of Panama's independence movement.
• November 28 is Independence Day to celebrate the country's independence from Spain in 1821.

In case the above is a little confusing, just remember, Panama gained its "independence" from Spain in 1821 and "separated" itself from Colombia in 1903.

Take care.

Tags: Holidays