Being a local guide on google maps has become a passion for me. It’s one of the greatest hobbies I could have found. I get to contribute to this great platform and help to make it a better place for an informed community. Thanks to contributions made by other local guides, I have been able to find hidden gems in my city, and got so many good memories out of all places I’ve been to. But there was also a time when I was walking around with my boyfriend, and it was almost lunch time, so we decided to look for a nearby restaurant to try something new. We then chose a pizza place and walked all the way to it, only to find nothing because the place was no longer there, and it had not been reported on the map. It was awful.
All of this - the good and the bad- is what helped me realize about the importance and impact that a local guide can have. By joining this community, I have given back a little from what I received, and this adventurer spirit of mine has finally found the perfect chance to blossom; something that was in me from when I was a little 6 year old girl who would wake up and look at the world with eyes of excitement and curiosity.
In a country as Panama, with such an important geographical position for commercial transit, it is no wonder that this place is home to people with different cultural backgrounds and nationalities from around the world. It’s amazing to be in such a small country, yet with so much to explore thanks to what has been left as a result from many centuries and historical events.One day I could be enjoying a hearty Mexican meal from a family-owned restaurant, next day I can walk about two more squares and have a traditional oven-baked pizza from an Italian pizzeria. Not so far from there,I can treat myself to some ladopsomo salad with kefte (Greek food). On a special occasion with my boyfriend, we could have some traditional hotpot…or just to cheer myself up I would visit my favorite Chinese owned restaurant and eat jiaozi (dumpling) with some savory noodle soup!
Curious Fact
From all of these cultures, the Chinese culture is the biggest in Panama,
due to the railway construction in the middle of the 19th century, and the Panama canal construction in the begging of the 20th century. Most of the workers came from China. There were also workers from USA, Europe, and slaves from Africa.
There are so many options that I could keep going with (Lebanese food, Japanese food, Peruvian food, Korean food, Vietnamese food, Argentinian food, Jamaican food…) but this post would be too long!
During my journey as a local guide, I’ve found that my palate can be quite precise as I can distinguish several different flavors at once… And I really enjoy and love doing what I do! It’s important to let others know what places are worth visiting to live the best possible experience. I care to share on Google maps due to passion, because my adventurer spirit drives the need to share knowledge with the world.