PANAMA – MUCH MORE THAN A CANAL

A small country and a big canal and a cosmos brimming with surprises – that’s Panama. Panamanians are among the world’s happiest people and among the longest living. What is their secret? We take you on a journey into the fascinating country caught between the Atlantic and the Pacific.

The famous canal is already a surprise since it boasts sandy beaches and dream-like islands. People in Panama are among the happiest in the world and among the longest living. Panama, the small country caught between two continents, offers virtually unspoilt nature and its capital is the No. 1 tropical metropolis in Central America. Hairdresser Orlando works on the Gulf of Chiriqui. He gets to his customers by boat. He does their hair right at the port or in their homes. By his own accounts Yoshi makes “the best chocolates in the world”. To ensure the best quality she cultivates cocoa on her own plantation. Five cups of self-harvested and roasted cocoa are drunk by the Noblé Indians a day. Is that the secret to their inordinately long life? Reaching 90 is quite normal for the Noblé. Patricia is known for cooking with herbs and local ingredients. Every so often she discovers new varieties that spice up her menu. On a donkey she heads into Indio territory and learns about vegetables whose names she can’t even pronounce yet. A small country and a big canal and a cosmos brimming with surprises – that’s Panama.