One of the lawyers I work for is leaving for his annual vacation in Panama (his wife is Panamanian). He asked if there’s anything in particular he could bring back for me - last year he brought coffee, which was nice, but well, not my favorite coffee (we like the kind that’s dark-roasted and berwed so strong you can stand a spoon up in it).
Coffee would be OK, but I have no idea what my other options might be. Foodie things would be good - any other ideas from people who’ve been to Panama?
My son spent fall semester in Panama, and brought us back a small mola.
I loved it so much we had it framed.
Molas are nice, Reprosa (IIRC) makes gold jewelry out of jungle flowers using a casting technique. Little figurines and carvings of soft soapstone are available at all Gran Morrison stores.
The three things that say “Panama” to me are…
A man. A plan. A canal.
Panama.
A hat?
I was first introduced to molas by one of my exes, who had grown up in Panama. Several years later I discovered that my parents had a beautiful framed one, which I had never even noticed.
Tell him you collect foreign currency and that you would like a 100 denominated bill of local Panamanian currency.