My first trip to a strip bar in Panama was to the infamous La Mayor in San Felipe, Panama City. I had been lounging at an outside bar all day drinking Seko and O.J. with a guy from Sweden and another from Tennessee and we were all getting a bit fidgety. Big Swede (as they call him) mentioned that he wouldn’t mind going to a nudie bar and it didn’t take much arm twisting to get me and Tennessee to agree.
I had only been in the country for a few days so I wasn’t going to be much help in selecting a venue and Big Swede who has been to most of the skin dens said he just wanted to go some place different. This left the decision to the gentleman from Tennessee who sort of grinned and said “I know a place we can go to.” A few minutes later we had downed our drinks, paid our separate tabs and stumbled out onto the sidewalk together to wait for a taxi.
Although some expats complain about them, taxis in Panama are plentiful and relatively cheap. You never have to wait too long for one to stop for you and on this evening we didn’t either. The tiny Toyota pulled up looking like it had spent several years doing the derby circuits and sporting a paint job of several different shades of yellow. Tennessee approached the driver side window, leaned down then sort of grinned and said “We wanna go to La Mayor in San Felipe.”
Driver: “La Mayor?”
Tennessee: “Yeah, in San Felipe”
Driver: “San Felipe?”
Tennessee: “That’s right. La Mayor in San Felipe.”
Driver: “Ahhhh! La Mayor!”
Tennessee: “Yeah”
Driver: “In San Felipe!”
Tennessee: “Right.”
Driver: “Ohhh La Mayor is muy peligroso (dangerous). I take you to a better place.
Tennesee: “We wanna go to La Mayor. Can you take us?”
Driver: “Sorry Senor. I don’t drive to this place.”
And with that the driver pulled away in search of more reasonable gringos. Two seconds later a similar looking cab pulled up and we had to repeat the process. This driver must have been more adventurous because he readily agreed to take us and after settling on a fare of $5.00 we all hopped in the car with him. The drive to the San Felipe area from Calidonia is a short one during the less overwhelming weekend traffic and in less than 10 minutes we were nearing our destination.
As we got closer I noticed the driver reaching down to roll his window up. He indicated via sign language for me to do the same. I also noticed that he went through intersections as quickly as possible and when he did have to stop I could see his eyes darting back and forth, scanning the shadows on either side of the street.
Holland: “I guess they really don’t like coming out here at night”
Tennessee: “Nah. They try and avoid it when they can.”
Holland: “Is the area really that dangerous?”
Tennessee: “A buddy of mine came up here by his self the other night and got robbed on the side walk right outside the door, but its not too bad.”
As he was saying that, we pulled up outside the bar. Its nearly in the middle of a city block facing a small port on the Panama bay. Two off duty cops were standing outside trying to look intimidating and frisking anyone who entered. I always carry a pocket knife but they missed it when it was my turn to be patted down. They did find Tennessee´s digital camera and told him they were locking it in the “safe” and that he could get it back when we left. On the other side of the entrance door is another security guard and another entrance door.
It was here that we paid our $3.00 admission charge which gets you inside with two yellow tickets that can be handed over for beers. The inside is a two level circular shaped mini arena of girl sliding down poles and chatting with the mostly local customers. In fact, I didn’t see any other foreigners in the place. We grabbed some drinks and a table at the balcony to enjoy the show.
It La Mayor it works the way most of the American titty clubs do. A girls comes on the stage and dances to two songs in an increasing state of undress. After the songs are over (mostly corrazon Panamanian love songs and reggae influenced local club music) the girl grabs any tips that have been left and appears out of a side door minutes later, hoping to find somebody that liked what they saw and another girl takes her place as the music begins anew.
We passed a few hours sitting at our little table. Drinking like there was no tomorrow and flirting with the unending parade of Latinas that came by to offer us some company.
Finally Tennessee decided he had experienced enough. He went to collect hius camera which was surprisingly still there and wait for a taxi in one of the few areas of the city where there aren’t dozens of them between two stop signs. An hour later Big Swede through in the towel as well and I was left alone. I order several more drinks and didn’t end up leaving until nearly morning. For research purposes of course.
Since my trip to La Mayor I have discussed the place with other expats and those that have ventured over there don’t give the place very high marks. I sort of liked it. Its inexpensive, full of Colombian girls from Calle and healthy looking ladies from Dominica and as long as you keep your wits about you, I cant see how you would be in much danger there. You might even enjoy yourself.
There are rooms upstairs where you can take any one of the girls working there. I didn’t but from what I have learned it works out to about a dollar a minute.
Other prices:
Beers $1-2.00
“Ladies Drinks” $4.00
Cover charge $3.00
Location: uego el mercado de maricos al lado del puerto Panama City, Panama Panama
Contact Info: (507) 269-1844
View All Articles By: Adrale Holland
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
a dollar a minute. wow. i should really depart from the recession here and set up shop elsewhere.
diana la mejor de todas