Esté es Panamá

This is Panamá. As we were forming our plans for the afternoon, the lovely Lisa gave us a telephone ring on the way home from her tireless work at the UN. Given her adriot eyewitness skills, and the unusual amount of traffic on Via España, she knew that her camera-happy fellow Americans would soon cherish another 'Esté es Panamá (this is Panama)' moment.

As previously mentioned, the buses (AKA diablos rojos) are less than tip-top American hand-me-downs. As such, it is expected that these buses have a certain level of maintenance issues, however, the above picture is far beyond a broken taillight or a burnt out interior lamp.

As we approached a small lecherous crowd, we passed a hand-waving witness in front of an avid news crew. They parted to make way for four visibly frustrated men who were pushing what is considered some of the most essential elements of a vehicle: the tires and axels. This is obvious to even the most casual of observers. What's not so obvious is how a bus can lose it wheels on a smooth street and not have it make CNN. I haven't seen this sort of auto sans wheels since those unfortunate fourth grade Hot-Wheels incidents, but apparently this level of disrepair is far from uncommon. Oddly enough, no ambulances, no 30-somethings grabbing their necks and promising legal action. Just a number of frustrated motorers in traffic as (not so) usual.

Esté es Panamá afterall.