Just for Fun – Cigars in Pangea, Panama

Good friends, good food, good rum and good cigars.  That’s what a number of us enjoyed tonight at Pangea restaurant, downtown, Panama city Panama.  If you have never been to Pangea, it should definitely be on your list of must hit restaurants when you are in Panama.

The great food and fun atmosphere have made it a favorite with locals and expats alike.  The prices are reasonable, and the food is always good.  

But, because of its off the beaten path location, don’t expect your taxi driver to know where it is.  Just tell him Via Veneto.  Drive right past the casino 2 blocks then turn right.  The restaurant is on the right. 

But do it in Spanish of course.

I do love Pangea, but this isn’t a restaurant review.  Tonight, my interest was in one thing.  The patio at the back, where a group of friends had gathered for the weekly cigar aficionado meeting.

What is the cigar aficionado meeting?  Basically just a bunch of great people sitting around telling stories, laughing and having a great time.  And smoking cigars of course.  Not to mention eating great food and drinking Abuelo, a great local rum.

But its none of those things, that make the aficionado meeting so great.  Its the camaraderie.  Something about sitting around with guys smoking a wide variety of cigars ranging from $1.99 to $800 is just refreshing.  Especially when none of the guys are snobs, even when they could be.  And, it’s not a place where political correctness rules, which is another awesome perk.

In Canada or the US, because of all the non-smoking laws, you couldn’t even hold a meeting like this.  Unless you wanted to hide out in a back alley somewhere I guess.

Made up of business men, doctors, lawyers, retirees and more, this group meets at various locations around Panama City ranging from local restaurants to the exclusive Union Club.  Its membership is by invite only, but everyone is so friendly that any friend of a member is welcomed with open arms.  There is no snobby vetting process; you just need someone who has been there before to invite you.  And, while it is mostly males, women do show up, and are gladly invited into the mix.

There is really only one purpose behind the meeting.  To have a good time.  And, as usual, everyone tonight did.

By the way, Freedom Offshore Magazine is going to be adding a regular column with cigar information and news.  Be sure to secure your FREE lifetime subscription by registering to the right.  Or, learn more about the Freedom Offshore Magazine and our exclusive membership by clicking here.  Our free subscriptions and community memberships are not going to last forever.  So secure your spot now.