Panama City is, unfortunately, rapidly being developed. Skyscrapers mushroom everywhere, and the old center, Casco Viejo, becomes ever more expensive and snobbish as restoration goes on and the extended coastal beltway surrounds it.
Luckily, there are still some areas that remain intact. One of those is Calidonia, which runs along the extension of Via España towards the Plaza 5 de Mayo. It’s the pulsating heart of Panama City’s unofficial economy – which includes everything from market stalls to street vendors and pickpockets. Buses, cars and pedestrians fight to make their way through the organized chaos.
It’s a rewarding place for someone like me who loves street photography, so I decided to start a photo book project about it. And then I teamed up with Panamanian author Lili Mendoza, who was born and raised in Calidonia. She’ll write stories, and I’ll take the pictures. We have no idea yet when the book will be out, and are in no hurry. Here’s a gallery from my Flickr page.