November 10, 2009

Real Estate in Panama, October 2009.

     Panama is a great place to live. It’s listed as one of the best countries in Latin America for American retirees. Among the incentives are: Foreigners, who buy new homes or apartments in Panama, are exempted from land tax payment for a period of 20 years; the exemption from income tax for abroad profits; and discounts for all services to retirees.
     Panama has private hospitals with sophisticated technology and also a Public Health System. There are also pharmacies with a wide range of medications available. One benefit is that some drugs doesn't need prescriptions, as in United States. Only those that are required to.
     It has the largest banking system in Latin America. Panama's currency is the Balboa, but the dollar is the legal tender paper money in the country. The relation of the dollar is 1:1 to Balboa.
     In Panama all the places are very close. There are shopping centers strategic located with all types of needed services. As a country with a free zone, items such as clothing and electronic appliances are cheaper than other countries. The distances from the city are very short. If you want to go to the beach, it only takes 1 hour to go to the closer one.
     Panama's climate is tropical. There are two seasons: a dry season and a rainy season. It isn’t a country with the presence of atmospheric phenomena such as hurricanes or tornadoes, and even less of earthquakes. That’s one of the reasons that Americans built the Panama Canal in this country.


November 07, 2009

Ricardo y Alberto Gaitán

     They were born in Panama City, Republic of Panama.
     Since the age of nine, they began to study piano and singing.
     In 1989, they formed with his father and six more members, the group "Impakto" performing tropical music in bars and parties.
     In 1997, Ricardo y Alberto represented Panama in the OTI’s Song Festival in Peru. Then, they began to be known in the Panamanian musical entertainment as “Gaitanes”. This year they launched their first musical album "Entrégate", with works of composers as Omar Alfano and other Panamanians.
     In 1999, they joined Crescent Moon Co., whose directors are Emilio and Gloria Estefan, where they developed as singers, songwriters and producers. They recorded their second album, "Ricardo y Alberto", which highlighted themes were “Taca Taca”, “Mi amor no es un favor” and “De que nos vale”.
     Among the musical projects in where they have participated, there’s one with Marc Anthony and the Spanish version of "You Sang to Me" (Muy Dentro de mí). This song was awarded with the BMI and ASCAP prizes for Best Song of the year. They were also nominated for "Premios Lo Nuestro" and "Premios Billboard a la Música Latina".
     In 2004, they received a Grammy, a Latin Grammy and a Latin Music Billoboard nominations, being the only producers of “Travesía”, disc of the composer and singer Víctor Manuelle.
     In 2006, they released their third album titled "Monte Adentro," dedicated to Panama and their parents.
     In 2008, Ricardo and Alberto won two Grammys, one for the production of "90 Millas" (Gloria Estefan’s disc) as "Best Traditional Tropical Album of the Year" and another for the song “Píntame de Colores” as “Best Tropical Song of the Year”, also played by Gloria Estefan. In those same categories they won the “Billboard Latin Music Awards 2008”.
     They have done several projects with other artists who include: Ricky Martin, Paulina Rubio, Jon Secada, Thalía, Fernando Villalona, La India, Jennifer Peña, MSM and many others.
     For the 10th Latin Grammy Awards 2009, celebrated on November 5th, 2009, in Las Vegas, Nevada they were nominated in 7 categories. Among them, it was the song “No vale la pena”, played by the Puerto Rican Isaac Delgado, as best tropical song.