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Travel Related
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LAS TABLAS |
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 LAS
TABLAS was founded in the seventeenth century by refugees fleeing by sea
from Panamá La Vieja after its destruction by Henry Morgan. The settlers
dismantled their ships to build the first houses, hence the town's name:
Las Tablas means "the planks". Turn up at any other time of year and
it's almost impossible to believe that this quiet colonial market
settlement hosts the wildest Carnaval celebrations in Panamá, but for
five days in February the place is overwhelmed by visitors from all over
the country who come here to join in the festivities. The town divides
into two halves - Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo - that fight a pitched
battle with water, paint and soot on streets awash with a seemingly
endless supply of Seco Herrerano, the peninsula's vicious firewater. The
fiesta of Santa Librada in July is less raucous but just as colourful,
and incorporates the pollera fiesta - the pollera being the
painstakingly embroidered colonial-style dresses characteristic of the
peninsula that are something of a national symbol, and which are
produced in the town. |
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