Tourist OR Traveler?

We are continuing with our Panama hangover here. What's most surprising is that it is six months later. N.B. Below is the Travel Log from our long weekend there. If you do not subscribe to my YouTube channel may be consider doing so as I do not share all my video on the blog. Just 'coz!

Sometimes you visit a place with zero expectations and choose to go with the flow. Panama was one such destination for us. We arrived without any research or prior bookings (except for the hotel). The agenda was neither to R&R (like we did in Dominican Republic) or to explore extensively (like Iceland!). The goal was to get away from our routine life and do something different. While I will be sharing what we did there and what you MUST not miss when you go, in the coming posts, today is more about tourist vs traveler.

One phrase I hear the most in travel-blogosphere and social media lately is about how one must be a 'traveler instead of a tourist' and I find that a bit absurd. Most people have jobs. Most people visit places for experiences. Some people might enjoy history (like myself) and others might have interest in architecture. All of those things coincide with being a tourist as you find all at tourist locations per say. Now a traveler is defined as "a person who travels or has traveled in distant places or foreign lands." The reason for the travels is irrelevant to the definition. I do not know anyone who travels for the sake of covering a distance and collecting miles. There is always a goal while traveling, whether it is tourism, work, photography or experience. So when someone says they are a traveler, all they are saying they are on a constant move, which is fine if that is their thing in life, but to expect everyone else to be on a constant move as well would be quite unrealistic. Right? (Am I making sense here?) I am definitely a tourist. I like learning about the place's history, the story behind it's existence and it became the place it is today. Then I like to go ahead and explore things which might not be on the 'must see list' and make pit stops along the way where ever my heart desires. I do not feel the need to eat at the most sought after restaurants or shop at their famous stores. I enjoy going on my own pace.

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And on that note, I shall come back to Panama. On our last day, we drove around the city and found this cute little Beer Garden in the nook of street and decided to make it our afternoon hangout. For some reason we were the only two people there that afternoon. The hostess was exceptionally hospitable and kind. While I do not drink beer I sure enjoy the vibe most of them have. We left the place thoroughly relaxed only to return again at night when it was packed. The fairy lights where on which only added to the charm of the place. If you are in Panama and are looking for a place to chill like a local, we would HIGHLY recommend White Rabbit Biergarten.