American Express Torre Banco Exterior, Av Balboa (Mon-Fri 8.30am-4pm; tel 225 5858).

Banks and exchange Branches of the Banco Nacional de PanamA? (BNP) (Mon-Fri 8am-3pm, Sat 9am-noon) and Banco del Istmo (Mon-Fri 8am-3.30pm, Sat 9am-noon) across the city change travellers' cheques and allow cash withdrawals on credit cards - most have ATMs. Both have branches on Via EspaA±a in the heart of El Cangrejo. The closest to San Felipe is the BNP on the corner of Av Central and C 17 Este. Foreign currency is more difficult to change - foreign banks will generally change their own currency and there is one licensed exchange house, Panacambios (Mon-Fri 8am-4pm; tel 223 1800), Plaza Regency Building, Via EspaA±a, opposite the Hotel Continental .

Bookstores Libreria Argosy, at the junction of Via Argentina with Via EspaA±a, has a wide collection in Spanish and English.

Car rental Avis: C D, El Cangrejo (tel 213 0555), Aeropuerto Marcos A. Gelabert (tel 315 0434), Tocumen airport (tel 238 4056); Budget: Via EspaA±a, C 46 (tel 263 9190), Tocumen airport (tel 238 4069); Hertz: C 55, El Cangrejo (tel 263 6511), Tocumen airport (tel 238 4081); National: C 50 (tel 265 3333), Tocumen airport (tel 238 4144); Thrifty: Via EspaA±a, C 46 (tel 264 2613), Tocumen airport (tel 238 4955).

Email and Internet access There's a growing number of Internet cafA©s around the city. Try Internet@cafA© , Via Venetta, C 49B Oeste, a block up from Via EspaA±a behind the Hotel El PanamA? (Mon-Fri 8.30am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm); Rut@57 , C 57, Obarrio (Mon-Sat 9am-9pm); above Jimmy's restaurant on the corner of Via EspaA±a and C Manuel M. Icaza (Mon-Sat 9am-9pm).

Embassies and consulates Belize, C 5 Colonia del Prado (tel 266 8939); Canada, World Trade center, C 58 (tel 264 9731); Colombia, Edificio Grobman, C Manuel M. Icaza (tel 223 3535); Costa Rica, C G. Ortega, Via EspaA±a (tel 264 2937); Cuba, Av Cuba, Av Ecuador (tel 227 0359); El Salvador, Edificio Citibank, Via EspaA±a (tel 223 3020); Guatemala, Via Argentina (tel 269 3475 or 269 3406); Honduras, Edificio Tapia, Av Justo Arosemena, C 31 (tel 225 0882); Mexico, Edificio Bancomer, C 50 (tel 210 1523); Nicaragua, C 50, Av Manuel E Batista (tel 269 6721); UK, Torre Swiss Bank, C 53E (tel 269 0886); US, Av Balboa, C 40 (tel 227 1777).

Immigration office The migraciA?n is on the corner of Av Cuba and C 29 (Mon-Fri 8am-3pm). Come here to extend your visa or to get permission to leave the country if you have been in PanamA? for over three months - for the latter you will also have to visit the office of Paz y Salvo (Mon-Fri 8.30am-4pm) in the Ministerio de Hacienda y Tesoro on Av Cuba with C 35. At both offices it's best to arrive early and be prepared to queue.

Laundry Most upmarket hotels have a laundry service, and there are cheap, coin-operated lavamaticos all over the city, including Lavamatico America, Av Justo Arosemena, C27, and Lavamatic, C 3, Av Central.

Medical care There are doctors at the 24hr Centro Medico Bella Vista, Av PerA?, C 35 (tel 227 4022) and Centro Medico Paitilla, Av Balboa, C 53 (tel 263 6060). Hospitals include the Hospital Santo Thomas, Av 5 Sur, C 34 E (tel 227 4122).

Pharmacy Farmacia Arrocha, Via EspaA±a, C 49E (open 24hr).

Photography Fujifilm, C Manuel M. Icaza, Via EspaA±a, is one of many places that sells and develops print and slide film, and there are plenty of camera shops on Av 2 Norte, opposite the Hotel El PanamA? .

Police Emergencies (tel 104); tourist police (tel 226 4021 or 270 2467).

Post office The most central post office is on Av Central at C 34, opposite the Don Bosco Church; there's another in El Cangrejo in the Plaza de la Concordia shopping centre on Via EspaA±a (both open Mon-Fri 7am-6pm; Sat 7am-5pm).

Swimming pool Piscina Olimpica Adan Gordon, C31, Av Cuba, US$0.5.

Telephones Public phonebooths throughout the city take US$5, US$10 and US$20 phonecards, and some take coins. The main Cable and Wireless office (Mon-Fri 7.30am-5.00pm, Sat 7.30am-2.30pm) is in the Banco Nacional building on Via EspaA±a.