Captains log Day 61 Tuesday (Martes) - Playa Coronado

Do we have any trekkies out there? Ok we seem to be hitting a rainy streak these past few days. It still is wet season, but the locals tell us this is unusual. Maybe Al Gore knows why?

Anyways, poker night tonight with the boys. Good group of guys from all over the globe. Amazingly 2 of us hail from Massachusetts. Go figure.

Just a quiet rainy day and night. O before I forget our landscape guys went and picked some Spanish bananas for us today. Mi espousa made chips out of them. Muy bueno!!

Over and out

Day 60 Monday (Lunes) - Playa Coronado

Today is Independence from Spain. This wraps up a very busy month for our Panamanian friends. Yesterday they had the parade of 1000 Pollaras in Las Tablas to celebrate but the rain let us all know who can sometimes be in charge. Not a complete washout but real wet all day. 2 more weeks of that then summer is here.

We did however party a little at our friends house last night for dinner and drinks. Low key which was nice.

Nothing scheduled, just resting today. Well ok its early so we will report any happenings later or tomorrow.

Panama Fiesta Part 2

Day 59 Sunday (Domingo) - Amador Causeway

A day of rest, finally!  Let's finish up our pictorial of our Wedding Fiesta.

It's a Panama Fiesta!!! Part 1

Day 59 Saturday (Sabado) - Amador Causeway

Last night was a wild time as we went to our first Panamanian Wedding Fiesta.  The food, the music, the drinks, the dancing, well you figure it out - it was awesome.  OK enough words as my head is still pounding, let's enjoy it all through pictures.

Panama dog aka Reese

Check out my ride.

                                     

Day 58 Friday (Viernes) - Playa Coronado.

Its about time that you heard from the Panama Dog instead of the Panama Man for today.

I finally needed to go to the groomer to get cleaned up. Here's the deal.

In Tampa Fl. my owners paid $50 to get me groomed.

Drumroll please!!!

$16 here in panama for the same grooming.

So i shout out to all my dog friends to Come to Panama and Turn Your owners Frown Upside Down.

Happy Thanksgiving

Day 57 Thursday (Jueves) - Playa Coronado.

So we have spent the past 29 years cooking a Thanksgiving dinner and this year we were guests at our Panamanian friends house and her family served up a traditional dinner with all the trimmings. Felt like home.

Hope you all had a great day.

Day 56 Wednesday (Miercoles) - Playa Coronado

Big night on Wednesday. Pictionary and curried chicken. 4 expat couples got together for fun and games. Brits. Scots. Canadanian. American. Uruguayian. It is always interesting to see the mix of folks at these gatherings. Men versus Women. Men won!

Latest night we have had. Usually in bed by 9-930 but did not get home til 1am.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American family and friends.  Will post our Thanksgiving day later tonight.

Day 55 Tuesday (Martes) - Playa Coronado

Today was the local ex-pat poker game.  Only game in town is Texas Hold-Em.  There are no pictures or names to protect those that were at the table from privacy invasion :)).  We set out to play at 3pm and ended at 8pm.  A Total of 8 of us showed up to play, Americans, Canadians, and Brits.  O yeah a guy from Memphis - I guess he was American!!!!

You can find little things like this to do far easier it seems here than you can back home, as everyone has their own little game already up north, where here, the more the merrier.

That would be it.  Till next blog

Day 54 – Monday (Lunes) – 21/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

Part 2 of our craft fair day yesterday. Before I show those pics many people ask, What do you tell the people back home you do all day here in Panama?  That is a really good question and maybe we should explore that a bit.
Many folks back home, including us when we were there, talk about the daily grind (what a way to live, grinding thru the day(s)) Here in Panama you can explore and do what you want when you want to.  Our personal activity is walking, so yes we walk the beach just about everyday, the days we don't we walk to the grocery stores.  We get to eat breakfast together, not on the run while we are late for work.  We get to eat lunch together, not at our desks with deadlines looming, we get to eat dinner together, not being stuck in traffic, or late business meeting or any other nonsense like that.  We have had more quality time and life since we have been here that it is amazing it took so long to figure this out.  So there you have it, o by the way we still do not have TV, yes we actually talk to each other, play cards, or some other game, imagine that :))  Let's here your comments and let's compare daily grinds.

OK onto part 2 of the craft fair pictures.

Panama Man & Panama Woman working a table!

Why not add in a beautiful night sky at sunset?

Day 53 – Sunday (Domingo) – 20/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

Today was Craft fair day and it was an Ex-Pat extravaganza.  You know it gets to be a welcoming site to see folks that are in similar situations as you all enjoying a good old fashion craft fair.  Let's do a 2 part series of pictorials.

Location was La Cerreta at the Equestrian.

Good crowd on hand

Proceeds from each vendor were being donated to various causes.

Your Own Piece of Beachfront in Panama

Day 52 – Saturday (Sabado) – 19/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

 – I see The New York Times is taking an interest in real estate in Panama. In a recent article they reveal a luxury, four-bedroom house in the exclusive Buenaventura Resort on Panama's Pacific Coast for sale at $1.6 million.

"Surrounded by tropical landscaping, the property borders the beach, and also has a private multilevel pool with waterfalls, a hot tub, and a swim-up bar…" writes the author.

Sure sounds nice if you can afford it, but thankfully it's not your only option. Sometimes you don't need to spend more than $150,000 to live on the country's gorgeous Pacific Coast.

While there are plenty of luxury homes for sale along the water, you can find truly affordable (and very attractive) property if you're happy to live outside the resorts. One place to visit is in the  Chame district, which is just a 10-minute drive from Coronado beach. It boasts over 1,000 square feet in size and sits on a lot of nearly nine times that. And would you believe it comes furnished for $85,000?

and here is another, check out this video of this place - ONLY $79,990 in Gorgona. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTA4qN6Z4y4&feature=feedu

For the full New York Times article on that luxury pad see here. If you're interested in affordable real estate in Panama, you'll find the best resources at Re/Max Beaches & City!, including videos and additional blogs, and property listing throughout this great country.

Day 51 – Friday (Viernes) – 18/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

Hola, today we stayed local, as mi esposa needed a traditional Panamanian Pollera top with some hair pieces (tembleques) for the wedding we are attending next week.  Basically a fitted white blouse with ruffles.

It's Friday mi Amigos, go have some fun.

Day 50 – Thursday (Juerves) – 17/11/2011 – Panama City

Trip to the big city today.  Needed to get myself a Guayabera (a latin style dress shirt) for the wedding we are attending next week.

This is a Guayabera:   I bought a traditional white one.

You just have to imagine me in for now.

Day 49 – Wednesday (Miercoles) – 16/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

So, have we talked about how we spend most days at some point? You know walking the Playa (Beach)?  Yes everyday, whether early or late we always take our time out walk the shore.  The colors always seem different, blues, greens, etc... Yes we spend time everyday walking the beach - that my friends is the good life.

Now, we are sitting under the Bohio watching the storm roll in, pretty loud thunder (did you hear it?)

Here is an interesting picture to enjoy.

Day 48 – Tuesday (Martes) – 15/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

We found this to be interesting factoid about Panama.  Maybe you will to.

Panama's varied terrain allows for a variety of outdoor adventures both in the water and on land. When you adventure in nature you take the road less traveled.

The Pacora River is just 45 minutes from Panama City in the town of San Miguel. The town is surrounded by nature which allows you to disconnect from the city. The road to San Miguel is in perfect condition and is suitable for any type of vehicle. The river has narrow and shallow sections but is ideal for river rafting. It even has has some challenging class II and III rapids and it has two different sections to run.

Panamanian rivers are short, fast and flow with great erosive capacity. They carve large cuts, caves and great falls. The rivers of the Pacific slope are slightly longer and many of them are navigable. Here in Panama rivers mostly used for the production of electricity rather than recreation.

Day 47 – Monday (Lunes) –14/11/2011 – Playa Coronado

Just another beautiful day here in Panama. We did have some rain the past 2 days, more than we have seen since we have been here, but it still is rainy season.  Dry Season starts in Mid-December.  We are told that we will not see one drop of rain when Dry Season starts.  I think back home we call that a drought, but here in Panama it is just like their summer.

OK, went to the Rey Supermarket this morning and came across the below in the booz aisle, a one shot of rum mixed with cola in a can for $0.73.  Unreal!!!  So if you don't want to mix, buy a six pack of these and away you go. 

Day 46 – Sunday (Domingo) – 13/11/2011 - Playa Coronado

A little bit different for today's blog.  All sell all the time today.  Here is a YouTube video link to a home we have for sale here in a private Golf & Beach Resort called Vista Mar.

Absolutely stunning.  Check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3nG56ZjAxo

Maybe its time to check out Panama Real Estate after all.

Day 45 – Saturday (Sabado) – 12/11/2011 – Royal Decameron

Hola, today was field trip day to an ongoing project by the International Hotel & Resort Group Royal Decameron.  We spent the day touring their Villas and Townhomes that are being built in and around the over 100 hectares of land that Royal Decameron owns in the Farallon town area near the Rio Hato Airport that is being redone to allow for international travel to the interior of Panama.

OK enough words, here are the pics of the place.  If interested please let us know at Re/Max Beaches & City!.

Duplex Townhome

Duplex Townhome

neighborhood

All intertwined with the golf course

back of duplex townhome

Single Villa

Back of single villa

Beach Club

beach and ocean

beach club grounds

Panama Man Resting from a long day

Panama Woman needs another round