Costa Rica, Puerto Jimenez, more photos

I finally have the rest of my photos sorted and ready to go, so I’ll try and get some of them posted.

These are a few photos taken around town. If you want a very chill place to just let any tension slide off you, this is a great place to go.

We’re leaving again shortly so I may not get much more done here. We will be without internet but I’ll catch up more next week!

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Crossing the Border back into Panama

We returned from our Costa Rica trip today, which means making the border crossing back into Panama. Things have changed and become more complicated lately – see this previous post with more information on the current requirements.

We started on the Costa Rica side getting stamped out of that country – no problem, no questions, nothing. Then we headed to the Panama side to get stamped back into this country.
“Where is your ticket back to the US?”  I produced our printout, pointed out it was for both my husband and I.
“You need $500.”  I said I have papers from my bank and pulled out the statements I had printed on my computer, asking if they would qualify. He pointed to the balance amount and asked if that amount was available (yes). Then he said we were fine, stamped both our passports and we were done! Joel started to pull out papers from his bank account but the man said that wasn’t necessary. The ones I showed him were sufficient.

I had brought statements for three months from two different banks, first my Schwab statement with an IRA, a regular investment account, and a checking account. I wasn’t sure if they would want a regular bank so I also had three months of statements from Wells Fargo. He only looked at the first page from Schwab, checked that amount, and was satisfied. That was the September statement so I don’t think he checked the date. The requirements say you need three months of statements though so I think I would always come prepared with these.

The man did tell me that the bank statements like that would always be acceptable, and he agreed this was a safer thing than traveling with all that cash.  I think next time I would take bank papers and tickets, and not so much cash. It just makes me uneasy to have that much cash on me. In an emergency there was that ATM we used in the store, and I noticed another as we walked between the two checkpoints.

So, that’s how it worked for us today, fast and easy as could be. As always, do your own research and don’t take what I say as the rules. Things change, and different people may be more strict about how closely they look at everything.

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Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica – Beaches

I am very impressed with the beaches here! Yesterday we went bike riding to a beach area southeast of town, about a 30 minute ride (maybe less, or it went quickly because it was such a beautiful ride).  There were a couple resorts in the area but little activity. We saw one couple under a shelter at one beach, but otherwise there was nobody, no one at all. It’s like your own private paradise around here. The surf was very strong though and we didn’t dare go in past our knees. The waves felt like they could easily overpower you and drag you out. But, the water temperature was warm and perfect.

By the time we got back we were warm and in the mood for a swim, so we went to the beach right in town. It is also very beautiful and there were quite a few people from town enjoying themselves there.

These are just a few photos from yesterday. We were out and about again today so there are a lot more. I think many of them are better but they will have to wait a bit until I can sort through them.

We are really happy with this town though, and we definitely want to come back again. It is just so easy going. Kids of all ages play in the streets without a care. People are calm, friendly, and happy. It feels like the ultimate in low stress life, and then add in the beauty and wildlife around here, and it’s really something.

We’re heading home tomorrow though, and then on to a new adventure this Friday at the Rambala Jungle Lodge. After that, maybe I’ll stay put for a day or two 😀

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A Wonderful Day in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica

Today was our first full day here. I was tired from the busy week so we relaxed and took it easy this morning – breakfast, a walk to town where we found the produce market, walked around, came back for a snack, and then headed out on bicycles to find a nearby beach.

This country is so beautiful! I love Panama and I’m glad we live there, but this may be even more beautiful. One of the locals told us that they aren’t allowed to cut down trees without getting a government permit. Everything looks so natural, untouched, unspoiled, and wild.

I have a bunch of photos, of course, but I’ve been too busy doing things to spend much time writing about them and sorting photos and dealing with this unfamiliar computer. But, here are a few of what we saw on our bike ride from Puerta Jimenez to a beach about a 30 minute ride away.

This is such a nice place to hang out and spend some time. We are really enjoying the hostel and fellow travellers here. This town feels good. It’s so laid back and comfortable, and the people are very friendly. There seems to be enough going on to keep it interesting, but it’s small enough that everyone seems to know each other. And, the beaches nearby… wow. Photos are coming!

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My Friends are Land Owners

My friends Holly and Scott have been looking at land, found a piece they liked, and have successfully become the owners of it. We just spend a couple wonderful days with them in Boquete, so of course we were curious to see the location of their new home to be. Naturally, I have photos.

The drive to the land was also gorgeous along winding mountain roads. When we got to the land I also saw lots of wildflowers.

The site for the main house is on the higher part of the land.

My friends are living in a nearby spot that is also very beautiful!

The last photo is of a neighborhood dog who hangs out at Scott and Holly’s house most of the time. Every day she goes somewhere and comes back with an avocado which she licks until she has eaten out all the fruit inside. My friends don’t know where she finds them and haven’t figured out how to get her to bring an extra or two for them.

Posted in Exploring the Area, Miscellaneous, Panama | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Back in Puerta Jimenez, Costa Rica

We liked Puerta Jimenez (eastern Costa Rica, Pacific side, not very far from the Panama Border) so much, we wanted to come back and spend some more time here.

The border crossing went very smoothly and the lines were short and quick. We were stamped out of Panama without a luggage inspection. The money changers were on hand and gave me an even exchange of 30,000 colones for $60. We filled out the wrong form for Costa Rica, were given the correct one, asked how long we were staying, and were stamped into CR. Done!  (I know, it’s the getting back into Panama that’s the interesting part)

SundayPuertaJimenez

We got off the ferry in Puerta Jimenez and enjoyed the scenery while we walked to our hostel. These kids are jumping off the railing into the water while some guy naps on the bench. Families are playing on the beach. People are biking and walking and hanging out. It feels nice here. We have a couple days to explore and I have some past things to catch up on, so there will be more posts as I get to them.

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Our First Panama Thanksgiving…

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Dia de Gracias! Many people from home have asked if we cooked a turkey for our first Panama Thanksgiving and the answer is, nope, but our friends did… and boy was it delicious! We had a great meal, great food, wonderful company and went home feeling quite full and satisfied. And the weekend has just been non stop fun because our friends Kris & Joel, who live in David (about 40 minutes away), are spending a couple nights with us so that they can also enjoy all the festivities that are going on in town. They were originally planning to take the bus up to Boquete for the day because the traffic getting up here for this Panamanian holiday is supposed to be just terrible. When Kris told me about their plans I suggested they just stay with us for a couple nights and join us for Thanksgiving , then…

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Houses for Sale (David, Panama)

We have stopped at a couple houses for sale, so if you’re curious or looking at real estate,  this might be interesting. house1a

This is a very nice house in our neighborhood, actually the same floor plan as our house except the back bedroom has been made much bigger with a walk in closet and bathroom. The house has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and also a handy storage room that we don’t have. There is nice tile throughout and solid ceilings, not the drop ceilings we have, so it might be quieter in the rain. The owner has papers from the bank saying it’s worth $111,000 but she says she would take less (probably mid 90’s). The neighborhood is quiet and safe, and has mostly professional people – teachers, doctors, business owners, lawyers, and working people.

house2a

This house is in a very desirable neighborhood with the biggest and nicest houses in town. The owner’s kids are grown so he doesn’t need anything this big. It needs a bit of TLC but I really like it. There is a very large living and dining room, 5 bedrooms, good size kitchen, and huge yard in the back. There is also a workshop area in the back. I’m not sure how many bathrooms there are. He is asking $425,ooo but with the huge lot size it’s $75/sq meter, well below the usual rate for the neighborhood.

house2c

This is what made me really love this house! There is an inner courtyard, and all the bedrooms and kitchen are around this courtyard. There are plants and a space that goes up two stories, built for air flow. The owner says it can be so cool that he gets cold at night sometimes, and when the moon is out it’s a beautiful place to relax and enjoy the moonlight.

Joel thinks this place would be a perfect bed and breakfast and he’s right. There is plenty of parking out front, and if anyone wanted to expand out back there is enough room to build more, put in a pool, and/or an outdoor living space.

house3

This is another house in our neighborhood, but I don’t know the price. It’s a two story house with nothing behind or beside, and the other side has a vacant lot with a gorgeous stand of huge bamboo at the back. Maybe I can chat with the owner and find out a bit more one of these days.

So, these are just a few properties for sale that we have seen on our morning bike rides. There are also lots for sale for anyone wanting to build, and some houses for rent. It’s been interesting talking with the two owners we met, both very nice and friendly people.

I’m also happy because at the moment we are in Boquete (more on that later!) and I am using Joel’s new Mac. I have learned to do all the basics I need, including manage photos and write blog posts 😀

Posted in Miscellaneous, moving, Panama | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments

Paisanas!

We put a bird feeder in the back yard and it has become a popular spot for many birds. It seems like everything here eats fruit. We bought bird seed and it was totally ignored. We bought peanuts for the squirrels and they walked right over them. But fruit? Everything likes fruit and papayas seem to be a favorite.

We have seen these large birds as they glide silently from one spot to another. We have heard them occasionally when they  get wound up with their loud, sharp calls. Most of the time though they are silent and hidden in the trees. You can imagine our surprise when a whole flock of them showed up in our backyard. As long as we sat quietly at the table they didn’t seem to mind that we were talking and photographing them.

People here call them paisanas, and I believe in English they are called chachalacas. They seem to prefer walking along branches to flying, and aren’t especially graceful when landing. I was surprised to hear them peeping (much like baby chickens). It is so quiet you wouldn’t hear them unless you were quite close. My neighbor told me that they are often captured and sold as pets. When I looked for information on line I did find a number of ads for these birds.

These are fairly large birds so the feeder was cleaned out in a short time. I’ve been photographing some of our other visitors too so there will be more photos coming. It’s pretty darn nice to sit on the patio in my outdoor office and watch all the wildlife!

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

So, your photo challenge this week is to capture something unexpected. You can also interpret the theme in other ways: a street scene or landscape that just doesn’t look quite right, an impromptu portrait of a loved one, or any other image that reveals a sense of surprise.

I was riding my bike this morning and came across a big pile of flowering ginger that had been tossed out in a vacant lot. This happens a lot, that people toss their yard waste in vacant spots and let nature take its course. Today though, it was my lucky day. I’m happy to have these plants for my yard and I appreciate this unexpected find.

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It was a lot of large plants and they took up the whole car. I’m sure we were an unexpected sight as we drove home, barely visible under all those green leaves.

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