Weekly Photo Challenge: Nostalgic

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Nostalgic

The directions are: “IN A NEW POST CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHARE A PICTURE THAT MAKES YOU NOSTALGIC.”

I’ve been thinking about this for days. There is very little of my past that makes me look back wistfully. I’m much more interested in looking forward. My friend Lisa at Zeebra Designs thought I should go from that angle, but I’m having as hard a time taking pictures of the future as looking in the past.

But, there is one thing in my recent past that gave me a lot of pleasure – my water lily pond! I think there will be more ponds in my future but for now, I am taking this as a great excuse to share some of my old photos.

One morning after a rain I found the papyrus covered with water droplets shining in the rising sun.
My daughter worked at a plant store in Kansas, and rescued this plant from the trash after it didn’t sell. When we moved to FL it came down in one of the cars. I was thrilled when it flowered, and always thought of Amy bringing home with this exotic plant.
On an unrelated subject, I also had bees and they made life interesting in the spring. My neighbors got quite an education in bee management! They learned to call me if they spotted a swarm. I could call our beekeeping club to come collect them and donate them to a new beekeeper. Those bees made the best honey I’d ever tasted!
This canna had beautiful red and green leaves, as well as spectacular flowers.
I think this is my all time favorite photo.
These water hyacinths weren’t legal in FL because they are so invasive, but the flowers sure are beautiful. Anything that had to be thinned out went on the compost pile, not an open waterway!
I was out seeing patients one day and happened across a spectacular lotus pond in a park. I like this photo because of the little bee.
This is my favorite waterlilies, Texas Dawn. It’s yellow with a hint of pink in the lower petals.
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I seem to be out and about today

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

Habla Ya, the Spanish language school here, is having a contest. Write an essay and win more lessons. I have lots more to learn so I wrote an essay. They posted it today on their blog.
http://www.hablayapanama.com/blog/2013/07/2105/

Another site asked me to do an interview, and it’s up.
http://interviews.blogexpat.com/blog/2013/07/08/from-florida-to-chiriqui-the-panama-adventure

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Move to Paradise

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

The word “paradise” causes a knee jerk reaction in us. We have seen too much of the hype from companies looking to sell you something – publications, books, expensive conferences, and relocation tours.

When were in Las Olas there happened to be three other people from the US having dinner at a nearby table. They were here to check out Panama as a possible retirement option, and they were all very disillusioned, frustrated, and unhappy.  After all the sales pitches and tours to expensive high rise condos on the beach, they thought a simple, low key life they dreamed of didn’t actually exist. They were amazed to run into someone living the life they wanted, but had been unable to find.

We asked these people where they had gotten their info, and they named a well known organization. They had spent the majority of their time in Panama City, and were taken to see properties in the city and beach front properties in the Coronado area. None of this was what they wanted, and they felt like the agents could care less and were only interested in talking them into buying what they were selling.

By the time we met, they were spending a couple days at the beach resort as the final part of their trip. Since we were all headed back to David we spent some time giving them the quick tour of the town and our favorite shopping areas. Then they came over for dinner and an evening of conversation, and hopefully we were able to answer some of their many questions.

It was really sad to see how different their experience was from ours. What a shame to be here and not find what is so close, yet hidden from their view. Joel and I have been talking ever since and trying to pinpoint why things didn’t go well for them. Is there advice that might have helped?

  • Be very careful of anyone trying to make money off your search. You can spend thousands on conferences, real estate tours, relocation tours, and the like. This is not necessary! There are many free sources of information and many expats here who are happy to help. (If anyone reading this has spent money on any of the above, I would be very interested to hear about it and how it worked out for you)
  • Get on the internet. Look around. Find expat forums and ways to connect with people. Make friends. There are many good people who are glad to help with information, ideas, and support. Having some connections before you get here is extremely valuable.
  • Plan your own visit, and be flexible. Maybe you think you want to be in Panama City, so visit as see how it feels. If you think it’s a good fit, spend more time there. If not, move on to your next area of interest. Don’t expect to make a decision on your first visit.
  • It’s very helpful, of course, to get a feel for what things cost in various areas but again, your best source of information is the people already here. You don’t need to be taken around by salespeople. It is recommended that you don’t even consider buying anything until you have actually lived here for many months.

When you see “paradise” or any of the other usual buzz words, be very careful. Paradise i’s fine for a tropical vacation but living here is real life. You will be living where people speak a language you may not understand. Dogs bark and roosters crow earlier than you may want to wake up in the morning. There are some very strange fruits and vegetables in the market. You are more likely to find thread in the supermarket than the fabric store. That beach may be idyllic but is the closest supermarket an hour away?

Only YOU can decide what will work for you.  No book, seminar, tour, or anything else is a substitute for experience. Figure out what you need to be happy. Walk around. Go to some stores. Put a meal together with local ingredients. Visit some people who live here. Do some of those things you will be doing every day. Can you be happy here for a month? a year?  There are businesses who have reasons to sell you on the dream of happiness here, but only you can determine what is a workable reality for you.

 

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Driving through the Panama Countryside

Posted on July 7, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

We went from David to the Las Olas Beach Resort to spend some time at the beach. It’s a beautiful drive. I thought I’d share some photos and a little look at Panamanian life.

We passed some cows in fields. This big guy wasn’t very far from the resort.
We also passed many tiny Panamanian houses.
Another little Panamanian house.
There was a lot of rice growing in the area, and the fields are a very beautiful green.
Another house with a lot of plants and flowers growing in the yard.
Seeing how many people live in very small houses made me feel like we have a really big house.
The funeral home in Guarumal, a little town we passed through on the way.
More rice with darker bigger plants on the right, and younger light green plants on the left.
Pretty little house
With all the rice growing in the area, I figure this must be a storage facility for rice.
Colorful house! Houses are often painted in bright colors. Sometimes if they can’t paint the whole house they will paint just the front.
We also passed quite a few sugar cane fields.

We passed many beautiful fields and amazing trees. It’s interesting to see the Panamanian homes too. Most are so small, but they often have many flowers in the yard and food gardens. We saw many people relaxing in hammocks and visiting others in their yards and patios. We waved and greeted people and they always waved, smiled, and greeted us in return. Life may look modest to us, but it feels friendly and happy. It makes you think about what really is important.

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Playa La Barqueta (the beach)

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

Of course if I’m on a beautiful beach, I must take photos! This is part of our getaway at the Las Olas Beach Resort.

There are also a couple videos:

A view of the beach – 

Joel battling the strong waves!  

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Las Olas Beach Resort

Posted on July 6, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

The Las Olas Beach Resort had an OfertaSimple deal (similar to Groupon) so we decided to book a night there. It’s a nice resort right on the beach. We had visited before when some friends stayed there, but we had never stayed there ourselves. Of course I brought the camera!

Edder, who will greet you and get you checked in.
The driveway up to the reception area.
The guest rooms.
The convention center.
The bar area with table tennis and other games.
The bar area, with the pools just beyond.
Turtles in the turtle pond.
The back doors of the guest rooms looking out on to the beach.
The pool area as you come back up from the beach.
Some of the playground equipment
A sitting area next to the pool
The path to the beach

The place is surprisingly quiet. We were told that there are 48 rooms there, but only 25 guests at the time. The waiter in the restaurant said sometimes it is busier on the weekend but generally it is very quiet.

There are two pools, one on either side of the raised shallow area.
The pools are really lovely!
Each pool also has a bar area.
One of the pools has this great fountain!

The grounds are beautiful. There are a lot of flowers, palm trees, and lovely landscaping. There are covered areas to sit around the pool, and the outdoor part of the restaurant looks out into the gardens with the beach beyond. The whole area is very attractive and looks ready for a crowd of people having a good time.

There was hardly anyone in the restaurant whenever we were there. The food was good and the prices reasonable.
The restaurant, looking back towards the hotel.
The view from our table looking towards the beach.

The rooms were large and comfortable. There was air conditioning and a small safe in the closet. We were given a cable at the desk that plugs into the phone for internet access, or there was free WiFi out by the pool and bar areas. It was slow but it worked.

Heading to our room
Excuse the rumpled bed. Of course I don’t remember to take photos when we first arrive!
The bathroom is adequate, and has hot water.
The back door to our room coming out to the terrace which looks towards the beach.

There were activities advertised like kayaking and horseback riding. We were told that kayaking wasn’t available at this time though because there hadn’t been enough rain and water levels were too low. We’ve been getting quite a bit of rain in David, but apparently it doesn’t rain nearly as much at the beach. There were tennis courts available but they were not lighted. It is hot and very humid at the beach so outdoor tennis doesn’t sound very appealing except maybe early in the morning or late in the afternoon. There was also a gym area with a fair amount of exercise equipment, a collection of books mostly in English, and board games.

We walked across the street. Past this sign is a farm area and a large building, but we didn’t investigate enough to know what was going on there.
We were told that this caiman always hangs out in the little river just beyond the sign.
Looking in the other direction, you can see a few of the large beach houses in the distance.
These men who told us that they are working on turtle conservation. They find nests, and then move the eggs to a safe place so they won’t get eaten or sold by the locals.

The beach is definitely beautiful and it was nice having some time there. There are a number of really big houses farther down the beach, including one under construction by some friends of ours. The area is too isolated for us though. We’re city folks and like being close to all the activity. From the beach, there is only farmland until you get to David which is maybe 45 minutes away.

The resort is definitely nice and I’m sure we’ll be back again. We told them that they should organize bus trips to collect people from Boquete or David and take them to the resort for a night or two. No driving, hang out with friends, maybe a buffet and some music, it could be quite a party! Or, of course, if you want a quiet, relaxing time just to chill out and enjoy the area, it’s perfect for that too.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable

Posted on July 5, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Companionable

The instructions are:   Your companion might be a pet, or your partner or progeny. Maybe it’s an object you unconsciously fiddle with as you work, a view that keeps you company, an album that helps you stay grounded, or a hobby you use to unwind at the end of each day. (If your companion is actually a low-ranking knight, you win.)

Share a picture of a COMPANION and explain why you chose that picture.

Of course, it goes without saying – Joel is my constant and most loved companion!
I’ve had this little Buddha statue on my desk for many years.
My other companions – my computer that keeps me connected with friends, family, the world, and more. My camera through which I love to look at my world. My Spanish study books which help me connect with new companions.
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We are vacationing

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

Blogging will have to wait….

Outside the back door of our hotel room

we’re chillin on the beach

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So, you think you can go chill out at the beach?

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

We had good intentions. We bought an OfertaSimple deal (like Groupon) for a night at  La Barqueta, the Las Olas Beach Resort. Some time to chill out and enjoy the beach sounded like a very good idea.

We were here less than a hour. There is only one internet cable in the room so Joel connected to it, and I went pool side to use the free WiFi. First, he learns that an offer has come in for his mother’s condo in Florida, which has been on the market for too long. While he is in the room dealing with all that, I get a message from my daughter.

Pongo was my dog, a wonderful Jack Russell full of personality, intelligence, love, energy, and a bit of the devil. But, he is blind, diabetic, and on insulin. I was so thrilled when a neighbor volunteered to take him. I know he has a very good life with her. She doesn’t have any money to spare though so I cover his expenses from afar. Apparently Pongo landed in the emergency vet with an insulin reaction. When they couldn’t reach me, they called my daughter who authorized his care until she could get through to me.

How quickly we forget about US holidays. We’re cooling down in the rainy season here, so how can it be the height of summer somewhere else? Everything in the US closed early today because tomorrow is July 4th up there. Pongo is covered at our regular vet, but they went home at noon. But, all is well now. He is doing fine, and I spoke with the emergency vet office and everything is straightened out.

I see Joel emerging from the room with a smile, so maybe we can start our vacation now. At least the sun is lower so I won’t get so sunburned 😀

hasta luego! (until later)

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Our Cost of Living in Panama – June 2013

Posted on July 2, 2013 by Kris Cunningham

The cost of living reports are always in the top ten list in my blog stats, so I know there is a lot of interest in this information.

The first report was in February. The next was in April. I did not post reports in months where we did a of traveling and the results wouldn’t be useful.

The figures for June are now in, and go as follows:
Food – $533.61
Rent – $385.00
Electricity – $38.41 (we do not have air conditioning)
Cable (TV and internet) – $59.06
Eating out – $36.38
Blockbuster – $3.95 (we rented a movie)
Misc $38.95 (El Rey is having a promotion, so I replaced my worn suitcase)
Pricemart $123.79  (beer, wine, liquor, household supplies)
Gas for the car $34

TOTAL $1253.53

This month’s food costs came out higher than usual. Maybe it’s because we came home on June 1st to an empty kitchen. Now, we have a freezer full of fish, chicken and other things, and the kitchen is fairly well stocked with other items.  Next month we won’t do any stocking up because we’ll be out of town after that, so we’ll see if the July total is less.

A bit of background information –  we are in David, Panama, about 45 minutes from the Costa Rica border. David is a city of maybe 90K people. We live in a quiet neighborhood in a good part of town, close to some very upscale neighborhoods. Our neighbors are teachers, other professionals, and tradesmen. This is our house – 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, probably around 1000 square feet. We rent it unfurnished (which means no appliances either). Next to the house is the woods, and beyond that is the river. It is a comfortable house, and considered quite upscale by a lot of Panamanians.

Our House

Our House

About food – we try to limit our imported and processed food. We buy all our produce fresh from the vegetable and fruit markets. We go down to Pedregal for fish. The sign is still the same, but I noticed some of our favorite fish like pargo (red snapper) and corniva (sea bass) is now $2.50/lb, and shrimp is $5/lb (about 30 shrimp to the pound). We get chicken and eggs at Canasta Basica. Chicken is usually $1.30/lb, but they have been having a sale for quite a while at $1/lb. We buy the rest of our food at whatever supermarket we are in the mood for at the time. If you eat like a Panamanian you can have delicious and healthy food without spending a lot of money.

We save a lot by not having air conditioning. We have fans and except for the hottest, driest time in March/April, we have been quite comfortable (but keep in mind that we prefer warm weather. Many others find it too hot here).

We don’t need a lot of entertainment, and eating out is an occasional social thing. We do not feel deprived.

Cable and internet is a requirement. We have the most basic cable plan, and a mid range internet speed.

We could give up the Balboa beer with dinner but we like it, and it’s nice to have a rum and coke when the mood strikes. These are optional costs we are willing to include. The car is also an optional cost we are willing to pay for. This month we will need to renew the tags and replace the front brakes. There is an excellent and inexpensive public transportation and a lot of taxis for anyone who wants to forgo the car.

I think that’s about all my comments on the subject for today. People have different requirements and different tastes so their costs will reflect that. We asked our neighbor what he thought it would cost for a family of four to be OK here. He thought for a moment and said $750 – but no private school. There are other people near here who obviously spend way more than that. Costs in Panama City are much higher than in this area, and costs in more rural areas are quite a bit less. So, it all depends on what you want and what you can afford. For us, this is working very well and we are happy.

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