Monkeys!

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

When we stayed at La Estancia, not only did we see lots of birds, a family of moneys were also frequent visitors. According to my research, they are Geoffroy’s tamarins, a small, furry, and lively monkey. We had such a good time watching them, and they were also quite tame, not minding at all that there were people close by. One afternoon while they were waiting for fresh bananas to be delivered, one even took a cookie from Joel’s hand.

They were fun to watch on the bunch of bananas.
Hanging out, waiting for bananas.
We’re still waiting for bananas!
Look closely and you will see two babies on this mama’s back!

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Ancon Hill Birds

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

One thing we loved at La Estancia was all the birds. The staff had a bird feeder and hung out bunches of bananas and there was always a variety of birds coming to eat. You could sit out on the terrace and watch them, which was really pleasant. What a great place to relax and enjoy nature.

I’m not sure what they put in this feeder, but the little birds were always there, and some larger ones visited frequently as well.
Beautiful tanagers
The birds were surprisingly good at sharing.
A fruit eating woodpecker!
We saw many of these agouti also.
This bird was so black it looked blue/purple in the sunlight.
Oropendula!
The black vulture always seems to be hanging out at the corner down the street.
This large dove often visited with a mate.
The oropendulas were quite a bit more talkative than the ones I usually see in our neighborhood.

Little by little I’m sorting photos and catching up on events of our trip. I also need to backtrack and post photos of the huge horse parade that happened right before we left. Sometimes there’s just a lot of things going on!

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Ancon Hill and La Estancia

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

We stayed at a great place in Panama City called La Estancia. It’s located on Ancon Hill in the Quarry Heights area, which was a quarry used in the construction of the canal. Later it was the headquarters for the US military forces in Panama, and after 1947, for all the forces in Central and South America.

The area is beautiful. Below us were some of the buildings built in the early 1900’s, many of which have been renovated and turned into homes, as well as some newer large homes. Above, except for a road and the communication towers on top of the hill, is forest and nature preserve (which will be the subject of a future post).

We walked down beautiful tree lined streets.
One of the old homes, renovated and looking good.
Another older home.
This one looks quite a bit newer, and huge!
Another very new and modern looking huge home.
Looking up, you can see the large flag flying at the top of the hill.
There was no shortage of amazing trees in this neighborhood.
A very interesting old home with renovations in the very beginning stages. We saw a deer behind this house.
A similar home that has been renovated and looks really beautiful.
Lovely side yard to the home above.

As you can imagine, this is a very expensive and exclusive area. It’s right in the city and you an easily hear the city noises, but it’s like an oasis in the country.

As you walk further up the hill there are a number of other more square three story buildings on the side of the hill. Most of them are homes, but one is a very comfortable hotel. The website has some photos, and I took a few of our room.

A cheerful and comfortable bedroom.
A bit of storage space.
The bathroom looks like our Florida tile.
The terazzo floor and the style of trim also looks like FLorida.
Our Florida house even had a ceiling just like this!

It was interesting how much this looked like our Florida house. It must have been built around the same time with a very similar style. It was comfortable and had light bulbs in the lamps, waste baskets, and all those other details we complained about in our last hotel. The staff is bilingual and excellent. They also have a variety of things for guests – information about the area, tour arrangements, take out menus, local art for sale, a library of books, drinks and fruit on hand and most fun of all, bird feeders and bananas hanging outside that attract tons of birds and monkeys! There will be more posts and photos.

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Reflections

THIS WEEK, IN A POST CREATED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS CHALLENGE, SHOW US AN IMAGE THAT SAYS REFLECTION. It could be a person who helps you see things clearly, a place you go to collect your thoughts, or an object that reminds you of your achievements. You could also go for something more literal, like a reflection in water. Or something that demonstrates both interpretations of the word.

S2280237_FotorReflections1

This is a photo of some reflections of boats near Panama City, Panama. Ancon Hill is in the background, a place of natural beauty and historical significance (where we happen to be staying for a few days at La Estancia).   This scene also causes me to reflect on what it means to be living in this country, and how fortunate I am to be here. I took these photos while we were headed for a boat trip on the Panama Canal, which I thought was very exciting!

S2280243_FotorReflections

This is just some reflections in the water that I included because I like the scene, and I like pelicans.

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Gorgona, Panama

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Gorgona is the next town up the beach, northeast of Coronado. I was curious to see what it was like, so when we learned of an open house and festivities for the opening of a new condo tower there, we decided to check it out.

Gorgona may be visible from Coronado on the beach, but our hotel had to summon a taxi that would travel outside Coronado. It took us back out to the highway, up the road a bit, and then back down through Gorgona to the waterfront where we found the condo buildings.

Gorgona was much more Panamanian feeling than Coronado. I wish I had been able to take photos but we were zipping along in a van with darkly tinted windows so I don’t think they would have come out well. The homes were nice but smaller and Panamanian style, and the area felt friendly and comfortable, more like what I am used to.

That changed though when we arrived at the gate to the condo buildings. There was a building already established, and the opening was for a second tower next door so this area was not entirely new.

Of course the first thing I notice is these really interesting trees.
Then I notice the beautiful view from the terrace.
This is the terrace where most of the party was going on with live music, snacks, and drinks.
The new building.
This is the terrace between the older building and the swimming pools. These appeared to be residents relaxing and visiting the snack bar there.
There was a volley ball game in progress on the beach below.
We decided to walk back along the beach, and this was the view looking back at the condo towers.
The beach with more interesting layers of beige and black in the sand.
There were a lot of locals having fun at the public beach.
pretty beach scene
That’s Coronado ahead.
Just a pretty scene I liked.
another pretty scene with the mountains in the distance.
We made it back to Coronado, and noticed the name on this house.
Even in the neighborhood of big beach houses, you will find chickens!
We saw quite a few golf carts, and many of them were being driven by kids.

That’s not exactly the full story on Gorgona, but at least we got to see a little of it.

We left the next day and I was planning to take some photos of the shopping options on the Pan-American highway near Coronado and Gorgona. But, the taxi dropped us off at the bus stop and it wasn’t two minutes before a bus came along so I only had a moment to snap a couple photos.

There is a big Super 99 and an El Rey here (both good supermarkets), along with the golden arches and a number of other businesses.
This large building is full of stores and businesses.

This is only a small glimpse of what is available in this area. I think if you live here you would be able to find everything you need close at hand.

This about covers our visit to this area, and now we are in Panama City. We’re staying at a great little hotel on Ancon Hill, which is a really interesting area. Tomorrow we’re taking a boat trip on the canal, something I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. There will definitely be more photos and stories to come.

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A Surprise Treat – Great Italian Food in Coronado

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Across from our hotel was a very pleasant looking little restaurant, Luna Rossa, so we decided to wander in for lunch. We never expected such a wonderful lunch! The management is from Florence, Italy, and I haven’t had such good food since visiting Italy a few years ago.

The restaurant is small but very pretty.
We were first attracted by the outdoor space but it was middle of the day and a bit warm, so we went indoors.
The inside is very relaxed and comfortable.
An appetizer of soft cheese. For dinner we had bruchetta which was fantastic, and by the time I thought of my camera there was nothing left to photograph!
Corvino in a tomato sauce with green olives, and salad on the side.
Joel’s fish stuffed ravioli.
Teramasu
Flan with caramel sauce
Not being one to pass up an interesting flower, I was attracted by these unusual pink and white bougenvillea.

The photos cannot give a real sense of the food. The flavors were perfectly blended and delicious. The salad had the perfect amount of dressing, and the caramel sauce on the flan was outstanding. Everything was presented with attention to detail and made with much care. The staff was also a real pleasure and we enjoyed talking with them very much. We went back for dinner and they were very busy, but considering the workload I think they did an excellent job of giving good service to all their customers.

If you are in Coronado, visit this restaurant if you get a chance. Reservations are recommended in the evening because this restaurant is popular, with good reason!

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A Hotel – Dos and Don’ts

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

We saw an Oferta Simple deal for the hotel in Coronado, and since we wanted to see the area anyway we bought it. It was for the TRYP Playa Coronado, a Wyndham hotel.

It’s a very new hotel. We were told it has only been open for three months and it was still obviously under construction. We could hear construction noise, and we saw paint and dust covered workmen in the building. It was very new and bright looking, and everything was painted white.

There were some … ahem … interesting issues though, some in the fundamental design, some in the decor, and some easily corrected details that had been overlooked. It started with numerous unanswered calls to make a reservation, unanswered emails, and consulting with the Oferta Simple people until the one last call before I gave up actually got through. 

The outside of the hotel is bright and pretty. The garage is on the second level, and the pool is on the 3rd level.
The is a part under construction on the far side of the ground floor, not sure what it is going to be.
This is the lobby of the hotel, where the AC could barely keep up and the staff was sweating under bright lights at the far end. We teased the bartender on the right who was there most of the afternoon and evening all alone. We never saw a customer at that bar.
Our room had a living room / kitchen area, and a separate bedroom. The cow chair was interesting. At my age, the full length mirror didn’t improve my day.
This is the kitchen area, a nice touch but not really needed. The bar stools were quite uncomfortable though. There was no trash can, or any soap or means to wash dishes if you used them. The stove also wasn’t hooked up to the gas.
The bedroom, with another odd, uncomfortable chair. Notice there is barely enough room to walk by the foot of the bed. But, there were 4 pillows and 3 more in the closet. Do 2 people need 7 pillows? The phone on the tiny nightstand also keep beeping until I unplugged it. I’m not sure why there is “Manhattan” art work on the wall when there is so much beauty in Panama.
The bedroom closet was tolerable, but it would have been nice to have more than 2 hangers. It would have been nice to have a luggage rack or somewhere to put a suitcase as well.
The square toilet in the bathroom. Notice the washcloths perched on the edge of the sink. The toilet paper was also behind you, and on a holder that would cause the roll to come off as soon as you pulled on it. There were also frequent sewer gas odors.
We removed the washcloths and glasses, and the kleenex box, and there still barely enough room for a few toiletries. If the vanity has to be so small, a shelf or two would be really nice.
This shower was really nice, and I thought it was cute how they perched the toiletries on top of it until I realized they had to. There was no other place to put them except on the floor. There wasn’t so much as a little soap dish anywhere in the shower, and there definitely wasn’t room by the sink.
Sloppy workmanship added to general feeling of “not quite right”. This was the kitchen counter by the front door. It was also interesting when you go out the door and look down the hall because you could see an obvious mixture of flat and satin paint on the all white walls.
This sort of baseboard was common also, along with paint drips on baseboards. It was especially obvious by the elevators, a bad thing since you have plenty of time to look around as you wait for the (always slow) elevators.
Our room overlooked the pool which we didn’t find too inviting because there was no sun shade anywhere. They had some canopy beds which looked pretty, but if you don’t want to lie on a bed you are in the full sun.
They served a very good breakfast in the dining room. Unfortunately the floors were tile and the walls were smooth, and all the sound bouncing around was intense. We were happy to get out of there as soon as we were finished eating.

I also forgot to mention, there were no light bulbs in the lamps. The area rugs were also shag loop and I’m not sure how one would clean them. I can’t see them lying down for a vacuum cleaner. There was no internet in the rooms, only in the lobby and pool. We were lucky though because if we sat by the window in the room we could still get a weak signal from the pool.

We did all right though, and the bed was comfortable. Thankfully we aren’t too fussy about details but for someone paying full price at $100/night, they might not appreciate all the annoying details.

Now though we are at a La Estancia in Panama City and we’re having a wonderful experience! We’re going to kick back and chill today, so maybe I’ll have a bit more time to catch up on the blog and tell you more about what we are doing. Or, maybe I’ll continue to be too busy taking photos of birds, trees, monkeys, and other wildlife 😀

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A Visit to Coronado

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Our first stop in our current travels has been Coronado. This is a well known beach front community with many expats, located about an hour southwest of Panama City.

I can see why expats would want to live here. It feels more like Florida than Panama to me. The homes are quite upscale, and there are large, modern condos right on the beach. Many of the locals speak at least some English so it would be much easier to manage if you don’t speak Spanish. The town itself is “private” and you have to pass the scrutiny of the guard at the gate to even enter the town. Once inside it’s fairly quiet with little traffic. We saw people using golf carts and small ATV’s to get around town. The roads are good and we haven’t heard complaints about infrastructure (reliable water, power, etc)

Nearby, on the Pan-American Highway, is a large shopping area with supermarkets, home improvements stores, banks, and probably everything you would need within a short drive. (We will be heading out to catch a bus soon so I’ll try and take a few photos of this area)

We spent quite a bit of time walking around town yesterday, and here are a few of the photos.

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I’m very glad we could spend some time in Coronado because I’ve been curious about it for a long time. It’s not for me though, even if we could afford it. I really enjoy the typical, low key Panamanian life and you won’t find that in Coronado very much.

I spoke with one expat who has lived here with her family for 6 months and hasn’t learned any Spanish. She thought she would but found she rarely talks with anyone but other English speaking expats. She did tell me though that the expat community seems fairly peaceful and everyone seems to get along well. That isn’t always the case in expat communities so that was nice to hear.

So, this is just my impressions. As with anything, if it sounds interesting you have to come check it out for yourself and see how it feels to you before making any decisions!

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More freedom in Panama as a foreigner than in the U.S as a citizen? Sure feels that way.

Posted on March 20, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Written by a talented young writer in Coronado, Panama. I have a lot of the same feelings but she explains it better.

More freedom in Panama as a foreigner than in the U.S as a citizen? Sure feels that way..

Posted in culture, Panama | 19 Comments

More Beach Pictures

Posted on March 18, 2014 by Kris Cunningham

Last weekend we visited our friends at Las Olas, which is at Playa La Barqueta about 40 minutes southwest of David. There was a beautiful sunset in the evening  (some photos are on my last blog post). The next morning was also very nice so we went walking on the beach, and later played in the waves with the boogie boards (great fun!!)

The view from the condo in the morning.
The waves are nice this morning.
A couple walks on the wet sand in the morning light.
A group gets a beach soccer game together. When we walked by, we saw that one team was blindfolded!
The birds are also enjoying the morning.
Joel and our friends walk along the beach.
A couple surfers head out in the blue morning light.
Others walk along the beach.
Joel and our friends walk and talk together.
The little shellfish was swimming in the water left on the sand when a wave recedes.
Frigate birds circle overhead.
The sandpipers are also out.
Children play in the surf.
More misty, blue, morning light.
A couple walks on the wet sand while our friends body surf in the distance.

We were lucky to have such a nice weekend. The weather was perfect and the surf was fun, not crazy and dangerous like it is sometimes. There were more people than I’d ever seen but it’s summer, a weekend, and there are more people in the area because of the Feria in David.

We’re in such a good spot in David. We can get to both the mountains and the beach in a fairly short time. And, best of all, we have really nice friends to spend time with when we go!

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