Richard Detrich’s Boquete, Panama Weblog

Fearing their left wing President Chavez will shape Venezuela in into a highly Communist regime like Cuba, wealthy Venezuelans are fleeing to Panama. Entire Venezuelan companies are being picked up and moved, employees and all, to Panama. International companies that previously had regional headquarters in Venezuela are moving to Panama. Individual Venezuelans, uncomfortable with the direction of there homeland, are purchasing condos in Panama City as a “Plan B” should they wish to leave Venezuela in the future.

Venezuelans, like others, are attracted not only by the beauty, but by Panama’s booming economy and a lively Latin culture. Panama City is the “hot” Latin American capital city with numerous lavish shopping malls and vibrant night life.

Attempts at constitutional change proposals to scrap presidential term limits and limit press freedom during political crises by Chavez make Venezuelans increasingly nervous.

Maria Alejandra Chacon, a journalist from Venezuela, is quoted as saying, “I love Venezuela. I feel happy to have been born in a country that has everything, but there is one important thing called liberty.”

Estimates are that as many as 15,000 Venezuelans have relocated to Panama City in the past two years. Real estate agents in Panama City report that Venezuelans are the hot market for Panama’s jungle of new high rises.

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If you are thinking about Panama, be you from Venezuela, the EU, or the US . . .

You may be interested in these comments of Chuck Dolce of the Sovereign Society who recently held their 2008 Total Wealth Symposium in Panama City.

Panama is truly spectacular. If you’ve never been, it’s a country on the move. Skyscrapers rise up from what was once a depressed Central American country. Skyscrapers are built IN the ocean. Architecturally, the juxtaposition of the new and the old creates almost a surreal effect. It’s 2008 on one side and 1940 on the other.

Panama is a country rebuilding itself both structurally and economically. The third largest economy in Central America, Panama specializes in service industries like banking and tourism. What were once military bases are now malls filled with excellent restaurants, bars and shops. It’s now an offshore haven in the ranks of Switzerland and Lichtenstein. It has been the perfect place to host this year’s conference.

The Paradise that is Panama

. . . [This is] a country that is at once beautiful, booming, affordable and friendly.

Contrary to what some may think, Panama offers a diverse, yet very temperate climate. Temperatures average in the 80s on the beaches and in the city year-round. But in the highlands region, the temperatures can cool down enough at night to require some heating. Panama essentially has two seasons - the dry season which lasts from January to April, and the rainy season from May through December. But the rainy season is more akin to summer in Florida. You have hard drenching rains for a couple hours a day and then beautiful sunshine for the rest of the day.

Standard amenities here are all “first-world” level. From cable TV to Internet to phone service. The country is accessible by air from virtually anywhere in the world. The roads are well-maintained and the stores offer some of the best shopping in Central America. The malls are populated with some of the most recognizable names in the world. And at largely affordable prices.

More Bang for Your Buck Here in Panama

The overall cost of living in Panama is about 30% lower than in the United States. You can get a three-course lunch for two with wine for about US$25 . . . It’s about US$2 in a cab across the city.
A manicure costs around US$7 and you can get a bottle of beer at the store for around 50 cents. A live-in maid will set you back around US$200 a month. Or you can simply get housekeeping services for around US$15-20.

Healthcare is affordable too. An average doctor visit runs around US$35, if you make your appointment the previous day. And the quality of care is excellent. Most medical staff here are trained in the U.S. and the facilities are first rate. Johns Hopkins has just opened an affiliated medical center in Punta Pacifica, one of Panama’s residential areas.

Infrastructure development is booming right along with the economy. Panama experienced GDP growth of over 11% last year and Panama is expected to grow another 8-9% this year. And this is not an “inflation-based” economy like so many other countries. In fact, Panama has no central bank to tinker with inflation! Instead, economic growth is productivity driven.

Home to over 200 banks, Panama is the second largest banking center in the world. Plus they adhere to strict banking privacy laws.

Taxes are reasonable. If you live in Panama, you’re only taxed on Panama-sourced income. Standard deductions are applicable, including medical expenses incurred in the country. There are property tax exemptions as well, including older exemptions that can be grandfathered in when real estate is purchased. And the real estate boom is continuing. City condos can be had from US$100,000+ to luxury resort residences from US$260,000 and up.

And as I mentioned [previously] . . . investment amounts are going to increase soon. How much is anyones guess, but they are going higher. So if you have any interest in exploring residence options in Panama, the time to act is now.

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How much money, Ed asks . . .

I found this blog when looking for information about Boquete and Panama. Most of the other Panama sites are tragic. Your writing is wonderful.

How would I find out how much money I need to live in Boquete? Ed

First, Ed, thanks for the compliment! Now, about the money . . .

You know how it is when you visit some Caribbean island where they don’t speak English and have their own currency . . . you get off the plane . . . grab a cab to the hotel . . . have no idea . . . so you just hold out a bunch of funny colored money (Well, we used to have greenbacks, now, thank you George, we have funny colored money as well . . . who ever thought we’d have a purple $5 bill?) Anyway you hold out the money so the driver can take the correct amount . . . and he takes ALL of it.

Does that answer your question?

I saw a study, now a few years old, that said that the average expat who moves to Panama has about $2,500 in disposable income to spend each month. To get an expat “pensionado” or retirement visa that allows you to live in Panama full time and import a container of household goods duty free, you must show $600 pension income per couple. Not that you can live on $600 a month. We live very comfortably on our combined Social Security and pension income, which is roughly $3,400 a month. Of course we both have cars, have several properties to keep up, maybe spend more than the average couple on medicine and travel a lot.

Cars are a little cheaper to buy here because they don’t have things like catalytic converters and air bags are not required (but available as an option). Houses in Boquete that an expat would find comfortable run from $100,000 to $2 Million. Most new construction has a 20-year property tax exemption which can be passed on to future owners. And yes, since we are finishing up a new house on our farm, my present home in Valle Escondido (private, gated, luxury community, house overlooking the valley, river, and 9th hole of the golf course) is for sale for $459,000 give or take.

Hope that helps!

It may be Panama, but even in Paradise there are some days . . . well, it’s time for my own homemade Richard’s Spiced Rum and orange juice and a good soak in the hot tub with a cheap novel (well, not so cheap in Panama, but we pass them around).

OK, the builder didn’t do half of what he promised to do, but he did do some, and the cabinets, ordered months ago from China actually fit, with some jerri rigging, but that’s more the fault of the local architect (who showed a dishwasher that was 36″ wide and obviously was unaware that dishwashers come in two sizes 18″ and 20″), but I think it will all fit.

I didn’t get much sleep last night. I’ve been waking up in the middle of the night with a full-on allergic reaction, and double dosing my allergy medication doesn’t seem to help. So at 2 AM I was online, sneezing, eyes watering looking at possibilities. It seems to hit after a few hours in bed, so I self-diagnosed it to be dust mites, since I never have it on board ship. Of course we don’t have a room steward here, and I’m playing bachelor for a while, so why change the bed every week if it is still warm. So today I decided, no more dust mites: I would wash all the bedding in hot water . . . including the king-size pillows. Now, after three hours of mopping up the biggest flood I’ve ever seen inside our house . . . the damn (that’s damn as in damn, not Dam as in ship!) dust mites had better be cooked . . . or drowned!

We had a good friend whom I met while he was an “AIMer” at a friend’s church in Jersey City, while I was serving a church in the South Bronx. “AIM” was a denominational program called “Adventure In Mission” and enabled college students to take a year off school and serve for peanuts. Robert remained friends with the pastor and his wife, Jack and Ella White, long after he completed his AIM service. Jack and Ella ended up pastoring the old Reformed Church in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Before they left they made us promise we’d come to visit, and since by then my church was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we were only too glad to “escape Wisconsin” mid winter and fly off to St. Thomas. Often Robert was there. We watched him through college, then medical school, wondering how he could be a doctor when he fainted at the sight of blood. Robert had a way of . . . well, while most guys were doing their internships in some big city hospital, Robert was interning with the Flying Doctors in Australia, and later in India. When he went to India he managed to get to know the Sisters of Charity, to even help out, and to have private time with Mother Theresa. Her famous line was, “I want to meet the doctor who cleans bedpans.” That would be Robert. He never took himself overly seriously.

Robert went on not only to become an expert trauma specialists but to run a number of emergency rooms right off the Ohio Turnpike that got all the trauma cases. Since he always said in medical school that he wanted to be a pathologist - no blood - I couldn’t understand how he became this trauma specialist. His answer, “The nurses know to elevate the wound before I come in.”

When I faced emergency surgery and had to make some immediate and difficult decisions about a risky neurosurgical procedure, my wife tracked down Robert, and he patiently walked me through the procedure and the risks and gave me his recommendation, not just as a doctor, but as a friend.

Robert was a passenger on the Swiss Air Fight 111 that exploded over the Atlantic. He was on his way to a United Nations medical meeting and to visit friends in Zurich. Robert Stauter, MD was 46 when he died.

But when “all hell breaks loose” I always thought of something that Robert taught me: it was a sign he first saw in an emergency room in India that read, “Take emergency leisurely.” I suspect that Robert ran his emergency rooms that way. I think they probably lacked the TV emergency room atmosphere, but that a skilled team moved efficiently, quietly, professionally, without crisis or drama to deliver effective, emergency care.

So the water is cleaned up. The bed is made with fresh clean sheets. So I’m off to soak in the hot tub, to have a drink, to remember Robert and taking emergency leisurely, to hopefully have a good nights sleep, and face the building crew tomorrow at 6:45AM.

During Robert’s Senior year of Medical School he chose to spend his elective rotations overseas. He worked in such locations as the Isle of Skye off the coast of Scotland, oil platforms in the North Sea, the Death and Dying Institue of Calcutta, India, a remote location in the Philippines, and with the Flying Doctors of Northern Australia. While in India he met Mother Theresa and was served Communion by her. He graduated in 1978 from the U. of I. with a Doctorate of Medicine (MD) and was accepted into the Emergency Medicine Residency at Akron General Hospital in Akron, Ohio. After his Residency, FACEP, he accepted a position in the Emergency Department of Trumbul Memorial Hospital in Warren, Ohio. While working there, he was an Assistant Professor in Emergency Medicine with the Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine.

While practicing as an ER Physician full time, he attended law school at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio as a full time student. He graduated with a Doctorate in Jurisprudence (JD) in 1988. Robert’s truest enjoyment was traveling around the world. He was fluent in French and could converse in several languages. He maintained many long-term friendships with people from around the world. 

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Change is on the way! 

Yesterdam Obama drew 75,000 people to a campaign rally in Portland, Oregon. It is not “business as usual”: people are hungry for change and anxious to move into a new era. People often ask, “Well, what if you have a bad government elected in Panama?” And I respond, “What if you have a bad government elected in America?”  Panama can elect someone who wants to rule the world, and so can the US, or any other country.  The difference is, I don’t vote in Panama.  But then I voted in the US, and Florida and packed courts decided that my vote, and that of the majority, didn’t really count.

“Marriage” should remain in church and be defined by whatever church in whatever ways that church sees fit.

As a Pastor I was always uncomfortable with my role as an “agent of the state” in signing legal documents of marriage.  I was even more uncomfortable with the traditional decree of “I now pronounce you man and wife.”  In junior high I already realized that I could pronounce no one a man.  You either are, or aren’t, and no amount of pronouncing will make a difference!  So I changed it to “husband and wife.”   And even there . . . “husband and wife” is a relationship which takes years to accomplish, so I’m not sure what good my pronouncing did.  I always made sure couples knew there were no guarantees!  Some made it: some didn’t.  But the role of the church service was for couples to pledge themselves to each other in the presence of God and to ask his blessing on their relationship.

If “marriage” is left in the church, then each church can define it as narrowly or broadly as they wish, given their particular interpretation.  The state has no business defining “marriage.”  The state needs to stay outside of marriage: how it’s defined, what couples do, whether they practice birth control or not, isn’t any business of the state.

The state’s role is to define the terms, responsibilities, and legalities of civil unions between individuals.  Church members are welcome to enter into that discussion, but the basis of discussion should be the laws of the land not religious laws.  And pretty much the law of the land is equality without regard to sex.

This would end a cantankerous and, IMHO, useless discussion of things like “gay marriage.”  Some churches might allow gay marriages and some may not, so be it.  But the law of the land, with respect to civil unions as in all other matters is one of equality.  End of discussion.  There are more important issues on which to focus our energies.

In most European countries people go to the town hall to legally declare their unions, even royalty.  Then, if they desire, they go to the church to make their marriage vows.   Even some countries with state-supported churches, recognize at least in this area the separation of church and state better than we do in the US.

I see a lot of Christians who feel that somehow they need to “defend the faith” against things like “gay marriage.”  Hey, the FAITH is bigger than all of us, has been around for a long time, and if you accept the Biblical gospel, doesn’t need two-bit television preachers or propagandists to defend it!    The Psalmist notes, “He who sits in the heavens laughs.”  Ever wonder what God is laughing at?

Tonight I found your website and find it very enjoyable and informative. I’m the lead man on finding info for three couples(+) who are thinking of moving to Panama or Costa Rica. Finding info on Health Ins. has been hard, many statements that it is reasonable, reasonable is a relative term. The David /Boquetearea is our main interest in Panama and I was wondering if you would tell me more about your HMO withlocal Hospital. Such as how reasonable it is, if being over 60 or 80 is a concern(which it seems to be with some Health Ins. Co. there).
Also what do you think is the minimum amount someone could live on there, considering they shopped local markets, lived in or near town in a non gated community type home? Arthur Goussy

Hey Arthur. Let’s assume that other folks may have similar questions.

You may find a better deal on health insurance in Costa Rica, since I heard from a guide that “everyone” is covered. I haven’t checked that out, but you’d have to weigh that against the total picture in Costa Rica . . . and why lots of expats are moving from Costa Rica to Panama. My impression is that the overall cost of living, quality of life (despite the “Pura vida” tourism hype of Costa Rica), and personal safety and crime issues, make Panama the better choice. The economy and economic diversity of Panama are far better than Costa Rica. And Panama uses the US Dollar which generally, although not at the moment, has been a good currency in which to have your money.

I have Medicare but I have to go to the States to use it. I don’t have the extra-cost Part B because when I looked at all the deductibles, etc., it seemed to me I was better off just to seek treatment in Panama where medical care is far more reasonable than in the US. We have all the bells and whistles, even a major hospital in Panama City that is affiliated with John’s Hopkins. Many of our doctors are US-trained and speak English. Hospital stays run about $40 a night.

We mostly self-insure. All the insurance schemes want to limit pre-existing conditions (broadly defined), and by the time folks are 65 almost everyone has some pre-existing condition, and generally that’s the stuff they are worried about. We do have the local hospital’s program which they call “insurance”, but which I would call more of a discount program. You can check the specifics at
their Website.  We know some folks who’ve used it and found it very helpful, and others who’ve tried to use it and not found it helpful.  Fortunately, our use has been limited.  And yes, it goes up as you get older.

Cost of living obviously varies greatly.  There are folks in Valle Escondido who cheerfully pay $25,000 to belong to the golf and health club.  That’s not us, although we still have a home in Valle Escondido (which by the way overlooks the Valley, the stream and the 9th Hole and is for sale).  There are other retirees, including many Panamanians, who live on amazingly little.  We live on my Social Security and my wife’s very limited County pension.  But, our cost of living is a third of what it was in California!

We sold our home in California, bought our place here for cash, so we don’t have to worry about mortgage payments.  Our house here was built under the current law that makes it property tax free for 20 years.

You can live like a gringo here, or like a Panamanian.  Example: I was frustrated that I couldn’t find crushed pineapple and when I did it was almost $2 a can.  My Panamanian friends laughed and pointed out that I could buy a big fresh pineapple for $1, throw it in the blender and have loads of crushed pineapple, enough to use now and to freeze for use later.  It’s just how you think.  Once you get away from our US ideas of everything being prepared, and of course loaded with chemicals, you can not only eat more reasonably but also eat more healthily!

Assuming you have three couples, all friends, but whose children or eventual heirs may not necessarily all be friends, here’s one scenario.

We have a friend whose husband recently died so she has decided to sell the 6 hectares (about 14 acres) they have on the other side of the mountain on the road to Volcan.  Volcan is not nearly as developed or high-priced as Boquete, but it is astonishingly beautiful.  This property, which I would buy if I had the money, is right off the main road withelectric and water (important consideration when buying land here!).  It is gently rolling and has a river that runs through it with several swimming holes and even a little waterfall.  She wants $290K, which is a good price.

I’d buy it pay a few thousand more to subdivide it into four lots each owned by a separate SA corporation.  That makes it easy to sell if you or your heirs later want to sell.  Then I’d build a 1500 sq ft home, which you can easily do for $75 a square meter finished nicely.  And you get a 20 year property tax exemption.

So, now you have a beautiful 1,200 ft new home on about 3 acres of prime land overlooking a stream for $187,500.  I think you can live comfortably with one car on $2400 - 3000 a month, including a liberal allowance for travel outside of Panama.

So, how’s that?  A lot depends on where you live now in the States, what housing values are, and what the cost of living is in that particular area. 

Hillary tells us that selecting a Democratic nominee should be a “hiring decision” for voters.  Her campaign over against Obama seems to be based on her “experience.”

Her famous “Who is most qualified to answer the phone at 3AM ad” seemed to play on this notion.  Frankly, I assume the White House operator answers the phone at 3AM!  I certainly hope so.  While I assume Hillary knows on which side of the bed the phone is located, I also assume that when the phone rang during the Clinton presidency at 3AM, the call was probably for Bill, not Hillary.

As nearly as I can figure, the “experience” argument breaks down something like this:

Hillary Clinton
Lawyer, wife, mother
2000-2008 Elected US Senator

Barack Obama
Community organizer, lawyer, husband, father
1996-2004 Elected State Senator
2004-2008 Elected US Senator

I don’t see the difference!

Throw in McCain and you have three candidates without any executive experience or experience running a large governmental or private organization. (Wasn’t this Romney’s argument when he was a candidate?)

Sure, Clinton knows where the rest rooms are in the White House, and she may know some of the carry over service staff, by sight if not by name. But how does that qualify her any more than Obama to be “leader of the free world”?

Am I the only person for whom this “experience” arguement seems like incredible political sleight of hand? Her husband has experience, but what does that have to do with her resume? Sure she knows, and obviously likes, the perks of the Presidency and knows her way on and off Air Force One, but what does that have to do with her “experience” or “electability”?

If I were an experienced and popular governor from an important electoral state, Democrat or Republican, I sure would stay close to the telephone!  Any of these three - Obama, Clinton or McCain - are going to need a Vice President with some management experience!

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Microsoft Panama Project

According to La Prensa . . .

With the Microsoft-sponsored program, “Connect to Knowledge,” Panama could become an international case study, said President Martín Torrijos at yesterday´s inauguration of the fourth annual Microsoft Research Academic Summit.

“We’re moving ahead and we´ve decided to adopt this tool that to strengthen the learning process,” stressed the President.

“Connect to Knowledge,” which the government has introduced in about 700 public schools, is aimed at teaching students how to use computers as an academic tool. Panama will have the largest number of schools involved in the program in Central America.

Jaime Puente, the manager of external investigation for Microsoft Research Panamá, said that a lack of clarity of agenda and collaboration are obstacles to the program´s success in Latin America.

“There is much work to do,” said Rick Rashid, vice president of Microsoft Research, “but there are good opportunities here.”

Plans are underway to provide an initial wave of laptop computers under the “Laptop for Every Child” program already authorized for 50,000 laptops for children in remote areas where schools do not have electricity. The laptops are operated by solar power and connect to the Internet via satelite. The first 10,000 laptops are scheduled to be distributed this fall.

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Good news: Brandon Hein’s appeal to the US Circuit Court of Appeal 9th District has finally been filed!

When we first came to Panama I was SOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrated!  Tradesmen would promise to show up at 8AM, and then never appear until days later, unannounced, usually when we were off in David shopping.  I later found out they were shocked that we had taken them at their word and were waiting for them!  They had just assumed that we, being “rich gringos” would have a maid doing the waiting, since most Panamanians of middle and upper class status have maids.

I was so frustrated I asked folks who had been here longer how they coped and one wise guy said, “Surrender!  Whatever it is, it will happen . . . eventually.  And you being all up-tight won’t help it along one bit.”

I keep that in mind as I watch the house move along ever so slowly.  We were to have been in “by Christmas.”  I assumed, wrongly it turns out, that we were talking about Christmas ‘07.

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I copied this from my kids’ blog since I don’t have a picture of my other daughter, Rebecca, with Noelle’s baby . . .

Aunt Becky cuddles with the Earth Nymph
April 14, 2008 by georgeeaton

This outfit was purchased by Aunt Becky in Australia. The hat says “Earth Nymph.” The koala glows in the dark, making it easier to find Rian at night.

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Visit Panama!
According to Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, writing in MarketWatch:

“If there’s an economic slowdown in your life, but you’re not ready to cut back on vacation time just yet, there are places to go and things to see that give cheer and relaxation without breaking the bank . . . Panama. This small country boasts mountains, rain forests, 1,500 miles of coast (your pick of the Caribbean or Pacific) and, of course, the magnificent canal, where you can gawk at supertankers being raised and lowered through the locks. Forget exchange rates: Panama’s currency, the balboa, is pegged at parity with the U.S. dollar, and the dollar itself is accepted virtually everywhere.”

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Planning A Panama Trip In July

Hi Richard, I am a new subscriber to your blog and I just want to commend you for your honest insights. My husband and I are planning to visit Panama for a week in July (still trying to make the travel arrangements), and I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind giving me your honest opinion on the following:

It looks like we can get a flight from Miami on American, arriving early afternoon in Panama City. My thought was to maybe stay in the city for a day or two so we could explore some of the sights you recommend and then take a flight down to David so we can visit Boquete, which is really the area I want to see!

I assume it would be smarter to make our reservations from Panama City to David before we even arrive in the country, correct? Or is that route simply a local service and reservations must be made right at the airport when we arrive in Panama? Also, if we wanted to check out the beaches, are there any specific ones you would recommend?

Besides being excited, I’m a little nervous about the trip partially because I’ve never been out of the U.S. before (except on a cruise) and because I don’t know Spanish. Any help you can provide would be excellent. I have read your Q&A on your site, which has been a great help. Thank you, Alysia

Thanks Alysia! American, Delta, Continental and Copa all fly into Panama City arriving at the International Airport, Tocumen. From across the pond KLM and Iberia have direct flights. The National airport, Albrook or Gelabert, is about a $30 cab ride away and it is from there that flights leave to David, about 40 minutes drive from Boquete. You’ll want to make your reservations online before you come for your flights within Panama.  The principal national carriers are Aeroperlas and Air Panama.  You can make your reservation on line with either carrier, although I’ve always had trouble with Air Panama taking my US credit card online, so I tend to use Areroperlas.

Since you are interested in beach areas, you might want to think about renting a car and driving to Boquete.  The Pan American Highway has been greatly improved and it is a 6 hour drive.  Along the way you may want to check out beach projects in the San Carlos area.   Ventura is a very nice development, and since I used to live in Ventura, CA, it has a special appeal for me.  The Azuero beach areas are very popular, particularly with the French and celebs, but it’s about a 3 hour detour off the Pan American Highway to Pedasi.   Closer to David/Boquete is where we have a place, Boca Chica.  Boca Chica is still a sleepy, tiny fishing village, but it is beginning to develop.  Just outside David are a number of new beachfront developments. 

Hotel rooms can be very hard to find in Panama City so book early.  I’d plan a few days in Panama City and to see the sights I would talk to the front desk or bellmen.  Most will have a cousin or brother who drives a cab part time and will be happy to give you a tour for $15 to $20 an hour.  You’ll want to include Old Panama (the original city destroyed after Morgan’s raid), Casco Viejo (the old French Canal section) where the Golden Altar and beautifully restored Opera House are located as well as the Panama Canal Museum, and Miraflores Locks and the Miraflores Visitor Center.  One hotel I like is the County Inn on Amador.  Not only is it located out of the hustle and hassle of the main part of the city, but it is on the banks of the Canal itself.  Get a room facing the Canal and sit on your balcony and watch the world go by - literally!

Have some “survival” Spanish phrases, plan to use sign language, don’t take yourself too seriously, have an attitude of adventure and discovery, and you’ll have a great trip.  You find Panamanians to be friendly and for the most part eager to help.  Many, once they feel comfortable with you, turn out to know some English.

Have a great time and give me a yell when you are in Boquete!

I have never served on a jury.

Usually because I was a minister who owned and operated my own business that was dependent on me, I was able to get excused.

Why, you ask, would any citizen want to avoid his civic responsibility of serving on a jury and pursuing justice? Having closely watched courts, and trials, and innocent and guilty, I am convinced that in any court trial there are three categories of folks who will get screwed: the victim, the accused perpetrator, and the jurors. The folks who do the screwing, the judges, the attorneys, the prosecutors, and the whole criminal justice system, despite the intricate dance they do in the courtroom, are all colleagues, alumni of many of the same law schools, members of the same legal fraternities and clubs, all washing each others hands and crawling into bed (figuratively and at times literally) with one another.

I almost got jury duty and it happened like this . . .

Before we left VenturaI got summoned and there was no way out but to show up and hope that I just put in my time, read a book and got out. Didn’t happen. I got sent to the courtroom with about 50 other prospective jurors for a criminal trial. I actually forget what the trial was even about, but I sat there, like back in high school, hoping and praying I wouldn’t be called upon . . . but guess what?

So I got called for the dog and pony show . . . and the judge rattled off his spiel about knowing any reason why I shouldn’t serve . . . and much to his surprise, I said, “Your honor, you really don’t want me on your jury.”

And he said, “No, I really do!” He paused to let that sink in, and then asked, “Why would you think I wouldn’t want you on the jury?”

OK, he asked. So I launched into the story of Brandon Hein, and concluded with my spiel about the judicial process being a carefully choreographedkabuki dance between, “with all due respect to this court your honor” folks who all belonged to the same clubs and donated to each others reelection campaigns.

Looooooooooooooong pause . . . shocked looks by the reqular”players” . . . finally the judge said, “I’ll tell you what. I’ll make a deal withyou. You serve on my jury and if at any time you feel that you have a problem withwhat’s going on, you ask to speak with me in my chambers, and if we can’t resolve it, then I’ll excuse you.” What could I say but OK?

The defense attorney of course is so excited he’s about ready to explode. He already has me elected jury foreman. Of course he has no objections. The young gal for the state doesn’t even bother to look up before saying, “The state passes, your honor.”

So I dodged a bullet.

So what does this have to do with anything . . . If you read this regularly you’ve read about Brandon Hein, and if you haven’t, you should because this is one of the greatest travesties of American “justice” ever and has generated world-wide outrage, yet Brandon remains in prison after almost thirteen years for a crime nobody says he committed.

Brandon’s case has slowly . . . thirteen years slowly . . . wound it’s way through the kabuki dance of appeals courts and is now almost ready to be presented to the US Circuit Court of Appeals 9th District. For all practical purposes this is the court of last resort.

Some interesting background:

Hopefully this time it happened!

This is in no way meant as criticism of Brandon’s family who have endured this all for thirteen years and borne incredible hardship and expense, nor of the other defendant families. I am not shooting the messengers! My criticisms of the legal system don’t reflect in any way their views, nor the view of Brandon who has never even seenthe Internet as we know it! I cannot possibly imagine what any of these folks have endured, particularly Brandon. I remain in awe of him as a man and I am appalled by the incredible stupidity, injustice, and vengeance that keeps him in prison for a crime nobody says he committed.

And this picture of the two of us was taken a long time ago.

Well, we don’t sit around in a rocking chair . . . much.  This was actually the biggest question we had before we moved to Boquete.  We’d email people we’d met here and ask, “What is it that you do?”  It was also the question that I asked friends of mine who had decided to retire early.  On the surface it sounded good, but . . . “What do you do?”

The short answer is that we pretty much do what we want to do.  And we keep as busy as we want to be busy.  We’re not trying to please a whole bunch of other people.  We’ve learned that it is OK to say, “No.” 

And we’ve developed new interests . . . things that we’d never dreamed of before.   Whenever I gave my wife, Nikki, a plant for her birthday or as a gift I’d say, “Here, dear, it’s yours, but don’t touch it.”  I can’t tell you how many jade plants she managed to kill.  Now she has become the great agriculturalist who looks at a coffee tree on our farm and asks me, “Now what is this tree saying to us?”  And we both take great joy when our neighbors who’ve lived with coffee farming all their lives, oooo and ahhhh over our spectacular coffee.  (And this year looks like it will be a great harvest!)    Nikki also became active in our local little community theater group and has directed a couple of plays.  This is something that she never had any interest in previously, not that she would have had any time.

The whole cruise lecturing thing was a totally new venture for me and has become something I love doing - when I want to! - and enables me to meet fascinating people and travel the world on luxury cruise ships.  The blogging thing, although somewhat an extension of my Internet interests, is a whole new thing for me.

So, typical day in a typical week (if there is such a thing)  . . .

5AM or so I’m up and either have a Diet Coke or coffee and go online to get my news fix, read over various blogs and Web sites I follow, check this site and make sure the scheduled article published as planned, see what the early AM site traffic was like, and usually work on posts.  I generally have two or three posts that I’m working on, and like to be a day or two ahead, with posts scheduled to publish automatically.

6AM The dogs are up and I take each one out to take care of their business.   This is more fun than it sounds because there is an unbelievable cacophony of birds singing!   We like to keep them in the house until 7AM when the construction workers enter Valle Escondido and the construction noise starts.  [One of the BIG advantages of buying a development that's almost built out is that you don't have to live with construction noise, which we've put up with for almost four years.  Now that it's almost done, we're moving . . . such is life!]

7AM the dogs eat and Nikki and I have breakfast.  I usually finish up what I’m working on, often it’s a cruise lecture or emails, we’ll both read, Nikki usually at the patio table and me often in the spa.

8AM our day starts.  Often one of our neighbors will drop by for a couple of cups of coffee and we’ll talk about our various projects and frustrations.   Now it’s frequently going up to the farm to start plants (now that the rains are here), check on construction progress, meet with the builder, Nikki to review and inspect the work of our farm worker.  About once a week we’ll head into David for shopping or dentist/doctor appointments.  My brother is also living in Boquete and is partially disabled so takes a lot of extra work helping him shop, get to the doctor, or get medication.  And as long as the construction is going on there is always some piece of hardware or finish we need to buy or order.  Tuesday Nikki often goes to the “Tuesday Morning Meeting” of expats and often goes out for lunch.  If I’m not working on a hand on farm project, I’ll often use this time to work on lectures.

12N-2PM We’ll usually get some lunch.  Nikki will read or go online.  I will frequently read in the hammock, sometimes taking a nap as well.

2PM Often there is some other project that demands time.  Occasionally we just chill.  We are, after all, retired.  The day tends to start early in Boquete because mornings are fantastic!!!  In the rainy season the clouds start building around noon . . . and if we’re lucky, about 2:30PM or so it starts to rain which is a wonderful excuse to curl up and read . . . or work on lecture PowerPoint slides.  (It is work folks!)

If the weather is nice I’ll take the dogs for a walk usually right here in Valle Escondido.  Now with the building going on, often I try to be up at the house about 3:30PM when the builder stops in to check on progress.  Although he speaks only Spanish, and I mostly English, there are always a ton of questions.  Our architect was short on detail . . .

4PM  OK, I AM retired . . . the sun is over the yardarm or whatever . . . so frequently I’ll have rum and Diet Coke or rum and orange juice and sit in the spa and read.

Evenings we may sit and watch videos or read.  Sometimes we’ll have dinner with friends, occasionally at a restaurant, but more likely at someones home.  [If you spend a lot of time eating on cruise ships, going out to sit in a restaurant, well . . . it's just not that "special".]  Thankfully we have friends that we can just get together with on an impromptu basis.  “Hey, we have fresh ahi grade tuna - at $3 a pound, eat your heart out California shoppers! - why don’t you throw together a salad and come over?”   We have great wines - from Chile, Argentina and South Africa - usually for under $5 a bottle, so we like to sit, and chat, and talk.  Remember talking?

We do occasionally have “events” - plays, concerts, etc.  Actually there is a whole lot more of this than we would have imagined.  We’ve had art shows, now have a jazz festival, have various groups from Panama City and other parts of the world coming through, and have even had the Philadelphia Boys Choir.   Although we had “everything” in LA, we never went to take advantage of it because of the 2-3 hour Freeway hassle to take advantage of it!

9PM Normally I’m heading for bed and so are the dogs who all sleep inside.  My Rottweiler usually on the floor next to me, so if you’re thinking of coming in and walking around while we sleep, be prepared to loose a few chunks of your bod!  The dogs all have to go out to take care of their business, and again, this is a lot more fun than it sounds because . . . if there is no moon, and usually the rain is gone . . . STARS like you wouldn’t believe!  Stars like God created them!  Stars so clear that you almost feel you can reach out and touch them.  And, particularly if it has rained, that wet, fresh, clean smell . . . there is a reason why they call this “Paradise!”

10PM - And this is the best part about where we live now in Valle Escondido, and what we will miss most at our new house up on the farm - going to sleep with the sound of the stream running below our house.

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Boquete has a great new weather site provided by Lloyd Cripe whose weather station is actually located in Palmira, not far from our farm and new house.  There is a great summary of monthly weather in our “Paradise” as well as some great links for information on earthquakes and the volcano.

While I was accompanying a ship’s tour in Costa Rica I realized how fascinated folks were with seeing an actual banana flower.  Realizing that not everyone has a banana tree in their backyard, I thought I’d show you a banana tree in flower. 

The flower is the maroon thingy at the end of the stalk.  Under each “petal” are the flowers, each set forming a “hand” of bananas.  Eventually the flower will stop getting pollinated and fall off when the plant decides there are sufficient hands of bananas.  Commercially the flower is usually cut off at a certain point.  We almost always have a stalk of bananas ripening.  The price of bananas at the market in Boquete is generally 2 for five cents, or $1 - $1.50 for an entire stalk of bananas.  Not only is the price different than in cold climates, but the taste is totallydifferent!  Bananas here taste, well like bananas, not Styrofoam immitation bananas.  Our home grown bananas are left on the tree until just before the birds and coati start after them.

I’ll add in a few photos I took while on tour in Costa Rica of the Del Monte processing plant.

The blue bags are used for commercial growing to protect the ripening fruit from insects and damage in handling.  An insecticide is infused into the blue plastic.

 
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Here’s a shot of an orchid currently in bloom on our trees.  As you can see, many of the orchids are incredibly delicate.

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The BOSTON GLOBE and South Florida SUN-SENTINEL have run an interesting story on Panama and our area, “The continental divide of Panama’s emerging tourism destinations”. Check it out.

[New "improvements" to WordPress, presumably developed by an ex-Mircrosoft employee, make using it much more difficult, since it now has, like Windows, a "mind of it's own" and requires lots of tweaking. This simple post has been a nightmare! Weblog: why "fix" it if it isn't broken??]

Well, more or less.

The road in front of our property has been paved, something I never expected, but there it is!

The driveway to the house is starting to take shape.
 

The pergola and entrance are taking shape.

The stone that will sheath the tower is finally here and should start going up this week. We like this rock which comes from up near the Costa Rican border.

The fireplace is two-sided so it can be enjoyed from either the great room or the back porch.

We got a little carried away on the size of the back porch (here looking toward the master bedroom), but this is where we will live most of the time.