Your Comments & Questions

Have a heart . . .

Richard, Are you able to able to share the name of the cardiologists both in Chiriqui and P-city that were recommended to your wife Thanks, Mountainman

Sure . . . the Cardiologist, whose office is at Mae Lewis Hospital in David, is Dr. Franklin Anguixola Santos [507-774-2453] and the surgeon, Dr. Norberto Javier Calzada, [507-204-8300 Ex 811] Cardiologos Associados de Panama, in Panama City at Hospital Paitilla.

New home construction . . .

I am a student researching the homes of the Indigenous people of Panama and I will like to get more information on how they are built. I have seen pictures, however I need more detailed information on how they are constructed (materials, structure).Can someone point me in the right direction?Celia Evangelista

 Celia, Come on down and see for yourself! For Kuna, Embera and Wounan, almost all of their houses are primarily palm. Different types of palm are used for the sides, thatched roof, and flexible flooring. Bamboo is also a popular building material. Over around Bocas del Torro wood is the primary material. My Embera friend tells me it takes about a week to build a house, and it is a project in which the entire village helps out. The Embera houses are generally open on the sides, except during the windy season, when they put up palm siding. Tradition is very important, so the Embera used a notched log as a front stairway. Usually the “kitchen” is made by putting down layers of banana leaves, then dirt, then more banana leaves until you have a non-flamable base sitting on top of the flooring, You add three big logs, to support the pot, and voila! – a stove. Our local Gnobe Bugle prefer a “fagon”, the outside raised cooking platform, to the little gas stoves we supply because they are able to better control the heat and flame with the open fire. My Embera friend’s house is a lot cheaper to build, goes up quicker, and has a whole lot less problems than mine!

Veragua Rainforest . . .

Is there any way to arrange in advance a taxi to bring (pick up later) my husband and me from the cruise ship port to Veragua Rainforest? Or is it easy to arrange that at the port after we arrive there? Kyung Mueller

There are lots of cabs right at the end of the pier. The red cabs are the licensed ones, and the ones you should use. There are also several local tour operators who will take you out to Veragua with others in a mini-bus. Take a raincoat or poncho along since it rains in the rainforest!

Private tours in Panama . . .

Found your address at a cruisecritic blog. I’m from Tampa Florida and taking a cruise to the Canal with Island Princess. We will be there Friday October 16. I was originally told that I could only do the Cruiseship tours, but then I found a posting on a Friends of Mario that does tours. Seem you live there and have experience cruising. Can I tour with private tours when ariving on a ship? Anyone you recommend? Thanks, hope I’m not overstepping by asking for your assistance. Madeline Tejera

There are lots of questions about this on Cruise Link. First, check out my Panama Cruise  page . . . A lot depends on which ship you are taking and the itinerary. Princess has a variety of options and without spending a lot of time on their Website, off the top, I don’t know what ISLAND PRINCESS is doing on October 16th. If the ship is calling on the Pacific side at Amador (part of Panama City) you can do whatever you want, same thing if it is stopping at Colon (Colon 2000, RCL pier, or Cristobal) . . . If you have enough time. Remember, Panama looks small on the map but traffic is horrendous especially in the afternoon just before a lot of ships are sailing. If the ship is dropping anchor in Gatun Lake to let off guests there for shore excursions, in Gatun Lake you cannot get off the ship unless you are taking a shore excursion booked on board. You tender off to a place called “Gatun Lake Yacht Club” . . . where there is not a yacht or any other kind of boat in sight! There is nothing at Gatun Lake Yacht Club but a parking lot where the tour buses are waiting. It is the Panama Canal Authority, not the cruise line, that only allows guests to disembark who have purchased shore excursions. (Man, I know that line backwards and forwards!) Reason: it is a secure area of the Canal with no public access: no cabs, no vendors, nada.

I don’t know anything about Mario. He either has a big following, or a lot of family members who post on Cruise Critic. I do know Anne Gordon who offers independent tours of the Embera Indian Village. She is a gringa from California, married to an Embera man from the village, so she knows a lot about Embera life and has many unique insights.

My advice is generally to take a ship tour. You spend all this money on a cruise, why go through the hassle and risk of doing your own thing? A ship’s tour is generally the easiest, safest, and most efficient way to get the most out of a relatively brief time in a port. The cruise line vets operators to make sure they have insurance, monitors their performance, and will never leave if a tour bus is late. If you go on your own you take your chances. The further the attraction is from the pier, the more important it is, IMHO, to take a ship tour.

I know folks don’t want to feel they are in a “herd with Red number Eight” stickers. Well, folks, I have news for you. Take your independent tour to Ephesus . . .and there will be 4 Holland America groups behind you, 6 Royal Caribbean groups ahead of you, 3 Princess groups to your left, and a bunch of crazy Germans from AIDA eves-dropping on your “private” English guide. Go to the Colosseum and you’ll stand in a line of thousands waiting to get in along with all the ship tour groups. I don’t get it!

Start with the blog . . .

Hi Richard, I got your e-mail off your posts on Cruise Critic (OhioLair on CC). I have been doing research on what to do, where to do it and so on by scouring the boards. Everytime I found something informative and interesting, it was one of your posts! Thanks for all the info, and if you have any other suggestions I would appreciate a reply. We are sailing on the Statendam Oct 30th from San Diego… with stops in Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco (I liked your Carona suggestion), Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Fuerte Amador (The causeway sounds like an interesting area) and Cartagena! Always on a budget, any inside suggestions, hints or tips will be greatly appreciated. I am also going to check out your blog when I have a few minutes.  Thanks, Larry Potts

Hey Larry! I’ve tried to put a lot of effort, and certainly a lot of time into this blog to answer most of these questions. Start with my Panama Cruise  page, then go to the right hand column and click on the “Cruising and Travel” category and it will open a whole list of blogs on cruising and travel.   I realize the cost of tours booked through the ship is more than the cost if you book independently, just like the cost of a Coke or a beer is more onboard.  That’s how the cruise line makes its money, especially if you look at the prices of cruises right now.  Believe me, I understand “saving a buck”, but when you go on vacation you need to loosen up the sphincter a bit and enjoy life!    There are ports where I’d say, “Do your own thing!”  If you are going to Portofino, just go ashore independently, find a nice cafe, pay $50 for a cup of coffee and sit there and soak up the ambiance.  But there are many ports where the attractions and the things you came to see aren’t right next to the ship, and those are the ports where it is easiest, most efficient, and often cost-effective to take the ship’s tour, even if it is more expensive up front.

* * * * *

Well this morning is a spectacular Sunday morning in Boquete!  Absolutely stunning!  This past week has been “the week that was”, which I’ll tell you about later.  The guy who usually works on Sundays for me doing concrete and block work fell last week on his regular job, and can’t work this morning . . . A day with no workers!! No questions!! No struggling with Spanish!! Also no progress, but . . . hey!

I’ve got a dozen “Sailaway” and “Sailin” presentations to work on . . . so I’m off to sit on the front porch, relax, and sip our own coffee.  We just had the first batch of last year’s harvest roasted and it is wonderful!  This year’s coffee is looking great and our harvest should begin next week.

Have a great day!

David and The Mail

Ah . . . David! Turns out we need 22 more thingies for the ceiling at 39 cents a piece, and HOPSA only has a showroom in David. So I either let the project redoing the casita for my brother stall, or drive all the way to David, $20 worth of gas, to pick up the damn thingies! Panama’s new President, Ricardo Martinelli, has promised a new four-lane highway between David and Boquete, with construction starting next year. The construction period will be a zoo, but the existing highway is inadequate and unsafe for the volume of traffic.

David is booming! As an Panamanian attorney friend told me, next to Panama City, Chiriqui is the richest province in Panama. The chance since we moved here over 5 years ago is amazing. Despite the world wide financial problems, there are tons of big new shopping areas being built in David, and a lot of big stores from Panama City are opening in David. Now if they only keep some inventory in Chiriqui, so that you don’t have to wait for everything to come from the warehouse in Panama City.

And, again despite the world wide financial meltdown, Panama isn’t doing badly, with 2.4% economic growth during the first half of 2009.

OK, on to the fun part . . . the mail!  And the Shady Lady from Costa Rica . . .

Ooops!  Make that “Shade Lady” from Costa Rica!    Shade Lady coffee from Costa Rica . . . I like this stuff, even if it is grown in neighboring Costa Rica, and not Boquete. Actually it is grown in the same type area as Panama, just across the border. An expat gringo buys beans from local farmers, roasts the beans and then takes them down to Puntarenas to sell when the ships are in. Whenever I’m in Pantarenas I buy a bunch for my wife. Yes, we grow gourmet coffee, but coffee like wine has different flavors depending on where it is grown. If you had a winery in Napa, you’d still appreciate and want to taste fine wines from other regions: same with coffee. So Francine asks . . .

Hello. I live in Canada and have purchased Shade Lady Coffee in the past. I really enjoy the flavour and sadly, I have now run out. I’d like to order more. Can I order through you or can you can direct me to someone I can order from? Francine Kurk

The last I heard John was selling his Shade Lady Coffee directly and shipping to the US. [We've looked at doing the same thing with our coffee but the cost of shipping anything from Panama to the US is horrendous! I'm not sure why Costa Rica gets to do it cheaper, but they do . . .] Here’s the last email I had for Shade Lady . . . cofejohn@racsa.co.cr  Tell him I sent you [Richard who used to be on Holland America]. 

I received a couple of nice comments about my blog “Through The Fog” . . .

Very well written, Richard. We have all done things in our youth that we would not consider doing when we gain experience and “worldliness”. That your father passed from this world at the age that he did is testament that trial lawyers are not as smart as we think. They are, however, more selfish than we think. It’s all about them! Someday we will find out that plastic shopping bags are more hazardous to the environment than paper bags; that whole milk, eggs, and butter are better for us than skim milk, egg beaters and margarine. Until then, live life, enjoy life, and share your love. Just as your father did. And don’t worry about the smoky fog in the morning. Enjoy the view of the stars at night. Radar

And if they did, Dick, you will still follow your Father’s voice and remember to Lean on the Everlasting Arms…with that kind of comfort, what more could you ask for. Dinah 

“Steamship Row”

I will be on the Zuiderdam cruise in Nov 2009. I was born in Colon, lived in Cristobal for 9 years as a child. What is left to see in Cristobal on Steamship Row. Will you be with us as our guide. Thanks L P Helgason

LP, I will miss seeing you on the ZUIDERDAM . . . as well as all my friends on the Zuidy crew! Right now I’ll still be on vacation in November, and the end of November head off to Rome to join the ROYAL PRINCESS.

Of course everything has changed in Panama since the US left. Panama suffered the US invasion, which altered the landscape heavily in areas in the line of fire, and since then has been on a building boom. And the shipping industry is part of that boom. There are huge container ports on either end of the Canal. In Colon you have the Colon 2000 port, the new port facility Royal Caribbean built for it’s own ships, and Pier 6 Cristobal, which is the one shown in the old “Steamship Row” post card. Of course the steamships are gone, but ships like the QUEEN MARY, the CORAL PRINCESS and the ZUIDERDAM use Pier 6.

Finding a driver . . .

I am traveling to Panama 11/30/09 to 12/6/09 with my husband and 6yr old twins and two other couples. I will be staying at the new resort ”breezes” in Santa Clare. I would like to have a private driver for us [prob. two cars] can you please suggest a company or person. My travel agent is not sure who to contact. Thanks alot . Jeannine Iorio

My suggestion would be to either work through the resort, or the way I would do it, is wait until you get to Panama and talk to the Bell Captain. He will have a couple of cousins who have vans and who will do this for you . . . a lot cheaper than setting it up in advance.

“Cuidado!”

Hello Richard Detrich, Whew, needless to say you have some well written and interesting articles regarding Panama and all are a reminder to me how true you speak of Panama. I spent sometime there while serving in the military at Ft Clayton. I am considering purchasing a home site at Altos Del Maria do you know of any interesting factoids I should be aware of when considering purchasing property/living in Panama? Thank you for your time. Karl Merritt

Hi Karl! Check out my page on “Real Estate in Panama” . . . have a good lawyer, and proceed with caution.

The big question . . . what is a “farrier”?

Hi Richard, I really enjoy your blog, particularly when you talk about your experiences owning horses in Panama. FYI, a farrier is the person who keeps your horses hoofs in order and shoed, assuming you keep shoes on your horses. Bringing an expert in from the US is a great idea as there are constant new discoveries on how to deal with problems that cripple many horses. A real winner for everyone. Chuck Hart

Well, you learn something every day! Thanks! Chuck, We never owned horses . . . we just rented horses, and my wife was thrown off because the bit was old, wired together and came apart.

Check out my blog!

Hi Richard, I got your e-mail off your posts on Cruise Critic (OhioLair on CC). I have been doing research on what to do, where to do it and so on by scouring the boards. Every time I found something informative and interesting, it was one of your posts!  Thanks for all the info, and if you have any other suggestions I would appreciate a reply. We are sailing on the Statendam Oct 30th from San Diego… with stops in Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco (I liked your Corona suggestion), Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Fuerte Amador (The causeway sounds like an interesting area) and Cartagena! Always on a budget, any inside suggestions, hints or tips will be greatly appreciated. I am also going to check out your blog when I have a few minutes. Thanks, Larry Potts OHIOLair

Hi Larry! First, start with my Panama Cruise page . . . My general advice, “Get off the Damn ship!” Cartagena, particularly the old city, is wonderful! Don’t miss it. Puerto Vallarta and Huatulco . . . sorry, I’m not a big Mexico fan. Sit on the beach and sip Corona with lime! Panama City, without knowing your exact itinerary . . . would depend a lot on how long you are in Panama City (a/k/a Amador). Some ships stop there for only a couple of hours, and I’m not sure what the point is of that. Enjoy! The old STATENDAM was one of my early HAL ships.

My MBA cohort friends in Europe want me to do their work . . .

Dear Mr Detrich, thank you for your prompt reply and of course we will give you credit.   1. In addition to this what in your opinion, which are 5 most important issues that will affect Panama´s development in the next 10 years? Why?
2. What measures should be taken for these issues to be properly solved? Thank you very much for your reply and kind support.  Kind regards, Hanne Pinholt

Well for extra credit, I’ll do a lot.  Actually, I’ve been so busy with the casita renovations that I haven’t gotten around to this.  It turns out that they asked the same question of Valle Escondido developer Sam Taliaferro, and although Sam didn’t have time to do their homework for them either, they did cull through Sam’s Panama Investor blog and came up with a pretty good, if pretty long, summary of the things Sam has been saying.  “What are the top 5 important issues that will affect Panama’s development over the next 10 years?”

* * * *

Thanks to you, we pushed through 180,000 visitors!  Writing a daily blog is a little like grabbing a tiger by the tail!

Well, it’s off to David!  Whoppee!

A Rainy Night in Boquete

The weather this “rainy season” in Boquete has been strange . . . not that much rain. Usually by September it is raining every afternoon, but not this year. Usually the rain is a welcome relief and a good excuse for me not to work, a chance to sit back and read a book or at night have a fire in the fireplace to take off the chill and the dampness.

My project right now is finishing the remodeling of the little casita our worker lived in, to get it ready for my brother Ed to move into. And we are making very good progress. It’s a good example of the fact that you don’t haveto spend a fortune to live in Boquete. Figuring in the value of the land, the original investment, and the remodeling, it will be a very nice 900 sq ft casita for under $35,000.

Now some business . . .

Ron, who read my “18 Rules for Retail Businesses in Panama”  had some of his own suggestions . . .

Good morning, Richard: If you ever decide to re-issue your “Eighteen Rules”, you might consider the addition of two more:

19) Never permit your employees any measure of authority or responsibility to accommodate a customer without referring the matter to management. This could lead to the dreaded state of customer satisfaction.
20) Never permit a customer to breach the barrier that isolates management from the real world where the employee interacts with the customer This could lead to management having to actually deal with a customer’s problem with the same terrible result as item 10).

A very good Panamanian friend of mine, who chooses to be anonymous, but acts as my “conscience” when I disrespect the bounds of cultural awareness and differences, responded to the same blog . . . Here’s some of what he had to say . . .

Some of your statements in my opinion are absolutely correct . . . I always have good customer service and sometimes not only good but very good . . . And I believe this has nothing to do with the store policy. I did notice alot of differences depending on who the employees were dealing with [locals or extrajeros]. . . . I wondered if you ever get a good customer service from Panamanians? To me, Panamanians are very nice people, though when it comes to been an employee in my opinion they are managed like cattle . . . Since reading this blog, now I feel as a Panamanian, that [the perception is that] we do not give a good service.

Please, share how you would manage a retail store or any other business. And very honestly, I consider you a very good critic, a man who see the both sides of the coin. It would help foreigners who plan to invest in Panama and some Panamanians who are maybe dealing with a project and have no idea of of how to manage people, or have no MBA, but simply want to start a little store.”

My friend knows how to poke me, gently, but in the right places. I promise more. There is a real need here. As I’ve mentioned before I see so many folks who want to go into business, who have a sign painted, make a logo, and open for business . . . and three months later are closed having only lost money. It’s one of the reasons I’m excited about the new university project I alluded to a few weeks ago, that eventually will make business courses available to anyone in the country with Internet access.

Lynn McKee, who has the Century 21 franchise here and in Bocas, wrote . . .

This is so funny and mostly true! Although the other day just to put it to the test I bought an ice cream sandwich in a cup which turned out to be mush when I got to the car. So I trotted back into the Romero in Bugaba and showed them my problem and was allowed to go pick another one which I took from the very back of the “freezer”. Excitedly I returned to my patiently waiting spouse in the car and opened up the new “treet” to find – yep -more mush! So I decided not to give up as I usually do and headed back one more time. I was cheerfully given my refund and an apology to go with it!

After returning to the parking space and my long suffering spouse (who hasn’t said a word about my diet) I looked out the window and saw (in the store next door) a Dos Pinos freezer in the front window! Score! I walked in with intrepidation and picked one out of the freezer, felt it and there it was, nice and frozen! At this point I didn’t even care how many times it has been frozen. It is hot out, I am hungry and I am on an ice cream mission. The nice cashier (who is surprisingly not talking on the phone or to another employee) pleasantly takes my money and actually asks me if I need a spoon (for my ice cream sandwich in a cup) to which I cheerfully respond; no Gracias, it’s perfect just like it is. Every once in while we are surprised with good service and it is, shall we say, “remarkable”. Lyn McKee

The freezer that frustrates me is Deli Baru in Boquete . . . the only place to get Häagen-Dazs . . . best diet food out there . . . usually your choice of ONE flavor, and usually frozen, thawed and refrozen, at least once!

Bonnie has a new one on logos . . .

Speaking of logos, I saw an intriguing motto painted on a service vehicle in David: “It’ll itch your ass.” Couldn’t tell what the product was, but I assume the motto is a loose translation of “It’ll tickle your fancy.”

Cartagena . . .

Reading forums on Cruise Critic you are so knowledgeable about ports in Panama and Panama Canal ports, do you have any recommendations on independent tours in Cartagena? Thanks. Marge

Sorry, Marge. With independents you pay your money and hope for the best. Sometimes they are great, and save you money . . . and sometimes they are disorganized, push you into their brother-in-law’s shop (as opposed to the “preferred stores” of the cruise line!), and once in a while they get you back to the pier after the ship has sailed. You can look for others recommendations on line, then work by email and PayPal and hope for the best, or you can let the cruise line do all the work, monitor the tour operators performance, be sure they have insurance, etc., and pay a little more, and go with a group. With only a short amount of time in a port as marvelous as Cartagena, I think the best and most efficient use of your time is to book a shore excursion with the cruise line.

Dam ship . . .

Hi Richard. I have been reading about you all through the Cruise Critic boards. Any chance you will be on the Oosterdam’s 11/2/09 transit? I hope so… Linda

Hi Linda! Right now I’m scheduled to be home until the end of November, and then I’m off on ROYAL PRINCESS until the end of March.

Embera . . .

Richard, This is our first Panama Canal cruise and so we don’t want to miss the experience of going through the locks but I did want to see the Embera Village people. Is there another place where I will see them, see the kids dance, buy their wares? Marlene

Marlene, If you are docking at Cristobal Pier in Colon there are always groups of Embera there from two different villages. They sell their craft work and usually perform dances in the area with the bar just as you come back into the pier from your tours. Their craft is usually set up right beside the gangway.

Living Will . . .

From Dixie Elwell . . .

MY LIVING WILL

Last night, my husband and I were sitting in the living room and I said to him,
‘I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and
fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.’

He got up, unplugged the Computer, and threw out my wine.

Well . . . that’s a deep subject!

Just starting to build our house this week, between David and Boquete…thanks for all the advice. Maybe we should quit while we’re ahead. But hey, I’m up for the adventure. Can you tell me if you recommend a well driller? Linda

Unfortunately, no. My advice in the Boquete area is forget drilling a well. I have two. One works . . . but only in the wet season! Guess why I spent a lot of money to drill a well . . . I wanted a back up water supply in the DRY season. I understand these guys have better luck in the lowlands.

Been there, done that . . .

Thanks for all the info on the Panama Canal. Thinking of taking the cruise in 2010. What ships do you think have the best cruise there. No children; adults 60+. Thanks, Betty

Generally, the “mass market” ships [Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL] cater more to families and havelots of kids, particularly when kids are out of school. The more expensive cruise lines will generally havefewer kids, and particularly on longer cruises. Makes sense. Most of the Panama Canal cruises are longer, and more expensive, so they rule out a lot of families. Sometimes grandparents will take all the kids and their families, but usually this is only during vacation times. You won’t find a cruise line with a “no children” policy, but generally on Holland America or Celebrity, on a longer and more expensive cruise, at a time when most kids are in school, you will have few if any kids. On ZUIDERDAM we would usually have 6-10 children, most involved in a well-run “Club HAL” program. At Christmas . . . 250 kids! In generally Holland America would be a good choice.

The marvelous Internet . . .

One of the fun things for me has been to have friends from my past with whom I have lost contact, find me online, and re-establish a connection . . . Ray Hommes, with whom I went to junior high; Richard Canter whom I worked with in college for several summers at camps; Jay Groendyke my best friend in college . . . and others who’ve stumbled on my Blog! Now two more old friends . . .

What a world this technology offers us! I won’t even try to explain how I came upon your website. Suffice it to , I did! And the first thing I read was this piece about Robert Stauter. All the memories of my AIM year came back- and more. I must say you sound well and your life full. Good for you! And mine is the same. 20 years now as a Catholic priest. And life keeps moving on, and I sometimes just try to hang on for the ride! Stay well, Richard. I will enjoy tapping into this website often to read of your adventures! Tom DeVries

Dick, What are you doing in Panama? I haven’t heard hide nor hair of you in years. I was actually looking for Henry Kwant and when I typed in his name, your piece came up. Let me know what you’ve been up to. Harry Kooyman

Did we all “get played”?

“As The World Turns in Dolega”

This is the last I will comment on this story, but since I shared the problem of the Miller’s . . . who may go down in Panama’s oral history like “Canoe Man & His Wife” . . . and in fairness to Citrico, who certainly looked like the big bad wolf and maybe does need a new PR consultant . . . here’s the latest take of Don Winner of Panama Guide [a commercial Panama news, rumour and opinion site and not just a personal blog with no financial interest, like me] . . .

“We All Got Played: Everyone who owns a website and covered this story. Everyone who wrote and email in support. Basically, I’m not happy. Can you tell? Screw this… I still get suckered into this kind of bullshit every now and again. The only difference is that now it takes me less time to figure it out.”

You can read the latest chapter on Winner’s site here.  I’ve never met these people, the Millers, and I’m sorry that the story seems to end in this way.  It certainly does illustrate both the power of Internet social communication on tools like blogs, Twitter, Facebook and the like, and the need for companies to be cognisant of and utilize electronic public relations.  It also illustrates the perils of commenting or expressing an opinion on “news” . . . but that’s a risk you always take when you express any opinion.  It’s just that online . . . it’s out there!

However, the point I made in “Things that go bump in the night” remains . . . as expats we are living in a strange country, with laws and ways of doing things and a legal system which is totally different than what most of us were accustomed to “back home”, wherever that was.  To these kind of issues . . . and the confusion of the Miller issue remains, regardless of whether or not all of the “facts” and background were disclosed in the online discussion . . . still give expats sleepless nights.

OK, on to happier things!

Well, almost!

Comments

I received this email from an unhappy Alma **** . . .

“Why are you using my name on line and private information, when I don’t know who you are.”

So after my initial thought, “Who the hell is she and what is she talking about?” I did some searching back through my blogs and found the initial comment she had posted using the “Comment” section of the blog, and it read . . .

“Could you recommend a doctor for a hernia operation? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Valma”

And the Comment showed the user name on her computer which included her last name. So, since she had read my blog and responded, she obviously knew who I was. When I responded to her question I did not use her last name and just answered her question as best I could.

Well I removed her initial “Comment” post, and we are now friends . . . again, and hopefully her surgery went well. But to this Valma, and all the thousands of other Valmas out there, just remember that when you post a comment on blogs and Web sites it is likely that it is going to be “public” and online for all to see.

Arthur asked,

We are booked on the 10 day Panama trip on the Zuiderdam in November. I have narrowed down Gatun Lake tours (51/2 hrs) to either the Gatun Lake Safari or the Canal Experience. What advice can you give me?

Hi Art! You’ll enjoy the ZUIDERDAM and the cruise! Answers at http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/canal-cruise/  Just FYI, neither tour is generally sold out before the ship sails, so don’t feel pressured to have to book on line. If you like you can wait and chat with the shore ex people and listen to the lecturer, and make up your mind then.

Concerns from Down Under

Dear Richard, I don’t want to sound like a repeat album but I am an Australian citizen travelling on a cruiseship AND going on a pre organised tour to Miraflores THEN REBOARDING THE SHIP IN colon. I AM WONDERING ….Do I need a tourist card for Panama.??? The embassies don’t talk about cruise ship situations or maybe you know a link that does.?? We appreciate people like you who help the misinformed or not so informed like us !! I Blame it on the cruise lines for not wanting to commit an answer. They should tell us what docs are required. Many Thanks once again, Mel cruise person. !!

Mel, The “Port Paper Officer” on the ship prepares a pile of paperwork for the Canal and Panama authorities with print outs of crew info and guest info. Generally they don’t want to see anyone or any passports, unless Interpol is looking for you or something. The cruise line should be able to advise you of what you need . . . and I’d push them hard for an answer.

I have never seen anyone actually checking anything for tour guests. If you have your cabin key card and a copy of your passport I would think you would be fine. I knew Aussie crew members who were on and off in Panama all the time, and I don’t think they had any special visa.

I know you don’t need to purchase the tourist card when you are on a cruise ship and get off for a tour. I doubt very much that you need any special visa, but the cruise line has the final answer since they must answer to the local authorities.

Tired of the Samba in Brazil

I JUST FOUND YOUR WEBSITE AND I AM TRYING TO READ IT COMPLETELY. OF COURSE IT MAY TAKE SOME TIME AS THERE IS A LOT TO READ. I AM CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS NEAR RIO DE JANEIRO, BRASIL. AN AMERICAN TRANSPLANT FROM DESTIN FLORIDA WHO HAS LIVED HERE FOUR YEARS. I HAVE MADE A TRIP TO COSTA RICA AND RULED OUT THAT AREA. I HAVE MADE TWO TRIPS TO PANAMA AND HAVE DRIVEN FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER AND RULED OUT ALL AREAS BUT THE DAVID AREA. I AM AMAZED AT THE REALTORS AND HOW HARD IT IS TO FIND PROPERTIES. I WONDER IF YOU HAVE NOTICED THE PROPERTY ON THE RIGHT AS YOU COME FROM BOQUETE TO DAVID CALLED ****. I HAVE STOPPED BY THERE AND SPOKEN WITH THE OWNER/BUILDER. HE STARTED AT **** AND HAS NOW COME DOWN TO **** AND I THINK HE COULD DROP TO **** BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SECURITY AS THERE IS NO GATED ENTRANCE AT THIS TIME AND I WONDER IF WE EVER WENT TO A MOVIE WOULD WE RETURN HOME TO FIND THINGS MISSING? THERE IS NO YARD AND THE ROCKY SOIL SOMETIMES MAKE ME THINK PLANTING A TREE IN THE YARD MAY REQUIRE DYNAMITE. SINCE I LOVE A NICE YARD WITH PLANTS I MAY HAVE TO REQUEST A LOT OF DYNAMITE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE AREA AND ARE THERE MUCH BETTER AREAS TO PURCHASE?

MY HOUSE IN BRASIL IS 5 BEDROOMS, 5 BATHS AND A PRETTY WELL LOADED WITH CREATURE COMFORTS SUCH AS JACUZZI AND SAUNA. IT IS 406 SQ METERS (4076 SQ FT) IF YOU INCLUDE THE HUGE VERANDAH AND 334 SQ METERS (3594 SQ FT) IF YOU DON’T COUNT THE VERANDAH. THE PROPERTY IS 1400 SQ METERS. THE BEST I CAN SELL IT FOR IS **** DOLLARS. YES, IT IS TOO LARGE FOR ONLY 2 PERSONS. IT IS HARD TO LEAVE THE NICE HOME TO GO TO DAVID BECAUSE I WOULD BE GOING DOWN IN SIZE AND INTO THE UNKNOWN OF THE AREA. SOME OF THE REASONS TO THINK ABOUT MOVING FROM BRASIL ARE THE EXPENSES OF THE AREA DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT IS FLUCTUATING CURRENCY. WHEN I PURCHASED MY HOME IT WAS ONE DOLLAR EQUALED 2.7 REAIS AND NOW IT HAS DROPPED TO 1.83 REAIS. LAST YEAR CAR TAXES/PLATE COST $875.00 AND HOUSE TAXES WERE $425.00 GASOLINE IS $5.55 PER GALLON BUT ALCOHOL (WHAT I USE IN MY FLEX ECOSPORT) IS $3.40 PER GALLON. FOOD IS VERY REASONABLE BUT RESTAURANTS ARE GETTING HIGHER ALL THE TIME. PASTA DISHES AT THE MALL FOR 2 IS $22.00 INCLUDING MANDATORY 10% TIP…… A BRAZILIAN BARBECUE RESTAURANT IS A LOT OF FOOD AND 2 CAN EAT THERE FOR $49.00 INCLUDING TIP. ANY VISAS FROM THE GOVERNMENT ARE VERY DEMANDING, INCONVENIENT AND COST YOU OUT THE YING YANG. IF I STAY HERE MY NEXT VISA WILL COST ME ABOUT $3,300.00 AND IT WILL BE VALID FOR 2 YEARS BUT WITH SOME RENEWAL FEES WILL BECOME PERMANENT.

SINCE YOU ARE STILL THERE YOU MUST FIND IT ENJOYABLE. WHAT ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR ME? STAY PUT OR MOVE TO DAVID? BEST REGARDS, RAY

First of all, Ray, Ray, Ray . . . LEARN TO USE THE DAMN SHIFT KEY! When you write online in capital letters IT IS SHOUTING!! . . . and bad form. Now, Ray sent me pictures of his gorgeous home in the mountains outside of Rio!! I think his house is now under contract, but it was beautiful! So here’s my response . . .

First, ****. Right now nothing is selling and I’m sure you could get a “deal”, but is that really where you want to live? Frankly, I’m not impressed by the development or the location. The yard in your home in Brazil looks lovely! It’s not just the rocky soil at ****, but it is the wind. We get strong Northerly winds in the dry season, winds peaking around January, February, March, and I mean STRONG winds!! Some areas nothing grows except a few types of trees. We have a friend who has a gorgeous home overlooking the quebrada (in the same area) . . she has tried all sorts of things, and spent lots of money on plants . . . all of which have died. About the only thing that grows is ficus . . . which could be why the landscaping there looks a little bleak.

The only development with any kind of real security in Valle Escondido . . . just sticking up a gate, and a gate house, and a few Price Smart cameras, with a sleeping guard isn’t going to do much. And Valle Escondido has even had occasional problems. But if you come back home and are suspicious . . . we never were . . . but we have friends there who have called security, security has come out with a shotgun and gone through the house first to be sure it is “clear.” Just having a guard means nothing if he has three jobs and sleeps all night. Valle Escondido has guards, fences, a naturally protected setting, and patrols all night. When we lived there I sometimes got calls from neighbors who were out of the country, and when they left they had forgotten to lock all the windows . . . and Valle Escondido security called them.

Boquete has tons of micro climates, so you need to do your homework. For instance where we now live in Palmira it is VERY dry during the dry season, and windy. Whereas in Boquete you get almost daily bajarique in the later afternoon. Over around Arco Iris it rains constantly. So you need to check things out and see what fits your expectations and lifestyle.

Your house in Brazil looks awesome!! There are always folks in the expat community who are looking to move on, maybe it’s just that the grass on the other side always looks greener, or it’s that their situation has changed, or they just like new adventures and new cultures. You might think about joining Boquete.org and listing your Brazilian place there. You just might find someone with a nice home in Boquete who’d like to try Brazil, or even work out a home exchange for 6 months with someone to see if you like it here, and if they like Brazil.

Prices are going up in Panama as well because we use the US dollar and as the dollar devalues, and since we import a lot, prices go up. The price of oil is another factor. Right now diesel is about $2.47 a gallon. It costs me about $80 to renew my car registration. A pasta dinner is going to run about $20-22 at Valle del Rio, plus mandatory 10% tip. A Brazilian barbecue is a whole lot of fantastic food: I can taste it now, and you guys have good beef! Dinner at Panamonte, probably the nicest restaurant in town, is going to run about $55 with tax and tip. You can of course eat at Central Park or Sabrosa (local Panamanian places) for less than $4 a person. So it is a matter of choice. The reason to come to Panama is the lifestyle, not the cost.

We like it here. It’s not perfect, but no place is. Hope that helps!

OK, now I’ve got to stop having fun and go get some work done!

Celebrating 95 Years . . . in The Dentist’s Chair

Happy 95th!

Yesterday was the 95th Anniversary of the first transit of the Panama Canal by the SS ANCON in 1914.

Although the building of the Canal had been a worldwide dream, and although the whole world watched the failed efforts of the French, and the successful US effort to ,in effect , “sponsor” a revolution to acquire rights to build a Canal, and then bring off one of the greatest engineering feats in history, even to this day. . .  the actual opening of the Canal was eclipsed as a news story by news of a world on the brink of war.

Although I won’t be on a ship doing the Panama Canal this season, I decided to use some of my time off to reread the three primary books about the Canal including Matthew Parker’s PANAMA FEVER which I had not read before.   

If you are only going to read one book before taking a Panama Canal cruise the one I would recommend is PANAMA FEVER instead of the oft-recommended, including by me, tome by David Mc Cullough, THE PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS.  Parker gives equal time to the awesome effort and tragedy of the French attempt and is a much more readable and engaging work than THE PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS.

So if you’re planning a Canal cruise, here’s the reading list . . .

David McCullough, THE PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS – “The” definitive history of the construction of the Panama Canal. A little tedious at points. As the Captain of the ZUIDERDAM once told me, while he was reading McCullough, “It puts me to sleep.” If you get through the first 200 pages, you will be hooked.

Douglas Galbraith, THE RISING SUN – No, it’s not about Japan. “The Rising Sun” was the name of a Scottish ship that established the first settlement in Panama with high hopes of digging a canal by hand! Based on actual notes of the expedition’s clerk who was one of the few to survive, this is a fantastic historical novel and amazingly is a “first book.”

Matthew Parker, PANAMA FEVER – Another version of “The epic story of one of the greatest human achievements of all time – the building of the Panama Canal.” Of the three books – McCullough, Green, and this one, this, in my humble opinion, is the most interesting read. If you are only going to read one, this would be my recommendation.

Julie Green, THE CANAL BUILDERS – The newest “groundbreaking history of the Panama Canal offers a revelatory workers’-eye view of the momentous undertaking and shows how it launched America’s Twentieth-Century empire.” Heavy on the sociology of the social stratification during the building of the Canal. Helped me understand the genesis of some of the issues we still face in Panama.

Almost a million passages have been made between the oceans using the Canal since it opened, and sometime next year . . . probably the ZUIDERDAM and I won’t be there!! . . . the millionth ship will make the passage. And what will happen? Free passage? Probably not. Probably just balloons and free key chains. The big celebration will be in on the 100th anniversary and when the new Canal expansion project is completed.

So how did I celebrate?

In the dentist’s chair in David having implants put in. Yuk! My dentist is great, but his assistants . . . I think graduated from the Dick Cheney International Correspondence School of Waterboarding. I grimace at the cost . . . $1500 per implant. However a dentist from St. Louis who was on the ZUIDERDAM last year told me how much he charges . . . and told me my dentistry in Panama was a bargain. This could be the reason why medical tourism for elective proceedures and dentistry is becoming a big business in Panama.

Ok, I’m off for another pain pill, and to smell and drool over my wife’s left over supper while I feast on yogurt and soup.

Flak and Flattery

One of the things I most enjoy about bloggingis the interaction with readers, whether in the comments you make online, or the emails I get. So keep talking: I’m listening!

Our poor, undernourished and underpaid Congress . . .
Mea culpa! Jeff Simon sent me a cute forward complaining about the US Congress and Social Security and I mistakenly reprinted it because I thought it was cute, funny and generally pointed out a problem in the US. I did not fact check it and it turns out it is one of those Internet things that takes on a life of its own and is filled with inaccuracies, and that was my mistake.

Jo-Ann Simon, who assures me she is no relation to Jeff Simon, called me to task. . .

The letter you posted from Jeff Simon (no relation!) contains many falsehoods, the main one being that congressmen do not pay into social security. They do, and they also pay into their pension plan. No argument that they are compensated far more than the average American and seem to be only screwing things up…but still, we need to be careful what we post. You can check all claims on snopes.com or factcheck.org , and here are a couple of links that refer specifically to this issue: http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/pensions.asp
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/do_members_of_congress_pay_social_security.html

 So in defference to all of those Congress people who work long hours for peanuts, and whose only interest in life is serving the people, while getting no reward for themselves, and who have accomplished so much to make the US the country it is today . . . I should have checked.  So what that these guys and gals who retire are only getting $4,063.50 per month on average, and I’m getting $1,600, and a lot of people are getting a whole lot less than I am . . . but Congress people deserve the government largess since they have sacrificed so much to make our government as efficient and effective as it is, and vote for their own pay and pension plans, and they are working so hard to proactively solve all the nation’s problems.

Which tour on “Canal Day”?

Richard, I have read many of your posts on Cruise Critic. I was wondering if you could give me an opinion. We are on the Island Princess Nov 20th and have narrowed down to 2 tours that I have listed below. I wish there was a combination. We will go thru the Gatun locks and will see those and thought the train may give us more of the Panama “flavor”. Otherwise we will be on a boat the whole time. Maybe neither are very good. I am open to your thoughts. Thanks, Pat Gibson – “Carolina Cruise”

Panama Canal Railway Journey (1938 Vintage Deluxe Observation Car) – Travel the hemisphere’s first transcontinental railroad, built in 1855, and see the Panama Canal in style in a deluxe railway car.
Board your transportation for the short transfer from the tender dock to the Colon railroad station. Originally built in 1855, this first transcontinental railroad was restored in 2001 and features elegant, air-conditioned cars. Your dome car has an upper deck withfull-length observation windows and booth seating, as well as two restrooms and a bar. Leave the Colon station on your approximately one-hour-and-15-minute trip to the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal, passing Gatun Lake and the isthmus’ dense rainforest. Your guide provides commentary on the railroad, Panamanian history, and the canal. Arriving on the Pacific Coast, board your air-conditioned transportation for a scenic drive that takes in Fort Clayton, former headquarters for the US Southern Command; the Panama Canal Authority headquarters; and the old U.S. Navy base at Amador. Stop on the Amador Causeway to enjoy views of Panama City and the Pacific. The final stop is at the new MirafloresVisitors Center. View an interesting film about the Panama Canal and spend some time on the observation deck with an official Panama Canal guide who will explain how the canal operates. A complimentary light snack and beverage will be served on the train portion of the tour. SPECIAL NOTES There are no pre-assigned seats and capacity is limited. The train may operate only in one direction and by bus in the other. The drive back to the ship is approximately one hour. Tour sequence may vary. Ship sightings in the locks are not guaranteed.

OR

Panama Canal Experience By Boat – Experience the full wonder of the Panama Canal with a partial crossing of the canal by tour boat. Travel by ship’s tender to the Gatun Yacht Club, where you board air-conditioned transportation for the drive through the isthmus to Gamboa. Embark on your ferry tour boat for a partial transit of the canal. Cruise through the GaillardCut where you crossthe Continental Divide. Enter the Pedro Miguel Locks, which lowers your vessel 28 feet on its way to the Pacific. Sail across Miraflores Lake to the Miraflores Locks, which lowers your tour boat the final 56 feet, matching the level of the Pacific Ocean. A light lunch is available during your scenic cruise. Your cruise ends at the port of Balboa in Panama City, where you board your air-conditioned ground transportation for the return trip to the ship. SPECIAL NOTES Tour duration varies. Canal transits are scheduled and controlled by the Panama Canal Authority. The return drive from Panama City to the ship is approximately one hour and 15 minutes. The transit itinerary for this tour is subject to change depending on your cruise ship’s transit times through the locks.

Hi Pat! I’ve included your information from the Princess tour book . . . and since the cruise lines all use the same few companies it is the same for everyone . . . because I think both descriptions are very accurate. People who come back to the ships with complaints are usually those who haven’t read or listened to the information provided.

The train is a train. If you are into trains, or want limited walking, it’s good. You catch GLIMPSES of the Canal. The original Panama Railroad was on the other side of the Chagres and is, of course, now under the Canal. The present day railraod exists mainly to move containers from one side of the Isthmus to the other, and was never designed as a “tourist” route. The one passenger train has US rolling stock from the sixties. The Miraflores Visitor Center is where we take out-of-town friends who want to see the Canal, but it doesn’t compare to the experience of actually being in the Canal on a large cruise ship!

Given the choice between these two tours, I would definitely opt for the “Panama Canal Experience by Boat.” Going through locks on a small ferry boat gives you a totally different impression than you will have from taking the ISLAND PRINCESS through Gatun Locks! You can actually reach out and touch the walls of the Canal.

Cruise Comments . . .

Richard, Thank you for taking the time to gather the information pertaining to my Embera basket. I am thrilled I now have complete details. I was surprised and honored to see my picture included on your blog. That was very nice of you. I will be returning to Panama on the QM2, Dec. 1, 2009. I never thought I’d be getting back so soon. I haven’t seen the tours offered, but I will select one of them. Unfortunately the QM2 is too large to go into the canal. I read on CC that you will be with Princess next contract term. Definitely HAL’s loss. Best wishes with your new assignment; change is refreshing. Regards, Beverly Achenberg

Thanks, Beverly! Have a great time on QM2! The QM2 has been in Ft Lauderdale with us a couple of times, but I have not been on board. The last time I was on a Cunard ship was back before Carnival bought Cunard on one of the many, many partial remodels of the QE2. Hope our paths cross again! Regards, Richard

My wife Carla and I were aboard Zuiderdam in Feb, 2009, and both agree it was the best of our 4 cruises so far. Your tour background programs on the ship’s TV station and in person were priceless and one key reason for our love of this cruise. You obviously enjoy your work and it shows. Will we see you on any other Holland America ships? Ah, I just read you will be on Princess this winter. We are shooting for another HA cruise before year end. Thanks for your great tour info on our Panama Canal cruise. Rich Huizenga

Thank you Rich! I’m not done withHolland America and I sure hope they aren’t done with me! I’d really like to get on the Inaugural Season of the new NIEUW AMSTERDAM. Hope we see you again on another Dam ship . . . or Love Boat! Regards, Richard

Old sections of Panama City . . .

Jan had asked about “Old Panama” and Casco Viejo, and Olivia has some advice . . .

this is some information for Jan that would like to visit casco viejo in september. i too, have problems such as you mentioned with mobility. i live in panama and have stayed in casco viejo in september. my advice is to have a private guide meet you at the ship and take you around at your own pace. i know of a very reliable one that speaks englishand i have used him. he would probably park and walk with you if needed.very reasonably priced! it is humid in septemberbut the ocean breeze and daily shower will cool you off. take an umbrella with you. be sure to get an ice cream cone if you go there..best ever! good luck.
olivia

Kerri Ann’s arachnophobia . . .

Hi Richard!~ ok, I don’t know if I am leaving a message in the right place or not….so please forgive me if I am not! I am just not all that great on the computer and can’t seem to find a general forum to write you a note. Anyhoo….I LOVE your site, my husband and I are just tickled that we came across it because we are thinking of moving to Panama sometime in 2010 (we live on Long Island right now) …now, I have searched all of your site…and have gotten a wealthof info, just about everything we could wish to know about the place….except one thing! So, give it to me straight….what kind of bugs do I honestly have to worry about running into?? I mean, will I be up screaming nightly with a flip flop in hand ready to attack as I summon my husband to take care of some bratty little intruder? Or wait….I guess I would be the intruder wouldn’t I ?!~ Now I am totally aware of the fact that the tropics=bugs….yes, I get it….just curious how often they come to scare the crap out of us New Yorkers who are used to seeing nothing more than an annoying summer beetle or a rare spider chillin’ in the corner of the ceiling?? Just curious what I am up against and how many pairs of flip flops I will need!

cheers !~ Keep up the great work with your beautiful site! see you soon neighbor

In all honesty, we have every kind of bug you can think of and being in a tropical rain forest, more bugs than anywhere else in the world. But . . . you learn to live with them and be amazed since you are always discovering a new one! Like anywhere else, we spray the house every three months with a pesticide that kills bugs and is harmless to us and our animals. Periodically we spray around the outside as well, and our farm workers are always getting rid of ant colonies near the house. But you learn to live with bugs and occasionally to take off your flip flops and wack one. In the tropics you come to understand that there are more of them, in numbers and volume, than there are of you, so you come to an understanding. Do your thing bugs . . . just stay out of my house. On the plus side . . . incredible moths and butterflies. My “butterfly garden” looks like a freeway in rush hour at high noon!

And the guy in the picture . . . was in the carport, not in the house.

Reading The Mail

This is from Dixie Elwell via my wife, Nikki, and I thought you’d enjoy it . . .

Getting used to new technology is difficult . . .

more so for some of us than others.

I was in Starbucks yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to fart. The music was really, really loud, so I tried to time my farts with the beat so no one would notice.

After a couple of songs, I started to feel better. I finished my latte and noticed that everybody was staring at me.

Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to my iPod.

It is hard to believe that when I was in the dot com business, near the beginning, folks were making extravagant predictions to the effect that someday the Web would be as ubiquitous as refrigerators, and just taken for granted. When I try to talk with my 18-month-old grandson, Rian, via Web cam, when he sits still long enough, he is immediately grabbing for the keyboard. I suspect he will be emailing before he can read. The computer is just another part of everyday life . . . I was going to say, like the telephone, but who has a telephone anymore outside of the office? And even offices are going to cell phones. My daughter, Noelle, tells me that there is a whole line of retro-toys, including the little toy telephone that she used to have as a kid. Crazy!

From Beverly . . .

Hi Richard, Hope you’re enjoying your family, Panama, and time off the ship. I was on the Zuiderdam sailing the end of March into April, 2009.

I bought the large Embra Peru basket from the chief’s wife in the village; she made the basket. I think the chief’s name was Claudio. I am attaching a picture of myself with the chief, his wife, and the basket. If possible, would you email the exact name of the village and the correct name of the chief and also his wife’s name. I know it may take some time to come upon this information. I’m very patient. I consider myself fortunate not only to have the basket, but also the pictures attached.

I’ve been singing your praises on www.CruiseCritic.com. You did so much to add to the cruise. Without your lectures, the cruise experience would not have been the same. The Zuiderdam is a very happy andfriendly ship….makes for a great cruise. I appreciate any information you can provide. Regards, Beverly Achenberg 

Thanks, Beverly, for the nice complement! One of the things I suggest is that when people buy a basket or carving from the Embera, that they have their picture taken with the artisan. It makes the item so much more meaningful if you remember the person who made it. I’ve met these folks when I visited their village, along with 60 of my ZUIDERDAM friends, but I didn’t remember their names, so I called on my friend Anne Gordon for help. Anne is married to the brother of the chief of another Embera village and conducts excellent independent tours to the village.

Hi Richard, No problem. This was in the village of Parara Puru, the 2nd one on the Chagres river. The chief’s name is Claudio and his wife’s name is Ubertina. They are dear friends, and very nice people. Claudio is a very sweet and warm man. Anne
Anne Gordon de Barrigon
Embera’ friend and family member
Panama cell 011 507 6 758-7600
http://www.EmberaVillageTours.com  

Jan wonders about Mario and Old Panama

Hi, I enjoy your comments on www.CruiseCritic.comand want to thank you for all the information you have given. I have a question. I am on the Princess cruise in September that is a full transit. This year the ship is docking at Amador one day and transiting the canal the next day. We will have a day to tour. The tour of the old city with “My friend Mario Tours” lasts 6 hours. I have some mobility problems and use a cane. I need to rest sometimes but just for a few minutes. If you are familiar with this tour or one similar, do you think it is too strenuous? I realize that you do not know me and my capabilities. Just want to know if it is rough terrain, stairs,cobblestones, broken pavement, high curbs? Fast paced walking? Also, how hot and humid will it be in September? Thanks for your help. Jan

I know nothing about Mario. I see him mentioned a lot on Cruise Critic . . . he must have either a lot of family members commenting, or a lot of loyal former customers. For whatever reason a lot of folks on Cruise Critic have an aversion to ship-sponsored tours. Maybe it’s the cost issue. There is no question that just like a bottle of beer or a can of Coke, it costs more on the ship. The cruise line does have to make some money, but there are the added costs of organizing the tour, doing all the work, controlling the quality, and making sure the operators are licensed and have insurance. Some people claim that it’s not the cost, but they just don’t like being with a “group.” OK, so you go to Ephesus or the Colosseum and there are 50 million tour groups, and your little “independent” group is sandwiched in amongst the bus load groups. I frankly don’t see the difference.

Anyway . . . I digress. Panama City, or just “Panama” as it is known within the Republic of Panama, is actually three cities . . .

• Modern Panama with all the people and skyscrapers
• Casco Viejo, the old city from the French era reminiscent in many ways of New Orleans
• Old Panama, the original Panama City dating back to the 1500’s that was burned in the aftermath of the raid by the pirate, Henry Morgan.

Sometimes it tour groups Casco Viejo and Old Panama are confused. In the Casco Viejo there are tiny streets that really don’t accommodate buses, so much of the tour is a walking tour over uneven and some cobblestone surfaces with steps, etc. It is the only way to really see Casco Viejo. While there are some places to sit down, unless you are on a private tour you will find yourself left behind.

Old Panama is a UNESCO site and a restoration, in progress, of the ruins of the old city. There is actually a bridge you can still walk over from 1513! Again it is a lot of walking, and some uneven and gravel surfaces. There are no benches or places to sit down.

And Panama City, being 9 degrees off the equator and at sea level is always hot and humid.

My advice, Jan, take a ship-sponsored tour, maybe the train, that involves less walking. The concept of “accessibility” is pretty much unknown in Central America making it difficult for people with limited mobility or walkers, scooters, and wheel chairs.

Costa Rica tours . . .

Greetings, We are booked on the Zuiderdam for the 10 Day Sunfarer in February. With all your Z’dam experience I’m guessing you may have been to Puerto Limon. We are looking for recommendations for one of the shorter excursions. Do you have any comments on the “Off Road Adventure” or “Pineapple Farm – A Taste of the Tropics”? I’ve posted the question on Cruise Critic Ports of Call and had no responses. Thank you very much, Mike Weddle

You’ll have a great trip on the ZUIDERDAM, Mike! “Puerto Limon”, literally “Lemon Port”, not because they raise or ship lemons, but because years ago there was a big lemon tree downtown, since obliterated by the town hall. But “Lemon Port” is a good name for this place, because it really is a lemon of a port. If you stay on the ship and just walk around town, not necessarily recommended, you will be VERY disappointed, particularly if you judge all of Costa Rica by Puerto Limon. But, if you “get off the Dam ship” and take a tour that takes you out into the real Costa Rica this will be a highlight of your cruise. Although I’ve done most of the tours in Puerto Limon I’ve never done the Pineapple Farm or Off-road Adventure. My wife, and the ZUIDERDAM shore ex staff went ont he Pineapple Farm and loved it. The Off-road Adventure is always sold out, which is why I never got to tag along, and guests have always come back and raved about the adventure and the funny guides. My personal favorites are the Veragua Rain Forest and Tautic Hacienda.

And finally . . .

Can you please furnish contact info for my Carl (Calley Janson, Cafe Volcan Baru, Chirqui province? Thanks, Tim Killen

Sure enough! Google . . . Carl Janson, Vice President, Cafe Volcan Baru, S.A., 011.507.672.2018,
carl@estatecafe.com

“Genius is . . . “

I had a professor in seminary who used to tell us, “Genius is applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair . . . and staying there.” 

It was the “staying there” that always conflicted with my ADD personality!

Right now I’ve got tons of stuff on my plate. My wife is in the States, so I’m managing the farm, feeding the dogs, taking care of the house, and our farm manager is finishing up his contract (don’t ask, it’s an impossible quirk of Panama’s labor laws . . . no matter how much we may like someone, we need to terminate them every so often or we are responsible for them and their welfare . . . for life!  I know, it sounds like the CIA, but it’s not that bad). We’re renovating the casita on the farm for my brother. I’ve got guys doing the work, but I’m the “contractor”, so they have tons of questions and always need me running to David or Boquete for stuff. Plus, I need to sit at my computer and create lectures and PowerPoint for my contract on ROYAL PRINCESS this fall.

So far I’ve completed . . .

• “Naples: History, Risk and Pizza”
• “Palermo: Forget the Godfather”
• “Tunisia: Bargaining Paradise”
• “Casablanca: Rick Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”
• “Adventure in Dakar”
• “Cape Verde: Slaves & Whales”
• “Santarem: Meeting Place of Rivers and Ideas”
• “Manaus: Heart of the Amazon”

Some of these will be done before a live audience and recorded to be shown on TV, and others will just be stand up before a camera and recorded for TV. So basically I have the port talks for the 28-day Tri-Continent cruisefinished, and now I need to move on to the more substantial informationaland culturaltalks. Needless to say it takes a lot of time, and work, and “seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.”

While you are sipping your morning coffee . . .

It looks like the coffee harvest will be early this year . . . and our Indian farm worker is spotting cherries already turning red, and picking them, cleaning and drying them.  Today I got my first look at the first beans from this year’s harvest.  All I can say is WOW!  Wait until my wife gets home and sees what she has been growing!  Beautiful, top grade beans!

Bitchin’ about the road to David . . .

I know that yesterday I was complaining about the trip to David . . . turns out Panama’s new President, Ricardo Martinelli, plans to make things a whole lot easier . . . eventually.  Word yesterday that the new government intends to build a four lane road from Boquete to David.  Of course the last government promised the same thing, but failed to deliver.  We shall see.  The Martinelli government also plans to invest in enlarging the David airport and enhancing radar to be able to accommodate large jets.  Don’t hold your breath, but . . . it just may happen . . . someday.

Speaking of Martinelli, when I was in David I had a frustrating time trying to find something in Super 99, Martinelli’s super market chain.  It is the most frustrating, disorganized store I’ve ever been in!  I hope he does a better job organizing his government!

Boquete Property Taxes

Hi Richard, My husband and I are beginning our investigations into life in Boguete, from the perspective of a full time resident. However, as you must know, we have zillions of questions….but just this for you. How much is the real estate tax for your Casa #56 and what is the Boguete realestate tax rate per $100K value? If you can steer us to any particular website that would give us a good overview of such a move (including available medical facilties), it would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Linda & Josef Bruder

There are lots of exemptions for property tax for agricultural properties, and properties with improvements under a certain value. There are incentives for building new houses with 5 to 15 year exemption, depending on the value of the improvement. The more expensive houses get the shortest exemption, and the least expensive get the longest exemption. Normalproperty tax is about 2%, but to encourage people to update the value of theirlots and properties, in order to increase collection, Panama is offering a maximum 1% to thosewho go to the expenseand trouble of having their properties appraised and the value updated.  According to Osvaldo Lau, the 2% real estate property tax is the highest of the region, and Panama would be more competitive with the 1% tax incentive.

In the case of my property for sale in Valle Escondido, it already has a exoneration until 2023, since it was built when there was a 20-year property tax exemption for new construction.

Trying to go bi-lingual

Not only am I trying to learn Spanish, but I’m also trying to get my blog translatable, even if it is a Babelfishcomputer translation.  My friend Jubal writes from Madrid . . .

Hi Dick. well, in order to give you my opinion, about the babel fish translation, i will send you and alternative proposal.  First i want you to read my translation, i want you to know that it is as literal as possible, considering the international readers that you may have in your website. There are some phrases that can be said in a different way not literally translated but preserving the message essence.
Anyway here it is:

Nuestroamigo Jubal estuvo visitándonos en Palmira recientemente, y le gusta tanto leer mi blog que quiere traducirlo a español. Eso parece mucho demasiado trabajo, así que eso, me motivo a pensar en como crear un enlace a Babel Fish para que todos puedan leerlo todo en español. Bueno, más o menos español… es una traducción computarizada que no es perfecta, pero, es mejor que nada!

Jubal es un chico interesante. Le conocimos hace muchos años cuando visitaba nuestrosamigos en común, Brad y Jackie. Jubal nació en la Ciudad de Panamá, pero hace unos años fue a España para trabajar y estudiar un Doctorado en Finanzas. Debido a que actualmente, no hay mucha demanda de Doctores en Finanzas, ha hecho una pausa en sus estudios. Vive en Madrid y ahora tiene un pie allí, y otro en Panamá. Es muy elocuente, y es muy ameno estar con él.

Cuando nos conocimos, y vivíamos en ValleEscondido, Jubal quería que enseñar a mi esposa Nikki como cocinar comida panameña. Así que vino a casa para prepararla. Para cuando tenía la mitad de los enseres y platos sucios, y había ensuciado la cocina; quería saber donde estaba nuestra “piedra”. Le miramos asombrados y dije, “¿Nuestra piedra?” El nos dijo que una cocina panameña no estaba completa sin su “piedra”. Así que, salió encontró una piedra lisa y negra, la lavó y la utilizo para aplastar alimentos. Desde entonces, hemos encontrado a “la piedra panameña” muy útil en la cocina. De hecho, he pensado comercializarla en las tiendas gourmet de Estados Unidos. La “piedra” es magnífica para suavizar, machacar ajo, y si se pone peor, hasta para espantar a los perros.

Para cuando Jubal terminó disfrutamos de una deliciosa auténtica comida panameña…aunque con cada cacerola y utensilios sucios, y como si hubiese pasado un terremoto por la cocina. Lo siento Jubal, es la verdad!

Jubal es la razón por la que tenemos nuestra querida finca en Palmira. En un viaje anterior, mientras estaba de visita, use sus conocimientos de español para ir a ver propiedades. Nunca olvidaré a un señor mayor en Boquete que vivía en lo que muchos gringos consideraríamos una “cabaña”. Regresaba de haber trabajado todo el día en el campo, estaba desarreglado y sucio, y Jubal le pregunta por propiedades en venta. La realidad era que este señor era dueño de alrededor de un 15% de Boquete. Comentó a Jubal en español (señalándome): “La próxima vez que mires propiedades no traigas gringos”. De hecho, mi presencia hizo que doblara el precio de la propiedad! Hubo y todavía hay, aunque en menor cantidad, un precio para los panameños y otro para los gringos, y son muy diferentes.

Jubal y yo viajamos por Chiriquí a través de caminos intransitables. Yendo por Boca Chica, buscábamos una propiedad y nos detuvimos para preguntar direcciones, se nos dijo “seguid el ripio”… y era una palabra que en el contexto no tenía ningún sentido para Jubal. Averiguo el uso de los lugareños para esta palabra, la cual hace referencia literalmente a una abertura entre la maleza, y casi inapreciable camino entre la hierba alta.

Jubal estaba de camino a casa en un autobús desde David y escuchó una conversación en la que un hombre decía que tenía una finca en Palmira puesta en venta. Jubal pregunto al propietario por su número de celular, vino a casa y dijo: Están interesados? Vimos la propiedad… y aquí estamos! Así que si no hubiese sido por Jubal, no tendríamos nuestra finca y casa en Palmira.

Gracias Jubal! Y gracias por animarme a tener mi blog disponible también en español.

So that would be my Spanish translation, which i think can also be used by English speakers interested in Spanish to understand better the language by comparing the English and the Spanish version.

You write a lot, so, you are right it would be too much work, but before posting your articles in the blog you can send them to me so that at the same time they can be posted in English and in Spanish, not all the articles should be in both languages, I think that thoseones referring to Panama, and its politics, economy, people, would be very interesting to tourists and Spanish speakers.

Well, my best wishes to you Dick.  a big hug, Jubal

Jubal is such a dear friend, and I’m touched that he would want to translate parts of my blog, but, really, I don’t want to put him to all that work. If you speak and read Spanish . . . I know Jubal’s translation is MUCH, much better . . . but can’t you get the gist of what I’m saying with the computer translation? Let me know . . . Si or no!

A Costa Rica shore excursion question . . .

Greetings, We are booked on the Zuiderdam for the 10 Day Sunfarer in February. With all your Z’dam experience I’m guessing you may have been to Puerto Limon. We are looking for recommendations for one of the shorter excursions. Do you have any comments on the “Off Road Adventure” or “Pineapple Farm – A Taste of the Tropics”? I’ve posted the question on CC Ports of Call and had no responses. Thank you very much, Mike Weddle

Hey Mike! I try to follow, more or less, the Holland America, Princess, and Canal boards on Cruise Critic, at least when I am not on the ships. At sea . . . with the cost of Internet and the slow connection, I’d go broke if I tried. I don’t usually look at posts on the other port boards. Puerto Limon, “Lemon Port”, not that they evergrew lemons there, but it really is a lemon of a port if you stay in town, but if you “get off the Dam ship” and take an excursion it may well be the highlight of your trip. I, personally, haven’t been on either of the trips you mention. The “Pineapple” trip sounded like a lemon to me, but my wife loved it, and the shore excursion gals loved it. Perhaps more importantly it got great reviews from the guests who took it. The “Off Road Adventure” was always sold out, so I couldn’t get near it to actually go on it myself, but again all the guests who took it loved it. The Pineapple trip is a little more tame . . . but either would be great fun. The others I really like are the “Tautic Hacienda”, the banana train coupled with the Tortugero Canals, and the Veragua Rain Forest. The zip line is fun as well!

Hard to believe it is almost August already . . .

My time flies when you are having fun!  I’ve still got lots of projects to complete on the farm, stuff to get ready for my lectures on ROYAL PRINCESS . . . and, just so you know already for August we’ve hit a new record of blog visitors!!  Almost 13,000, and the Map (which started all over again July 13th) is already looking like a world-wide pandemic.  Thank you so much!!

And now I’m off to visit the Boquete “We love to Garden” Club!

Clearing My Desk

My allergies are killing me.  July is the worst month.  Note to self: get contract for next July and be at sea!

To escape working on the 15 new lectures I need for ROYAL PRINCESS this fall, I will clean off my desk . . .

Thank you! Thank you!

I love your website. I have been researching Panama for the last 2 years. My husband and I are making our way down there in 01/10. We will be staying in various areas throughout Northern Panama. I am AF retired and my husband will be retiring in 2011. I am also a teacher with certification in ESL and ESLBL. He does remodeling jobs on the side. We look forward to our relocation adventures and thank-you for the vast information your site provides. Pam

Embera Canoes . . .

Thank you for this great blog. One question about the Embera Indian Village Tours – if you have difficulty with getting in and out of a canoe would there be an alternative to see the village? Not sure I could do that , especially if there was no dock available! Ginny

Actually the “canoes” are great big trees that have been chopped down and hollowed out by hand. Each one seats about 20 people two abreast, so they are very sturdy. You get in from shore, not from a dock, so it is very stable and easier than getting in from a dock. There are lots of Embera folks to help you in and out and getting up and down. They are used to hosting older folks with weak knees. Go for it!

And what about the ZUIDERDAM . . .

Richard, I follow your posts on Cruise Critic and have learned so much from your website. I hope you will be on the Zuiderdam’s partial canal transit in April 2010. Carol O

Thanks for asking Carol, but I will be on the ROYAL PRINCESS at that time. Princess and Holland America are of course sister companies, both owned by Carnival. And before anyone asks, Princess asked first, and as my friend at Holland America observed, “The early bird gets the worm”, me, I guess, being the “worm.” You will have a great time on ZUIDERDAM Carol, even without me. Great ship, great crew, super itinerary!

Retirees or Beach Bunnies???

To echo many others on this site, thanks for all the wonderful information you are providing. For most of us, this cruise is the one time we will go to Panama, so we want to get the best out of it we can. Your blog helps so much.

We love Holland America (and wish we could see you!) but on this trip we chose Princess because we liked the ports better. The 7 hours at Half Moon Cay was the deal breaker. What is the thinking, when most of the passengers will be retirees and not beach bunnies?

Jo-An, I will actually be on Princess this winter, on the ROYAL PRINCESS doing primarily the Amazon. Your thoughts about Half Moon Cay as the first port of call, the day after embarkation, were initially mine as well. In reality, it works wonderfully! I would greet everyone coming off the tenders on Half Moon – almost to a person they looked tired, hassled, a little shell-shocked. When I’d remind them they were going to a “beach party not a wake” you’d see a hint, just a spark mind you, of a kick-back, fun, vacation mood. By that evening when I’d see the same peope before the show they would be a little red, but relaxed, ready to have fun and on vacation! Half Moon had worked it’s magic!

For Brent . . .

Brent is the “Techspert” on Holland America’s ZUIDERDAM who assists all our special guests in undertanding and using Microsoft’s photo and video software . . . and it’s free!  Brent is amazing!  Eight hours a day he takes the same questions over and over and over again!

So for Brent, and anyone who has ever called a computer help desk . . . only difference being these guys speak English and not Hindi or Spanish . . .

Canal Question . . .

Hi Richard, we are a youngwed couple from Poland and will do the full transit with the sea princess and have the following schedule
04.10.09 PUERTO AMADOR, PANAMA (8AM-6PM)
05.10.09 PANAMA CANAL (5AM-4:30PM)
Can You recommend me a tour to see panama city on the 04.10. ? are there some ancient churches, sites and stuff from colonialization times to see? what else could we do with the day at Puerto Amador. I think the 05.10. will be reserved for the transit and we can not get off the ship, isn´t it? thank you in advance..
Thomas Lodzinski

Thomas, check out my page Panama Cruise for ideas . . . You might find it worthwhile to hire a taxi at Amador to show you around the both the Old City, the remains of the original 1500s city, and Casco Viejo, the old French section. I’d guess about $20 an hour for cab and driver. And you are correct, on the fifth you will actually be in transit through the Canal.

There was a lot of interest in my comments about fly traps . . .

Bonnie Williams . . .

Where does one get those fly traps? I haven’t seen them.

Bonnie, We bring them back when we go to the States. I haven’t seen them in Panama. They are a seasonal item at Home Depot. Ah, Home Depot . . .the things you miss!

Great idea from Shirley . . .

I use those same traps here in Alaska. They do get the flies, but if I cook meat with the door open some still come in. I hang the traps in trees so they are out of sight and I don’t have to smell that awful odor. I also use a little meat, with a little water, so it doesn’t dry out. What ever draws those flies into the house will also draw them into the trap. Here in AK I take the traps down at the end of the season, empty them into the burn barrel, while the fire is going, and reuse the traps the next year. Probably no burn barrels in Boquete, in Costa Rica we had the only one around.. . .

Thanks Shirley, I’m going to try it! Now why didn’t I think of that???

Try hanging plastic bags (like zip lock bags, or something similar) filled simply with pure water, wherever you don’t want flies to bother you. This works for my grandfather – he hangs them from the cover of his porch and wah-lah – flies don’t come there – and there are always flies in the area where he lives.

Probably looks like hell, but if it works . . . hey.

OK, it’s back now to working on my Port Talk for Cape Verde . . .

Mail Call

Chuck asks about “Grit and Glory” . . .

Hi Richard…Just came across your Panama Canal website and was impressed with your knowledge of the area. I sent you an email via Facebook, but don’t know if your yahoo email is the same so am emailing you again to make sure you get my email. My wife and I retired from teaching last year and all that time, I have wanted to transit the canal. Looked into several cruises, but they are all too long. Then I inquired into an Elderhostel trip this coming January, Grit and Glory, Exposing the Panama Canal. It is a 5 day trip, transits the canal with several tours to experience the canal operations and a train ride too. Sounds too good to be true and was wondering if you have had any experience with Elderhostel or can give us any advice on this type of journey. Thanks for your input. Chuck Purcell in Sacramento, CA

Thanks Chuck. I like in theory the Elderhostel concept. We frequently had Elderhostel groups on ships where I’ve been lecturing. My impression of the Elderhostel groups I’ve seen are they seem to be well organized, but they do everything as a group, by themselves. They get only the information the Elderhostel leader provides, missing all the lectures and info given on the ship. So they seem to be in a world of their own as the shuffle on and off the ship, seemingly clueless to what is going on. Depending on your age, you may or may not fit. On the ship it is a very older group. Sometimes it seemed like we had a group from a senior citizen’s facility on board, not that there is anything wrong with a senior citizen’s facility, but understand it is a older, highly structured and directed group, often reminding me of a group of kindergardeners in the way they were “herded” and moved about. Maybe when I’m 97, but it wouldn’t be something I personally would find appealing at 67. Since you’ve “just retired” . . . I don’t know. If you can’t swing a cruise, why not just come to Panama, book a hotel, book the same ferry trip through the Canal that undoubtedly Elderhostel will have to use, and if you want to take the train (which is really no big deal), take it. For background read some of the books I suggest . . . do your own research, make it yours, and have a bit of an adventure. Hope that helps.

Coffee and Colon . . .

Richard: I read your coffee advise on Cruise Critic with great interest. I have acquired a taste for different coffees, especially Costa Rican. I especially enjoy the ones that come from the smaller farms to a central distributor. For the first time in April, I purchased coffee in Columbia and enjoyed it as well. We are coming to Panama (Colon) in November via cruise ship and would like to purchase some from there as well. I have two questions I hope you will have the time to answer.

1) We have been through the canal both east and west bound as well as several partials. This time the ship is all day in Colon and I would like to shop at the Free Zone. Do they let tourists in to shop and are you able to bring your purchases back to the cruise ship with you? Would it be safe to grab a cab at the cruise terminal to take us there and would we be able to catch a cab back? (I am not very fluent in Spanish.)

2) Are there grocery stores where we could buy the coffee safely (it must be decaf) and do you have a brand that you recommend (if your crops are not up for sale). (If they are I’d love to try them.)

Oops, I guess that is more than two questions. Thank you for your response and any advice you can give.
Kathryn Pringle, Sunny South Florida

They do allow cruise guests to shop in the Free Zone if you have a passport, proving you are not a local, and your ship ID card. However, the Free Zone is the second largest in the world, a hudge sprawling mini-city of places that cater primarily to the wholesale buyer, and not to tourists. So finding what you want, especially if you don’t speak Spanish, could be a challenge. Most things can be brought back onto the ship, but of course it depends on the regulations of your particular cruise line. Remember the Free Zone closes at 4PM.

Depending on which port you are at, you may, or may not find cabs. I’d use only the licensed yellow cabs, and I’d be cautious. Unfortunately Colon is not a safe city for tourists, unless you have a high degree of “street smarts.” At the RCCL dock and at Colon 2000 you can generally find or hail a cab. At Pier 6 Cristobal there generally are a few cabs, but the cruise lines all advise against going outside the pier areas on your own in Colon.

Our coffee is sold to a big coffee producer in Panama called Sitton. Some of their coffee is sold in grocery stores as Sitton, others is shipped off to Europe, Canada and, yes, Starbucks. So if you drink Starbucks maybe every billionth coffee bean is mine! Several stores in Colon have asked to sell my coffee, but as yet we haven’t made a decision. If we do, you will be the first to know! There are stores at the piers that sell various brands of Panamanian coffee. Ruiz, Sitton, Palo Alto, Duran are a few of the popular brands. If you are at Colon 2000 pier there is a big Super 99 grocery store that has all the popular coffee brands as well as Panamanian rum.

Paul & Marilyn wonder if Panama City has changed in 17 years . . .

Hello Richard, The family is doing a full transit aboard Coral Princess next March. Our itinerary includes a stay at Amador (Panama City). My wife and I were stationed at Howard AFB in 1992 & 1993. Anti-American sentiments were still running pretty high and you never stopped anywhere in the city that didn’t have armed guards in the parking lot. Whole areas of the city were off limits.

We have never missed an opportunity to get “get off the ship” to see the port cities where we stop but Panama City may be the first. I would hope conditions have improved over the past 17 years.
I’m not asking “What’s the best tour for …”. I am asking what’s new in town and is there a good reason why we should get off the ship.

Coral will also stop at Cartagena. Do you have any words of wisdom for touring this port city? Thanks,
Paul & Marilyn

Has anything changed? In a word, “Everything.” 1992 was just three years after the US invaded and blew up half the city! The US is gone. The Canal is Panamanian. Panama is on an economic roll. There are scores of huge skyscrapers that were unimaginable in 1992. It is a whole new world. Panama City is a city of over 2 million people, so like any city anywhere in the world there are a few places you may not wish to wander around at night. But definitely get off the ship, or as I say when on Holland America, “Get off the Dam ship!” and see some of Panama. Panamanians love most things US, and most people from the US. They even liked George W. Bush for crying out loud. Like anywhere else in the world, they don’t like “ugly Americans”, or more accurately loud, obnoxious, haughty folks from the US. But if you are polite and respectful of people and their history and culture . . . no problem.

If you are wondering about Howard, check this out!

Cartagena is a wonderful city to visit! There is a lot to see and do, so I’d suggest taking a ship’s tour that includes a walking tour through the wonderful old city!

Beautiful Boquete’s gardens . . .

Richard: I took at look at your blog early this morning and note that you’re knee-deep in gardening endeavors. I’m an avid gardener and have a new but developing-quite-nicely garden here in the Palo Alto area of Boquete. Steve Walker, who did the initial landscaping at Paradise Gardens, set me up with a stone wall, paths, an orchid casita, a pond and waterfall, some plants, etc., and I’ve taken it from there. I’ll be in the plant sharing mode soon.

I thought you might be interested to know that there’s a garden club here. I was afraid it might turn out to be the tea party kind of club common in the U.S., but I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that it’s a serious undertaking. It is led by a couple of Potrerillos residents who owned a nursery back in the States; at each meeting they give a talk on some aspect of growing plants and respond to questions from the members. There’s a great deal of exchange of information, as well as plant exchanges.

Meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the homes of club members. This affords the opportunity to see what other folks here are growing and how well the plants perform in the various micro climates. There is no membership fee.

Bonnie Williams, Palo Alto, Boquete, Chiriqui

I haven’t had time to attend since we’ve had company, but I hopefully will have opportunity before I’m off on another cruise contract. If you need contact info for Bonnie and the garden club let me know.

“Retiring In Panama” wondered . . .

Hi Richard, I am looking around your blog as I said. But what about your timeline? Maybe I haven’t come across the posting yet where you moved to Panama. Where should I begin?

We live in the Chiriqui highlands – Chiriqui is a “state” – just above a town called Boquete in a little crossroads of a place called Palmira. I came to Panama in December of 2004. To find out where we are, check the Boquete page.