Richard Detrich’s Boquete, Panama Weblog

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.

 
* * * * *

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

* * * * *
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.

I “recommend” (loosely so) the Riande Airport Hotel in Panama. I am a frequent guest, although you sure wouldn’t know it by the way I am treated. But I’ve concluded they treat every guest withthe same “attitude” so I don’t feel bad. The bell guys who take me to the airport and look after my car while I am gone, are great, the parking is free, and the convenience of a location 5 minutes from the international airport with quick and easy access to Corridor Sur make it hard to beat. And, recently, the hotel has begun a much needed renovation, albeit a minor and relatively cheap renovation and not the massive renovation required.

There are other Riande hotels and I’ve never stayed at any. (Why would I want to given my experiences at the Riande Airport in Panama?)

I arrived home May 8th. The airport shuttle was there almost immediately. When I checked in I received the usual challenge, delivered with attitude - not upscale “attitude” but “DGAS” attitude (nicely put, we don’t give a damn about your business) - “Do you have a reservation?” (If not, we certainly don’t want you in our hotel.) Here goes . . .

Since it’s 4AM I’m up and out of here to beat the traffic through Panama City. Makes you wonder why I stay here, huh? Location, location, location. Any decent hotel that builds by the international airport, offers a modicum of service, a clean and affordable room, airport pickup and parking will make a fortune!

I grant you I’ve just come off of 50 days on the VOLENDAM with Holland America’s truly exceptional service, but still . . .

One of the reasons for Holland America’s exceptional level of service is the Filipino and Indonesian crew who come from a culture where being of exceptional service to another is considered an honor. In Panamanian culture being of service is, well, being a “servant” and while people are certainly willing to perform servant-type roles if needed to survive, it is certainly not looked on as an honor. The Panamanian work ethic largely centers around punching in, putting in your time, and punching out. If Panama is to be truly successful in the tourist and hospitality economic sector there must be a relearning from the top down. At the top corporate executives must understand that the guest is the guest and without the guest there is no business. The standard Panamanian business ethos “the customer is the enemy” simply doesn’t fly in the tourist and hospitality sector in the long term. From the top it has to filter down to the local facility management and the lowest paid employee who, ironically, is frequently the one most in contact with the customer.

So how, you ask, does a hotel like the Riande Airport survive?

A Deloitte report published this week showed that Panama City has the second highest hotel occupancy rate of any city outside of the United States. Panama, which had a hotel occupancy rate of 84.7 percent, was topped only by Perth, Australia. Deloitte says that tourism in Panama increased 27 percent in 2007, much higher than the expected 15 percent increase. In addition to this, Panama City showed an impressive 37.9 percent increase in revenue per available hotel room.

Even in the current rocky economy, Panama is emerging as one of the strongest locations for tourism in the Americas buoyed up by a weak US dollar.

Richard Detrich’s Boquete Blog An Interesting Perspective On Expatriate Life In Panama
April 30, 2008 by patrickwoolford

Richard Detrich’s blog provides an interesting look at the American expatriate life in Panama, specifically living in Boquete. After scouring the internet for interesting blogs on Panama, Mr. Detrich’s blog is a refreshingly honest look at life in Panama, amid a veritable wasteland of commercial and spam filled sites. According to his site, Mr. Detrich is an ordained minister and retired businessman who relocated to Panama with his wife. He often writes about his day to day experiences living in Boquete, as well as his experience owning and operating a small shade coffee plantation in the mountains. His blog is varied and eclectic, with posts on Panama politics and history, photographs of wild orchids, and stories of gruesome battles between spiders and scorpions in his laundry room.

For anyone interested in buying property, building a house in Boquete, or is looking for advice on investing in Panamanian coffee, Mr. Detrich’s Boquete Blog is a valuable resource.

Reading Mr. Detrich’s blog is especially useful for investors interested in Boquete, but also provides general insight for real estate investments elsewhere in Panama. One particularly useful page on his site is an extensive Q&A section that answers many questions people may have about buying property and living in Panama. Some of the questions addressed include “how isolated is Boquete from the rest of the world?”, “Are foreigners allowed to own property?”, and “how is banking in Panama different than in the United States?” For anyone interested in buying property, building a house in Boquete, or is looking for advice on investing in Panamanian coffee, Mr. Detrich’s Boquete Blog is a valuable resource.

Panama Real Estate Investment

Hey, Patrick, thanks!!

As I wing my way home to Panama, I’d like to share with you a neat picture that Ron Hagedorn sent me, taken on the VOLENDAM early in the morning as we entered the Panama Canal.   Thanks Ron, and thanks to all of you who had good things to say in person, on your onboard comment cards and on CruiseCritic.com about the Exploration Lectures Captain Sarah Terry and I presented on the VOLENDAM.   It was great fun!

For those of who who weren’t with us on the VOLENDAM, a word about the shirt.  I usually wear my Barack/Wolf Blitzer black suit when I lecture, but the day before the Canal I show up to lecture in this wild orange and blue shirt.  I explain that Panama is the end of the line for clothing that does not sell in the US, and that no Panamanian macho man would ever be caught dead in a flowered shirt, making these shirts a good deal for old gringos like me.  This particular shirt, Nautica with the Nordstrom price tag still on it, cost me $1.50!  I wear it on Canal day so people can easily spot me on deck and ask all their questions about the Canal.  I have been offered as much as $4.75 for it!  The folks from Park West Art Auctions have tried to steal it to auction it off at the Art Auctions, but I have successfully fended off their efforts.

Anyhow, it makes for a fun day in the Canal and lots of interaction with cruise guests!   Early morning as the sun comes up and we make our way into the first set of locks is always a very special time on board ship.

See you in Panama!

OK, I’ve been on the high seas with expensive Internet rates . . . so let me get caught up!

Editorial correction, your grandson’s name is Rian Patrick not Patrick Ryan! Just a reminder for when you meet. George

Thank you George! Your son, my grandson IS Rian Patrick not Patrick Ryan! Chalk it up to too much tequila on the VOLENDAM! Mea culpa!

Do snakes ever appear in or near the house, Richard?

Snakes avoid places where people frequent . . . early on we had one in our outside “deposito” or storage shed. The workers building the house next door tipped me off that they had seen it slither inside. My West Indian woodworker, the same guy who ripped me off for $1000, burned garlic to chase it away. I’d have been better keeping the snake and chasing him away! When we were first cleaning out our little place by the beach after nobody had been there for a few years, Nikki found a baby fer de lance in the corner. But snakes are usually smart and avoid people.

Living in Panama with snakes is like living in New York or Chicago or any other city with dogs and careless people who don’t pick up . . . you watch where you step!

Hello Richard, I enjoy very much reading your blog and perhaps you can help me out with an inquiry that a US visitor ask me the other day where to eat in Boquete/David? Where would you recomend you readers to eat , taking under consideration that safety, location some might not have a car etc? any good restaurants that you can suggest? Thanks, David V

Given the fact that truly Panamanian cuisine is somewhat limited - rice, chicken, beans, salad, bananas or for variety beans, rice, chicken, bananas and salad - not sure I have any great tips. There are a few good Panamanian/Chinese places we like in David. Have yet to find good pizza outside of Panama City - Pizza Italiana when are you opening in David or Boquete?? Boquete has gringo and Panamanian restaurants. A lot of the little Panamanian places offer great food at affordable prices. The gringo places tend to offer great food at gringo prices. Unfortunately new restaurants in Boquete open . . . and close . . . in the blink of an eye. I’ve never understood restaurant recommendations when traveling abroad. To me the fun is in making your own discoveries!

My husband is a retired high school principal and I still have one foot in the school system and one on the curb that separates Missouri from Panama. Since my husband has retired he has been talking about moving to Costa Rica or Panama. We are your “typical” (?) older Americans (56) that wish to live a simpler and more peaceful life among like minded humans without the threat of war, gangs, soaring prices etc. After reading many of your writings I feel like I have found one of those humans.

My husband and his brother are planning a trip to Panama in the next six months and I feel that your website will be very helpful. My question or questions are…our total retirement will be around $1300 per month. We will cash in our annuity to be able to set up our household. Will we be able to live on that amount? Are Americans allowed to work in Panama? For myself, I can’t imagine not having a job! (I have to work on that.) I make homemade soaps and lotion bars on the weekends. Would I be able to sell my products…and mainly, could I order from the internet and be able to receive packages from the states? Does Panama have UPS? LOL! I’m sorry if these sound like dumb questions but as you might guess, I’m the one that is hesitant about leaving my comfort zone. Till now we have just researched Costa Rica and getting what I need sounds a bit more difficult…like working! We are not city dwellers. Will live in rural mid-Missouri where my husband grows organic vegetables and sells them and my products at Farrmer’s Market in the city. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thank you~~Garland

Whoa Pilgrim! Lot’s of questions! First, you might really love it here in Boquete or in Volcan since we are a rural farming area. One couple stopped by our home for a glass of wine and to talk about moving to Panama and the gal said, “It’s just like being on the high dive: you want to jump, but you’re not sure that you dare to jump!” Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I would suggest coming down and renting someplace for 6 months or so. At worst it’s a nice vacation experience, at best you might discover your paradise!

You can get a “pensionado” retiree visa if you have at least $600 per month pension income. That doesn’t mean you can live on that amount! Just like in the states there are folks who manage to live modestly and folks, usually Hollywood types negotiating divorce settlements, who feel “impoverished” eeking out an existence on $50K a month! If you like to grow some of your own food, and live somewhat simply, and use your annuity for a house, one car and bring in a container of your household goods (duty free for pensionados), you could do it . . . certainly a lot better here I would think than in most places in the US.

You cannot work as an employee in Panama, however, it is very easy to set up your own business and there are incentives if you hire a few Panamanians. I think in our area there would be a lot of women who would like your soaps and lotions if they were affordable and sold directly. The organic vegetable concept is relatively new and I think that could be profitable if sold directly. UPS incoming is expensive, outgoing it is unbelievably expensive. But there are outfits we use to ship Internet orders to a Miami address and they bring it down weekly to Panama at very affordable rates.

I do a shipboard lecture about this and one of the points I make is that people should “Follow the string!” If you don’t follow the string of an idea you will never know where it might have led. And if you don’t like where it’s leading, just let go!

I actually found your site when investigating cruise ships in 1968 . I’m writing a novel about how two different members of a family deal with grief, irony right. I will read more. Another curious connection , I am an international chef on mega yachts , a little different than cruise liners but we both spend alot of time in style at sea. When I am published I will be sure to send you a link or a book if you’re interested. Kirk

Hey Kirk, I will look forward to it!

Nice notes. Anyone been to David? I live in Costa Rica now, but am interested in meeting online folks from there or who have been there. I contimplate moving there and would like to spend a couple weeks visiting. Tom

Tom, I’m not a big David fan. I go there for utilitarian reasons: shopping, dentist, doctor, etc. But I can tell you that David is booming and I think offers some great opportunities for business and investment. I’ve been on both sides of Costa Rica (Puerto Limon and Puntarenas) this past spring cruise season, and I’ve talked to lots of expats who are anxious to leave Costa Rica because of the high crime problem. You might check out http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/ for more on David specifically.

Hi Dick — this is fascinating! I am Henry Kwant’s brother-in-law (Battle Creek, MI). I am 55 and pastoring a church in a suburb of Seattle. I would enjoy being a chaplain on a cruise ship. What does it take to do this? Pastor Pete

Hey Pete . . . “Follow the string” (see above!) It’s a great opportunity to minister to guests and crew alike. Holland America generally always has a priest on board, rabbi for holidays, and a Protestant minister when the ship is at sea on a Sunday. Here’s the link for contact http://www.hollandamericaentertainment.com/jobdescriptions/clergy.asp

Often we have the impression that US & Panama ties began in 1904 when the US, in need of a canal connecting the oceans, encouraged and supported Panama’s separation from Columbia and the creation of the Panamanian state. My neighbor Robert Boyd has written a very interesting article in our local weekly paper, Bajareque Times, entitled “Colombia’s Battleground: The War of 1000 Days” in which he details US involvement and intervention in the affairs of the then department of Columbia known as Panama.

After Independence from Spain in 1821, the Isthmus of Panama chose to become a department (province) of Colombia and aligned themselves with the former colonial administrative district of the Viceroyalty of New Granada (present day Colombia). In the latter half of the nineteenth century, skirmishes between the liberal party and the conservative party turned Panama into a battleground.

Between 1863 and 1886, coups d’état, rebellions, and violence were almost continuous, staged by troops of the central government, by local citizens against centrally imposed edicts, and by factions out of power. During that time, the Department of Panama experienced fifty riots and rebellions, five attempted secessions, and thirteen interventions by the United States, acting under the provisions of the Bidlack-Mallarino Treaty which had been signed in 1846 and granted the US rights to build railroads through Panama and the obligation to intervene militarily if Panama tried to secede from Colombia. During these times, Panama endured the power struggle of Colombia’s most prominent political parties “The Liberals” and the “Conservatives”. In Natá de Coclé on October 27, 1899, while the conservatives were in power, the Liberals led by future Panamanian president Bellisario Porras began their revolt to oust the Conservatives from power . . .

Panama became the battleground to see who would control Columbia proper.

The Liberal forces than took Colon and burned it to the ground at which time the US sent in the marines to protect American interests on the Panama Railroad at the request of the US Consul and the Railroad Superintendent. The US Military presence caused the Liberal forces to surrender again, and another treaty was signed on November 29, 1901, between the Liberals and the Conservatives in the presence of the commanding officer of the US Marines. On December 24, 1901, the Liberals invaded Panama for the last time, with a force of 1,500 hundred, well trained men.

With the invasion of Panama City, the Liberals learned that the Conservative government in Colombia had asked the United States, had asked for help in putting down the rebellion, so they moved the battle to Aguadulce where they soundly defeated the Conservative forces. But now with the US firmly involved in their war, the Liberals had no choice but to seek a negotiated settlement and with the Liberals in a state of turmoil over the proceedings, the Conservatives amassed a large army of veterans fighters, a force of over 5,000 men and put down the Panama rebellion, once and for all. The final blow for the Liberals was when they were defeated in the battle of Nerlandia, in Colombia, on October 28, 1902, and was advised to cease all resistance. On November 19, 1902, all sides met on board the US Battleship, Wisconsin, and a treaty was signed, ending all hostilities.

It was call The Thousand Days War. The photo is of child soldiers during the Thousand Days War in Panama

Fireworks are an American tradition . . . right? Every July Fourth, but in many jusdictions only when shot off appropriately by pyrotechnical experts with official permission. When we lived in Newbury Park, California we would climb the hill behind our house, spread out our blanket, and surrounded by neighbors watch as the City of Thousand Oaks shot off its fireworks display while the local radio station played patriotic music. Since it was frequently dry in Ventura County in July we’d watch as the officially sanctioned fireworks set off brush fires and the County firefighters raced to put out the fires.

Nice . . . but trust me, fireworks in the USA are nothing compared to fireworks in Panama! Almost anyone can buy fireworks and shoot them off at will. So the sky lights up with regularity to celebrate weddings, birthdays, reunions and business events. Almost any holiday is an excuse for fireworks. In Valle Escondido it’s really no big deal when a spectacular fireworks show erupts to celebrate some event at the resort. And the “boom” richochets through the mountains just adding to the effect. Some dogs don’t like fireworks, but our dogs, being Panamanian dogs, have grown up with them, so they just turn their heads skyward and watch.

But the day the sky explodes with fireworks all across Panama is December 24th! For most gringos it is a very unexpected way to celebrate Christmas, but, just as a star lit up the sky to show the way to the wise men, on Christmas Eve precisely at midnight the sky explodes. Almost every Panamanian no matter how poor manages to scrape enough money together to buy at least one firework with which to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Well, not quite . . . but it was interesting!

Yes, we do have all kinds of critters and stuff . . . and sometimes they appear inside the house, like this scorpion and spider my daughter captured in a life and death struggle on the floor of our laundry room. Now, like everywhere else, we have an exterminator who sprays every other month, so most of these critters never come inside, but these guys did.

The spider . . . my wife loves finding these, especially when she’s taking a shower and one decides to share the shower with her . . . is about the size of a US Passport.

Our scorpions aren’t deadly like some in the US southwest, but they do hurt! I know from my personal encounter with a scorpion . . . actually a dead scorpion . . . that was in the bottom of my spa. I sat down and “pow”! Since the stinger is primed, even a dead scorpion will sting. My butt ached for about 4 hours so now I look before I sit . . . and am careful to shake out shoes and pants. We have a neighbor who learned about shaking out his pants the hard way. He pulled on his pants one morning to discover a scorpion had snuck into his zipper track . . . ouch!!!!

Anyway, who won this battle? The scorpion, of course!

One of the things that amazed me most when we first drove up to Palmira, where our farm and new house are located, was the rows of pipe cactus along the road.  Here were palm trees, pine trees, cactus, orange trees, and coffee all growing together!!  It’s just a small part of the amazing variety of plants and trees that flourish in the rich volcanic soil at our altitude and moderate temperature.

These beautiful cactus are blooming now at the end of the dry season and the blooms are spectacular - 7″ long and 5″ across.  They only bloom at night and by sunrise the flower is already drooping and dying.  My daughter, the naturalist, tells me that like most night blooming plants the flowers are white to attract bats and moths who pollinate. 

I thought you would enjoy seeing some pictures of these cactus in our yard.

The cruise season in Panama has ended . . . and has been a huge contributor to Panama’s tourism growth.  235 cruise ships stopped in Colon and Cristobal ports on the Caribbean and Amador in Panama City this past season, bringing 450,000 visitors and pumping $47 million into the local economy.  The cruise line business represents 30% of Panama’s overall tourism. 

These numbers do not include the cruise ships passing through the Canal but not stopping to disembark passengers, so that part of the industry also makes a contribution to Panama from the tolls paid to the Canal Authority. 

This is expected to grow as we move into the 2008-2009 cruise season.  The popularity of Panama is causing ships to start visiting earlier.  Some cruise lines, like Holland America, will be using larger ships.  Holland America will be using the ZUIDERDAM on its 10-day Canal series which carries 400 more passengers than the VOLENDAM, it used this past season. 

The big news for the coming season is that Royal Caribbean will homeport the ENCHANTMENT OF THE SEAS in Panama, departing every week from Colon.  Part of Royal Caribbean’s strategy is to attract European passengers who resent the hassle and intrusion of US Homeland Security procedures in South Florida.  The new KLM flights now offer direct service from Holland to Panama and the field at the former Howard US base has been opened to charter flights alleviating potential congestion at Tocumen the primary international airport.  My prediction is that more cruise lines will begin moving ships to Panama IF Panama can develop an infrastructure that supports tourism in the Colon area.  [See my previous post, “Is Panama Ready for Tourism?”]

* * * *

Let me just say how much I appreciate your comments!  If you’ve not previously commented, have your say.  WordPress uses a pretty sophisticated spam filtering system which filters out all those wonderful emails offering my Viagra, cheap car insurance, African bank accounts, and work-at-home schemes, but occasionally snags a legitimate email in error.  Please, just try again, maybe using a different email.  WordPress has also changed some functionality that makes it harder for me to respond within your comments to specific questions.  I have another way to accomplish that, but will be unable to implement it while I am on the VOLENDAM When I get home I promise to respond.