Richard Detrich’s Boquete, Panama Weblog

I have never served on a jury.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So I dodged a bullet.

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

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

Some interesting background:

Hopefully this time it happened!

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

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

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

Well, more or less.

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

The driveway to the house is starting to take shape.
 

The pergola and entrance are taking shape.

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

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

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

This has been a busy few months . . . 50 days on the VOLENDAM, travel time, visiting my grandson for the first time, and building a house! Who knew retirement would involve so much sitting on the rocking chair and thinking?

So, as part of my shifting gears from cruising back to Panama, a bunch of odds ‘n ends.

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If you’d like some “insider” views of the cruise line industry on board here are a couple of blogs that I enjoy regularly:

Captain Albert’s Weblog - Capt. Albert J. Schoonderbeek is a real Dutch captain, currently at the helm of the VEENDAM. If you’ve ever wondered what goes on up on the bridge and what the Captain does all day, Captain Albert has the answers and lots of nautical information.

John Heald is the Senior Cruise Director for Carnival Cruise Line and his blog has become a blog phenomena. Unique and different and although officially “unauthorized”, it has become one of Carnival’s best promotional tools. It’s best when John is actually at sea and not on vacation.

An official, company PR blog (an as such often impersonal and a little boring) is Holland America’s Eurodam blog about the construction and launch of the newest Dam ship.

* * * * *

As cruise lines try to cope with increasing fuel costs while remaining competitive, there is more and more pressure to “peel the onion” and cut costs where ever possible.  The only problem with “peeling the onion” is that eventually there’s nothing left.  Most of the major cruise lines have started making noticeable cuts in entertainment.  The idea is to create the illusion of big-time entertainment while at the same time slashing budgets.  Production shows are more and more like high school musicals, very well done, but with unseasoned and hardly “professional” talent.  Cruise lines have been hit with lawsuits alleging copyright infringement on Broadway plays, so don’t look for your old favorite and familiar show tunes.  Shows have become thin theme productions using song snippets, presumably to remain within copyright laws.  Variety act more and more feature ex amusement park and street performers who have gussied up their acts to go to sea.  Lecture-type presentations are being cut in favor of art “auctions” and diamond, jewelry and spa “lectures” that produce on-board revenue.

There often appears a distinct disconnect between guest demographics and response and home office perceptions and programs leaving one wondering if the folks at the home office have ever actually taken cruises as passengers.

* * * * *
“Richard: Let me add my compliments to both you and Cpt. Sarah. Your lectures at sea on board the Volendam were very entertaining and very informative.

You may want to check my review of the cruise in Cruise Critc (Volendam). I am using PenderBender as my call name. You might be interested in my description of one of the guests I overheard on deck during our canal transit trying to explain the workings of the locks. Methinks she should have attended your lectures or (at least) read something other than the comic section.

You may remember that I spoke with you one morning on deck overlooking the bay at Cabo San Lucas and we talked about Canadian bacon. I still don’t know what it is (after nearly 61 years of living in Canada). Regards, Garth Liseth”

Thanks Garth! I will think of you when I eat Canadian bacon! Viz a viz my comments above, guests seem to really appreciate the Exploration Lectures . . . more than a whole lot of other “activities” that are offered . . . but I’m not sure the home office gets it. As a Carnival stockholder I’m all for Holland America hitting it’s “numbers”, and Carnival making money . . . however, guest satisfaction is the key to Holland and Carnival’s success, so there needs to be a balance. Same applies to Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, which stock has also done well in spite of the high costs of fuel.

I thought Captain Sarah Terry did an excellent job! Any ship that can get her on board to provide Canal background and commentary will be very fortunate. I was surprised on the VOLENDAM that the Captain never invited Captain Terry to his table, or even to the Bridge! Nautical faux paux. Several of the pilots both in the Canal and elsewhere did invite her to the Bridge.

* * * * *
Never did hear anything from Home Depot . . . other than the promise of contact. So my rating of their on line customer service drops back to the level of my rating of their Seattle Home Depot.   The worst thing you can do on line is promise and not deliver.  Maybe that’s one of the stores they are planning to close down anyway.

* * * * *

“I will be visiting Chiriqui this month. Do you offer tours from the coffee farm? I have visited a few in Guatemala and find it to be absolutely amaizing and an enriching experience… would love to visit yours…. please email me if you do. Thanks! N. Padilla”

There are two excellent tours of coffee farms available in Boquete. The one is by Cafe Ruiz and tours their Palmira farm, just down the road from us, as well as their Palmira beneficio, roasting and packaging facilities. You can actually sign up for their tour online. 

The other tour is by Cafe Kotowa and you can sign up for that tour online as well.  Both of these Boquete coffee tours are of environmentally friendly and family run farms and both are excellent tours.

There’s not much to see at our farm, other than spectacular coffee on the tree and our house under construction, but I’d be happy to hear from you while you are in Boquete!

* * * * *

OK, about the house.  Disappointing progress.  I’ve been gone a month . . . this morning I will have a “heart-to-heart” with our builder, so I must go and work on my Spanish.    Since he speaks Spanish and I speak English, I pretty much write out what I want to say, auto-translate, then go back and clean up the translation, and “familiarize” myself with what I hope to communicate and then have at it.

What is a surprise is the road is finished, right to my driveway entrance!  Our friend Linda Sanchez used to describe the road to Palmira as a “Zen experience.”  It was a zig zag of pot holes with a few dangerous spots where the soil had eroded and numerous drops off the side.  Now we have a brand new beautiful road to Palmira including a new bridge!  I never expected the little road from Palmira Central to my house to ever be paved, but it is!  Painted lane stripes and all! 

Wow!  What a kid and what fun to bond with Rian Patrick, my first grandchild!  I can’t wait for him to come to visit us in Panama and go exploring for bugs and snakes and chase our dogs and chickens!  Tomorrow it’s back home to Panama.  Today it’s trying to squeeze all the stuff into my luggage and stay under the weight limits.

* * * * *

Yesterday I told you about my miserable experience at the local Home Depot.  One of the things that sets exceptional companies apart from mediocre companies on the Internet is that exceptional companies aren’t content just to put up a neat Web site, but they take the additional step of monitoring what is being said about them online and taking proactive customer service steps.  When I was director of eCommerce for 24 Hour Fitness I read every comment I could find in chat rooms and bulletin boards (it was BB - “before blogs”).  It helped us understand our customers and also head off and deal with problems at local stores which may have otherwise taken weeks or months to filter up the chain of command.  So KUDOS TO HOME DEPOT’S Internet monitoring staff: within 5 hours of publishing my post I received the following email exchange.

Richard – I read about your experience in one of our Seattle stores. I work for The Home Depot and am disappointed to hear about your visit. We would like to speak with you directly about your observations to make sure that we address them swiftly and appropriately. Would you mind providing a phone number and a convenient time to speak with you? Sarah, Home Depot Communications information@homedepot.com

Sarah, WOW! I am impressed . . . what I neglected to mention is that I had checked out on the Home Depot Web site some chandelier black shades which I needed to pick up. The Web site indicated they were available in this store . . . I found one cluttered in with a bunch of other stuff. Kudos for contacting me . . . I’m at my daughters and phone number is xxx-xxx-xxxx. . . I’m in and out but you do get credit for contacting me and I’d be glad to share anything futher via email. Regards, Richard

So Kudos to Sarah and her team. Now, the real test will to see if there is actually any attempt at follow up. My visit to Home Depot in Seattle was still disappointing, but I will keep the bumper sticker!

Home Depot is one of the things I’ve missed most since moving to Panama. I’m the only guy in Boquete with a “Home Depot: My Toy Store” bumper sticker on my pick up truck! So, while in Seattle one of the things I was most looking forward to was visiting Home Depot. I had to pick up a saw blade unavailable in Panama and hoped to find some dahlias and glad bulbs. So I visited the Seattle store on Delridge Way. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

The first thing I noticed, especially since I was pushing a baby stroller, is that 20% of the aisles were blocked! No wheelchair could have gotten through in an emergency or to shop and people had to climb over or go around. Merchandise was strewn around. The display of bulbs was ripped though, most packages were torn, missing stuff, or in the wrong bins. Paint cans had obviously dumped onto the floor in the paint department. Now I know it was Monday, but unless Seattle had a weekend earthquake or tornado, not even the sloppiest of customers could account for the mess!

The second thing I noticed was the almost complete absence of orange aprons! I walked through 4 departments looking for anybody and found only one guy up to his elbows in paint. The front desk found me someone to help me with my saw blade and he told me he had another customer, then had his break, but if I wanted to hang around for 20 minutes he would try and get back! The electronic part finder gizmo didn’t work, so I spent 30 minutes rummaging through saw blades, all in the wrong bins, trying to find, hopefully what I need. This was not the Home Depot I remembered! What always set Home Depot apart was helpful, knowledgeable staff with experience.

The one bright spot was the appliance section where there were real people who were real helpful. They seemed to be the only staff in the store!

Checking out was equally frustrating. I fondly remembered the long lines . . . here there were just automated check outs . . . which didn’t work. The two people manning the area were deep in conversation totally ignoring my pleas for help. A supervisor looking like a prison guard stood staring into space. When I asked her if anyone was working she told me, “We’re ALL working. What is your problem?” She found an underling who kicked the machine a few times and got it to work. He at least was apologetic and friendly. Then . . . naturally . . . as I was walking through the exit doors all kinds of red lights, and horns and sirens started blaring. I just ignored it all and calmly walked my car, commenting to another customer, “Man, am I glad I dumped my Home Depot stock!”

Amen to the Hortin’s letter above. We left a similar note with Holland America. The presentations given by the two of you as well as a couple of conversations with Craig have indeed made the Volendam canal trip one of our most memorable experiences.

I’ll be keeping your blog at the top of my “bookmarks” column for some time to come, and hope to cross paths again someday.

I’ll try to share some pix when we return to WA. Thanks again, best regards, Ron & Sharon Hagedorn

Thank you Ron and Sharon! Glad you had a great cruise!

Hey Richard. Your cruise is slowly coming to an end. Are you going to pass by Fort Lauderdale again? Maybe we could meet for a short while. We are packing and hope to leave for Panama on or about the 15th of May. Here are some more questions which you most likely could answer.

How potable is the water in Boquete or Valle de Anton? Should we bring some kind of filtration system with us?

How come that nobody seems to have a back-up electrical generator? We depend on uninterrupted electrical service and I would appreciate you giving me your opinion about this topic. Should I bring a 6KW to 10 KW generator with us?

Did you have any problems when bringing in your belongings on the trailer? I have read a number of blocks where people’s trailer had been broken into. What safeguards should we take?

We have been offered a 3/3 in el Valle. The owner is also a doctor. It is the right size for us and sits on a relatively large piece of property. It has a gardener and a once a week cleaning lady included. The price is $1,500 p.m. Is that a good deal?

In all the S.A. countries I have been I never found a butcher who knew how to cut meat our way. They only had “carne o suave”. It always gave the impression that the animals where killed twice. How is the situation in Panama?

Is soy milk and coffee creamer available?

What else do you think we should bring with us now.

Enjoy the cruise, looking forward of meeting you in person. With best wishes and God bless, Sid

Hi Sid. Last question, first. What “else” should you bring? A sense of adventure and flexibility!!! You will NOT find a butcher to your liking . . .and you’ll probably find a lot else that is different and frustrating! Learn to go with the flow, relax, chill and enjoy. Everything will happen . . . eventually . . . just not on your time table. Since you are a MD one word of advice: “Delete ‘STAT’ from you vocabulary!”

Water is generally OK to drink, but to be on the safe side, at least initially, I would boil. My tummy is more sensitive than my wife’s, so I boil, she doesn’t. Our new house will have a reverse osmosis system.

Some folks have back up generators, some very sophisticated and automatic. Power goes on and off, but generally only for a few moments, at least in Boquete.

We had no problem shipping our stuff down. Get a reliable shipper, not necessarily the cheapest. The guy who clears customs for you should also travel with your container to your final destination. We had a baby grand piano boxed up and it was the last on, so it was virtually impossible for anyone, including customs, to get by it without a forklift. A friend of ours had a lot of stuff taken, but he suspects it was actually stolen in LA.

Soy milk, creamer, etc., is available at Price Smart, Reys and the big supermarkets. Sometimes things will be out of stock for a while, but generally most things are available. Again . . . sense of adventure . . . and realizing it’s not going to be the same. You’re doing the right thing coming down and renting for a while to check it out. I have no idea of rents in El Valle. It doesn’t sound bad for Valle Escondido in Boquete, but again, I don’t know El Valle.

Good luck, and I hope we meet in Boquete!

I’ve been reading your site. I have been trying to find out how to apply for a chaplain’s position for a cruise line without any success. Can you give me any advice? Thanks, Dave Gale

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 Sixth Star is another possibility, although they mostly seem to have openings for priests. www.sixthstar.com/index.php

Richard, I got your e-mail from one of the Panama webs that I was searching yesterday. My wife and I are going to be in Panama between May 24th (arriving at 11AM) and May 27th (leaving late morning). We were planning to do the Canal Transit tour, but I noticed that all tours are only on Sat. and they start at 9AM, so there is no way that we can make it. I was wondering if you are aware of any other tours that we could take at the Canal either on May 25th or 26th? Because what is the fun going to Panama and not visiting the Panama Canal right??? Any other additional information that you may have related to other tours (CASCO VIEJO, Palace das Garças, MIRAFLORES, Albrook Mall) will be greatly appreciated. Please let me know your thoughts whenever you get a chance.

Most of the hotels can hook you up with daily tours. Folks on www.cruisecritic.com seem to have a lot to say about Mario’s tours, although I have no personal experience. Depending on the time of year there are really neat tours to the Embera village. Click on Cruising Q&A above for info.

I recently moved to Panama City and also noticed HSBC took 3% to withdraw. Have you found any alternative options? Regards, Al

What Al’s referring to is that we had our pensions deposited in our HSBC account in the US and then for about a year were able to just withdraw from our local Panama HSBC ATM . . . until HSBC started charging 3% to take out my own money!!! My alternative . . . move to another bank!!

Hi Richard, I got your e-mail from the website cruise critics and as a result of reading the posts, etc. my daughter and I would absolutely love to visit the Embera Village while in Panama . I was able to find two tours which offer this experience and have confirmed that it is the Authentic village. The first Myfriendmario is the least expenses (he already has people booked for this excursion from the Liberty on the dates we are there) … also provides insurance should be miss the ship (although this has never happened). But I have also been in contact with Anne who you had mentioned in one of your post who would be available for both my daughter and I for $100 each … a bit more but it would be only the two of us. I am torn between the two … any thoughts ? Initially I thought we would go with Mario because of safety in groups … however, I had ready you site and was fascinated with how Anne and her husband moved to Panama after the filming, etc. Danny Dupuis

When are you going? Right now is dry season so the “authentic” village Anne uses may not be available by boat, and may require some walking . . .I don’t know Mario or about his operation other than what I’ve read on Cruise Critic. Anne and her Embera family are wonderful and I would have no fear of security. Whichever, it will be a wonderful experience.

Hola Richard! I included you on a recent review. Thought you’d enjoy. Bon Voyage and Good Health!
Bob
“EXPLORER’S SERIES LECTURES: One of the highlights of our cruise. Richard Detrich gave informative, well organized power point presentations on the Canal (and building thereof), Panamanian history, culture & politics, a focused lecture on coffees and advise on those planning to find new retirement digs. His enthusiasm for Panama was infectious.”

Thank you Bob & Judy!

Every day at sea we get copies of THE NEW YORK TIMES’ “Times Digest.”

Many years ago, when I was a hot, firebrand young minister in the late 60’s serving an all-Black church in the South Bronx, I was invited to preach in a number of churches in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I had lived for a while and gone to college. In an Obama-like moment during a sermon in one church I called then President Richard Nixon a “crook”. Several people were so incensed they walked out and I was the talk of after-church gossip in Russ’ (a Western Michigan hamburger institution where the number one topic seems to be church gossip). I believe the church where I spoke has since been closed, and of course we now know Nixon was a crook.

On the same speaking tour I also had a Hillaryesque moment (Hillary who noted she didn’t stay in the kitchen and make cookies) when I also noted as an aside in a sermon, “Any fool can bake a cake.” They never let me forget that comment, especially when I returned to that same church to get married and the ladies of the congregation celebrated by baking the cakes . . . and reminding me that I had once said . . .

In Panama we choose not to have satellite TV and I get my news on line. So, while I am on the ship I enjoy a steady diet of CNN. So I have been following all the candidates gaffes, amazed that they don’t make more, and amazed at how CNN can devote hours to the most inane comments while ignoring the enormous issues.

As the Nixon tapes emerged we all noted how cleverly and callously he had manipulated the evangelical church and church leaders, including my mentor Norman Vincent Peale, to achieve his personal political aggrandizement. That’s why it so amazed me to see evangelicals and conservative church leaders be suckered in by George W. Bush and follow blindly the emperor who we all now know had no clothes. Not only has “W” blatantly lied to the American people, initiated and endorsed torture, plunged the country into deep indebtedness and economic chaos while squandering away America’s prestige in the world, he has chipped away at the rights Americans have enjoyed since our nation was founded, rights which will never be recovered.

So the closing paragraph in a TIMES’ editorial “The Torture Sessions” seemed to express not only the lament of the past eight years, but the importance of the coming election:

Only by fully understanding what Bush has done over eight years to distort the rule of law and violate civil liberties and human rights can Americans ever hope to repair the damage and ensure it does not happen again.

* * * * *

Captain Sarah Terry is our neighbor in Panama who was the first woman in the US to get her Master’s certificate and the first woman pilot for the Panama Canal. I was delighted to have her and her husband, Craig Owings, accompany me on the VOLENDAM and for Sarah sharing the lecture duties on board.

Like any entertainer or crew member I’m delighted when guest comments are passed on to me, like this one from Doug & Nancy Hortin:

There was not enough space on the comment card for us to express our appreciation and satisfaction of the presentations by Dr Detrich and Sarah Terry on the Panama Canal and other areas of interest. The Canal itself is incredible but the commentaries really were significant to understanding the Canal history and experience. The presentations made our voyage come to life and we are so very appreciative! Thank you Holland America for providing their expertise and for the informative presentations.

I promised you some pictures of some less “showy” wild orchids. These three happened to be blooming now on the trees around our house.

On the other side of the mountain up in Cero Punta there is a world famous orchid farm named Dracula. It is named after a famous night blooming orchid that grows locally. At Dracula they not only propagate Panamanian orchids but they go all over Central and Latin America rescuing orchids and propagating orchids which are endanged, eventually returning mature endangered plants to their native habitats. At Dracula, depending on the season, you can see many of the more “showy” orchids in bloom.

Every day at sea we get copies of THE NEW YORK TIMES’ “Times Digest.”

Many years ago, when I was a hot, firebrand young minister in the late 60’s serving an all-Black church in the South Bronx, I was invited to preach in a number of churches in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where I had lived for a while and gone to college. In an Obama-like moment during a sermon in one church I called then President Richard Nixon a “crook”. Several people were so incensed they walked out and I was the talk of after-church gossip in Russ’ (a Western Michigan hamburger institution where the number one topic seems to be church gossip). I believe the church where I spoke has since been closed, and of course we now know Nixon was a crook.

On the same speaking tour I also had a Hillaryesque moment (Hillary who noted she didn’t stay in the kitchen and make cookies) when I also noted as an aside in a sermon, “Any fool can bake a cake.” They never let me forget that comment, especially when I returned to that same church to get married and the ladies of the congregation celebrated by baking the cakes . . . and reminding me that I had once said . . .

In Panama we choose not to have satellite TV and I get my news on line. So, while I am on the ship I enjoy a steady diet of CNN. So I have been following all the candidates gaffes, amazed that they don’t make more, and amazed at how CNN can devote hours to the most inane comments while ignoring the enormous issues.

As the Nixon tapes emerged we all noted how cleverly and callously he had manipulated the evangelical church and church leaders, including my mentor Norman Vincent Peale, to achieve his personal political aggrandizement. That’s why it so amazed me to see evangelicals and conservative church leaders be suckered in by George W. Bush and follow blindly the emperor who we all now know had no clothes. Not only has “W” blatantly lied to the American people, initiated and endorsed torture, plunged the country into deep indebtedness and economic chaos while squandering away America’s prestige in the world, he has chipped away at the rights Americans have enjoyed since our nation was founded, rights which will never be recovered.

So the closing paragraph in a TIMES’ editorial “The Torture Sessions” seemed to express not only the lament of the past eight years, but the importance of the coming election:

Only by fully understanding what Bush has done over eight years to distort the rule of law and violate civil liberties and human rights can Americans ever hope to repair the damage and ensure it does not happen again.

Just like in the States, prices are rising in Panama, and for a lot of the same reasons. The rapid decline of the U.S. dollar and rising fuel costs are the primary culprits. Although milk and beef are produced locally, the cost of farm operations is directly related to increase transport, electric and other overhead costs. There have been significant increases in rice and bread, staples of the Panamanian diet. Bread increased 40% in price last week, largely due to the fact that wheat is imported. The average cost of the basic Panamanian food basket is now $243.29, a jump of 3.5 percent from this time last year. Of the 50 items included in the basket, three had decreased in price and one was unchanged. The food groups that registered significant increases were dairy products (up 39.9%), cereals (18.2%) fruit (13.1%), vegetables (10.2%) and meat (8.9%). Soaring costs of gasoline and especially diesel hurt everyone.

Real estate prices in Boquete seem to have leveled off, although prices of new construction have soared. Last month alone the price of construction went up by 30%. This is largely due to increases of prices of steel and cement and the fact that most construction materials are imported and we use the US Dollar. All of this makes the price of existing homes, such as the one we are selling, more attractive. Our home in Valle Escondido is unique in that it is similar to a “stick built” home in the US, only the framing, instead of being wood, is steel. Now, with the tremendous increases in the price of steel, it would be impossible to build a home as sturdy as this one in today’s market.