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Welcome to Panama |
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| So Why
Panama? |
| Panama is such an amazing country
and surprises everyone who visits. I
joke with our friends that if they are
planning on coming to Panama be prepared
to be overwhelmed. Also, I warn them
that almost everyone I know has either
bought property or is considering
buying.
So Why Panama? Is there a reason -
No, There are several reasons -- the
opportunities are plentiful, albeit the
prices are going up.
We have really
taken to the Caribbean coast as it
offers so much nicer water and beaches. |
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WhyPanama
Costa del Este
Panama
City, Panama |
| They Need
Your Love |
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They Need Your Love - animal shelter in
Arraijan near Panama City. Hundreds of
dogs and cats that have been rescued
from a life on the streets, starving,
hurt, and unloved. We have set
up a web site to help.
www.theyneedyourlove.org
You can Adopt a Pet no matter where
you are in the world. For as little as
$15 per month you can help make the life
so much better for one dog or cat.
Donate Now
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| SpayPanama |
The
2012 Spay Panama calendar is now
available and it's their best ever! Both
Panamanian AND U.S. holidays are
labeled. The pictures featured are all
of formerly homeless dogs and cats that
were neutered and lucky enough to have
been adopted. All proceeds go to support
the wonderful efforts of Spay Panama to
control the overpopulation of unwanted
pets. Since its inception in 2002, Spay
Panama has sterilized over 24,000
animals! The yearly calendar is their
main fundraising tool and they really
need your support. Like most other
non-profit organizations, Spay Panama
has seen a severe drop in donations due
to the economy.
So, by purchasing a calendar you get
something truly useful and you help out
a great cause at the same time! The
price is a ridiculously low $7.00 and
the calendars can be found at: the U.S.
Embassy, Excedra Books, Balboa Dental
Clinic, Los Angeles de los Animales
(cell 6781-2641) or Mailboxes, ETC in
Coronado
Pat Chan
www.spaypanama.org |
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Donna
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Donna |
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Tom |
Donna |
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WELCOME TO OUR
WEBSITE !
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Since we
moved to Panama in 2006
every time we tell one
of our friends that we
moved to the Republic of
Panama, the first
question is always "Why
Panama". So we decided
to build a web site to
help them understand how
simple the decision to
choose Panama really was
to us. We have included
some links to other
sites and to articles we
think might help
understand Panama. This
is by no means
exhaustive, so be sure
to move through the
suggested sites and
explore the links and
resources they suggest
to ensure you get
as much information as
possible. |
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News
and events
22/01/2012
Last week we had guests in
from Canada. Alex and his wife
spent 10 days out at the new
Westin Playa Bonita across the
Bridge of the Americas. This was
their first time to Panama and
the first week in an all
inclusive was a great way to
start. Then they spent the
second week in Ted's condo in
Costa del Este CdeE). We had the
chance to play host and tour
guide showing them Panama Viejo,
Casco Viejo and Miraflores. I
love the reaction of everyone
that see these things for the
first time - reminds me of our
first trip back in April 2006.
We enjoyed some nice dinners
too. We visited Il Grillo, our
favourite Italian restaurant in
CdeE as wel as the Sushi House.
When we went to Casco Viejo we
had a beer and sushi at Cerverca
Y Ceviche in plaza Bolivar
before going to dinner at El
Diabolico. We'll go back to the
Ceviche bar for nibblies but
this was my second visit to El
Diabolico and while the food was
fine and the service good I
found it overpriced.
Every time I visit Casco
Viejo I wonder what it would
really be like to live there. I
love the ambiance and the food
:} (I am sure if you read this
site you think all I do is talk
about food - not true - I do a
lot but not ALL :})
I've been working on getting
all of Donna's site cleaned up
before she starts her major
travels this year. We changed
the whole look and feel to
www.icangarden.com - we also
added a section that showcases
the gardens around the world -
and it is setup like the map I
have on my wall with pins
denoting all the locations Donna
has visited. Speaking of her
travels - she is visiting no
less than 8 countries from India
to Israel - Turkey to South
Africa - I will be missing her a
lot this year - but I am so
proud of her - she will have 8
full tour groups for the first
time since she started doing
tours in 1998. I may even get to
go on one next year - she is
doing Argentina and I need to
visit Mendoza and the wineries
:}
Speaking of Mendoza, I just
finished reviewing a pre-release
of a book called the
Unquenchable - what a great read
- if you enjoy wines - treat
yourself to it when you see it
come out for sale.
more news >>
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I know
so many of the locals here in
Panama believe that spaying and
neutering is "cruel". well they
should have to look after the
little kittens that get run over
on the street or care for the
dogs that are so emaciated that
you wonder how they can even
function. Everywhere we drive
outside of CdeE we see so many
strays and starving animals that
no one seems to care for -- it
is why we try and give often to
Mari's shelter in Arraijan - she
has such a huge heart - I can't
figure out how she juggles her
full time professional career
with running the shelters and
raising money or finding food.
Imagine having to feed more than
200 mouths every month and care
for their infirmities - each dog
or cat can easily cost 20 per
month - so that's 4000 per month
- she has lots of faithful
friends that help out but they
don't add up to what's needed.
If you
think you can help in some small
way we have set up a site where
you can donate either using
PayPal or your credit card -
every dollar we receive from the
site we try and match when we
get it to the shelter. so think
of how much you are really
giving. go to
www.theyneedyourlove.org and
donate - please.
We went
away this weekend to a house we
rent near Portobelo - the
weather cooperated perfectly,
the pool was awesome and food
marvelous. We both got a chance
to rest and enjoy the time
before it gets busy.
We have
several friends visiting over
the coming months and I am
looking forward to each of them
- I know most of them are buried
in minus 20 below weather with
really ugly roads - they need a
break.
Our next
big time will be our cruise with
our friends Alan & Geri - we
have two one week cruises booked
back to back. My sister and her
husband are coming to Panama to
babysit our little furry child
(Cricket) :} I know they will
have a blast - I have them
scheduled to do a 1/2 day visit
to Gamboa rainforest and lots of
other visits.
If you
haven't been reading the site
for a while you may not not why
we have this site - it is to
help other expats thinking
about WhyPanama -- if you have
considering Panama - feel free
to email us.
more news >> |
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ICanGarden
 Donna started iCanGarden.com and
now almost 16 years later it has
become Canada's largest Internet
gardening resource site. Several
thousand people visit her site
every day. Spend some time
looking over the thousands of
pictures of gardens from all
over the world.
We are so
proud of the TV special just
aired by Recreating Eden -
entitled "the Gardening
Tourist".
Donna
recently changed the look of the
site - - if you enjoy it - let
her know - I am really proud of
her. |
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GardeningTours
 In 2006 Donna started a
site dedicated exclusively to
her garden tours. For more than
8 years she has been hosting
groups of gardeners to gardens
all over the world.
Donna has some incredible garden
tours lined up for
2012, they
are all either fully booked or
over booked - check our her 2013
tours.
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