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WhyPanama
Costa del Este
Panama City, Panama

Donna

Tom

Tom

More News -

August 2010

This last Wednesday we had the pleasure of once again enjoying a concert put on by Frank Casagnet. The concert was held at the National Theater in Casco Viejo. The featured artist was Alexander Panizza. Sr Panizza is an amazing pianist. His fingers flew over the piano and he infused the entire performance with enthusiasm and passion. I wish the foundation that was the recipient of some of the concerts funds great success in their pursuit to help young people with criminal records reintegrate into society.

Everyone who knows Donna wondered how she was ever going to satisfy her need to get into the soil when we chose to move to a condo. I wanted them to see that her passion for gardening is very much alive and well. Following are some pictures of Donna in our social area keeping them weeded. Several months ago we purchased a number of hibiscus and bougainvillea for these beds in the social area in the hopes we would add some colour. The beds were fine but very bland. Mostly green from the palms.

This week I had another lesson in "Panama". My business partner purchased a pre-construction condominium in Costa del Este. As the building is almost complete we needed to determine the process of completing the sale. We met with the representatives of the developer to ensure we knew how and when the funds were to be delivered and how my partners interest were going to be guaranteed throughout this process. Many people look at Panama and wonder if one can really guarantee their interest. After meeting with these people and reviewing the contract and talking with our advisors I am very comfortable that my partners interests are protected. Is this true with every deal in Panama, I am not sure I could say yes. I am just pleased he chose the developer he did. Next month the developer will indicate they have obtained the occupancy permit from the Panamanian authorities and with that they will be in a position to complete the title transfer and accept the final payment. We then have 12 months to have them complete any repairs we find. What is amazing is that there almost 30 towers in Costa del Este that will going through this process with their buyers in less than 12 months. Some of these towers have up to 70 stories.

Are you a Canadian living in Panama? - Do you live here part time or full time? What made you choose Panama over so many other places in the world. Do you operate a business in Panama? Is it a support arm to a Canadian company or is it a company exclusive to Panama. Have you taken advantage of the Canadian Panamanian chamber of commerce PanCanada? Have you met our Canadian Ambassador to Panama her Excellancy Ms. Patricia Langan-Torell? I ask because I would some feedback. Surely Donna & I are not the only Canadians in Panama :} ( this is definately tongue in cheek as we already know many fellow Canadians , but would love to know more )

Please don't forget the Arraijan Shelter for rescued dogs and cats. www.TheyNeedYourLove.org - if you can spare as little as $10 a month that would make a huge difference in the life of one dog or cat.

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Another first this week. Donna & I went to the opening performance called "Noises Off". A comedy about the goings on of a troupe of actors performing a play over an entire season. The first act introduced us to the actors and the plot of the play. It wasn't until act 2 and 3 that it became hilarious. Intermission provided lots of opportunity for beverages which were very reasonably priced. Opening and closing nights provide an extra treat - each have a restaurant provide free nibbles. Our night's restaurant was Secundo Muelle in San Francisco. Great food. It will be a restaurant Donna & I will try out as a result of their offerings. I was really pleased with the mixture of patrons. From older expats to young Panamanians. We will go again. In fact we will likely purchase a season pass come January.

Next Wednesday, August 11th there is another concert similar to the we attended last fall. The promoter, knows how to combine a class act with a good cause. In this case the good cause is the Fundación Jesús Luz de Oportunidades - essentially a group in Panama that assists young with criminal records to become part of the working society. The concert showcases Alexander Panizza, an Argentinian pianist playing Schumann and Chopin. While it's not important to Sr. Panizza's credentials, I am kind of pleased to say he was born of his Argentinian parents in Toronto, Canada - this is a world class artist - and it is to be held in the National Theater - how cool. Get your tickets at Blockbuster or on-line at http://www.tuboleto.com/ just be careful as we got some security warnings on the site.

All you fellow Canadians in Panama - check this concert out and look for Donna and before, during intermission or after - please say Hi - we'd love to meet you and find out what your experience in Panama has been like.

During our walk yesterday morning Donna commented on how fortunate we are in Costa del Este to have a virtual army of workers who keep our grass cut, the street cleaned and just generally looks after our area. Also, as a planned community, Costa del Este enjoys a wire free view. All the electrical wiring is buried versus overhead as in the rest of the city.

Donna asked me to put a link in the "other sites" area on the "Signs and Symptoms of Dengue Fever".

I know this is the "rainy season" but this last week was very sunny and dry. We got some rain and thunder storms last night but that was the first in several days. This is something that comes up all the time when I talk to friends in Canada - "doesn't it rain all the time during the rainy season?" Unlike the pacific northwest of the USA and Canada during the winter, we don't experience days, weeks and months of grey overcast days. The rainy season means everything is lush and green and you are assured of some rain every week.

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I was in Canada last week visiting my sisters. While I love Canada, it is still good to come back to Panama. I can't believe I went swimming in a lake with 76 degree water :} yikes - if I hadn't jumped in I would never have been able to walk into the lake :} - I think my blood has thinned since arriving in Panama :}

On a more serious note ---

All you fellow Canadians in Panama - check this concert out and look for Donna and before, during intermission or after - please say Hi

Another serious note - and fun too - the last week saw some great contributions online to the Arraijan Shelter - it's not the amount that matters, it thrills me to see so many people being exposed to the great work Mari does at the shelter. Mari promises that she is going to take some video of the shelter and share that with us - as soon as I get I will post it on the shelter website at www.theyneedyourlove.org - tell your friends - donate - the dogs and cats need your love.

On the titling front the government is trying to put a new department in place to make law 80 a reality. So far the ones charged with actually titling the land has a less than stellar record. More to come on this as the government debates this new group.

I've added a new site you should check out called living in panama by Sandra Snyder.

I also added another link to the videos of Allen Hawkins - he has over 130 videos of Panama on youtube. If you join any of the Panama Yahoo groups you will find more on Allen. Speaking of Yahoo groups, I mentioned this before but it bears repeating - there are dozens of Yahoo groups dedicated to Panama. From groups focused on the laws of Panama to gardening in Panama. Each group has an eclectic group of expats and locals who provide their views on virtually any topic. I think they are a great resource but you have to be careful and be aware that not all advice is good advice. For the most part it shouldn't take you long to work out who are the flakes, who are the frauds and who are there to genuinely help. Just because it fraught with potential problems, this should not stop you from joining.

July 2010

After two weeks of the new 7% sales tax in Panama the world doesn't seem to have come to an end. The protests have calmed down as well.

The news forecast for this rainy season seem a bit bleak - something about el niño - we're supposed to be in for more than usual rain and in areas other than Panama - a much worse hurricane season. One of the reasons we settled on Panama - no hurricanes.

Donna loves the green season (as she calls the rainy season) more than she does the brown (or dry) season. I do like everything being green during the rainy season. Even when I say rainy season you shouldn't be thinking of constant, day after day rain. No, the rainy season means it rains sometime (generally in the afternoon) almost every day - but not every day. I am partial to the dry season - sun, a bit more wind and great times at the beach.

We had our neighbours over for some nibbles, wine and great conversation last night. I love having them over - I get to practice my Spanish comprehension and my spoken Spanish. Still very poor on the later but not bad on the former - but then Jose Luis is so kind and so well spoken, he enunciates clearly, is succinct and speaks slowly. I am sure anyone who knows even a bit of Spanish could keep up with him.

We went down the street to a new restaurant/take out food place called Caminito - which is a term referring to a street in Argentina known for tango. And interestingly enough the image the restaurant used for their logo is the great uncle of Jose Luis. All this to say that this restaurant offers incredible take away empanadas and quiches - they must have at least 25 - 30 different varieties - and all of the ones we tried were really yummy.

Are you considering Panama as a new home? Have you already made the move to Panama from Canada, USA or Europe? Why not share your experience with our readers to help them understand the issues you faced. We added one from Reggie - read it here. I've also added an email posted on the Panaforum about the health care experience of one person.

Why not share your "why I moved to ... " story so others can be inspired - write us at tomd@whypanama.net and we will put it on the site so everyone can read it and learn from your experience.

Funny, when we talk with people interested in Panama or our friends in Canada, after they ask about health care, they then ask if Panama is safe. I guess I always answer - "compared to what?" - when I read the local newspaper back in Edmonton, Alberta, I read about disappearances, killings, shootings, and thefts - so again compared to what - any city of 1 million people - probably about the same.

You probably remember us talking about the couple of dogs who lived next door with a security guard and how we tried to find them a home when tehy decided to demolish the guard house. We did find them a home - check out some of the pictures we took when we visited them yesterday.

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I hope you all had a great holiday weekend whether you celebrate Canada Day or USA Independence Day.

Lots of news this last week in Panama. July 1st the government of Sr. Martinelli increased the sales tax from 5% to 7%. Lots of people all across Panama were not happy and some voiced their displeasure in an outward fashion, some even rioting. The students in Panama City were one of the more vocal. There was also some uprisings in Bocas del Toro. I read lots of very different accounts of how bad Bocas was, but because there was such a wide difference in reporting its hard to say how bad it really was, so i will not offer an opinion. I don't like any increase in taxes especially when it affects everything I buy or use, but if I had to live on the income that some Panamanians have to live on, 2% less would be a hardship. Maybe I've missed them, but it doesn't seem to me that many of the campaign promises of lower costs have come to pass. Admittedly, I think Sr. Martinelli has made some moves to cleaning up some of the corruption and moving necessary laws forward like the land titling. I guess the couple of years will see how the new government delivers.

Another hot topic is the changes to the gun laws in Panama. Again, I am not a lawyer and have not read the new law, but to me anything that helps remove some of the guns in the country is a good thing. Yes, I am a Canadian, so my beliefs on gun laws are different than Americans so take this with that in mind.

We've added a new link - a spa in Boquete called The Haven - check it out. Donna and Elaine enjoyed the spa at the Panamonte Hotel when we were there last, but from the looks of this one, they would have enjoyed it as well.

One thing we've had to learn, a little but the hard way, is the labour laws of Panama. When we first arrived in Panama we were told to be well informed on the labour laws as to not be could be disastrous. If you hire anyone for any kind of continuing work, make sure you hire a lawyer, ask to have your obligations explained fully, have them draw up a contract and have it registered with the Ministry of Labour.

Just a quick primer on the labour laws - this is not from a legal perspective - just mine understanding from being here for almost 4 years and having numerous employees in our Panamanian company.

First, as I said, have a lawyer create a contract for every employee. The first three months are designed as a probationary period for both employee and employer. After 3 months the contract is generally set to expire in 12 months. Between month one and month 23 you may dismiss the employee for any reason as long as you pay the necessary severence amounts. After 2 years of employment the rules change. You may not fire the employee without cause or mutual consent or the employee may request the Ministry of Labour to give them their job back.

Salaries are low in Panama, yes, but take into account the following. Every employee is entitled by law to the following additional benefits.

1 full month vacation every 12 months of work
1.5 days of sick leave per month that may be accumulated for 2 years
1 month of "pension pay" for every year employed
severance pay if dismissed after 3 months
10 statuary holiday days per year (3 in November)

dogs and cats. www.TheyNeedYourLove.org - if you can spare as little as $10 a month that would make a huge difference in the life of one dog or cat.

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Happy Canada Day and US Independence Day - regardless is you are still in Canada or the USA or if you are in Panama I trust you celebrated your heritage. Both countries are special. So too, is our new home, Panama - each in its own way.

I am sure everyone in the world is aware of the horrible disaster of the oil spill in the gulf but did you know there was a major spill in Panama. True. A good friend found this article on how bad this spill was and how it affected the eco system in Panama. In 1986 a spill occurred on the Caribbean side of Panama near the opening to the canal at Bahia Las Minas. It let 38.3 million litres of crude oil from a storage tank and it affected the coral reefs and mangroves. Apparently even today you can see the after effects and find oil in the water in places. Imagine the damage to come from the gulf oil BP spill. You can google more on this or read this article by the Smithsonian

People always ask about health care and other professional services here in Panama - well this week brings another example of the level of service. Somehow I cracked the entire side off one of my molars - no pain but very uncomfortable. So I emailed my dentist Dr. Lee Friday night and he immediately responded to say I could come in Saturday or Monday. So far my doctor, dentist, lawyer, accountant - all are very competent, reasonable and attentive professionals.

One of the things you should consider doing is taking a tour of the Panama White House - the Palace of Cranes in Casco Viejo - well worth the time. You do need to request a time and provide your passport information before they will do the tour - Send an email of request with your name, nationality and passport number to gabrego@presidencia.gob.pa to be assigned a day and time to visit. Send this in early.

Are you thinking about Panama as a new home - have you already moved here - why not share your story with us so others can benefit from your experience. Send us a note and tell us what made you consider Panama or why you chose Panama. We've been here almost 4 years and its hard to believe how fast time has flown. When we first chose Panama we knew we would have some adjusting to do and we have, but we have been so fortunate in the people we've met that we are happy to share what we can with anyone thinking of Panama.

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Quiet week unless you consider the thunder. We've had a few good nights of thunder and lightning.

Monday, Donna & I went to the restaurant La Posta in Marbella. I've seen their ads for a long time in the Visitor and thought it would be a really nice place for Donna's birthday. The food was very good and certainly affordable but I guess I was expecting something a little quieter. On a Monday night the place was sold out. Amazing but really, really noisy, to the point Donna couldn't hear me without leaning over so I could speak loudly in her ear. We may go back with friends but not a special night with just the two of us.

I went to Cable & Wireless to cancel our local land line at the condo. I had tried to send Nino to do this for me as he does with so many things. All I wanted to do was cancel a simple 10.00 per month account but C&W insisted a letter of authorization was not sufficient it needed to be notarized. So off I went with Nino. Three times we had to return to the C&W office to cancel the account and get the deposit back. What a challenge. So why did we cancel the phone. We really don't use it - the only people that seemed to have used it were telemarketers and I couldn't see paying 10 per month to hear telemarketers. :}

Last week the Visitor ran an article about the state of affairs of the residential condo market in Panama City. With 10's of thousands of units coming on the market in the next 12 - 18 months it seems reasonable that a correction has to take place.

What's hard to fathom is when I look at what some of the developers are asking for their last units it seems to me they still think they are in a sellers market not a buyers market.

We've been missing our times out at the beach in recent weeks. I hope in the coming months we can get back into the groove of heading out to Caribbean at least once or twice every month. We've also made a commitment to each other that we will explore at least one new restaurant a month. We both work hard and we don't get out often, so this will force us to take at least one night a month off.

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Happy Fathers Day to all.

It's been over 13 years since my dad passed away and almost 18 months since Donna's dad died. Dad is still "alive" in my mind and what's so funny is I know see so much of him in me when I look in the mirror - the one regret is not telling him that i loved him as often as i should - if your dad is still with you - hug him today and tell him you love him

The latest Visitor had an interesting article on the state of affairs with the real estate in Panama. Like everything else there are many opinions - the half empty or the half full views - no one has a crystal ball to know for sure what is going to happen here or anywhere else in the world. Who predicted the state of affairs of the Euro. The ones that are going to face a bit of tough time in the short term will be the ones who speculated on Panama 3 years ago, just before everything started to come apart in the world. I believe if they can hang on then they will come out ok, but if they have to bail, it's going to hurt.

The rainy season has been in full force these past few days - and yesterday was the first time I've felt the rain was "chilly" (albeit it was still 80+ degrees), the wind made it feel that much cooler.

We're going to be trying a new restaurant this week and we'll report back on how we felt about it.

Donna & I had some fun Friday afternoon - we played hooky from work and went to the Panama Gastronomica 2010 at the Hotel El Panama downtown - we sampled some great food and learnt more about the state of the food industry in Panama. See the pictures here.

This week I also received a great set of photos showing the old Panama back in the late 1800's - check them out - pretty cool.

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I love when i talk with friends from Canada or the USA who are investigating Panama. This past week two friends of ours were sharing information between themselves on their times exploring Panama. The focus of their attention was El Valle, a small town about 1.5 hours from Panama City that is up in the hills and has been the weekend retreat of many of the wealthier Panamanians over the years.

I've put a couple of new sites on the "other sites" page - one is called Oakleaf Creations - great creations by Jim & Ann

One interesting tidbit I learnt from the discussion was the fact that there is a couple building a container home. We've often thought that with all the containers sitting empty in Panama (and all over the world) that they should be used more in building. If we could ever find a piece of land on the coast we'd use containers to construct a home. They are durable, inexpensive and very plentiful - recycle, reuse, reduce. There are some great examples of what can be done with containers - check some of them out. Start with Fred & Cynthia's blog called "Shipping Container House in Panama" and then look as some examples they've posted to see what can be done with containers.

Something else I believe Panama will adopt at some point in the future will be floating homes much like they have in Granville Island, Vancouver or all over the USA. There are so many potential areas where the beach is not so great but the water way is perfect for this kind of development.

Football (Soccer) is everywhere in Panama - everyone has an opinion on who is going to take the world cup - all the bars have 2 for one national beers during the games. I am sure there are soccer fans in Canada but I've never seen anything quite like this. Not even the grey cup, or the stanley cup can compare. It's like a national fever - but a good one.

On a totally different note - baking bread. Since moving to Panama I have been challenged like I've never been challenged before in making good looking bread. It tastes fine but its anemic. I just finished another batch and its getting a bit better with a bit more color. I really have to find a way to make an outside wood fired oven - this baking bread in 30+ degrees is not great :}I also posted a new article on strawberries I hope you enjoy.

Donna & I live in Costa del Este, supposed to be one of the more sought after areas of Panama City for its layout, planning and amenities but one thing I am so surprised they've never been able to control - the trash that floats down the river and ends up on the coast line right in front of million dollar condos.

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Donna arrived home this week so life gets back to normal for another few weeks before she heads out again.

We went for a drive out to the causeway to take Cricket for a walk and to see what was new. It's interesting how some of the areas have cleaned up along the walkway - if the ice cream shop could just take a few minutes and pick up the trash their clients toss away across from their store maybe people would learn not to throw their garbage on the ground. When we first walked along the causeway 3 plus years ago there were park benches everywhere now there are 3 lone benches. I hope they chose to replace them as people used to use them. I thought you might like to see the new "twist" building - Revolution being built on Calle 50 and the state of the new Trump Tower in Punta Pacifica

When is the rainy season not the rainy season - when you go several days with perfectly sunny, hot weather. It's so different than back in Canada on the west coast in winter. The clouds arrive in the late fall and it stays gloomy and either pours or drizzles virtually every day. It never seems to let up. Add to that it's cold and it makes for a difficult time to really enjoy. Sure people endure it but it is not enjoyment. Here, the rain arrives sometime during the day with a vengeance but it is warm and the rain rarely lasts for more than an hour. So walk in the rain, go shopping, people still enjoy the pool, all because it is still so warm. The one thing that does take some getting used to during the rainy season is the humidity and how much less wind there is to cool things off. We are constantly using our dehumidifier to keep the mold off clothes. Small price to pay for the warmth in my opinion.

Football fever is all over Panama - not being a sports fan I really don't "get it" but you are either a football fan or a baseball fan - period :} The world cup in South Africa is on everyone's mind and you can see it in the vehicles.

It seems like every car tells a story with its country flags. One one car you will see a German flag and an Argentinean flag - what an interesting couple that must be :} Too bad Panama wasn't in the game :}

It's also whale watching time on the Pacific side of Panama near the Pearl Islands - one group that offers 3-5 day tours of this event is www.WhaleWatchingPanama.com run by Anne Gordon. The sailing school in Panama City also offers some trips and tours to see whales.

Over the past few years I've mentioned the land titling issues here in Panama - from what I hear it sounds like that phase of Panama's past will be over soon. With proper land title certificates on every property in Panama I am certain that in 10 years they will wonder why then never did it sooner.

I had the pleasure of emailing with a fellow Canadian looking to retire in Panama in a few years. My typical advice, if you haven't spent anytime in Panama then the best thing to do is start somewhere, rent and get to know the country and the culture. Do not buy before you try.

I also met with a fellow Canadian who has been working on setting up a new service in Panama and I am sure after our chat we'll see a lot of each other over the coming months and years. I wish him well with his new endeavor. He promised that when he got his new business running one of the charitable groups his company would support would be the Arraijan shelter. We need more companies to step up and help with something every month.

One last bit while I am on a business note. This week was another learning experience regarding the labor laws in Panama and how in some respects they are so focused on employees rights and protection it almost feels oppressive to a company. It also another reminder why it is so important to make sure you have a good accountant and a good lawyer - in that order.

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Cricket and I walked along the causeway this morning. Donna is away so we went by ourselves. I am really pleased to see so many people out on a Sunday morning. When we first arrived almost 4 years ago there almost no one early on a Sunday am. What I do miss is there used to be dozens of park benches all along the walkway, now there are just a handful. I hope it is something they decide to replace them, maybe with something like ones made from recycled plastic - there are lots of plastic bottles and bags lying around.

I was also wondering why with all the shoreline around the causeway and so little land to build on that someone hasn't decided to create a village of floating homes like they have all over the USA and Canada. They are such a tourist attraction and they provide an interesting area like the Granville Island in Vancouver. Maybe someday :}

On our way back into the city we drove through Casco Viejo. This is area I could live in. It's so funky and unique. I know it will take another 10 years to become something as vibrant as old San Juan Puerto Rico or old town in Cartagena Columbia but every time I drive through I see signs of improvement and vitality. Yes there is still a lot of poverty and run down buildings but the change in the 4 years since we came to Panama is amazing.

I had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Canadian this week from our home province of Alberta. He and a some friends have been working on starting a new service in Panama for the past 2 years and he is 2/3 the way through the process. He has more patience than me.

This week as well brought some great news. It appears that Catastro is now taking applications to title derecho posesorio land (ROP). What a huge step forward. I've not heard anyone who has actually received a title. If you know anyone, I would love to hear the results. To read the information on line:

Web page: www.mef.gob.pa/ Follow through these items : 1° “Quienes Somos”, 2° “Direcciones”, 3° “Direccion de Catastro”, 4° “Si”, 5° Titulacion de Islas y Costas, 6° Requisito y Aviso

If you participate in the Yahoo goupi - Panama Laws for Expats, you will find a series of files Susan Guberman Garcia posted to explain this titling process.

I also had another pleasant email this week from a lady in California wanting to adopt one of the dogs from the shelter. She found it online at the www.theyneedyourlove.org - I put her in touch with Mari - I hope when she arrives in Panama some lucky puppy will find a great home - please keep spreading the word - there are so many needy pets.

Cricket and I also had the chance to visit with the two dogs we "adopted" and are now living with a family that do caretaking work here in Costa del Este - man do they look like a million bucks - i was so pleased.

May 2010

The rainy season is definitely upon us - I got caught in it during one of my walks the other day. When I left the condo it was just a "sprinkle" - by the time I made it half way around it was pouring, to put it mildly. :}

During our walk yesterday, Cricket & I witnessed another crane being removed from another condo that is nearing completion. In our little area of Panama called Costa del Este, there are over 30 apartment towers in various stages of completion. When Donna & I arrived almost 4 yrs ago there were 3 complete and another 4 under under construction - you can see the progression of the condominium construction from our apartment balcony in our Pictures area under Changes in Costa del Este. It really is remarkable to see the changes.

I reported an article in La Prensa a couple of weeks ago indicating they believed there were some 5-8000 excess luxury condominiums in Panama City - from our area alone its not too difficult to believe.

As you may recall Donna & I have taken the Royal Caribbean cruise from Colon on 2 occasions and have booked for a third. I was really pleased to read recently that the Pullmantur Lines will be using Colon as home port for one of their ships, Ocean Dream. So far their web site does not have it listed.

There are reports of numerous tax law changes in Panama but I have not sat down with our lawyer and accountant yet to see how they might impact most expats but as soon as I have I will report back. These taxes affect land, buildings, earnings, and goods and services - the later sales tax has been raised from 5% to 7%.

Doesn't seem like a lot, but 2% to the average Panamanian worker on all their purchases will make a dent in their disposable income.

They're painting our building these days. What I can't figure out is why they would have waited for the rainy season to start. Oh well, one of those things I guess I am not meant to grasp:} We also had a really bizarre incident this week. We were informed by the building administration that the garden hose Donna bought to help the building maintenance people water the plants that the building had bought its own as it was against the "rules" for tenants to buy items for the building - incomprehensible, at least to me.

I added lots of new photos - and a new section called "I'm Fonda Food" a play on the name of local on the street food locations called "fondas". Donna & I are visiting a local fonda sampling the food and commenting on it so you can get to know some of the local food fare. There are almost 4000 pictures to browse through. We've broken them down into sections like Around Panama City, or the Pacific and Caribbean. Within each there are a number of specific pages. We've even included pictures that friends have given us to share with you and its always fun to see other peoples perspectives on Panama. Enjoy.

Why not share your "why I moved to ... " story so others can be inspired - write us at tomd@whypanama.net.

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Census day in Panama. Every ten years like most countries, Panama takes a census of all of its residents. What's different is that in Panama they choose to do it all in one day - today. All over the country people are hired to take the census. The residents (us) are forced by law to remain indoors until the census takers have completed the form. They then give us a "pass" to allow us to leave our condo and not be arrested. :} Only in Panama. Our census taker, a very pleasant young man, arrived at our door at about 3 pm and as we had downloaded and completed the entire form the process took about 10 minutes. How great. :}

Yesterday Donna & I took a sailboat from the Amador causeway to get an up close view of the tall ships that are going through the canal on their way to Cartagena, Columbia - http://www.velasudamerica2010.com/index.php - while we only got to see 4 of the 12 ships but it was really cool non-the-less. The sailboat we went on was owned and operated by a husband and wife team of Patricia and Joel - what is amazing is he had a baby grand installed in his 44 ft sailboat - no small feat as it meant cutting the boat to allow its insertion.

We also drove out to the causeway Wednesday night to see the Clipper ships that were in Panama on their epic journey around the world. Ten teams battle in this race around the world on 68 foot racing yachts - crewed in part by amateurs who paid to participate. We wanted to see the boat from Cape Breton Nova Scotia which we did - how cool. We were also fortunate to talk to one of the volunteer crew. The lady was Britain and had paid something like 32,000 pounds for her 12 month voyage. After reading the website makes I understand a bit more of her comment that there were "good times and bad times". http://www.clipperroundtheworld.com/index.php/home

It's definitely the "green season" (read rainy season) as everything is green and the humidity is certainly up there - and after a few years we're at least prepared for it and now it doesn't drain us near as much as it did the first year. This change from brown to green is much more evident on the Pacific side of Panama versus the Caribbean side.

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Mothers Day in North America but not in Panama - both Donna & I no longer have our mothers alive to call and celebrate Mothers Day with but we both remember them and in those memories they both live on with us.

It's good to be back to baking buns again. I've been working on getting a sour dough starter and we'll see how they turn out in buns today.

One of our friends in Canada emailed to say they had great news about a medical result - and we we were thrilled to be happy with them.

I told you last week about a stray Shar Pei roaming around in Costa del Este. We went back a couple of times to see if it would take food but it was so timid it just moved away whenever we got close. So we pleaded in the hopes of finding its owner of a home. Within 3 days I was not able to find him and for the next several days without seeing him wondered if indeed he did find a home. On Friday night I stopped at the Super 99 and when entering the store saw a note on the door. The note was from a person who found the same Shar Pei but unfortunately too late to help, it had already passed away and the note was in hopes of finding the owner.

I admit it still makes me sad and angry. How can someone lose such a nice looking dog without finding it especially in an area like Costa del Este that is almost a closed environment. And if he was purposely abandoned then I am afraid I have no nice thoughts about a person that would do that to a dog.

The only comfort is that poor dog will no longer suffer hunger or lack of companionship.

Which brings me again to remind you about "They Need Your Love" - the web site we built to help raise money for a shelter here in Panama that almost 200 dogs call home at any one time.

Donna & I are going to take either Wednesday or Thursday off to go the Amador Causeway to see the 11 tall ships as they arrive to traverse through the Canal.

The ships will not dock in Panama and Panama is not an official port of call for the voyage but there will be impressive vistas of the ships docked out at sea and as they enter the Panama Canal. For more information about the regatta’s Canal passage please contact commodore@panamayachtclub.com , 6616-2408. For more information about the ships and this epic voyage please visit http://www.velasudamerica2010.com/index.php .

Donna also put up an article she did on our Cruise in 2009 and I've uploaded pictures of both cruises we took - 2009 and 2010. We're booked to go again in 2011. Do you get the idea we like the cruise :} We do.

An article in a local paper (click to read complete article) this last week quoted Wilson Ruiz, Vice President Panamanian Association of Real Estate Brokers, as saying there is an oversupply of between 5,000 and 8,000 luxury condos in Panama. In our area of Costa del Este alone there are 16 towers ranging in size from 20 to 70 stories. All of these are residential, high-end condos. Since we moved here in 2006 we seen our little area grow from 3 apartment towers to almost 30 - a 10 fold growth in less than 4 years. A growth rate that is hard to understand and sustain.

There is another event that is echoing this madness. Four years ago it was almost impossible to find available office space. Today it seems there is a tower springing up on every corner. It will be interesting to see what happens in this market over the coming 3 - 4 years.

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May Day - Labour Day - May 1st in Panama - a day off for almost everyone. Quiet n Costa del Este -

You may recall Donna & I asking about finding a home for two dogs that were losing their home as the security shack that they lived in was being demolished – we found them a great home here in Costa del Este and we just returned from visiting them – it was great to see them in their new home enjoying the run of a huge area.

Now we need your help again -- during our walk this morning we saw a black shar pei dog (not sure if he is pure bred or mixed) walking very slowly along one of the side roads near a construction site – we know almost all the strays in this area as we feed them when we see them – and we’ve not seen him before – he is very shy, very thin and does not appear to be very old (I am not a great judge of dog age but he has no graying of the muzzle) – his coat is matted with mud so he’s not been sleeping in any dry places – he would not take our food when we offered it as he was too shy and moved away

If you know anyone who lost a Shar pei or is wanting one – call us and we can give you some idea where we’ve run into him.

We've started into our "green season" and what a difference. In just a couple of weeks we've gone from mostly brown to green everywhere.

The Tall Ships are Coming to Panama - May 13th & 14th they we will be arriving on the Pacific side of Panama canal and will traverse the canal on their way to Cartagena Columbia. We missed this the last time they came through and we're not going to miss it again.

May 16th the Census is coming to Panama - every person in Panama will be enumerated in one day. The information to be gathered is really interesting. To make the time go by more smoothly we've downloaded and printed out the form. You can too from here http://www.censos2010.gob.pa/cuestionario.pdf

During one of our sojourns downtown this week we stopped and had a quick lunch at the Marbella La Emaculada - pleasant and prompt service, hot, tasty food - and cheap - great combination - we both had a bacon cheese burger with a chocolate shake - yum.

We received an email from a lady visiting Panama City and staying somewhere along the Cinta Costera - she'd been feeding a pup she befriended that was homeless but was worried about its well being when she left Panama. Peter & a friend went to find it without success. She wrote back to say she noticed the pup and its dish was gone so she hoped someone took it in.

On a sour note, a couple of years ago we noticed an event in Panama called Casa Cor that was going to take an old run down building and renovate it using local designers, open it to the public for a period of time and then turn it over to Panama. Cool idea we thought. We missed it and we missed the one they did last year in Casco Viejo by days, so this year we decided to make sure we got to it. We arranged the time and made our way to the building. We bought our tickets - $25 and proceeded in only to be stopped whey they saw Donna's camera - "you can't take pictures" we were told - apparently the organizers and designers had a magazine coming out next week. First, an article said "bring your camera", second, there were no signs on the premises to say no photos. Third, we witnessed, and so did the security guard several very well dressed women wandering about snapping pictures with their phone and not being told to cease. Very poor organization in my opinion. Poorly managed and we will not be returning or supporting and any of the companies we notices participating we won't be supporting either.

April 2010

I continue to be amazed at the banking environment in Panama. We've had an account with one of the banks for over 3 years and we decided to open a new account at another bank just for our own piece of mind. You would think this would be a simple matter especially with over 3 years of banking history. Well no, not quite that simple. Donna & I both needed a reference letter from our current bank addressed specifically to the new bank. We also needed 3 personal references each. Along with 2 pieces of picture id, the new bank would consider our request for an account and let us know in 5 business days if we qualify. If you are considering Panama for a new home, consider opening several accounts with several banks as soon as you arrive as you will have all the necessary paperwork. Over the coming years you will be able to assess which bank you want to chose as your long term.

There are a number of lessons like this that you would think we'd have learned by now but it seems we continue to stumble upon items like this that are so different than Canada. Most of these types of things are simply a matter of us understanding how things are done here. It isn't a matter of right or wrong, it's just a matter of them being different.

On the other hand there are other things that we don't agree we should adjust to like the quality of service or the attitudes toward trash and animals.

No matter how many years we live hear and no matter how many times we hear - "that's just the way it is done in Panama" we'll never adjust.

It seems in a few of the locations along the upper coast "costa arriba", that the beaches will get titled. Some people are are preparing by having their own independent surveys conducted. I still have not heard officially that the regulations for law 80 have been passed or enacted.

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In the almost 4 years since Donna & I chose to move to Panama City we've seen a number of changes. One change - hundreds of towers have been built - we were chuckling about this when we drove to the causeway along the Corridor Sur. We had looked at a condo in Punta Pacifica when we were doing some condo hunting originally. We had asked the salesperson - 'will there be a number of towers in front of this condo' - his response was something like "maybe a few" - well today there is almost a solid wall of buildings today :} we were very happy with our choice to buy in Costa del Este. Then we talked this morning about trash - no question litter has dropped in some areas, especially again in Costa del Este and places like the new Cinta Coastera but some areas like the causeway are just a mess. We took a number of pictures this morning. Check them out for yourself. Remember this is one of the first places tourists see especially when they arrive on cruise ships. Why the merchants don't take it upon themselves to self regulate this litter/trash is beyond me. One store, the Gelarti Shop on the second island. Their cups and cone holders were littered all over the walk way across the street. Imagine what tourists think when they stroll along and see this type of litter. Check out some pictures here. There was an letter to the editor in the Visitor last week that commented on how poor the port in Colon was as a first impression to cruise ship port. We heartily agree.

On our way back into the city Donna stopped to take a shot of the new Gehry Museum of Biodiversity designed by Frank Gehry, that is under construction. It is coming along but as you can see there is a lot left to be done. It will pretty amazing when it opens. The new museum is to be called the Bridge of Life Museum.

Donna & I spent some time planting new hibiscus plants in our social area yesterday - we really need to get some color and plants growing as the social area right now just looks like a kindergarten back yard :}

Further along the causeway is the new Zona Viva night club area. We've not visited during the night, but I think it's a great idea to put all the night clubs in one place as it makes it easier for cabs and police :}. Right now the main area for night clubs are downtown near or on Calle Uraguay. This makes for some very noisy neighbours and for lots of congestion as these are very narrow streets. The Zona Viva is a huge area out on the causeway that could easily handle hundreds of vehicles.

Donna also spotted a hawk, we don't know the variety but it was pretty cool. Within 2 minutes two small birds chased it out of their area.

Donna was reading a Maeve Binchy book once when she ran across a quote she has taken to herself and helped me embrace it

Eventually is Today

If you have something that you keep putting off or you keep saying "we'll do that eventually" - do it now

Why not share your "why I moved to ... " story so others can be inspired - write us at tomd@whypanama.net.

March 2010

Donna & I need your help - here is an open letter from Donna - Can you or someone you know help.

We knew it had to happen. You see for over two years now we have been taking care of two of the most wonderful dogs that have been living with the workers in a construction hut while condos have been built around us. We have taken care of them since then, making sure they have food, vet care, that they were both fixed and had their distemper shots.

Pastor is a wonderful male, pale in colour and colourful in personality. He bounds up to us when we come to visit him. Gentle in spirit.

Pastorcita is a precious female, half the size of Pastor and very loving.

They are happy dogs and healthy dogs and now dogs that are losing their home because they are tearing down the construction hut.

We would love to find them a home together where they can be loved and taken care of and be together as they have always been.

If you can help us, it sure would be appreciated.

Do you know anyone that could provide a home for these two - email or phone us please

We spent last weekend on the Caribbean at the house of a friend. The house is located on an isolated cove with an incredible beach. Needless to say we had an amazing time. We had nothing pressing to do but walk on the beach, eat and nap.

People ask why we moved to Panama - this is one of the pleasures. To be able to get up Thursday morning, pack the truck and drive for less than 2 hours and unpack at the beach. Coming from Alberta Canada this was only ever a dream. Now it's a reality.

I had the pleasure of finishing the latest book by Frances Mayes, the author of Under the Tuscan Sun. Her latest book is Every Day in Tuscany. I am sure books like this and "A Year in Provence" by Peter Mayle (he also wrote "A Good Year" that was later turned into a movie with Russell Crowe), and The Summer of My Greek Taverna, by Tom Stone all had a hand in shaping Donna & I into the mind set that allowed us to make the decision to move to Panama almost 4 years ago.

Donna was reading a Maeve Binchy book once when she ran across a quote she has taken to herself and helped me embrace it

Eventually is Today

If you have something that you keep putting off or you keep saying "we'll do that eventually" - do it now

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Panama is changing. Lots of these changes are to the better in my opinion. Even in our area Costa del Este it is obvious that there is more attention to litter than there was as little as 3 years ago when we arrived. There are cleaning crews and even a street sweeper that motors its way around the community at least once a week.

The construction boom is slowing as well. Fewer new starts on residential buildings but several new starts on commercial buildings. All of the 20+ buildings that started since our arrival are all coming to their conclusion with only 2 exceptions. These two built the first few floors and have stopped for over a year.

I am sure there were many anxious buyers of pre-construction units. When they put their money down 3 or 4 years ago I am sure they were both excited and concerned. I am sure they knew they were getting a great deal compared to where they came from in North America or Europe. Over the last 2-3 years I am sure they wondered about the wisdom of this purchase when they saw the real estate market in North America go through melt down. If they were coming to live in Panama and if they got their money out of their home before the melt down I know they are still thrilled. If not- I wonder.

Are you one of these people that bought a pre-construction unit in Panama 2-5 years ago. Are you willing to share your experience with others. I would love to start a section on the site just for this - My Story - share you story.

Donna and I spent some time going through all of the pictures we took in 2009 and created a slide show - we hope you enjoy it. http://www.whypanama.net/2009review/index.html

Our only challenge since coming to Panama, besides my inability to master spoken Spanish (that will come - just lots of work) - is to find a place on the beach.

Anyone who's read my notes on this site over the past couple of years know our angst.

The current government passed law 80 last year after killing law 23 of the previous government but to date they have not passed the regulations on the implementation. As recent as a couple of weeks ago we had another report of some land being stolen by a well connected person. This is one of the main reasons why Panama needs to title ALL of its land - not just some for the privileged few. No one is going to seriously consider Panama outside Panama City without titling.

Do you own land held as Right of Possession? Derecho posesorio? Are you concerned? Have you had any problems with this type of ownership? Send us your story and we will include in the new area - My Story.

Don't forget to join me on Twitter. I enjoy meeting so many interesting people in Panama and around the world. If you are on Twitter let me know - I can be found as "PanamaTweet". Donna's Twitter handle is "ICanGarden" - follow us.

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I am always amazed when I read emails from people looking at Panama as possible home. My first inclination is to provide them with information but temper it with something like "you really need to come to Panama to check it out, live with it for a while, get to know some people here" before you make a decision. Then I remember how Donna and I moved to Panama. After vacationing in Mexico for almost 25 years and after deciding on two locations in Mexico to buy and build, we visited Panama City and within 4 days made up our mind this was the place.

Within 4 months I was here purchasing a condominium, finding office space and hiring employees. All this without ever going outside Panama City. All this without meeting anyone other than real estate agents.

So it can be done. Do we regret it - no way, but we are so lucky - so blessed - our neighbours across the hall turned out to be exactly who you would want for neighbours. The building, despites its few challenges is still the best buy in Costa del Este.

So follow our advice not our example. :}

Our only challenge since coming to Panama, besides my inability to master spoken Spanish (that will come - just lots of work) - is to find a place on the beach.

Anyone who's read my notes on this site over the past couple of years know our angst.

Not only is finding a suitable location a challenge as we want something that we can build on, something that is located within a reasonable driving distance from our condo on the Caribbean side but that has a good likelihood of being titled when the current government gets around to fulfilling their campaign promises. Lucky for us we have a friend who has a Caribbean beach house that lets us use it once in a while.

February 2010

Thanks to everyone who read and responded to the plea for a home for the 4 sistesDonna & I took the Royal Caribbean cruise out of Colon again this year with our friends Wayne & Elaine. The second time was equally as good as the first, so much so we have booked 2011 already. Lots of pictures to follow.

We're half way through the dry season and its brown. I still find it so odd that we live in a tropical country yet every year for 3 months everything is brown.

Carnival is over for another year. We love Carnival - everyone in Costa del Este leaves the city and is so peaceful on our streets. I know lots of people who live downtown that just hate it as the traffic is horrible and the noise never quits.

Bill Cortright of BioFit is coming to Panama City Feb 24th for a book signing, no word yet on where but likely his club.

One more tidbit of information if you are considering Panama - make sure you set up multiple bank accounts when you arrive and if you can - keep your USA or other bank account. You may not ever have a second chance.

I've added several articles from Pet truama to the annual crab run on the Caribbean.

Donna and I spent some time going through all of the pictures we took in 2009 and created a slide show - we hope you enjoy it. http://www.whypanama.net/2009review/index.html

There continues to be lots of news and promises of change coming from the new government of R. Martinelli but from my perspective i have not see concrete results yet. Maybe I am expecting too much for a new government. They did after all get the cabbies to paint their cabs yellow. Sure makes finding a cab a lot eaiser.

An interesting article in La Estrella by Marlene Testa titled Cangrejos del Caribe - Donna & I have seen this migration first hand - like a horror movie - it was pretty spooky to see an entire yard moving as the crabs came out of their holes.

Just read a note that the German government is on the hunt for tax evaders using stolen Swiss bank data. Some countries are sure heating up their efforts to find tax cheats.

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i will be updating the site this weekend as it's been over 2 weeks. Amazing how time flies, especially when you're away for more than a week.

I wanted to call your attention to an urgent need - here is an email Donna got today.

Dear Donna:

I am looking for good hearted people willing to incorporate any of these 4 sisters into their families.

They are de- wormed, vaccinated and sterilized. They are three months old and would not grow taller than the knee height. Short hair, mixed breed.

If you can please help me find these people, I would appreciate it very much.

Please let me know.

Their names are from left to right:

Luciana (Lucy)
Navidad (Navi, como en la película AVATAR)
María Guadalupe (Lupita); y
Gloria.

Regards,
Mary

I am hoping to hear from some people that have untitled land on the coast or island to see if they know anything more about the implementation of the new law 80. So far I haven't heard anything but as soon as I do I will

The new land titling law was passed by the Panamanian legislature last week - the new law 80 will allow all lands owned under derecho posesorio (right of possession - ROP) - lots of changes were introduced and hard fought by the opposition groups and in the end any land up to 5 hectares will be titled without fees, whereas any land holdings above 5 hectares will be subject to a fee based on where the land is located. Some of these titled lands are going to be very expensive. The government just released the final piece, the regulations or implementation guidelines and I have not had an opportunity to review them yet. As everyone knows, the devil is in the details.

January 2010

If you live in Panama City = are you seeing yellow :} everywhere --

For more than 3.5 years we've heard that the government had regulated that all cabs would be painted yellow - but we never saw them getting painted - then all of a sudden there is a deadline of December 31, 2009 and lo and behold - all the cabs are yellow. Nice to see some regulations being followed.

The Martinelli government released the plans and route for the proposed rapid transit train. It seems by the route that it is designed to move the largest groups of people who generally use the diablo rojos or the cabs it is unlikely it will reduce the car traffic but it should cut down on the buses and that's a good thing. It should also make the lives of these people easier as the trains will have schedules and they will not be packed in like sardines.

In our 3 years here in Panama we have seen many changes but one of the most encouraging is the shift toward being aware that trash and litter is unsightly and causes health issues. We are seeing signs on highways admonishing not to toss trash and in our area, trash cans being placed along roadways.

One more thing I hope evolves and changes is the attitude toward dogs and cats - it makes my heart cry when I see the strays and the unwanted.

Donna and I spent some time going through all of the pictures we took in 2009 and created a slide show - we hope you enjoy it. http://www.whypanama.net/2009review/index.html

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2009 was a great year - the end of a decade and with 2010 we are looking forward to even better things.

It seems Panama is settling in to a year of solidifying versus the previous 3 years of hectic growth. Here in Costa del Esté we can see that all but 2 projects will see their occupancy being completed by the end of this year. That means we will have watched over 30 towers be built in the scant 3 years we've lived here.

New Years eve was insane as usual - the entire city blasts off fireworks starting early - anytime after the sun goes down and reaches a crescendo at midnight - and was still going when we went to bed - and not amazingly we awoke to fireworks still going in the morning.

We finished our 2009 review in pictures - we hope you enjoy them - http://www.whypanama.net/2009review/index.html

We had a great day with Paul & Maryann visiting from St. Albert. They spent 2 weeks at the Decameron resort. Last we picked them up and we toured around the city seeing Panama Viejo, Casco Viejo and the causeway before taking them back to the resort.

Tuesday we pick up our old friends Wayne & Elaine. They are going with Donna to Ecuador next Friday, but they will be back on the 17th and will spend almost a month with us. We always have lots of fun with them.

Read the comments from the other years

More News - 2010
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