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.
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.
January 2012
It's fun when friends visit.
In the past 5 years we've had a
number of our friends come to
check out Panama and to see what
caused us to move. Even though
we created this site "Why
Panama" for exactly that reason,
they still like to see if to for
themselves.
We understand Panama is not
for everyone. Not everyone
enjoys the heat or humidity 365
days a year. Not everyone likes
the lack of seasons. Not
everyone enjoys being outside
their element and in a new and
different culture. Not everyone
is ok with being the minority
and not understanding the bulk
of what is going on around them.
When friends visit, lots enjoy
their stay but look forward to
getting back to the comfort of
"home".
Donna and I talk about this a
lot. In our 5 years there have
been times when it has been
frustrating and annoying. There
have been times when inwardly
you ask "am I still happy with
our decision to move here" and
the fact we are still here after
5 years means we always end up
answering "yes". When the heat
gets too much we turn on the
a/c. For the most part we enjoy
the breezes but when they drop
off we do have to resort to a/c,
especially for Donna as she is
working in the home office.
It seems from reading a
number of the ex-pat sites that
a lot of ex-pats that make the
move to Panama end up moving
again within a couple of years.
The ones that make it beyond the
2 years seem to last for a very
long time.
If you are one of those
people reading everything you
can on Panama and follow some of
the information we post on this
site and if you have questions
we'd be happy to try and answer
them. We sure don't have all the
answers but we are happy to give
you what we can.
There are lots of web sites
you should consider reading - I
mentioned one last week -
www.eyeonpanama.com, this
one from a young perspective,
newsy you can check out
www.panama-guide.com or to
give you a totally opposite
point of view
http://www.thepanamanews.com
- you should also check out all
the "groups" on Yahoo - there is
a wealth of information and
interesting people that post. Be
warned, not everything you read
is true or should be considered
accurate - there is a ton of
really bizzare bits of
information floating around.
I started by saying Panama is
not for everyone, I mean it -
but if you enjoy something a bit
different and are willing to
step out of your comfort zone it
is a great place to live.
Panama
Tourism released a series of new
videos you need to check out -
they are really well done and do
Panama's spectacular scenery
justice - here is one - check
out the other links too
I told you about our loss - our
little adopted pup Pastorcita
died a few weeks ago from
injuries sustained after being
attacked. Pastor has been so
lonely - we asked Mari to help
find a new friend for Pastor
from the shelter - I am so
pleased to report Pastors new
friend will arrive after the new
years fireworks are over.
It's the
time of the year for giving -
please remember the shelter -
Mari feeds hundreds of dogs and
cats every month - it costs hers
thousands of dollars in food and
medicine - I am proud to say
that our friends and faithful
donators on
www.TheyNeedYourLove.org
have given Mari and the shelter
over 1000 last year - I know we
can do more - will you help? I
would love to report back next
year that we were able to double
the donations.
Are you
interested in a hotel in Bocas -
one of our friends, Sally has a
hotel she had built right
downtown Bocas - she needs to go
back to the USA for many reasons
- if you are interested check
out
http://www.viviun.com/AD-163394/
--------------------------
Happy New Year - I hope 2012
turns out to be a spectacular
year for everyone. In spite of
some mishaps in 2011 it was a
great year all around. Donna's
business has done really well
and is looking at an
unprecedented 2012. TPS had yet
another banner year. We really
are blessed.
I don't know how you chose to
celebrate New Years - we had our
neighbours Sandra & Jose Luis,
Alan & Geri and their friends
from Canada - Jacob and Kathy -
we had a meat and cheese fondue
- yummmm - did that bring back
memories - that used to be a
tradition every New Years eve
but since we've moved here we've
had something else.
Speaking of food - and yes, I
know I do a lot of that :} we
used another coupon from
OfertaSimple - we went to LT
Signature Restaurant in the
ManRey Hotel - take from me - do
yourself a favour and go there -
the food is some of the best
we've had here and the prices
are great. The food is served so
thoughtfully - like our welcome
bread - it was a pop-over - a
giant pop-over - and what a
unique way to enjoy some bread
to start. My 4 cheese pizza was
better than my homemade - and
you have to know that is hard to
say.
And speaking of making things,
our oven has been going crazy -
I am so happy we decided to
splurge and get this new oven -
what a treat to enjoy freshed
baked bread ( and this case -
cinnamon buns with pecans and
garlic cheese loaves ).
I would have thought with the
return of the ex-president
Manuel Noriega we'd have heard
more of an uproar, and
truthfully I was a bit concerned
but there has been absolutely
nothing I have been aware of -
thankfully.
The dry season has officially
arrived. Little or no rain, more
wind, more sun - loving it :}
I read a fun article this last
week by Evan at
www.eyeonpanama.com - it was
called "let's be honest about
our Spanish fluency" - check it
out. It you don't read his
articles you should. It can give
you a totally different
perspective on living in Panama
from a North American's point of
view and what's refreshing is he
is young :} not another old fart
ex-pat :} There are lots of
great sites for information on
Panama - this is just my opinion
:}
Panama
Tourism released a series of new
videos you need to check out -
they are really well done and do
Panama's spectacular scenery
justice - here is one - check
out the other links too
I told you about our loss - our
little adopted pup Pastorcita
died a few weeks ago from
injuries sustained after being
attacked. Pastor has been so
lonely - we asked Mari to help
find a new friend for Pastor
from the shelter - I am so
pleased to report Pastors new
friend will arrive after the new
years fireworks are over.
It's the
time of the year for giving -
please remember the shelter -
Mari feeds hundreds of dogs and
cats every month - it costs hers
thousands of dollars in food and
medicine - I am proud to say
that our friends and faithful
donators on
www.TheyNeedYourLove.org
have given Mari and the shelter
over 1000 last year - I know we
can do more - will you help? I
would love to report back next
year that we were able to double
the donations.
Are you
interested in a hotel in Bocas -
one of our friends, Sally has a
hotel she had built right
downtown Bocas - she needs to go
back to the USA for many reasons
- if you are interested check
out
http://www.viviun.com/AD-163394/
