Panama Update #126
January 31, 2009
It is a little hard to believe tomorrow (Sunday) is February 1. That means we have about 4 months left in Panama. We don't know yet what we will be doing or where we will be living in August, but I plan to be in Minneapolis for June and July. We sold our car before we left, but I plan to rent one in Minneapolis for the trips to the cabin and other errands.
Nikki arrived back from the US and her trip to Baton Rouge this afternoon. She said it was a good trip and really enjoyed the city, the university, and the people she met there. Tonight (Saturday) we went for a walk and hopefully she will get a chance to catch up on her sleep a bit.
Laurie and her friend Pat left for David, in the cooler mountains, yesterday morning. They plan to be there for 3 nights. They return Monday night to the airport near our house. I plan to meet them at the airport to help them get back to our apartment, since they haven't learned yet how to get here.
We thought the small (2 inches), baby gecko we found wandering around our apartment a few weeks ago had disappeared. But yesterday and today we started seeing it in the kitchen area. It is about twice as big now, much quicker, and can climb the walls much better. We were glad to see it again since to us it is like having a pet. One finally showed up in our dorm room before we moved out of there 3 months ago, and now we have this one in our apartment.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Panama Update #125
Last night (Wednesday) the internet went down at our apartment, and is still out, so I am writing from the library. I talked to Nikki briefly in Baton Rouge last night and she said it was very nice and that I would like it. She went to a Thai restaurant last night. I plan to call her again tonight to see how her talk went. Today (Thursday) I took Laurie on a bike ride on the Causeway. We left about 8:30 AM and got back by 11:00 AM. It is hot and dry this time of the year, with the temperture close to 90 and the humidity a relatively low 65-70. We stopped for a refreshing bottle of coconut water at the halfway point and checked out a nice restaurant on with an ocean view that we may go to later next week. On the way back from the Causeway we stopped at the large artesan mall and Laurie bought a hat. She will probably go back there before she leaves to get some more presents. After that we went to the fruit and vegetable market. It was her first time there and she wanted to get some things to make a stir fry tonight. She got some Bokchoy, onions, garlic, papaya, and pineapple. Her friend Pat arrives in the next couple of hours and tomorrow they leave for the mountains in David.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Panama Update #124
Panama Update #124
January 28, 2009
Laurie, my sister, arrived last night (see picture on previous entry). She flew from Chicago to Miami then to Panama City. Nikki left early this morning to give a talk in Baton Rouge, LA so there is a lot of coming and going around here. NIkki sent me a quick email when she arrived to say that the place looks really nice and that someone from the Geology department is taking her out to dinner. I plan to call her later on Skype. Tomorrow night (Thursday), Laurie's friend Pat arrives and the the next day they take off for three nights to the mountains near David (Boquete) which is supposed to be very nice.
Today I showed Laurie to the top of Ancon Hill for a view of the city and the canal. It took about 2 hours round trip. Later in the morning we took a taxi to Casco Viejo and back. After lunch and a nap back home we went out to Albrook Mall to see the movie Bolt. It was dubbed, but I liked that for the Spanish practice. Because it was a cartoon, Laurie could easily understand it even though she does not speak Spanish.
January 28, 2009
Laurie, my sister, arrived last night (see picture on previous entry). She flew from Chicago to Miami then to Panama City. Nikki left early this morning to give a talk in Baton Rouge, LA so there is a lot of coming and going around here. NIkki sent me a quick email when she arrived to say that the place looks really nice and that someone from the Geology department is taking her out to dinner. I plan to call her later on Skype. Tomorrow night (Thursday), Laurie's friend Pat arrives and the the next day they take off for three nights to the mountains near David (Boquete) which is supposed to be very nice.
Today I showed Laurie to the top of Ancon Hill for a view of the city and the canal. It took about 2 hours round trip. Later in the morning we took a taxi to Casco Viejo and back. After lunch and a nap back home we went out to Albrook Mall to see the movie Bolt. It was dubbed, but I liked that for the Spanish practice. Because it was a cartoon, Laurie could easily understand it even though she does not speak Spanish.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Panama Update #123
Panama Update #123
January 27, 2009
The last 2 days we have been catching up a bit after the departure of our guests. It was a big morale boost to have the visitors. They reminded us of how special the experience of living in a new place can be and to enjoy each day. They also reminded us of how cold it is in Minneapolis. It feels so hot here all the time that it is easy to forget there are places in the world where it is freezing cold.. The shopping for fruits and vegetables in the market that is close to us is an on-going process every couple of days. We have a small refrigerator so we can't stock up too much on the perishables. Eric left us a large bag (25lbs.) of tangerines that he bought at the market for $4 and we can't eat it fast enough to keep some from spoiling. Watermelon seems to be in season and is very sweet and juicy. I paid $2.50 for a large one and it was very good. Nikki didn't really get a chance to catch her breath since she has been preparing to go to the US again. She is scheduled to give a talk in Baton Rouge, LA on Thursday at the LSU campus. I took these two weeks off from work because my sister arrives tonight and I wanted to be available to show her around as needed. Today I had some time to help Nikki prepare for her trip by making some copies and looking up some information about LSU.
January 27, 2009
The last 2 days we have been catching up a bit after the departure of our guests. It was a big morale boost to have the visitors. They reminded us of how special the experience of living in a new place can be and to enjoy each day. They also reminded us of how cold it is in Minneapolis. It feels so hot here all the time that it is easy to forget there are places in the world where it is freezing cold.. The shopping for fruits and vegetables in the market that is close to us is an on-going process every couple of days. We have a small refrigerator so we can't stock up too much on the perishables. Eric left us a large bag (25lbs.) of tangerines that he bought at the market for $4 and we can't eat it fast enough to keep some from spoiling. Watermelon seems to be in season and is very sweet and juicy. I paid $2.50 for a large one and it was very good. Nikki didn't really get a chance to catch her breath since she has been preparing to go to the US again. She is scheduled to give a talk in Baton Rouge, LA on Thursday at the LSU campus. I took these two weeks off from work because my sister arrives tonight and I wanted to be available to show her around as needed. Today I had some time to help Nikki prepare for her trip by making some copies and looking up some information about LSU.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Panama Update #122
Panama Update #122
January 24, 2009
Our two visitors left early this morning (Saturday). They had a busy week, as you can see by the pictures that follow this entry. Most of the days were filled to the brim, except for yesterday, when they had a chance to slow down a bit. Yesterday morning they spent some time at the library of the organization where Nikki works. We ate lunch on the campus and Swami Ritavan met with one of the Yoga students here who is interested in coming to teacher training this summer in St. Paul. In the afternoon they rested and caught up on emails and we went for a short walk before sundown. Eric went out to the mall to see a movie in the afternoon, but found out it was dubbed in Spanish and decided not to stay. He had a big accomplishment this week in taking a taxi to the mall on his own and finding his way back to our apartment. It is not easy since no one goes by the names of the streets, only by landmarks and directions.
Last night we stayed in and Nikki cooked a tradional Shabbat dinner. After dinner they packed and got ready to leave.
Today we did some laundry, rested a bit, and caught up on some chores. We may go see the new Tom Cruise movie Valkyrie (sp?) later on. Our next set of guests, my sister and her friend Pat, arrive in a couple of days.
January 24, 2009
Our two visitors left early this morning (Saturday). They had a busy week, as you can see by the pictures that follow this entry. Most of the days were filled to the brim, except for yesterday, when they had a chance to slow down a bit. Yesterday morning they spent some time at the library of the organization where Nikki works. We ate lunch on the campus and Swami Ritavan met with one of the Yoga students here who is interested in coming to teacher training this summer in St. Paul. In the afternoon they rested and caught up on emails and we went for a short walk before sundown. Eric went out to the mall to see a movie in the afternoon, but found out it was dubbed in Spanish and decided not to stay. He had a big accomplishment this week in taking a taxi to the mall on his own and finding his way back to our apartment. It is not easy since no one goes by the names of the streets, only by landmarks and directions.
Last night we stayed in and Nikki cooked a tradional Shabbat dinner. After dinner they packed and got ready to leave.
Today we did some laundry, rested a bit, and caught up on some chores. We may go see the new Tom Cruise movie Valkyrie (sp?) later on. Our next set of guests, my sister and her friend Pat, arrive in a couple of days.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Panama Update #121
Panama Update #121
January 22, 2008
Early yesterday (Wednesday) morning we took a small plane that seats 20 people to the San Blas/Kuna Yala Region on the Carribean side of Panama. The region is part of Panama, yet is independently governed. Tourists go there to enjoy the nice beaches. Nikki, Swami Ritavan and I took the 20 minute flight on the smallest plane I had ever been on. Eric, our other guest, decided to take a day trip on his own to a place called El Valle. He wanted to see a dormant volcano and hike in the forest. He took a bus there and back, which was about 2 and 1/2 hours each way.
The airport where we landed was in Cortis and had a small concrete building for a terminal. We had arranged ahead of time to stay in the family home of one of the Kuna Yala (Indigenous) people. The host met us as we got off the plane and brought us to a boat that looked like a lifeboat from the Titanic. We were told it would be a half an hour boat ride to where we were staying, but it ended up taking 1 and 1/2 hours. The water was very choppy, which made me more than a little nauseous, but I did not throw up. The family we stayed with were great hosts and we learned a lot about the culture. They lived in a bamboo house that is divided into separate rooms for the bedrooms and kitchen. Most of them sleep on Hammocks. The Kuna have their own language, but the host also spoke Spanish. Since I knew more Spanish than the others, I was the translator for the group, which gave me a lot of practice in listening and speaking. We also met the Chief of the village and saw the hut where they have the gathering place for the village. That is where the governing body meets to discuss the business of the day. It sounds they have a modified communal lifestyle where all the money and crops that are taken in are shared with the whole village. We even had to pay a tax of $3 when we landed and departed, which is the equivalent of a Tourist Visa. The next morning our boat came at 5:00 AM and we just barely made our 6:30 AM flight back to Panama City.
Today we went on a tour of Panama Viejo, which was founded in about 1500 but was destroyed by pirates (Henry Morgan)and then moved to Casco Viejo, another part of Panama, in the 1700s. They have dug up a lot of the remains and you can walk around and see what they have done. There is also a museum explaining everything.
January 22, 2008
Early yesterday (Wednesday) morning we took a small plane that seats 20 people to the San Blas/Kuna Yala Region on the Carribean side of Panama. The region is part of Panama, yet is independently governed. Tourists go there to enjoy the nice beaches. Nikki, Swami Ritavan and I took the 20 minute flight on the smallest plane I had ever been on. Eric, our other guest, decided to take a day trip on his own to a place called El Valle. He wanted to see a dormant volcano and hike in the forest. He took a bus there and back, which was about 2 and 1/2 hours each way.
The airport where we landed was in Cortis and had a small concrete building for a terminal. We had arranged ahead of time to stay in the family home of one of the Kuna Yala (Indigenous) people. The host met us as we got off the plane and brought us to a boat that looked like a lifeboat from the Titanic. We were told it would be a half an hour boat ride to where we were staying, but it ended up taking 1 and 1/2 hours. The water was very choppy, which made me more than a little nauseous, but I did not throw up. The family we stayed with were great hosts and we learned a lot about the culture. They lived in a bamboo house that is divided into separate rooms for the bedrooms and kitchen. Most of them sleep on Hammocks. The Kuna have their own language, but the host also spoke Spanish. Since I knew more Spanish than the others, I was the translator for the group, which gave me a lot of practice in listening and speaking. We also met the Chief of the village and saw the hut where they have the gathering place for the village. That is where the governing body meets to discuss the business of the day. It sounds they have a modified communal lifestyle where all the money and crops that are taken in are shared with the whole village. We even had to pay a tax of $3 when we landed and departed, which is the equivalent of a Tourist Visa. The next morning our boat came at 5:00 AM and we just barely made our 6:30 AM flight back to Panama City.
Today we went on a tour of Panama Viejo, which was founded in about 1500 but was destroyed by pirates (Henry Morgan)and then moved to Casco Viejo, another part of Panama, in the 1700s. They have dug up a lot of the remains and you can walk around and see what they have done. There is also a museum explaining everything.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Panama Update #120
Panama Update #120
January 20, 2009
We continued to show our guests around. This morning I took Eric and Swami Ritavan on a long bike ride on the Causeway. Our cable was not working, but they really wanted to watch the inaugaration, so we watched CNN International on the TV in the owner's apartment across the hall. This afternoon we took a taxi to Casco Viajo and walked around all the sites there. Tomorrow we are taking a 20 minute plane ride to the San Blas area on the Caribbean side and staying in a home there for one night. We have to catch a plane at about 6:00 AM and then return early the next morning. Eric may not come with us. He is thinking about taking a bus to a dormant volcano about 3 hours away.
January 20, 2009
We continued to show our guests around. This morning I took Eric and Swami Ritavan on a long bike ride on the Causeway. Our cable was not working, but they really wanted to watch the inaugaration, so we watched CNN International on the TV in the owner's apartment across the hall. This afternoon we took a taxi to Casco Viajo and walked around all the sites there. Tomorrow we are taking a 20 minute plane ride to the San Blas area on the Caribbean side and staying in a home there for one night. We have to catch a plane at about 6:00 AM and then return early the next morning. Eric may not come with us. He is thinking about taking a bus to a dormant volcano about 3 hours away.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Panama Update #119
Panama Update #119
January 20, 2009
Our houseguests Eric and Swami Ritavan arrived as scheduled last night. Their taxi ride from the airport was the normal $30 and they gave the driver a $10 tip, which they didn't realize was very for Panama. We told them that would cover the driver tips for the whole week. The same driver came to take them to the Miras Flores Locks Observatory, the first major locks of the canal. Early this morning they walked to the top of Ancon Hill and in the afternoon we walked to the large fruit/vegetable market in our area. Tonight we went out to dinner with some Yoga friends at a nice vegetarian restaurant.
Swamin Ritavan took a lot of pictures on their walk to Ancon which I plan to post as soon as I can get to a fast enough internet connection, so stay tuned.
January 20, 2009
Our houseguests Eric and Swami Ritavan arrived as scheduled last night. Their taxi ride from the airport was the normal $30 and they gave the driver a $10 tip, which they didn't realize was very for Panama. We told them that would cover the driver tips for the whole week. The same driver came to take them to the Miras Flores Locks Observatory, the first major locks of the canal. Early this morning they walked to the top of Ancon Hill and in the afternoon we walked to the large fruit/vegetable market in our area. Tonight we went out to dinner with some Yoga friends at a nice vegetarian restaurant.
Swamin Ritavan took a lot of pictures on their walk to Ancon which I plan to post as soon as I can get to a fast enough internet connection, so stay tuned.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Panama Update #118
Panama Update #118
January 17, 2009
Our washing machines are installed and working now in our apartment, which is saving us a lot of time from having to haul the laundry to another location. The woman who cleans our apartment is coming now on Thursdays and she will help some with the laundry but mostly we will throw it in as needed. That is the convenient thing about it that we were so used to in the US.
The Yoga class at the organization where Nikki works started again on Thursday. It was 5 weeks since the last class and it was nice to see everyone again and it felt good to give a class again. For now that is the only Yoga class I am giving.
The tutoring business is picking up. I am getting several requests to start tutoring. The requests are mostly from people in the neighborhood who heard that I give English classes and they are interested. I will schedule those in the weekday afternoon and evenings, after I finish my other job.
We are still continuing to bike regulary. Early morning (6:30 AM) is the best time as far as having moderate temperatures and less traffic.
We are expecting two house guests on Sunday night, Eric from Minneapolis and Swami Ritavan. They have been in Costa Rica and Jamaica before comng here and plan to stay for 6 nights. We have a lot of things we can show them, but will take their lead as far as what they are interested in.
January 17, 2009
Our washing machines are installed and working now in our apartment, which is saving us a lot of time from having to haul the laundry to another location. The woman who cleans our apartment is coming now on Thursdays and she will help some with the laundry but mostly we will throw it in as needed. That is the convenient thing about it that we were so used to in the US.
The Yoga class at the organization where Nikki works started again on Thursday. It was 5 weeks since the last class and it was nice to see everyone again and it felt good to give a class again. For now that is the only Yoga class I am giving.
The tutoring business is picking up. I am getting several requests to start tutoring. The requests are mostly from people in the neighborhood who heard that I give English classes and they are interested. I will schedule those in the weekday afternoon and evenings, after I finish my other job.
We are still continuing to bike regulary. Early morning (6:30 AM) is the best time as far as having moderate temperatures and less traffic.
We are expecting two house guests on Sunday night, Eric from Minneapolis and Swami Ritavan. They have been in Costa Rica and Jamaica before comng here and plan to stay for 6 nights. We have a lot of things we can show them, but will take their lead as far as what they are interested in.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Panama Update #117
Panama Update #117
January 14, 2009
Today I went into work for the 2nd day after break and the adjustment of going back was a little better. There is something about going back to work after a long break that takes me a while to adjust. I have been helping to teach math lessons in Grades 1-7.
In the afternoon I went with Nikki while she renewed her Canal ID. The plan is for me to also have a Canal ID so in the future I can help in the field when she has to enter the secure zone. It will probably take a couple of weeks to get mine. After she renewed her badge, we went to the Canal Library. They have many books in English on the history of the canal, both scientific and otherwise. Nikki found some books she was looking for but mostly she was happy to find a map she needed for her research.
There is a big jazz festival going on here for the next 3 days and it sounds like a lot of the events will be near us in Balboa since it is sponsored by the Canal Administration. We may not go to any of the events, just depends on the schedule.
One of the bright spots of our stay in Panama is Aaron, a colleague of Nikki's (his picutre is in Pictures from Panama 21) . He has been more than generous in helping us to make the adjustment of living here. It is a blessing to meet people like him along the way of life's journey.
January 14, 2009
Today I went into work for the 2nd day after break and the adjustment of going back was a little better. There is something about going back to work after a long break that takes me a while to adjust. I have been helping to teach math lessons in Grades 1-7.
In the afternoon I went with Nikki while she renewed her Canal ID. The plan is for me to also have a Canal ID so in the future I can help in the field when she has to enter the secure zone. It will probably take a couple of weeks to get mine. After she renewed her badge, we went to the Canal Library. They have many books in English on the history of the canal, both scientific and otherwise. Nikki found some books she was looking for but mostly she was happy to find a map she needed for her research.
There is a big jazz festival going on here for the next 3 days and it sounds like a lot of the events will be near us in Balboa since it is sponsored by the Canal Administration. We may not go to any of the events, just depends on the schedule.
One of the bright spots of our stay in Panama is Aaron, a colleague of Nikki's (his picutre is in Pictures from Panama 21) . He has been more than generous in helping us to make the adjustment of living here. It is a blessing to meet people like him along the way of life's journey.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Panama Update #116
Panama Update #116
Tuesday, January 13
I know there is a cold spell going on up north, but Panama is still the same hot place. We have AC in our bedroom and turn it on at night. It is more comfortable to use when sleeping although a lot of people go without. The unit blows right on me so I don't like to go to bed with wet hair. Now I have started taking showers in the morning instead of the evening right before bed. I returned to work today. Mostly I help out the elementary teachers with math lessons. Today we did a lesson using Geoboards. It is still a big adjustment for me to be we with the younger kids again like I was earlier in my career. It probably would not be my first choice of jobs, but the hours are good and the people are nice and it gives me something to do here besides the usual reading and writing.
I have to admit I am starting to look ahead to how much time we have left in Panama. It is 4 and 1/2 months until June 1, which is the target date for leaving. We don't know where we will go after that, but at least for June and July I am planning to be in Minneapolis. I think it is a big accomplishment for me to have made it this long here(6 and 1/2 months). Nikki seems to be fine with it here. I can't quite put my finger on what it is that is causing me to look ahead to when we are leaving. I think it just comes down to what you are used to culturally and also the stores and of course the people and activities in a place.
Tuesday, January 13
I know there is a cold spell going on up north, but Panama is still the same hot place. We have AC in our bedroom and turn it on at night. It is more comfortable to use when sleeping although a lot of people go without. The unit blows right on me so I don't like to go to bed with wet hair. Now I have started taking showers in the morning instead of the evening right before bed. I returned to work today. Mostly I help out the elementary teachers with math lessons. Today we did a lesson using Geoboards. It is still a big adjustment for me to be we with the younger kids again like I was earlier in my career. It probably would not be my first choice of jobs, but the hours are good and the people are nice and it gives me something to do here besides the usual reading and writing.
I have to admit I am starting to look ahead to how much time we have left in Panama. It is 4 and 1/2 months until June 1, which is the target date for leaving. We don't know where we will go after that, but at least for June and July I am planning to be in Minneapolis. I think it is a big accomplishment for me to have made it this long here(6 and 1/2 months). Nikki seems to be fine with it here. I can't quite put my finger on what it is that is causing me to look ahead to when we are leaving. I think it just comes down to what you are used to culturally and also the stores and of course the people and activities in a place.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Panama Update #115
Panama Update #115
January 11, 2009
Yesterday (Saturday) we went for a long bike ride on the Causeway in the morning. We left by 7 AM which is a great time to go before it gets too hot. The round trip took about an hour and a half. We love to stop at one of the corner markets on the way back and get a bottle of agua de pipa (coconut water). It tastes great when you are thirsty. And it is easy to get thirsty here with all the heat. Last night we saw the movie Australia. It is a long movie but both of thought it was pretty good. Sometimes the new movies are delayed a few months in getting here. At the peak time they still only charge $4 admission. It was a long movie and it was English with Spanish subtitles. Sometimes they dubb the movies and don't have subtitles. Those are good practice for learning Spanish. If it is a children's movie it is at about the right level to understand it.
Our landlord installed our washer and dryer for us and also upgraded the security with bars on some of the windows and a chain on the doors. They are things that they have on most houses here.
I am scheduled to go back to work on Tuesday and have also picked up some clients for private English tutoring. I am tutoring the 5 year old daughter of our landlord a couple of times a week and also some adults in the neighborhood. They have found out that I tutor and have inquired about it. We also found out today that someone who works at the school where I do lives only two doors down from us. I had no idea until we saw him today while we were our for a walk.
January 11, 2009
Yesterday (Saturday) we went for a long bike ride on the Causeway in the morning. We left by 7 AM which is a great time to go before it gets too hot. The round trip took about an hour and a half. We love to stop at one of the corner markets on the way back and get a bottle of agua de pipa (coconut water). It tastes great when you are thirsty. And it is easy to get thirsty here with all the heat. Last night we saw the movie Australia. It is a long movie but both of thought it was pretty good. Sometimes the new movies are delayed a few months in getting here. At the peak time they still only charge $4 admission. It was a long movie and it was English with Spanish subtitles. Sometimes they dubb the movies and don't have subtitles. Those are good practice for learning Spanish. If it is a children's movie it is at about the right level to understand it.
Our landlord installed our washer and dryer for us and also upgraded the security with bars on some of the windows and a chain on the doors. They are things that they have on most houses here.
I am scheduled to go back to work on Tuesday and have also picked up some clients for private English tutoring. I am tutoring the 5 year old daughter of our landlord a couple of times a week and also some adults in the neighborhood. They have found out that I tutor and have inquired about it. We also found out today that someone who works at the school where I do lives only two doors down from us. I had no idea until we saw him today while we were our for a walk.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Panama Update #114
Panama Update #114
January 9, 2009
Yesterday was definitley a full day. The owner of the apartment we are renting and a friend had some business to do in the remote Darien Region of eastern Panama. They were researching some land for a farm they want to buy and they asked me if I wanted to come along. Some pictures are posted in the entry that follows. We left at 5:00 AM and got there about 10:00 AM. We stayed only for a short time and returned by 4:00 PM. It was about 9 hours of driving time. The road was OK but had a lot of bumps and rough spots, which is typical of the highways here. They don't seem to put a lot of money into the infrastructure, which I don't understand since better roads would be a bi boost to the commerce in the country. There were some small towns along the way and a couple of nice scenic spots, but other than that it was pretty remote and deserted country.
A half hour after returning a friend picked us up and brought us to a town north of the city called Gamboa. We went to a geology lecutre that Nikki wanted to hear and then had dinner. It was late so we stayed the night and took an eary bus back at about 6:00 AM. They had a nice guest room for us with a folding futon couch. Gamboa is a small town of about 3500 located right on the canal at Gatun Lake. It was built by the Americans and is very quiet with a lot of vegetation. People seem to really like it there although it is a long commute (about 40 minutes) to get to town, so you need a car if you are living there.
January 9, 2009
Yesterday was definitley a full day. The owner of the apartment we are renting and a friend had some business to do in the remote Darien Region of eastern Panama. They were researching some land for a farm they want to buy and they asked me if I wanted to come along. Some pictures are posted in the entry that follows. We left at 5:00 AM and got there about 10:00 AM. We stayed only for a short time and returned by 4:00 PM. It was about 9 hours of driving time. The road was OK but had a lot of bumps and rough spots, which is typical of the highways here. They don't seem to put a lot of money into the infrastructure, which I don't understand since better roads would be a bi boost to the commerce in the country. There were some small towns along the way and a couple of nice scenic spots, but other than that it was pretty remote and deserted country.
A half hour after returning a friend picked us up and brought us to a town north of the city called Gamboa. We went to a geology lecutre that Nikki wanted to hear and then had dinner. It was late so we stayed the night and took an eary bus back at about 6:00 AM. They had a nice guest room for us with a folding futon couch. Gamboa is a small town of about 3500 located right on the canal at Gatun Lake. It was built by the Americans and is very quiet with a lot of vegetation. People seem to really like it there although it is a long commute (about 40 minutes) to get to town, so you need a car if you are living there.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Panama Update #113
Panama Update #113
January 7, 2009
Nikki and I had our teeth cleaned with a dentist here. It is the first time we have been to any doctor since arriving 6 months ago. The office was modern and the dentist was fluent in English. He formerly had worked for the US government in Panama as a dentist and stayed on after the land was returned to Panama. He cleaned the teeth himself with the sonar equipment that a lot of the dentists in the US are using now. He had an assistant in the room with him and charged $50 dollars for each of us.
Tomorrow (Thursday) I am spending the day driving to the Darien region of Panama. It is suuposed to be the most wild jungle region of the country, but I will find out. The owner of our apartment has some business out there and he asked me if I wanted to drive along. It is about a 3 hour ride each way and we are leaving at 5:00AM and plan to return by 3:00 PM. I plan to take some pictures and if so can post them on Friday. In the evening tomorrow we are scheduled to go to Gamboa, an area about 30 miles north of town to have dinner with some friends who live up there. It sounds like a long day.
January 7, 2009
Nikki and I had our teeth cleaned with a dentist here. It is the first time we have been to any doctor since arriving 6 months ago. The office was modern and the dentist was fluent in English. He formerly had worked for the US government in Panama as a dentist and stayed on after the land was returned to Panama. He cleaned the teeth himself with the sonar equipment that a lot of the dentists in the US are using now. He had an assistant in the room with him and charged $50 dollars for each of us.
Tomorrow (Thursday) I am spending the day driving to the Darien region of Panama. It is suuposed to be the most wild jungle region of the country, but I will find out. The owner of our apartment has some business out there and he asked me if I wanted to drive along. It is about a 3 hour ride each way and we are leaving at 5:00AM and plan to return by 3:00 PM. I plan to take some pictures and if so can post them on Friday. In the evening tomorrow we are scheduled to go to Gamboa, an area about 30 miles north of town to have dinner with some friends who live up there. It sounds like a long day.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Panama Update #112
Panama Update #112
January 6, 2009
I have another week of vacation left until school begins next week. So far I have been keeping busy by catching up on some shopping, errands, studying Spanish, writing, and reading. We have cable TV but I have been able to avoid spending too much time watching that. Having wireless internet in our apartment allows me and Nikki to do a lot of work from home. Today I found a bicycle shop that sells many parts. It was difficult to find, but someone gave me the name and it had the parts I needed- a new cale and pedal crank. A guy who is the friend of the owner of the building where we live has a truck and he drove me to the bike shop, helped me find the right parts, and also drove me around for some other shopping. He is not a taxi driver but does errands like that with his truck for his job. He is also a bike mechanic so he helped me fix the problem.
On Sunday AM Nikki joined me for a long bike ride on the Causeway and I did the ride again this morning. It is hot, but if you get out early it is not too bad. We have found a little Chinese restaurant hidden away in the large fruit market near us and have eaten there a couple of times this week for lunch. One of the dishes they serve is homemade rice noodles with tofu and vegetables.
Tomorrow we both have a dental teeth cleaning appointment. The dentist was recommended to us and cleans the teeth himself. It will be our first visit to a dentist since we got here.
January 6, 2009
I have another week of vacation left until school begins next week. So far I have been keeping busy by catching up on some shopping, errands, studying Spanish, writing, and reading. We have cable TV but I have been able to avoid spending too much time watching that. Having wireless internet in our apartment allows me and Nikki to do a lot of work from home. Today I found a bicycle shop that sells many parts. It was difficult to find, but someone gave me the name and it had the parts I needed- a new cale and pedal crank. A guy who is the friend of the owner of the building where we live has a truck and he drove me to the bike shop, helped me find the right parts, and also drove me around for some other shopping. He is not a taxi driver but does errands like that with his truck for his job. He is also a bike mechanic so he helped me fix the problem.
On Sunday AM Nikki joined me for a long bike ride on the Causeway and I did the ride again this morning. It is hot, but if you get out early it is not too bad. We have found a little Chinese restaurant hidden away in the large fruit market near us and have eaten there a couple of times this week for lunch. One of the dishes they serve is homemade rice noodles with tofu and vegetables.
Tomorrow we both have a dental teeth cleaning appointment. The dentist was recommended to us and cleans the teeth himself. It will be our first visit to a dentist since we got here.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Panama Update #111
Panama Update #111
January 3, 2008
We have returned from our 3 day trip to western Panama and plan to post some pictures tomorrow, after our camera battery recharges. We went with Aaron, who works with Nikki, and his daughter and mother. We filled up his Toyota SUV. When traveling with a small child there is always a lot to pack and move around. It took about 3 hours to get there. We stopped for cheese empanadas on the way and several other stops as needed for bathroom or snack breaks. It was at a family farm of one of their work colleagues. They have an area for guests to stay that is separate from their house. The walls are open on the roofed structure that is perfect for the dry season. We slept on hammocks and it has running water and flush toilets and a wood stove for cooking. The weather was very pleasant and the atmosphere welcoming and relaxing. The river is a short walk and it has a nice sandy beach. It is great for swimming and we went each of the 3 days. We also took a nice long walk one of the days.
I have another week off before my school job starts again. This coming week I have some English tutoring scheduled along with a Yoga class and some Biofeedback. We also have our first dental teeth cleaning scheduled for Wednesday AM. Our first set of guests from the US arrive in a couple of weeks.
January 3, 2008
We have returned from our 3 day trip to western Panama and plan to post some pictures tomorrow, after our camera battery recharges. We went with Aaron, who works with Nikki, and his daughter and mother. We filled up his Toyota SUV. When traveling with a small child there is always a lot to pack and move around. It took about 3 hours to get there. We stopped for cheese empanadas on the way and several other stops as needed for bathroom or snack breaks. It was at a family farm of one of their work colleagues. They have an area for guests to stay that is separate from their house. The walls are open on the roofed structure that is perfect for the dry season. We slept on hammocks and it has running water and flush toilets and a wood stove for cooking. The weather was very pleasant and the atmosphere welcoming and relaxing. The river is a short walk and it has a nice sandy beach. It is great for swimming and we went each of the 3 days. We also took a nice long walk one of the days.
I have another week off before my school job starts again. This coming week I have some English tutoring scheduled along with a Yoga class and some Biofeedback. We also have our first dental teeth cleaning scheduled for Wednesday AM. Our first set of guests from the US arrive in a couple of weeks.
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