The stunning Caribbean and San Blas islands

San Blas was one of the better trips we have taken in Panama. Well, none of them have been bad, but we especially enjoyed the unspoiled paradise of these islands. We flew into a tiny airport called Playon Chico and were met on the runway by two Kuna Indian me. They took us and 10 other passengers on the ocean in a wide canoe, on a graceful trip through the waves to our private island named Yandup. (And don’t even try to pronounce it in English, you’ll be wrong. She still can’t get it.)

You will notice here some photos of the airport and the runway, etc. The airport consisted of a two-room cinder block building with a small fence around it. All of our unloading and checking in with our hosts was done right on the runways, which was actually kind of fun. The short runway ends at the ocean, so it is a good thing the pilots of these 15-passenger planes know what they are doing! An adventure, for sure!

First off, the Kuna people are tiny, tiny people. As in, small and short. He towered over them (see photos) and most of them measured just over half of his 6 feet four inches. Most of them are much smaller than her too. By at least a head. It made both of us feel like we were very big people, even though she is considered average height by US standards.

This tiny little island (Yandup) was the cutest little thing you have ever seen. About 200 feet across, 350 feet long. Palm trees, 10 cabanas over water, one big cabana for the dining room for the community meals, a boat dock and a small beach. Okay, a tiny beach. But I guess everything fits for the time all of us were staying. It all felt just right. The island was covered with a spongy feeling grass, something like Bermuda, but even softer, so you could walk barefoot if you really wanted to.

The cabanas were made of wood and actually each, pretty big, for just two people. Ours could have slept four if there had been enough beds. Count the two hammocks on the porch and two more would have been very comfortable. Now, the beds themselves left something to be desired, but everything else was absolutely perfect for a place that is pretty hard to get to. There was running water with an operational toilet, sink and shower (when the water was actually running, that is. It was under repair about half the time we were there).

The flight from Panama City left at 6 AM and so, we got to the airport at 5 AM, just to be sure. Each passenger is only allowed a piece of luggage that weighs up to 25 lbs. But, frankly, how much do you need for just two nights of hanging out in the tropics, snorkeling, drinking beer and relaxing? Exactly. The snorkel equipment and tequila were the heaviest things we brought. And, worth every pound, of course. There are no stores or extra supplies for sale, except for the fact that the little kitchen in the dining room sells some national beer and Coca-cola.

Happily, guests are very well-fed. Three solid meals of great-tasting Kuna cooking, including fresh fish for lunch and dinner, great fruit, and fresh salads. We enjoyed it all immensely. The little Kuna ladies that served us were dressed in tribal custom attire – colorful and conservative – and very friendly, but did not speak English. I did get a hankering for Oreos or a snack with our afternoon beer after several hours of snorkeling but I will have to remember to pack that next time, as there were none to be found on the island.

The resort is locally owned, by a foundation and appears to be self-sustaining to the area. Several Kuna men work as guides, and in operations, and the Kuna women clean and cook. Nothing is grown on the island so provisions are either purchased from other islands or brought in from Panama City.

The water is clear blue, looking identical to something you would see in a magazine, and think ‘no way’. But this is the Caribbean and a piece of it that is very rarely trodden through, and it is absolutely, stunningly beautiful.

We snorkeled off of our island and around two others and viewed some of the healthiest coral we have ever seen. Abundant, colorful fish of all sizes and shapes. Even some piranha. Tom ran into a jellyfish, and gave him plenty of room to maneuver, with no problem. We really enjoyed the ocean here. The constant sound of the waves crashing on one side of the island and lapping the other was the ultimate in relaxation.

The ocean waves breaking under our cabana wooed us into naps and to sleep at night. Except for the lights on our own little island, there was no ambient light, so the stars in the sky were unbelievable. Clear. Beautiful. We could not get enough.

She ventured out with the rest of the island tourists on an afternoon visit to the native village of Playon Chico. He felt weird about it, so stayed behind. (It turns out he had the entire island to himself for two whole hours!) It was a very respectful tour of the village, viewing some of the native structures, school, community gathering center (a village Elders meeting was in progress) and the village bazaar. She found two very pretty molas, which look like hand-sewn quilt squares with colorful patterns and scenes. Someday, perhaps we will have them made into a quilt.

Our meals were lively and fun, getting to know our 12 other fellow islanders. They were mostly American (Texas, New York, Oregon, Tennessee), with one gal from Australia and a group from Italy. Fortunately, anytime you get human beings together, drama follows, and we were not disappointed when the group from Italy was accompanied off the island by Panamanian police on the second morning we were there. There was an obvious language barrier so the show went on while the rest of us had breakfast and was accompanied by loud voices and hand waving. Of course, none of us really know what happened, but several great stories were concocted, to keep things interesting. The dining area kept several board games, and playing cards handy for residents that had the urge, and these were often in use.

All in all, we were so relaxed, and had so much fun. Our only regret was that we had not made arrangements to stay one full day longer. That is our recommendation to anyone visiting San Blas. And, oh yes, bring snacks. Other than that, it was one of our more enjoyed trips we have taken to date in Panama. But, we do not recommend it to anyone else, as we really hope it will not get busy and touristy and turn into a popular place. Perhaps the fact that foreigners (not living in Panama already) would have to fly into Panama, then fly the local airlines from the regional airport, then take a boat, is enough to keep the bulk of people away. Really, we would like to keep it all for ourselves, or at least for the next time we go.

So, enjoy the photos, but it's okay if you do not visit San Blas, as we love it so much, we want to keep it just for us! :)

Rainy, rainy October and it is Election Day in the US

Well, I missed getting something up in October, but it was such a whirlwind, that I figure today is close enough! We are right smack in the middle of rainy season and actually really liking it. Yes,it rains a lot, but the weather is cooler and much more bearable, so we hang out on the patio at night and read and breathe the freshness. Plus, all the rainfall and the lovely sounds of it means we sleep like rocks. Nice.

In October, there was a lot going on. He officially formed his Panamanian corporation – really important – and started working pretty much full time for this three clients. We are all thankful for that, but especially him, as he really loves his work and we’re lucky that he is so busy, already! Of course, we had also gotten really spoiled having him around the house full-time. You might think that running a household in Panama is easy, but it’s not. Grocery shopping takes a minimum of four to five hours a week – including stops to multiple stores to find all the things we take for granted in a 30-minute trip to SuperTarget in the States. One such recent shopping trip took four stops just to find milk that was not expired. No kidding. We are so spoiled in the US.

She had one trade show in country, and then two trade shows on the road in the US the last week of October. And, oh yeah, she launched a new website on October 31st. Is she nuts? Yes! Thankfully, it was back home to Panama for three national holidays the 3rd-5th of Nov, which we are right smack in the middle of, so that has been nice. A lot of sleeping, reading and getting mentally and emotionally caught up from 8 days of travel. He was in Denver for five days too, and got back on Sunday as well, so they are both getting over the grumpiness and exhaustion of international travel. I know, wah, but it can be hard on the body.

It was fun to see the continued fervor for the political landscape while they were back in the US - we miss it sometimes. Today is the election and they will be walking down to the yacht club down the hill in an hour or so, to watch the returns. (Again, something we all take for granted – cable TV or satellite access. We have not had it since we moved into the new place at the end of July, due to a merger at which time DirecTV froze all new accounts, so that the existing accounts could be verified – hmmmm, one might think they would not want to limit GROWTH because that might lead to the bottom line and thus make the seller and buyer more happy. But that would be thinking like an American, not like a Panamanian, and thus, we have all taken to reading a lot more books.) At any rate, it will be fun to see the final votes coming in and watch the media coverage and miss all the watch parties happening tonight in our old ‘hoods.

The photos on this edition are ones from our rooftop on a particularly sunny day in October. You can see the Bridge of the Americas, plus the Amador Causeway, back to the City and the giant park where she and I walk almost every morning. Lately, with an umbrella in hand, most all the time.

He reminded her yesterday that she had ‘always wanted to live by the water’ to which she thoughtfully agreed. They then both agreed that it is wise to be careful what you ask for, as you just might get it. Really. Happily, as time progresses, this little family is becoming more and more accustomed to life in Latin America , what it is and what it is not, and not languishing over the latter, but instead, just going with the flow, letting life be what it is and actually enjoying it. It is a much nicer place to be, this mental state, then worrying about what we miss, and pining for things that simply do not exist here, like Starbucks and SuperTarget and doggy daycare. Call her shallow but even she is adjusting, pretty darn well, even without those things. Instead, enjoying 4 dollar manicures, 13 dollar haircuts, and pretty inexpensive dining out.

She surprised me with a bath today, unexpectedly to me, after I rolled in some iguana guano on our morning walk. I guess she did not fully appreciate the green and yellow colors added to my coat and what it might have meant for the upholstery of the couch and guest bed (which of course I do not lay on, they sometimes just take on my smell!).

We also saw a Harpie eagle today and yesterday on our morning walks – he is golden and brown and really really cool. He evidently lives in our big park and nests somewhere around here. Wingspan of at least four feel, really really cool.

Lizard tails and guano to all of my dedicated readers (which coming from me is a compliment!). ‘Til next time or sometime maybe around Thanksgiving. We here in Panama are very thankful tonight, on voting day, for free speech, votes that make a real difference, choice to live abroad, and all of our family and friends who support us with their love and friendship from afar. Blessings to all of you. God bless America and God bless Panama.

The Bogota Adventure

She had a trade show in Bogota at the end of August and he want to meet up with her there for a fun weekend for their first anniversary. Of course, you know who stayed home and watched the apartment and had lots of down time with my favorite friend Joel.

They loved Bogota – pop. 7 million people. Lots of culture, amazing food – they told me every restaurant they ate at was very good- and the people were SO welcoming, which was really nice.
Zona Rosa and the Zona T were their favorite areas. A lot like Lower Downtown in Denver, with lots of walkable streetscapes, small parks everywhere and good shopping.
She discovered a new designer named Bettina Spitz, who is now at the top of her list for clothes and very reasonably priced.

The people of Bogota were so friendly and open to Americans. They both mentioned to me that they were the only Americans they saw the entire four days there – except for one other guy in their hotel, and three guys in ugly American clothes outside one of the pubs they discovered. Her light-colored hair really stood out in a sea of Latin people.

Bogota is very urban with a new bussing system, and lots of museums and things to do. They went to the Museo Nacional, which was very busy so they did not get to see the exhibits, but it is beautiful, and then also the Museo Botero who is an artist that is still alive but from Columbia and has donated his own collections as well as his own art to the museum for the public to enjoy. All, amazing stuff. The Museo de Oro was being renovated but one of the exhibits had been moved to the Museo del Banco Columbia, so they did see a bunch of gold from the Aztec periods, which was interesting. The old city is beautiful, and has had some renovation and there are still a lot of areas that have not started renovation yet.

Bogota sits up against a mountain. The entire city is at 9,000 feet above sea level, so the weather is a lot like Colorado – cooler and very fresh. It reminded her lot of being in the Rocky mountains. On Sunday before they returned to Panama, they went up a tram on one of the mountain facia to a small church, market and park area on top of the mountain. You will see some photos of that here, but the views back down into the city were stunning.

The Sofitel, their hotel, was extremely nice and they recommend it to any travelers travelling there.

The only drawback to Bogota is the security. And, of course, that is necessary given that it has suffered so much at the hands of insurgents like FARC for years. There were dogs everywhere- for sniffing out bombs and drugs and whatever else. Every time you enter or exit a parking garage, you must stop and have your car checked out by a dog and a police man. When you enter busy night clubs or restaurants, it is normal to go through metal detectors, dogs and pat-downs. It can be a bit disconcerting at first to be sure, but after a while, you do get a bit used to it.

They had such a nice weekend there together, exploring the city and enjoying their anniversary, that she cried on Sunday when they had to leave. That says a lot for the beauty there. They agreed that as time goes on, if Columbia stabilizes, that they would strongly consider retiring here.

Meanwhile, I was happy to have them back in Panama. I always sleep better myself when I have them back in our own place, all together.

Joel and I had a party while they were gone – chasing bugs and lizards on the patio, but there’s no need to go into that here, as we cleaned up the remnants of it before they arrived back.

Until next time, fond regards and lizard tails.

April 1st, a few weeks late

Where to begin….
I have had so many emails asking about where we live and what we like most about Panama, that I thought perhaps I should start from the very beginning.
They thought they had rented a place for us in a high rise in an area called Punta Pacifica, an area where there is a lot of new high rises and even one going up named after some guy named Trump. We thought we were all set to move in the night we all arrived from Colorado. Furniture was to be delivered two days before we all arrived, so that we would have beds to sleep in, and places to sit, and so on. (Ahem, let me clarify, ‘they’ would have beds to sleep in. They packed my two dog beds and thus I was subject to sleeping on the tile floors on a blanket. As if this were ever a substitute that I would have approved!)
At any rate, being the A types that they are, we all thought we were set.
Ha. The fun began
24 hours before we got on the plane (again,do not fall for the ‘time to go to bed’ trick when the kennel has been placed in the yard.), she received a phone call. The new apartment had had some issues. Of course she freaked out, and there was a lot of anguished calls and words and a bunch of stuff that I did not understand, except for a bunch of high pitched exclamations.
At any rate, some arrangements were made and when we did get here, the five of us spent a week in some very small place. Seriously. My dog bed was more spacious. And, I was left there much of the first few days we arrived here by myself,so they could begin the process of finding us a new home. I did not approve of this either, but I conceded so that we could get out of there as soon as possible.
A week later, we moved into another apartment in the same part of town where they originally had found the first one. She kept saying how karma worked things out because the new place is even nicer, and I had four acres just for me to walk in. (As it turns out, this is not entirely true – the ‘just for me’ part – because we keep running into a bunch of smaller dogs in my four acres.)
The new place is really nice and really big. Plenty of room to chase the cats and lots of windows, so I can lay in the sun in the morning. And plenty of tile floors, which is a new experience for me, and nothing to hold me back from sliding around corners while chasing the cats. Evidently they get some level of fun out of the sliding action because they are always laughing about my running efforts. Some comment about the road runner, which I do not understand.
He especially likes the deck, which looks out to the Pacific Ocean, facing southeast. He and I spend a lot of time there in the evenings, he with a cigar and me with a tennis ball. Well, at least I did have some nice tennis balls out there, until I pushed one under the fence and it fell 16 stories down into the swimming pool. Now for some reason, tennis balls are taboo on the patio. They don’t allow the cats out there either, though I personally think it might be a lot of fun to see one of them jump out there. (He made some comment about the exorbitant cost of getting the cats down here as being a reason not to see them do some fun acrobatics off the patio….I am not buying it.)
After five weeks, the rest of our stuff arrived yesterday from the U.S. I was not too pleased to see a bunch of strangers in our place bringing in a bunch of boxes, but after they unloaded my two beds, I forgot all about them. She always makes comments about ‘it is the little things’, but frankly, sleeping on the cold tile on a blanket for five weeks is not a little thing. It does make Panama more like home to have your own bed.
For some reason, when I go on walks in the four acres behind our building, there are a bunch of kids playing in the street around dinner time. Often they ride by on their bikes while we are walking and appear to talk to me, but I can’t understand a word they say. One little boy keeps using a word that sounds like mohair (muerta) and evidently that means do I bite. I would like to show my teeth as a badge of honor but neither of them will let me do that, so I ignore him. She keeps saying she is going to reply that I only bite in the apartment, but she never has. (I am not really sure why the boy would be coming to our apartment, but I do not ask questions.)
A few weeks ago, she came home one day and said she figured out why the kids keep asking if I bite. They went to a party and at two of the homes near the party, they saw dogs like me behind the gates (everything is gated here). When they turned around in one of the driveways (directions here are a whole ‘nother story), she said the dog went nuts and attacked the fence and showed teeth and so on. (If I had been there, I am sure it would have been different, but alas, I was not invited to the party.) Anyway, apparently, mine and similar other fierce looking dogs are not kept as pets, but only used as watch dogs and guard dogs, and so I am generally taken for one of those.
I do not understand the word ‘princesa’ or ‘nina’ but I have heard her describe me that way when she is talking about me. As long as people know I rule the roost, then they can call me whatever they want. Now that I have my beds back, I am feeling much more like the one in charge!
It is April 1st today. April Fools Day does not exist in Panama, but this day does officially mark the end of the dry season. I do not understand the ‘dry’ description when I get wet every time we go outside. This thing called humidity really wears me down. She and I used to walk for hours and now I can barely manage 20 minutes.
Anyway, back to the weather. This ‘dry’ season is actually really hot. It is summer time in Panama and it lasts from December to April. It has been so dry here this year though, that there have been some mild fires. Not anything like what used to hear about on the news back home (you know,the governor saying the whole state was one fire), but fires here (anywhere) are pretty unusual.
Now, we begin the green season. She laughed because she says someone in marketing came up with this name. At one time, it was called the rainy season. We have heard it rains every afternoon for months on end, and that at times, it can become a deluge with street flooding and things like that. Really, we have no idea, but supposedly it does get a bit cooler. Like maybe 80 degrees instead of 98 and so on. Anything cooler would be nice. I have never liked the rain, and I am hoping some other arrangements can be made for my walks when the rain starts (involving someone other than me, walking). However, no commitments have been made.
Next time, I will tell you more about their recent trip to the beach. Some place called Coconuts. And they left me alone with my new buddy Joel all weekend. It was strange but Joel and I bonded, which was good. It is nice to have a new friend.
I forgot to mention that while they were gone that the cats and I had a party on the patio and I took some photos. One is of the cats hanging from the balcony edge. But of course I can’t post it because they will find out and then there won’t be a next time. But we did have fun.
Hasta luego! (Until next time)
Lily
Ps. Gosh, we are way behind. I think I have begun to embrace Panamanian time. This has been on my computer for a really long time and I just did not get around to posting it. They are on me tonight to write a new one, so I figured I should get this one up first. A new one later.

You have to start somewhere!

All right, here are the ground rules for this thing called a blog that my people have been after me to get up for at least two weeks now. I am a dog and my name is Lily. Against my better judgment, I ended up here in Panama with my people (a he and a she) and I plan to keep a regular script of the happenings here for my own records, much less your enjoyment. Topics will be chosen at my own free whim and while you are welcome to send me a text with requested topics, don’t count on it. I don’t have opposable thumbs remember, so certain stories may be easier for me to bang out than others.

I’m a dog for god sake I can’t type. It’s hell trying to get my pads on these little keys. Thank God I’m not getting paid by the word. It’s bad enough I can’t understand a word anyone says down here besides my people. I don’t think they understand much either. What a team! He can’t speak a word anyone can understand besides me. Maybe I could learn Spanish and he could learn to type? Unfortunately that would take too long he is a veeery slow learner as most of you know.

Oh, Panama! How the hell did I end up here? Don’t ever fall for the “get in your kennel for the night trick. I will never let my ass be put in one of those again. I swore my people said Pueblo at the airport, next thing I know it’s 14 hours in a kennel and my God, did the weather change. It was 26 degrees in Denver when we left, it was 90 degrees in Panama (Yes, I said Panama) when we arrived. Did I say it was hot? Did I say it was humid? Damn right it is! It’s great on my skin, not that you can tell, but I seem to be ready for a nap all the time.

Speaking of time, it seems to be very different down here. Let’s start with zones. We started out on Eastern Time, then, the United States sprang forward to put us on Central Time last weekend. Then, there is the perception of time. Somehow when someone says 10 minutes here, it means 3-4 hours. When they say 3-4 hours it means 2-3 days. When they say manana (and, no, I can’t find the right n on the keyboard), it means sometime next week. It will take some getting used to this Panama Time. I can only hold it for so long.

I have been spending a lot of time with my new friend Joel. Thank God he is around because otherwise I would have to ride in the car with my people driving. Not a pretty site! When Joel is behind the wheel the pandemonium that is Panama traffic makes a bit more sense. When my person is behind the wheel, I cover my eyes with my paws and hope he named me in the will! This traffic piece is going to take some serious getting used to also.

When I am not praying for my life in the car, I am looking out over the Pacific and what a view it is. From the apartment, I can see the ocean and all of the city. I can also see the ground is a lot farther away from the floor then it was in our house in Stapleton. I don’t know about this. In the Mile High City, my floor is sitting on the ground and in the city on the Bahia, my floor is 200’ off the ground. This is more than a mere dog can understand.

Until the next time,

Very truly yours and I hate fleas.

Lily