tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31573024382747513112024-03-14T03:02:22.656-04:00Back to Canada and loving itMy story of the fun times in one of the most beautiful places in the world.Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-70392925131533697002013-08-16T09:25:00.001-04:002013-08-16T09:25:13.882-04:00Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: A quick story about getting my plates last week....<a href="http://costapedasi.blogspot.com/2013/08/a-quick-story-about-getting-my-plates.html?spref=bl">Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: A quick story about getting my plates last week.<br />
<br />
...</a>: A quick story about getting my plates last week. The first thing you should know when you buy a car is to get it registered in Pedasi...Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-83647562025942738492013-08-16T09:24:00.002-04:002013-08-16T09:24:10.626-04:00<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>A quick story about getting my plates last week.</strong></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
The first thing you should know when you buy a car is to get it registered in
Pedasi. That way when you renew your plates every year you can do it in town
versus having to go to wherever you bought it to get it done.<br />
<br />
I had not done this before as a friend did it for me last year but this year
I wanted to try it myself. It turns out the place to do it is right in town on
the main street across from the bakery, at the wicket where we renew our garbage
permits every year.<br />
<br />
Firstly in order to get your new plates you do have to go to Las Tablas to
get your vehicle registered and have pictures taken of it every year.<br />
<br />
So as I was walking up to the wicket with a file folder full of paper work in
no particular order from the day I bought the car, I tripped and the papers went
flying everywhere.<br />
<br />
It was windy and I was running around doing the 'one foot hop' trying to
gather each and every page.<br />
<br />
Once I got them all together again I went through them all trying to find the
relevant paperwork as I had many that weren't, so in my haste I ripped up a few
thinking they were old and threw them in the big garbage can close to the
wicket.<br />
<br />
I proceeded to the window with the paperwork to get my new license, gave it
to the really nice girl behind the counter, and she said it was last year's
papers so I then realized that the ones I needed were in the garbage can all
torn up in small pieces.<br />
<br />
So there I go head first into the garbage bin, which was thankfully empty,
but of course the papers were at the very bottom and I was half in it trying to
retrieve each and every piece.<br />
<br />
I then took them back to the wicket with a smile on my face knowing that
I hat at least retrieved them, gave them to the woman and she then tells me that
'no, no, I can't accept torn papers'.<br />
<br />
She must have seen the blood drain from my face, lol, and at this point she
came out of the booth around to the front, kind of smiled, grabbed the whole
file from me, took it back to her desk and proceeded to tape up the ripped paper
for me, double punched all of the stuff that I had in the folder, sorted them
out in order of date, and put them back in a neat fashion in the folder for
me.<br />
<br />
She also taped the insurance package on the opposite side of the folder as
well so it was clearly visible when I needed it again.<br />
<br />
At this point I was 'good to go' as I should have been when I first walked up
to the wicket which was now about twenty minutes later.<br />
<br />
She then does four forms with carbon paper all by hand and when she was
finished she also put them back in the folder for me and handed me the plates
and said in her broken English, "your documents are in better shape now".<br />
<br />
The whole episode cost $37 and I gave her a $5 tip for lunch which she was
very reluctant to take.<br />
<br />
I went home license plates in hand with a smile on my face and later on that
evening Connie and I enjoyed one of the best steak dinners we have had since
arriving here in Panama over two years ago, steaks that were purchased from
Super Carne in Las Tablas.<br />
<br />
Just another story that I wanted to share about how nice and helpful the
Panamanian people are.Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-79748463759071937952013-02-14T11:15:00.001-05:002013-02-14T11:15:16.048-05:00Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Pacific Rock Oysters and Returning things!<a href="http://costapedasi.blogspot.com/2013/02/pacific-rock-oysters-and-returning.html?spref=bl">Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Pacific Rock Oysters and Returning things!</a>: Returning items We all know that returning things to a store in North America is a piece of cake. You keep the receipt, ret...Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-74407032525903411102013-02-14T10:57:00.000-05:002013-02-15T07:53:08.807-05:00Pacific Rock Oysters and Returning things!<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKu7D9LmqYGK92wazhFjtFdCEBfsmvqXiXDFUb-YAC2ysQC-fGRLfX-5z1UcTCBlLIyfCH8N8wnMxDEQkh6wU6Th-KBXmwYnpKScZAFn7cgaQSBWvbZZrCJrH6JOSaj5nP0I439hgnBeV/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKu7D9LmqYGK92wazhFjtFdCEBfsmvqXiXDFUb-YAC2ysQC-fGRLfX-5z1UcTCBlLIyfCH8N8wnMxDEQkh6wU6Th-KBXmwYnpKScZAFn7cgaQSBWvbZZrCJrH6JOSaj5nP0I439hgnBeV/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><u>Returning items</u></strong></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We all know that returning things to a store in North America is a piece of cake.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You keep the receipt, return the item for an exchange or get your money back. Right?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well it's a bit different here. This is my story regarding taking things back to a store in Panama :)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We bought these two lounging chairs below in a store in Chitre which is an hour (one way) from Pedasi where we live.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m_jCSArE9l9ClPaghajeu-be8j6bNa-BUm_rYIvIidvaoOrNGSjtN7T92hrhzqdo7ONaDPA1LsUHBMai0mKL43-rtkH8lU0D2_oA3I3HuRJ5NGhczwG1ry9fA5toXU43KXOa-HkCjqtq/s1600/DSC_0089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2m_jCSArE9l9ClPaghajeu-be8j6bNa-BUm_rYIvIidvaoOrNGSjtN7T92hrhzqdo7ONaDPA1LsUHBMai0mKL43-rtkH8lU0D2_oA3I3HuRJ5NGhczwG1ry9fA5toXU43KXOa-HkCjqtq/s400/DSC_0089.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>Notice the one on the right with the buttons that they put to hide the stitching. Sadie also there making sure things are just fine!!</strong></span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>She loves the lounge chair too.</strong></span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We saw these beauties and just had to have them. Lying in them in the warm summer breeze looking out at the Pacific Ocean with a cocktail in hand! Who wouldn't?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We paid $500.00 (cash) for them and yes that is expensive for a couple of lounge chairs but I am <strong><em>Soooooo</em></strong> worth it and they are so beautiful. They are also aluminum so they won't rust. You have to be really careful buying things here because everything with metal in rusts. That is another blog!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So we bring them home and left them in their plastic for five days as we were having work done on the patio and really couldn't use them right away.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On the sixth day we unwrapped them and one was fine, but the other one had a huge black mark on it and the place where there should have been a 'button' like the other one, there was a huge hole where the stitching was and it looked like a hernia operation gone bad.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So off we go to Chitre to take the one back!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Simple one would think as we did have the bill and they were only six days old.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We lug this chair into the store and of course they don't speak much English (I really need to learn Spanish), but we managed to get a hold of a 'manager' to tell him our story and to show him the marks and stitching on the cushion.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He looks at it for about 15 minutes and then tells us that we can't order another as this is the last one anywhere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, we really want this less than beautiful lounger now, but we don't want it in the shape it's in as we paid a lot of money for it. One instead of two would be ok. Don doesn't need one :), and we paid cash so won't be a problem getting our money back, one would think.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thankfully there was a woman there who spoke English (no, she didn't wear stiletto's. In fact I think she had construction boots on), so she conveyed our concerns to the Manager and told him that we would just have our money back and we'd be gone.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After about a half an hour and after this Manager speaking to a few other Manager's he said that he could fix the hole and get the stain out and it would look as good as new and it would be back in a week. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, this sounded reasonable, so we agreed and left the store.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A week later we went back after filling the gas tank <strong><em>again</em></strong> to get this unsightly chair that has now become a huge thorn in our sides . Remember this store is an hour from us, ONE WAY!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well, it's not ready yet! They said the person who was fixing it had a baby or some broken extremity or some other stupid excuse and it would be another week before it was fixed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">God!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Off home again!</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">it's Panama, It's Panama, It's Panama we kept repeating to each other.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, so off we go again to Chitre a week later (with still ANOTHER TANK OF GAS) which now brings it to a total of five hours driving for this ugly, morbid lounger.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well after going up and down every stinking aisle in the store, trying to find a Manager or some semblance to one, we finally do. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was about 11:30, so have to hurry as everyone takes an hour off from 12 to 1 pm for whatever they do!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Certainly wasn't fixing a lounge chair that needed fixing!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They bring this now hideous chair, or whatever you want to call it out to us and it was WORSE THAN BEFORE.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had put some kind of cleaner on the spot and now it was twice the size it was and now had a huge 'blot' mark all around it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The stitching had something done to it, but we really couldn't figure out what. It looked awful and even a bigger hole than before.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enough already!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We told the Manager, or whoever he was, that this was not acceptable to us as we paid a lot of money for these 'ugly, poor excuse for loungers' and we would be wanting our money back.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So about six of them behind the counter went somewhere for a discussion I guess as they were gone for at least twenty minutes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">By this time I could have done inventory on the whole store and still had time for lunch.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway they came back and said, 'Sorry, we can't give you back your money as it's been over three weeks'.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What the?????</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had our chair in the store for the past two weeks and we hadn't even used it at home for one day with my drink and my puppie :)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So again after much frustration, thank goodness for the lady who speaks English, they finally agreed to give us our money back. It was very difficult to do as they didn't understand that just because they had them in the store, it was still over three weeks and this was their policy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ok, just please give us our $250 cash back. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">No can do as they</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> can't give cash back even though this is how we paid. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They have to write you a cheque. Store policy! Again, what the heck?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And of course they can't do it today. The person who writes them isn't there, so we have to come BACK AGAIN tomorrow.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have never ever seen such an ugly, revolting lounger in my life. It grew more unsightly by the minute.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don and I barely spoke the whole way home. It was his fault we had to buy these grotesque things in the first place. Why would anyone want to relax on these chairs with a drink in hand anyway? I would rather stand.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Next day had to fill the gas tank in the car <strong>again</strong> to make the long haul back to Chitre to pick up my cheque as it's an hours drive don't forget. Sorry I know I have said this before but now I am pissed again lol.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, so I get the cheque, but guess what?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We can't cash it for THREE DAYS, and we have to cash it at the bank where it was written and of course it isn't the bank we use. Of course not!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So three days later with yet another tank of gas I am off again to the bank to cash the cheque and after all of this, I finally GOT THE MONEY!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I spent it all on alcohol!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was about <strong><em>six</em></strong> months ago that we bought these 'beastly' creatures and just a few days ago I went back to this store. I am not sure why as I won't ever buy anything again from this store unless it's a chocolate bar that I can eat while I am there and not have to worry about returning it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As I walked to the back of the store, what did I see displayed on the floor with the other patio furniture?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yup, the same chair I took back months ago with a huge 'REDUCED' sign over it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had reduced it to <strong><span style="font-size: large;">$99</span></strong> and the stain was still there albeit a bit less noticeable and where the 'hernia gone bad' stitching was, they had covered with a button.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So, I went to the one fellow there that speaks a bit of English and told him I wanted to buy it and I also said that I would be wanting a further discount as this poor excuse for a lounge chair had obvious signs of wear and neglect. Who in their right mind would ever want to sit in this repulsive excuse for a chair overlooking the Ocean with a drink in hand?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Certainly not me!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Off he trots and after about 20 minutes comes back and says to me, "You bought this chair before didn't you?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Busted!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Just like the soup Nazi. No discount for you!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">So I ended up buying the same lovely and luxurious lounger that I had bought over six months ago for less than half the price.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Only in Panama.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Moral of this story:</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you buy anything that that has a plug, plug that sucker in before buying it and let it run for half the day if you need to make sure it works.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If it doesn't have a plug, go over it with a fine tooth comb before purchasing. When you exit the store it's yours and yours alone and good luck if you ever have to enter that store again with your purchase in hand asking for a refund!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But Panama. I still love you more and more every day!!</span></span><br />
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We had always wondered what the locals were doing down on the beach with their hammers and knives during low tide.</div>
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It's amazing how they can see these oysters. They are completely covered on the rocks with a sort of sandy hard surface exactly the same color as the rocks.</div>
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They first get their hammer and free if from the rock and then with some ingenuity manage to get the oyster inside.</div>
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This particular rock was covered in them and the young fellow had a whole pail full of oysters.</div>
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You would NEVER, EVER, EVER get me to eat these things, but the locals apparently love them. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">La Garita Beach at Low Tide.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Thank you again for reading my blog, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'.</strong></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">P.S. The ketchup here is better than anywhere, just in case you were wondering:)</span></span></div>
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Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3Pedasí District, Panama7.526237 -80.0290529999999767.5104955 -80.049222999999969 7.5419785 -80.008882999999983tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-68674685661730789152013-02-04T14:28:00.001-05:002013-02-04T14:28:49.990-05:00Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Never a dull moment:)<a href="http://costapedasi.blogspot.com/2013/02/never-dull-moment.html?spref=bl">Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Never a dull moment:)</a>: Well we have now been here in this wonderful place that we now call 'home' for over a year and a half now. Where does the time go? When we...Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-48261119474004026092013-02-04T13:17:00.002-05:002013-02-04T22:27:11.657-05:00Never a dull moment:)<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well we have now been here in this wonderful place that we now call 'home' for over a year and a half now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Where does the time go? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we first decided to come here to live I really thought that the time would slow down for us. I was promised!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But alas, it still continues to proceed at warped speed but we are</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> here in one of the most beautiful places in the world and we have not looked back once!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, maybe once when Don ran out of beer when it was one of the holidays here and you couldn't buy alcohol, ( I believe there are only two and Don knows them now like the back of his hand), but that was the only time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We sit outside here at nights and we still feel like we are on holidays and that we will soon have to pack up and go home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's just so awesome that we managed to fulfill our dream. Please do this if you are thinking about it. Remember that life is so short and we are here for such a short time that we have to make the most of each and every single day. Sorry for the sermon:)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, now I need to speak about some things that are not quite so awesome :) Still good, but a little out of the ordinary for you folks living in North America.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: large;"><strong><u>Invasion of the unknown</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The other night when we were sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather that this dry season brings, and after having our daily cocktail. Ok, ok, you dragged it out of me. It was our second! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Boy you try and slip one little white lie in here and you get attacked from all angles :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway I digress.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Out of my peripheral I see something run past the side of our home and right by the open door of our living room.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I ran to close the door so it wouldn't get it but he outwitted me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was big and furry and had a huge long tail and probably weighed about five pounds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was freaking out!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway Don grabs the pool cleaner and runs behind him into our office where 'it' hides under our desk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Obviously I closed the door to the office and I stood outside while Don was trapped in there with this 'beast' while I was outside yelling at him to catch it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well it wasn't coming out from behind the desk. No way!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then Don has the presence of mind to go and get our Panamanian security guard to try and fetch him out of our home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I guess that the Panamanians are used to doing this kind of thing as he came, brought some rope, made a lasso and the creature who has now grown to be over five hundred pounds if he was an ounce, was captured and taken outside (unscathed) and was set off to scare the hell out of some other 'loco gringo'.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">As you know going to the dentist in NA is somewhat of a 'non issue'. It's a little different here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">In our beautiful quaint little town of Pedasi there are a couple of dentist's on the main street are government run and also another in our walk-in clinic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">These are not like the dentist's at home with beautiful offices with the latest of equipment, computers, televisions on the ceiling to watch while the dentist drills away and keeps yapping at us and asking questions while our mouths are full of his thousands of dollars worth of 'pain inflicting' tools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Here the offices are very modest but clean which would be perfectly fine with me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Don however had to go to get a couple of teeth</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">filled and had to find one with not only with high definition televisions, but also the ones with state of the art equipment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Not here in Panama! Well at least not in Las Tablas or Pedasi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He went to a dentist about half hour away and she showed up an hour late. (not unusual for Panamanians).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He waited for her and she wanted him to come back as her drill wasn't working, lol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">So the following week he went back an hour late as he forgot his appointment and she had left, and she would never talk to Don again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He then set out and decided to go to a Specialist that someone had recommended.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He got to the office in Chitre, and sat in a real nice, clean dentist office with no one else around until this man came through the door with a fishing tackle box in hand. He said to himself, 'please don't let this be my dentist'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">But it was!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He sat there patiently while he opened his tackle box and took out his instruments. Don was unsure of whether to get up and run or ask him out on our boat :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">As it turned out it was one of the best dental experiences he has ever had. No pain or anything like that and the cost was only $45 for a broken tooth and X-rays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He wanted me to come back to do his cavities, but his quest for the perfect dentist had not yet come to an end.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">After speaking to numerous people and asking about the dentist they use he finally found the one he was looking for, or should I say 'dreaming of'. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I'm sure she was the 'mattress salesperson's' twin sister. You who follow my blogs will know who I am referring to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">She was this tall, thin, gorgeous young girl with the pouty lips, the perfect hair, the skin tight jeans and the all so popular 14 inch stiletto's.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">How do these girls do this anyway?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">How do they perform their normal daily activities like walking, sitting, speaking, turning, or riding the 'tilt a whirl' wearing clothes like this? It's very perplexing to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I'm really surprised that when he came home he even shared this information with me. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">All through the procedure he had only two things to look at!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Now without ever hinting that he may have to go back for another checkup, he says that his gums are hurting a tad, cold water hurts his teeth, blah, blah, blah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I got to say that his teeth could fall out one at a time, he could be bleeding profusely from the gums but the chance of him going back to that dentist in tights is very slim.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">The nice ones in town, the older gentlemen with perhaps a total of seven teeth between the four of them will do just fine!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">To be very honest though, the dental service here in Panama is excellent. You are treated really well and the cost is minimal, compared to North America.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Thank you for reading my blog and please remember to "Stay in the Light", quoted by a good friend, Cathleen Hart:)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">P.S. All of the wieners and sausages are all wrapped individually in their packages here :) Just for your information in case you were wondering:)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The full moon a few nights ago with a cruise ship passing by. Priceless!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><br />Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1Pedasi, Panama6.3764407403661263 -81.826171875-24.213922759633874 -123.134765875 36.966804240366123 -40.517577875tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-57820013497170151482012-03-27T17:14:00.002-04:002012-03-27T18:16:22.276-04:00It's been a while!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I am finally back after a very long hiatus.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It seems like it has been forever since I have put pen to paper, and looking back on my previous posts it has been!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I hope I remember how to do this:)</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Internet Tower</u></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our internet tower that we like to call the 90 foot Palm Tree! </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One of the reasons being that since we moved into our home we have not had internet service here and I had to drive up to the office to do any networking and it proved to be distracting to say the least to do any kind of writing at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But now, they have constructed an internet tower right here in the development so I get fantastic service now. At least when the generator is full of gas!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yes, you read it right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we first got the tower running Don woke up early morning like he always does and woke me up saying " Hey, get up. We finally have internet here in our home". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We went everywhere. In the bedrooms, in the bathroom (even the one without a window), outside, everywhere, and yes, we had internet. And good internet too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But it was short lived as the next morning it was back to normal. No internet again!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We called to find out the problem, and they informed us that the tower is run by a gas generator and it had run ouot of gas. Can you believe it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway it has only run out of gas twice now, so hopefully they have the gas company's phone number on speed dial.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;"><u>Buses here in Pedasi</u></span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I always marvel at how things operate here. It's why I am in love with this country and all that it has to offere and the idiosyncrasies of the people who live here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The other day I was driving in town and was behind a local bus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It pulled over at the local hardware store and a local got out and went inside.</span></div>
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I<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> was behind the bus and was wondering why he wasn't pulling out and taking off. I stayed behind for a few minutes and then the local comes out of the store with a wheelbarrow. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The driver gets out and helps the guy put the wheelbarrow on top of the bus!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After it was secure they both got back in and drove off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now that's service. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think that North America should adopt this kind of service with their buses. You think that would ever fly? I think not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Speaking of buses, it is very very common for the locals to stand at bus stops carrying their machetes and jump on the buses with them.</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Can you even fathom the notion that this kind of thing would be the norm in anywhere else but here?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Everyone here owns a machete and they use it everywhere to cut down branches, and even large trees. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don tried using it once and almost amputated his leg, lol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He hands it to the Panamanian's. They sure know how to swing one of those things effortless.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don has retired his, except he does have one under out bed just in case, but it's on MY side. Hmmmmm :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u>Our Pool</u></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our Pool as it is today. They had to repaint it!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have to say that we are loving our home, but last week they had to drain our pool and sand and remove all of the paint because when they originally painted it they immediately after painting filled it with water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Perhaps they should have read the can first as you are supposed to wait seven days before any water hits the paint.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don and I mentioned this to them at the time but they assured us that this would be fine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It all bubbled and the picture above says it all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It will be over two weeks in total until we have our pool back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have to mention the weather here speaking of pools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had not been here in the summer before, having come here in August to September before and didn't know what the temperatures would be like.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had our rainy season, which by the way here in the Azuero Peninsula is 50% dryer than the rest of Panama, and it did rain off an on until about mid December. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then it was like a miracle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One morning we woke up to brilliant blue skies with the most incredible tradewind blowing across the Ocean which cools the 30 degree temperatures down immensely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's been a carbon copy of this weather since then until now, and it looks like we will be having the same for another couple of months.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's absolutely brilliant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Breezy and sunny all day, with virtually no humidity. In fact at night I always need a jacket on. We have not needed the air conditioning on at all since Mid December.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Priceless!!</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Cruise Ships</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In addition to all of the cargo and freighter ships that sail by on a regular basis we are now having quite a few cruise ships as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Normally they travel at night as the canal is not far from here and they usually arrive at the canal early in the morning, but once in a while we are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This isn't a great shot as Don wasn't home and I didn't know how to put the zoom len's on the camera, so this is the best I could do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's an awesome sight to see these cruise by. It really is!</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Trip to the local Walk in Clinic</u></strong></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ok, a couple of weeks ago, I was down on my hands and knees cleaning the floors in the kitchen (this statement in itself is SOOOO wrong in so many ways) and for some reason something snapped in my knee and I could barely get up off the floor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Floor cleaning is not for women! Getting pedicures, manicures and being waited on hand and foot...This is what we are put here on earth for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But I digress :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway, my knee just kept getting worse and worse so I bit the bullet and decided to venture on down to the local Walk in Clinic which is only a few minutes away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I wasn't looking forward to this at all as it was all so unknown and my Spanish is very very limited to say the least.<br />Anyway I was really surprised when I went in as it was not crowded like walk-in clinics that I have been to before and it was spotless as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I made my way over to the correct window after a couple of tries and thanks to one really nice and very 'cute' Panamanian Police Officer, I got all of the information I needed to give to the girl behind the counter and I went to the waiting room to 'wait' to see the Doctor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I only was there for about half an hour when the Doctor motioned me in. To my surprise he spoke English fairly well. What a relief!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Of course I had to show him my passport for him to COPY my name (which I will expand on later).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway I told him about the cleaning of the floor thing, and he said "Why on earth were you doing that anyway? That's a man's job!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, that is not exactly what he said, but it was for sure what he meant :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So I was in his office perhaps 15 minutes, which by the way was soooo cold. His A/C was set to 16, and he filled me out a prescription as he said that I had sprained a muscle and needed some anti-inflammatory pills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I sauntered over to the Pharmacy which was right across the aisle and she had my presriptions, which consisted of a tube of some kind of Ben Gay kind of stuff and a weeks worth of pills for my inflammation in about 10 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So most of you don't know that my legal name in Constance Dennis, not Connie, so this is what I expected on the prescription as the kind Doc had indeed copied it from my passport didn't he?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I got my pills, I looked at the name it was 'Constang Leon'...What the??</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">How can one get Constang Leon from Constance Dennis when they were copying it right from the passport?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">LOLOL . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This just broke me up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway, with the Doctor's consultation, the presriptions and all else, the bill came to </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">$4.45. (Pic Below)</span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As you can see by the bill, the Consultation with the "Medico" was $2.00 and the Prescriptions were $2.45.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just had to show you the bill as some might think I was exagerrating the truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was an experience that turned out to be just fine and non painful at all.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Constang Leon's Bill for Consultation and Prescriptions</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><u>Artistry of the Locals</u></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Notice the sandals and the orange peel in the foreground</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: black;">On our walk the other morning we saw the above. The locals had picked up all of the garbage and made a piece of artwork with it all. As you can see there are shoes, sandals, bottles, orange peels, vines and paper all made into a fence kind of thing.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">These people are really are awesome! </span></div>
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<strong><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just pictures of our beach the other day and the sunset!</span></u></strong></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUEJ20fBXbUsJPWPlwJ25E54cdLR0kEdgT2LT03H8jmys68U-d7cbOtD1Tveygof7qq3AhyrvUG26TsBpCEGYDj0a-wepY6wOR9bkY7SuON2pPT88Gt_Bqg3GElw4oT7y5xamA5NbewCw/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIUEJ20fBXbUsJPWPlwJ25E54cdLR0kEdgT2LT03H8jmys68U-d7cbOtD1Tveygof7qq3AhyrvUG26TsBpCEGYDj0a-wepY6wOR9bkY7SuON2pPT88Gt_Bqg3GElw4oT7y5xamA5NbewCw/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><u>Road Paving</u></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3eIsFm4zJqEuYRPpqK00U53sda2O_qkbe2LPt4LG7oEtRlNCQDYvgTCiD6uKDRcX5CUgraUWABBeW4welrdmL5xhwP0LeVEIkX9jfLKD6vyRFew2Ai2_6-fZxDbgEaUWUBKIV_w0G1ul/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz3eIsFm4zJqEuYRPpqK00U53sda2O_qkbe2LPt4LG7oEtRlNCQDYvgTCiD6uKDRcX5CUgraUWABBeW4welrdmL5xhwP0LeVEIkX9jfLKD6vyRFew2Ai2_6-fZxDbgEaUWUBKIV_w0G1ul/s320/005.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally the roads are being paved in the development. It's been an arduous task that has taken 3 months so far and still not finished, but it does look like the end is near.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There are sidewalks going in and street lights. It will be fantastic when done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well this is all for now, and as always I want to thank you for taking the time to read my blogs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I really do enjoy writing, and I will have more of my adventures in this wonderful paradise real soon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Please be safe and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you want to read more about Panama please go to <a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/">http://www.panama-guide.com/</a> for many articles in English about Panama and the surrounding areas.</span></div>
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</div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-31915901621860660872011-10-26T13:25:00.008-04:002011-10-27T17:04:15.175-04:00Whales, Waves and Chicks<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is what we saw on our walk on the beach yesterday. We have seen numerous whales in last couple of months, but none like this yesterday. It really is a spectacle to see. It's nice seeing the natives get excited as well when they appear and do their show for us all to see.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wow is all I have to say about this picture</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The waves on the beach were also something to see as well. I am sure they were at least 30 feet high at times. There were no others on the beach and it really makes one feel small seeing all of this.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Its been quite a while since I have written. Our home is coming along nicely and we have been extremely busy trying to coodinate everything at our end. It's quite overwhelming at times. If you follow my blogs you are aware that Don and I brought NOTHING down in the way of furniture, household items, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's quite difficult now that we are almost ready to move in to gather up and FIND all of the things that we will need when you are in a foreign land, so to speak. It's not like you can just jump in your car and head off to Home Depot or Canadian Tire, or Supercentre and buy all of the necessities. Here we need to drive for an hour or more and even then it's hard to find things like outdoor furniture, linens etc. You really need to go into Panama City which is, with all of the construction on the highways, about a four and a half hour drive from here, and it's a CITY which neither Don and<em> </em>I are fans of going to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Nonetheless we managed to go to Santiago yesterday which is about a two hour drive and found a 'Do It Centre' which we managed to find and luckily got to buy a lot of things that we will need including dishes, tools, dehumidifier, wheelbarrow, etc. It was easy to drop almost $700 there in less than half an hour. It's fun buying all new things though, even though I absolutely HATE shopping.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So they are saying that we can move into our home on Sunday. They will have our bedroom ready and the kitchen will be functional. There are lots of things to be finished but we figure it's better to live there as it is than to stay here renting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As long as we have a bed and a fridge, that is all we need.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Taken October 25th, 2011</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Speaking of mattresses, again if you have followed my blogs, you will remember my story of going to Chitre to try and find a mattress and going through all of the 'trying out' of mattresses and having to put up with the likes of the 'Miss Panamanians', lol, we came across this guy who was in one of the stores trying to get his line of mattresses in their store, and seeing as none of the salespeopl spoke English, it was a great relief to meet "Miguel" who spoke fluent English and who helped us get our thoughts and questions through to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway it turned out that we actually ended up working with Miguel, deciding to order two mattresses from him from his store in Panama City.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now he didn't have any website on his store and we had only met him that one time in the store in Chitre, but being the way we are we sent him a cheque for almost $1600 last week for these mattresses that we 'hoped' we would eventually see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Everyone here laughed at us and thought we were nuts to have done this, but low and behold on Saturday the arrived. Just what we ordered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You see, you need to have faith, and a strong heart, lol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Dons shoes</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A month ago or so you will remember me telling you about Don leaving his shoes on the beach when we started our walk. As we were coming back we passed this family. There were Mom and Dad and six children walking along. It's seldom that you see anyone on the beach, so we remember this family very well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As we walked past them and got to where Don had left his clogs, they were gone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We knew it had to be this family as I said there had been noone else waling the beach at this particular time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now these clogs were very expensive too. He paid $3.99 for them at a local store :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They were distinct also as one was missing the back strap.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well yesterday Don was driving down the main street of town, and sure enough, there was the Father with Don's shoes on, lol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He felt good in a way that the man now had a pair of these very expensive 'used' shoes to now wear.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bringing us back to reality again, and putting things in proper perspective!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>New Speigel Store</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There is also a new 'Speigel' store now open in Chitre that we went to the other day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now you have read my blog on Security in stores, but this store has it beat with the number of staff working in it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My God!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we got there we were the only ones in the store and we counted sixteen staff of which <strong><em>three</em></strong> kept following us around, mumbling something to us at all times.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was looking for sheets for <strong>our mattresses that came</strong>, lol, and evertime I would look at one, and pull it out of the shelf to look at it, the salesgirl would tell me what it is. Now I am able to read English.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had 'king and queen' clearly written on them, but she insisted on telling me each and every time I looked them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The other two of them were following her and for what reason I had no idea.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Each time I would pull out a set of sheets and put them back, she would go and make sure they were lined up exactly as they were. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It go so annoying, so I just went along and pulled out as many as I could so she would have something to keep her busy, lol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I kept saying 'vamos', which I thought was 'leave us alone' in Spanish, but it didn't work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Geez.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Needless to say we walked out with nothing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh, forgot to mention that of course we had Sadie with us the whole time and at one time we forgot her and looked around to find one of the salespeople bringing her to us on her leash, lol. She's always with us and getting a bit sick of shopping I must say, lol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Chicks for Sale!</u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We found this store in Santiago that was kind of like a hardward store in North America but they also sold young chicks. They were so cute and they sold them for $.50 for the yellow ones and $.60 for the black ones. Not sure of the difference, but there was a man there who picked out three of them and placed them in a paper bag that already had holes put in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This was the cutest thing I hve ever seen. Well almost....the Whales were probably the best. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong><u>Venao Beach</u></strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">We drove out to Venao Beach the other day for lunch and stopped by this little restaurant/Cantina that we have always wanted to go to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">The owner showed us three little rooms that are probably no more than 200 square feet with room for a small bed with of course a toilet and shower that he is building overlooking the ocean with an an incredible view. Of course they will all three have air conditioning and a television, lol</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">They will be ready next week and he is renting them for $50.00 per night including a continental breakfast and a fishing trip at a nominal fee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Such a nice place to hang your hat for a day or two.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Restaurant owned by Toti</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Tonight we are having a saleperson from Panama City come to meet us at our home to measure for blinds for all of our windows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">There are so many windows and doors that I am not looking forward to the price. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">It really is fun watching our home being built and looking forward to actually getting to live there and wake up each morning to see the Ocean and hopefully whales.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">The Whale season is slowing drawing to a close so we will soon have to be content with watching the cargo ships cruising by and now the cruise ships are starting to sail by.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Ahhh the life!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Somebody has to do it! It might as well be me :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Take good care my friends,s</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">tay safe and healthy and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">If you would like to read more on Panama please go to the link below.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">He has a great site filled with thousands of articles in English.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/">http://www.panama-guide.com/</a></span></div>
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</div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-11661824333539415032011-10-08T10:36:00.002-04:002011-10-08T10:44:04.629-04:00Cowboys with Blackberry's and Celebrations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><u>Our Anniversary and Connie's Birthday!</u></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well today is our anniversary. 28 years ago today I said 'I do' to my friend and my soul mate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We started our day with a long walk on the beach as we almost always do. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Never in my wildest dreams at this date and time 28 years ago, did I think that we would be living in a Country that is beautiful beyond belief and a country that we can now call 'Home'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We have had our struggles over the past years as all people do, and although we are not 'rich' in the monetary sense we are rich in so many other ways. The ways that count.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have our health and friends, and that is the greatest wealth there is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I find myself so lucky to have found someone who I trust completely, whom I enjoy spending every minute of the day with, and who makes my life complete.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are still renting here, so unfortunately we won't be in our house for this special day, but Don and I have a date on Friday October 7th, 2033 for our 50th wedding anniversary, and it will be celebrated on <strong><em>our</em></strong> deck overlooking the Pacific ocean with a glass of celebratory champagne in our hands toasting, "We made it"!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today we are going to be sharing our special day with some 'friends' that we have not met yet who are coming from Chicago to buy property here. Her name is also 'Connie' and it's her birthday today, so tonight it will be a night of celebration for all of us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Looking forward to spaghetti, drinks and lots of laughter.</span><br />
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</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Life is good, and </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am totally in love with Panama and the amazing Panamanian people.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Update:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last night was really an awesome night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our new friends Connie and Ken, and their adopted daughter Yana, Iris (one of our residents), and Martin, Don's partner and friend were all at our rental place to celebrate Connie's birthday and our Anniversary.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's also Martin's birthday today so it was quite a night.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Prezzies, good food, laughter with good friends equals a late night but worth every second of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I once again marvel at how great a community ours will be at Costa Pedasi.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Everyone who lives and are going to live here, are the most amazing 'full of life' people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Good times ahead for sure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We could NOT have picked a better final resting place than Pedasi, Panama.</span><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><u>Veggie Truck</u></strong></span><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have so much fun when the veggie truck comes to town. My Spanish is not at all good, and although I go through all of the things I am buying in my 'Google translate' by the time I get there it sounds nothing like what it is supposed to sound like.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The locals of course know that I am a 'Loco' Gringo and take much needed pity on me. It is so much fun even though I think that those poor locals are perhaps saying some unflattering mumblings behind my back, lol.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Making a fool of myself :)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><u>Buying things in Panama</u></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Buying things here in Panama is not like it is in North America. Don and his friend Pierre went to get the truck serviced and went shopping in Chitre a town an hour away.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They went into this store which is like a Canadian Tire at home and each bought the same vacuum cleaner.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well here, they have to unpack the whole thing, put on all of the hoses et cetera, plug it in and make sure it works and that all of the parts are indeed in the box.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then of course they need to re-pack it all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a good thing really as it stops people from bringing things back saying they are defective or whatever, but it's not so good for the people in line, lol.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had to do the same to Pierre's vacuum as well, so as a result they held up the line for about 15 minutes, and then the girl put both on Pierre's visa. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Lol Good for us but not Pierre:)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Cowboys and Blackberry's</u></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A couple of days ago we went to the house after the worker's had all left just to sit and enjoy what will 'hopefully' soon be our home.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love this place as nomatter where you roam you will always see horses, cows, chickens everywhere.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love seeing the cowboys ride their horses on the roads, but this night we saw this cowboy ride by our home and in his hand was a blackberry that he was chatting on.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I found that so amazing to see.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">People with no other means of transportation but a horse, but still have a blackberry.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Only in Panama :)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tNHnw6vNw6hpvwBErO_2o1aCPUv938af8YaS3OMWtL3JMhcB1yBEQMpipQyuTaDg3SLFb0QP3Xw5VCmIiMp7_9dZ-r_umd5xmWIfLI860b02T_GhuElbTV_wMEJFQm2MUD8QFNnlkIX4/s1600/man+on+horse+sept+29th%252C+2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="239" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tNHnw6vNw6hpvwBErO_2o1aCPUv938af8YaS3OMWtL3JMhcB1yBEQMpipQyuTaDg3SLFb0QP3Xw5VCmIiMp7_9dZ-r_umd5xmWIfLI860b02T_GhuElbTV_wMEJFQm2MUD8QFNnlkIX4/s320/man+on+horse+sept+29th%252C+2011.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>This is not the picture I wanted, but he does have a blackberry</strong></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeCPPtchWUrVF96Ro4bR0VpnoTC3UQ4ENyXPkFG9Z9GQGuOJLi9Q4YX2JGgZrV9vRcSGrbMDaxvpBMtRTAIzewYzsaXKGxn2MYvNsFniktsP0PSr6ciTwGHv_dRSiEiDA6VvEWSvjvrtk/s1600/Cows%252C+October+3rd%252C+on+way+to+our+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPeCPPtchWUrVF96Ro4bR0VpnoTC3UQ4ENyXPkFG9Z9GQGuOJLi9Q4YX2JGgZrV9vRcSGrbMDaxvpBMtRTAIzewYzsaXKGxn2MYvNsFniktsP0PSr6ciTwGHv_dRSiEiDA6VvEWSvjvrtk/s320/Cows%252C+October+3rd%252C+on+way+to+our+home.jpg" width="320" /></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Love seeing these cows every time we drive to the Development</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Yesterdays Catch</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yesterday Don went to the liquor store just steps away from us, and he wanted me to tell you all that he got a 60oz of Vodka, 24 Cerveza's, a bag of Cheesies, and the bill was under $25.00.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Again, only in Panama!</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><u>Table Saw</u></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I do not know anything about table saws or what they are used for, (ok, I know they 'saw' stuff), lol but Don thought this was the most ingenious thing that the Panamanian's had rigged up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are a very innovative people.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGClbyBcFI-Ad7MMduMP4irUzL-favWCkoMPSHL1VDl7bpwSlcpFqcT2opY4JL6RTHRomOfhqUEo7kwAUxzIBULmBjPog8gKhmkNLYObHMP3yf7vR7fMb_HFBIDwkT1_48F94KDwcFKUTW/s1600/Panamanian+Skill+Saw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGClbyBcFI-Ad7MMduMP4irUzL-favWCkoMPSHL1VDl7bpwSlcpFqcT2opY4JL6RTHRomOfhqUEo7kwAUxzIBULmBjPog8gKhmkNLYObHMP3yf7vR7fMb_HFBIDwkT1_48F94KDwcFKUTW/s320/Panamanian+Skill+Saw.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Table Saw!</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well folks I had better get some things done around home now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don is out showing our friends the development, and when he gets back we are all going on a Panga to whale and dolphin watch, go over to the Isla Iguana and just tour around the Ocean.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a beautiful day here today. 28 degrees, mix of sun and cloud. Just gorgeous!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Tonight is Martin's birthday, so we are all going out for dinner to celebrate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Could I bring the remainder of Connie's Birthday Cake from last night to the restaurant? Would that be tacky? LOL</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a great weekend to all of you and to all of my friends and family in Canada, I wish you all a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We will be celebrating it here with some wonderful friends Pierre and Beth, who are so kindly having all of the Canadians that we have met here, and who will be living in our development, to their home for Thanksgiving dinner on Monday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong>If you enjoy reading about Panama please go to the link below. It's a wonderful site written by Don Winner with many very informative writings on Panama and all in English.</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/">http://www.panama-guide.com/</a></span><br />
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</div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-33006186930595385212011-09-26T12:30:00.000-04:002011-09-26T12:30:39.572-04:00Friends, whales, locals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Incredible" is what I have to say about our walk on the beach this morning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got there and noticed a lot of locals pointing to the beach. We looked and saw these two whales which were no more than 100 yard offshore jumping right out of the water. We could see the colors of their underbelly, tails and all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The put on this show for us for about 15 minutes. Wow!! I honestly can put into words how beautiful it is to see this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A local fisherman took off in his boat out to where these whales were, and it went right underneath his boat. Unfortunately like us, he did not have a camera.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We almost always carry our camera with us, but not today. We could have gotten the most amazing pictures and probably won't ever get a chance to get this close to the whales again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">At least we have this picture etched in our memory forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Incredible!!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrdv87X2dNFphA_rxfcbSWYhF-ylAZCtu_RG_MfdmuBdD5L4-rapaGKnYtqCCYnuwVx56O0MxgnXo2Gml-MLywzRy3d64F2YnF5rmDsnKXDKTCJmeOd8nswH4wcRnoG0b5Qc4IjM8HTzJ/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrdv87X2dNFphA_rxfcbSWYhF-ylAZCtu_RG_MfdmuBdD5L4-rapaGKnYtqCCYnuwVx56O0MxgnXo2Gml-MLywzRy3d64F2YnF5rmDsnKXDKTCJmeOd8nswH4wcRnoG0b5Qc4IjM8HTzJ/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugbvBRcrwZ6LE5UVM_40E5pXXDSuHanmxFYjFB3zXEtIh83ZsfWueVxPwiu3R_FFy1QuM7ef13DIJyUKwZ5GlKS9aBGejwbcXpqbLQcgKQh7tMS6H1ZLi56lerRlplVBWEszswiBLjPSU/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugbvBRcrwZ6LE5UVM_40E5pXXDSuHanmxFYjFB3zXEtIh83ZsfWueVxPwiu3R_FFy1QuM7ef13DIJyUKwZ5GlKS9aBGejwbcXpqbLQcgKQh7tMS6H1ZLi56lerRlplVBWEszswiBLjPSU/s320/002.JPG" width="320" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">It's incredible what strength the water really has to bring such huge things onland</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bY8iu1tcYBhx6V1I2Qt5KnbWAChQvilQVy6UmvY7LjYS-PpLAS9WzsujbD76I9rI2NznV8MORe3FjMGRMs7yR5WMIAeqDLxUL9-h9Ou6fYb0dTVbusulRDh6cuh9__ct-O_D9qXe6jT_/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bY8iu1tcYBhx6V1I2Qt5KnbWAChQvilQVy6UmvY7LjYS-PpLAS9WzsujbD76I9rI2NznV8MORe3FjMGRMs7yR5WMIAeqDLxUL9-h9Ou6fYb0dTVbusulRDh6cuh9__ct-O_D9qXe6jT_/s320/017.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">I love finding these Sand Dollars</span></strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got our table and chairs from our local builder yesterday. He did such a great job, and he even made Don's chair bigger, lol. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One of my friends said of course he did because he is taller. LOL. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am not quite sure if it will fit anywhere in our new house, but I love it and it will go somewhere. We wanted rustic, and we got rustic.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBt8t1GjYRZgnmgkyvnuyOCHRflMc6ehctTWmXTgtxIvxrn1LIQy5fMnLC8HM6DUhHzozQ98jRvjrD-mN_UcOGUbqM1TN2m9l0o3t_eIFPiy9i4lcyDMpvtenR4LIfoHumx6PhPzW-CnTG/s1600/Table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBt8t1GjYRZgnmgkyvnuyOCHRflMc6ehctTWmXTgtxIvxrn1LIQy5fMnLC8HM6DUhHzozQ98jRvjrD-mN_UcOGUbqM1TN2m9l0o3t_eIFPiy9i4lcyDMpvtenR4LIfoHumx6PhPzW-CnTG/s320/Table.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Me and my table and chair!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don took this picture of me walking ahead of him on the beach the other day and I just love it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMSTfM0-Sem0_LT_EGjWjFbo2qddbfCW0dzvEnTrZbYDRhPIQYd7cAmzSa9MscNT4tAYPBc67GzYHmLIv-Kuorv8GIpThlUhrzQw13mdlvuqJGhMJZyepZL7tec36lid1K7AwFQi4UON8/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMSTfM0-Sem0_LT_EGjWjFbo2qddbfCW0dzvEnTrZbYDRhPIQYd7cAmzSa9MscNT4tAYPBc67GzYHmLIv-Kuorv8GIpThlUhrzQw13mdlvuqJGhMJZyepZL7tec36lid1K7AwFQi4UON8/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Footprints in the Sand</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He is not close to being a photographer by any means, but I think he did a great job of this one. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our beautiful little town of Pedasi is slowly becoming Americanized. We now have a 'wing and burger' joint, a couple of really good 'pubs' that play music at nights, and even our own bakery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The bakery is also combined with a restaurant and they serve fresh sandwiches, soups, etc. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The breads are great but it's funny as they sell them all by weight. They take a bun and put it on the scales in a paper bag. One day the same roll will be $.90 and the next day $1.10.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You have to love it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There is a great pizza place as well that serves amazing pie's. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just hope the locals are ok with all of these changes that we 'Gringos' are bringing to their once quiet little town.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They are totally amazing people who would do anything for you and would give you their last piece of bread if you needed it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am trying as hard as I can to learn the language enough to communicate somewhat with them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am told over and over again that Spanish is an easy language to learn!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Hmmmm. I sure don't think so, but I'm trying and hopefully the Panamanian's know that I am at least doing the best I can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our home is coming along great. They are still saying the end of October for possession. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I sure hope so as even though our rental place is 'ok', we just look forward so much to being in our own place working on the tremendous amount of landscaping that awaits us.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOcrkU_rkc-z8gDSQIcaX14lcF-eKITN8UGpFeJujtujKFlCKSuULLax-6iAsP8rkUMwiJqCorHY3i8WQdM3Vvsuw-bWDlFOa0yvzzt35CRJWQJq9gaiFgog9CdktvCCJFwEfSIG53v-7/s1600/house+sept+25+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfOcrkU_rkc-z8gDSQIcaX14lcF-eKITN8UGpFeJujtujKFlCKSuULLax-6iAsP8rkUMwiJqCorHY3i8WQdM3Vvsuw-bWDlFOa0yvzzt35CRJWQJq9gaiFgog9CdktvCCJFwEfSIG53v-7/s320/house+sept+25+005.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmYqtZGgqTKz9xhbLn3K_4uc1cc3vv7jHetB9Dlj-8xTkErKRBDSGc0xUSY8vv2x2ZX1_8gNAtoVHfTwkbqZrGkDLX6KxwpP44hcIZzCPrpPMt4iFWX7tIuu7jzPHulkOwgE0zd4BezwP/s1600/house+sept+25+019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmYqtZGgqTKz9xhbLn3K_4uc1cc3vv7jHetB9Dlj-8xTkErKRBDSGc0xUSY8vv2x2ZX1_8gNAtoVHfTwkbqZrGkDLX6KxwpP44hcIZzCPrpPMt4iFWX7tIuu7jzPHulkOwgE0zd4BezwP/s320/house+sept+25+019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don is at the site making sure everything is going as planned. We are not sure what to do with the edging on the steps of the pool. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You can see by the picture that they put the edging right across the first step and we wonder if that will be ok getting in and out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well though. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Beautiful day here today with really nice breeze. No sunshine yet, but nice and cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Going now to hang clothes on the line and then maybe watch a movie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our good friends lent us their VCR and a whole slew of movies that they brought with them, so we are set for movies every night for a month or so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a wonderful day friends. Thank you for reading my blog, and if you could, please clink on the following link and read more on Panama and what it has to offer. </span><br />
“We are participating in the link exchange program on Don Winner’s news website - <a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/">http://www.panama-guide.com/</a> – which contains "Thousands of Articles in English" about life and living in the Republic of Panama.”<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have a wonderful safe day and remember to 'Stay in the Light' </span><br />
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</div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-17976718759664496582011-09-23T14:07:00.000-04:002011-09-23T14:07:05.275-04:00Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Living here, stop signs and gas stations!<a href="http://costapedasi.blogspot.com/2011/09/snippets-about-my-life-in-pedasi-panama.html#links">Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Living here, stop signs and gas stations!</a>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-41931322217130743082011-09-19T16:51:00.000-04:002011-09-19T16:51:55.021-04:00Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Living here, stop signs and gas stations!<a href="http://costapedasi.blogspot.com/2011/09/living-here-stop-signs-and-gas-stations.html?spref=bl">Snippets about my life in Pedasi, Panama: Living here, stop signs and gas stations!</a>: Well, we spent from 1 pm yesterday until 5 pm at our home. It was so nice just to sit there overlooking the Ocean and dream about actually l...Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-83980137537540868692011-09-19T12:49:00.004-04:002011-09-24T11:10:55.470-04:00Living here, stop signs and gas stations!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well, we spent from 1 pm yesterday until 5 pm at our home. It was so nice just to sit there overlooking the Ocean and dream about actually living there in the next few weeks. Our builder is just awesome, and he told Don this morning that his plans are to have the house 90% finished by the end of this week. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's only been 5 1/2 months. This is like the speed of light for builders in Central America.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We originally had thought that we might have to rent here for six months or so and was hoping to get into our home by Christmas, but now looks like the possibility of the middle of October now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They have painted most of the outside, have all of our floor tiles down and working on the baseboard and putting the tiles around the pool.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRaeJdX4nUq69TzedB1UImSYEVwl0WCBJwLgMIms6nrmd_1ShAWsv9CevYvzQgf4iALwPcs37qX2LV405KiNKF0ytQyfIl82toieY-hbZT3ViK_V77OY_Iws-0a7KHspGGY0CP5OVU8FZ/s1600/Just+stuff+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBRaeJdX4nUq69TzedB1UImSYEVwl0WCBJwLgMIms6nrmd_1ShAWsv9CevYvzQgf4iALwPcs37qX2LV405KiNKF0ytQyfIl82toieY-hbZT3ViK_V77OY_Iws-0a7KHspGGY0CP5OVU8FZ/s320/Just+stuff+018.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Outside Paint Color</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7q0pQ66a43i4s778RtunpyFWwqzxRlWhvQ9bt2oVjntGiKRsVYN0XUIaFziW8Bm9SiijCX7cuP5c16V4XHhNJvFGZAq2YoLeJ0_AgLqBwoJG7HPMY880CayGigLhnp7Pu-hcnbOiL1Pz/s1600/Just+stuff+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7q0pQ66a43i4s778RtunpyFWwqzxRlWhvQ9bt2oVjntGiKRsVYN0XUIaFziW8Bm9SiijCX7cuP5c16V4XHhNJvFGZAq2YoLeJ0_AgLqBwoJG7HPMY880CayGigLhnp7Pu-hcnbOiL1Pz/s320/Just+stuff+017.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Floor Tiles throughtout the house and on front entrance</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhic2cPLp47n_TY_A4akhnNYcy8t4d_SRQp04KJbFfR7aeP-0O4gxqFZCb4uigao-qdbaicSdJrqaCEpr5cu4yauVp4Pstfh8NNDgYVkLSVgtKZKLHeQkiHpzhNk6fX7diSKJbSG1JLFXIA/s1600/Just+stuff+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhic2cPLp47n_TY_A4akhnNYcy8t4d_SRQp04KJbFfR7aeP-0O4gxqFZCb4uigao-qdbaicSdJrqaCEpr5cu4yauVp4Pstfh8NNDgYVkLSVgtKZKLHeQkiHpzhNk6fX7diSKJbSG1JLFXIA/s320/Just+stuff+025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Outside Shower</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The pool tiles are not what we ordered and when Don went to the development on Saturday he had a fit as they are so different than the ones we wanted. He brought home samples for me to look at and I really liked them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If we change them now, it will put the progress back about 2 weeks so we are just going to leave them. Don hates them and I do see what he means about the 'red' circles in most of them. What do you think?</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ-W-s56eT857L_6ifvByBYw6ts3wxyBD8XIL3viTDhmNXluOaDD55sQrNFU24sgrClEaJkrzwcgywZ4lAnSVS4tKSEINSvg3OBYTpFPFZRnzHGKfP8RFA93PnOHpsf9ElS7jEj9FcPFj/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJ-W-s56eT857L_6ifvByBYw6ts3wxyBD8XIL3viTDhmNXluOaDD55sQrNFU24sgrClEaJkrzwcgywZ4lAnSVS4tKSEINSvg3OBYTpFPFZRnzHGKfP8RFA93PnOHpsf9ElS7jEj9FcPFj/s1600/011.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ones that we ordered!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkfLcDQKQyLfY5BVP3McEt4eKtQFRt8ZxdrK9mtp79t-x24Gd2uo-bHtuJqk5cLU2vou_md62KN0WbZ3aXcRbGYyZF5oCTHhNNDG_SqAkv3-awq4HtjFQVmmNiEGjkShVVvOcAMT60urK/s1600/Just+stuff+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFkfLcDQKQyLfY5BVP3McEt4eKtQFRt8ZxdrK9mtp79t-x24Gd2uo-bHtuJqk5cLU2vou_md62KN0WbZ3aXcRbGYyZF5oCTHhNNDG_SqAkv3-awq4HtjFQVmmNiEGjkShVVvOcAMT60urK/s320/Just+stuff+027.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The ones we got, minus the cigarette butt :)</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I really hope they will look ok when down. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had the most amazing afternoon yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We sat and talked and watched whales jumping from our patio. (The whales weren't actually jumping from the patio, lol)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The skies were dark and we could hear thunder in the background but unfortunately did not see any lightning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We sat there in awe talking about how we really are living in Central America and how we got there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Three years ago this whole thing was barely a dream, and now here we are just weeks away from moving into the house of our dreams with our dog Sadie, and myself with the most amazing husband in the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">To think that after 33 years together we packed up 4 suitcases and 3 boxes and left the only place we had ever known and moved to a Country that we knew from only having visited twice before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I think of it that way I now realize why some people thought we were nuts, lol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have to pinch myself at times to make sure this is a reality and not just a dream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We did it!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We're almost there!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEflO9Zb2CoxoGz639aYMgGSCdP9NPcG2l53EUH5pnCaeEqjdJJMKj0zmugtAvvDMIwmDmTCArduMvEnSMB6qAtIsYV2Y0SiAvetwy5Jmw4R3rGBbOjcOwOW4crmNDzsQtLhXESY97V2GU/s1600/Just+stuff+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEflO9Zb2CoxoGz639aYMgGSCdP9NPcG2l53EUH5pnCaeEqjdJJMKj0zmugtAvvDMIwmDmTCArduMvEnSMB6qAtIsYV2Y0SiAvetwy5Jmw4R3rGBbOjcOwOW4crmNDzsQtLhXESY97V2GU/s320/Just+stuff+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">A storm brewing over the Pacific</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There are many, many reasons why I just love living here in Panama.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One is of course is the beauty of the area and the people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The Panamanian people are the most gracious, friendly people I have ever met.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are the 'Gringo's' who have invaded their beautiful nice quiet town, but still they treat us as locals and always have this huge smile to greet us when we pass them by on the streets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Even the local Police are friendly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we were sitting on our patio yesterday a police car drove by with two of their finest in it and they both put their arms out the window, gave us a huge wave and greeted us with a huge 'Buenas Tardes'.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Would the police in North America do this? I think not!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today Don is out helping a friend of ours who we have met of course since coming here to live.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They are an awesome couple from Connecticut.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They are moving from one rental to another one that is much bigger while waiting for their house to be built.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a sad story as the couple who lived in it were killed last month while driving from here to Las Tablas to go shopping when a truck coming towards them blew a tire and swerved right into them. They were killed instantly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They did not have a 'Panamanian' will, and we find out that it's imperative that you do as our wills in North America are useless here if anything should happen to you.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You have to love these people and some of the things they do. Case in point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you follow my blogs, you will remember that I have spoken about the new hospital being started here just out of town.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well we drove by where they are just beginning to start construction and here is what we saw!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxNqelcvqymrN3FDPAzo-mdKJUCWm4UTUPVHVqAOJgcpZxVRCwT-hwbQKv0VKNMEs-nXN2bIIgJRdCrXN2EaTMPB-3ffu7_7qw6bydNdy3bI7X0C17L9WaLPj6noHtrtnsDxN8TrwgdeC/s1600/Just+stuff+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvxNqelcvqymrN3FDPAzo-mdKJUCWm4UTUPVHVqAOJgcpZxVRCwT-hwbQKv0VKNMEs-nXN2bIIgJRdCrXN2EaTMPB-3ffu7_7qw6bydNdy3bI7X0C17L9WaLPj6noHtrtnsDxN8TrwgdeC/s320/Just+stuff+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">A Stop sign that nobody obeys, lol</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They have put two stop signs, one on each side of the road and nobody stops..LOL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's just too funny.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we first saw them of course we screeched our tires in order to stop as naturally there is no 'warning' of a new stop sign ahead as they would do in North America. Nope! They just put them there and expect people to stop, I guess, but noone does. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Traffic just goes on like they are not even there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is hilarious.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GJcW8aUcOie0zPYlYsVYJo0UatlOiVXCGddxNkE0bI1xppSMjJx1VFHRKJegcHCKX9wuhsoJYoTuGJoU-_2fnV45_UuPRoJhY_SVK6sifipNIh6Dc74Xz9P1ThnMDMxLdI0Zc7MNIFqV/s1600/Just+stuff+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GJcW8aUcOie0zPYlYsVYJo0UatlOiVXCGddxNkE0bI1xppSMjJx1VFHRKJegcHCKX9wuhsoJYoTuGJoU-_2fnV45_UuPRoJhY_SVK6sifipNIh6Dc74Xz9P1ThnMDMxLdI0Zc7MNIFqV/s320/Just+stuff+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">New Hospital in Construction</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I also would like to share with you a picture of a place on the beach that we walk where the surfer's gather and where they sometimes pitch a tent and go for something to eat.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's amazing!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSbWbRaLnfVA3vb_Q5ki-HdeOXE2k6Z9zno4XVVij3fBO-Q6Y8omaE9xJw-8NfYIo2nNHz99P_ZGVKS46Ed_hV7uZHZfrmD6fIc5XzLHrZhja29InLwYn-sjAKue1G8aA8CUgzU0VlBUG/s1600/009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmSbWbRaLnfVA3vb_Q5ki-HdeOXE2k6Z9zno4XVVij3fBO-Q6Y8omaE9xJw-8NfYIo2nNHz99P_ZGVKS46Ed_hV7uZHZfrmD6fIc5XzLHrZhja29InLwYn-sjAKue1G8aA8CUgzU0VlBUG/s320/009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Also a picture of a family on a horse drawn carriage with their milk containers that they are taking to sell, with their family dog trailing along.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am so happy to be living here. I feel so very fortunate to see and experience the way of lives of these amazing people.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa9rssug7Bu4UfmaFiu1W6s2X_l48Y7mp9t8B_3pKLz-cWO4tPlLlX14lgeNG2Uas6QFb6h25_tIR5HlNgnA5_QXurEPM1ySqnZM0d2NxMikTUPGyHj42wgnsMNqYG9wMh7b5ZNFvZtpR/s1600/Just+stuff+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa9rssug7Bu4UfmaFiu1W6s2X_l48Y7mp9t8B_3pKLz-cWO4tPlLlX14lgeNG2Uas6QFb6h25_tIR5HlNgnA5_QXurEPM1ySqnZM0d2NxMikTUPGyHj42wgnsMNqYG9wMh7b5ZNFvZtpR/s320/Just+stuff+003.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Taking their containers of milk to sell</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We need furniture for our house and we want to buy as much from the locals as possible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We have found one guy who is not Panamanian, but from America, who has set up a shop here and makes beds, tables etc, so we have decided to use him just to build our beds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were driving just last week and came across this home where there is a local guy making pieces of furniture. Don happened to spy a round piece of wood that would be good for a table for our patio and in our broken Spanish asked him if he would sell it to us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He said 'yes' so we are getting him to make it for us along with a couple of chairs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He is such a nice guy and he has his father who is 85 years old helping him. Honestly these people look like they are 60 when they are 85. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is what makes</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don and I happy. Giving back to the people who are so graciously accepting us into their lives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We don't really even care how good the table looks as long as we are helping him out. Having said this though, we went yesterday to pick it up and in the typical Panamanian way, it wasn't ready, lol. He said something about it being too cold to put the stain on? LOLOL..I don't really think that is what he meant, but he will have it ready today.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's warmer out now....:)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5I1iRJulRLvZK05PWyeufZYv6BftakvrqcEEKDfDM1YjDPe6vy_yNEAIXAMaqPMV981VPFLzkLGnlDlcZ55Wp3wxAdGZ6mVMfljcn95yeviHxXJ05ruksg8sf4n45sgeanZIfgP0qYjt/s1600/Just+stuff+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR5I1iRJulRLvZK05PWyeufZYv6BftakvrqcEEKDfDM1YjDPe6vy_yNEAIXAMaqPMV981VPFLzkLGnlDlcZ55Wp3wxAdGZ6mVMfljcn95yeviHxXJ05ruksg8sf4n45sgeanZIfgP0qYjt/s320/Just+stuff+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our new friend, Isreal who is making our furniture. That is our table.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Just love this guy and his father.</span><br />
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<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">If you read my blog last week about the Police building their own station on the beach, I am now posting a picture of it.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I think this is hilarious that they build it themselves.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Here it is:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AkbNDhie-I1MXII3HjNdJp5sb6YLptl08pOooICPuz70qKHIcoEVn05APHLelxSDGerGyJo7mmF87-l54gz5Y0nT5v5nOt_PlxvttI95x116HsACdVVxuBdkGNaky7dwNgvytkjNgdTs/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AkbNDhie-I1MXII3HjNdJp5sb6YLptl08pOooICPuz70qKHIcoEVn05APHLelxSDGerGyJo7mmF87-l54gz5Y0nT5v5nOt_PlxvttI95x116HsACdVVxuBdkGNaky7dwNgvytkjNgdTs/s320/014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Well heading out now to the beach for a walk. The tide is high, but should be able to make it ok.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Take good care, thanks for reading, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;"><strong><em>Update:</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;"><strong><em>It's pouring!!! No walk today.</em></strong></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Tahoma", "sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: small;">We are participating in the <a href="</span><a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20060127222437483"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20060127222437483</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">">link exchange program</a> on Don Winner's <a href="</span><a href="http://www.panama-guide.com/"><span style="color: #1e66ae; font-size: small;">http://www.panama-guide.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: small;">">Panama-Guide.com</a> website which contains "Thousands of Articles in English" about life and living in the Republic of Panama.</span></span></div></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-83443852957384351112011-09-15T13:47:00.003-04:002011-09-19T09:14:31.811-04:00Security in Panama and Stuff!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I have to say that I have really not seen the extent of the security here in Panama, not that this is a bad thing. There are security guards everywhere from grocery stores, banks, offices, you name it. I guess it's partly because they pay them anywhere from two to three dollars an hour that these businesses can afford to have them, but honestly I think it's just a little overkill.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When you go into any of these places you have to even remove your hat if you happen to have one on, and they have these cubbies outside that you need to put them in and then collect them when you exit.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not quite sure about the reasoning of the 'taking off of the hat' thing. </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway we went into Chitre to this new mall that they just built to have a look around and we of course had Sadie with us. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For some reason they do NOT allow dogs into anywhere in Panama. Nowhere!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We knew this but we would have been away for five or six hours and didn't want to leave her at home, so we found a door where there was only ONE security guard and when he turned his head we scurried into the store while Don carried Sadie.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we got inside we heard the guard whistling at us and mumbling something in Spanish. We knew he was hot on our trail so we just walked really fast ignoring his whistles and got through the store into the common area of the mall. Whew!! We got through that dilemma without incident.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We now had to go up the escalator to the lighting store that we really had come to see to pick out our lights for over the Island in the kitchen.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a good thing Sadie is small and we can conceal at least part of her, lol.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We go into the lighting store and to our amazement they thought she was cute and didn't mind her there at all. She just followed us from aisle to aisle and was no problem at all.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got our lights and exited down the escalator, Sadie in hand, getting stares from everyone in the mall as everyone in Panama knows it's taboo to bring a dog anywhere, and when we finally got outside the Security Guard looked at us and gave us the finger gesture, and said something in Spanish that we didn't understand, luckily!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Geez. It's only a little dog...lol</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well the house is coming along at a great clip. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just got back and today they are laying the floor in the entry way and in the kitchen and living room area. Tomorrow the paint is coming and they will start the outside.</span></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXh56BYrko16MQTwO-0bekMVOB0kLDI_VQx4PJOf86h1f7650ytmG4Fj-BmaQfo6nX7J_q4nju9sT2cmQg0saO-TDrMNcElO2yL4JlOaGU5B8cRAFqiji_M6rvBthEcPpN4ewErC8s93i/s1600/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaXh56BYrko16MQTwO-0bekMVOB0kLDI_VQx4PJOf86h1f7650ytmG4Fj-BmaQfo6nX7J_q4nju9sT2cmQg0saO-TDrMNcElO2yL4JlOaGU5B8cRAFqiji_M6rvBthEcPpN4ewErC8s93i/s320/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+005.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen Island</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ5zYaZ6g-kCxQ7TOmxsR-jcEE1hXgZNASMZd6XSj5xicMH3Z6JJOEBx9pjYyuekWF7mVc0R0KjN666EhgEgdg4JbkkGxpilUpfIo-0kS9onFxfLwYOEDyYb1jqI7GtpAx9P3TlZw5J0s/s1600/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJZ5zYaZ6g-kCxQ7TOmxsR-jcEE1hXgZNASMZd6XSj5xicMH3Z6JJOEBx9pjYyuekWF7mVc0R0KjN666EhgEgdg4JbkkGxpilUpfIo-0kS9onFxfLwYOEDyYb1jqI7GtpAx9P3TlZw5J0s/s320/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS5eiiMrIBzKt_TuE0KxRlDn3D1zpq-DL_7hNGKA6tgObMLdUj7ebqoxr7euTIbSSZrO491Bc4t2Woigf5j6niiWmVw-7lfXeEFaWljpPW4gxcsl58gDbfggBZxj0rQfSwIfqC2T_6XG9/s1600/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS5eiiMrIBzKt_TuE0KxRlDn3D1zpq-DL_7hNGKA6tgObMLdUj7ebqoxr7euTIbSSZrO491Bc4t2Woigf5j6niiWmVw-7lfXeEFaWljpPW4gxcsl58gDbfggBZxj0rQfSwIfqC2T_6XG9/s320/Our+house+August+18th%252C+2011+031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living Room area and front entrance</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It is looking like mid October might be close to the date of occupancy. It's amazing really as it usually takes up to a year to build here, but our builder is going at a great clip and in the end should only be six and a half months. This is extremely good for Panama! Maybe he just wants to get rid of us?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Hmmmmmm......:)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are really glad we have been here renting though while the construction is going on. There are many things we have changed and a few things that we caught before it was too late that we would not have liked. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Example:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had an outdoor shower built and when we went there two days ago they had it almost finished, but when you are in the 'shower' part, there isn't a wall to hide EVERYONE in the neighbourhood from watching the spectacle of us showering.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Geez! Noone, and I mean nooone wants to see either of us in the buff.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got him to put a wall up so now we are now hidden, much to the relief of many people, lol.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Don is out fishing today with a good friend we have met since we moved here. Today is a very hot day with little breeze. Of course he doesn't have one of those hats with a thingy on it that covers your neck so I know he will come home burnt to a crisp. No amount of sunscreen will help him today.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I will update when he returns home:) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He's not burnt!! Out for 7 hours...That man has leather for skin, lol.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well you can just imagine this happening in North America. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Down at the fishing dock where we walk the beach there is a 'building' being erected by our beach bar that we go to once in the blue moon:)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We have been wondering what it will eventually be and we have noticed that there are always police vehicles outside of it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We find out yesterday that it is going to be a police station, there on the beach, and since the government wouldn't pay for it the police are building it on their own.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I do not think this could happen in any of our towns at home, lol.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Central America!! You have to love it!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well the house is really coming along. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The paint for exterior is being put on as we speak.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5w4hrAP7M5htU9jZlFtmff0fRelbTtvfmONfHE9qaD9nAMb-3MpZ6nGXfVsJZSg2ToqsAaZP04M6T6Id1-gaDR6dgnAphTqJtXKmRlpepXQjrLtl027GV0KWLP7ldVsMmpq1TuywLVc9/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5w4hrAP7M5htU9jZlFtmff0fRelbTtvfmONfHE9qaD9nAMb-3MpZ6nGXfVsJZSg2ToqsAaZP04M6T6Id1-gaDR6dgnAphTqJtXKmRlpepXQjrLtl027GV0KWLP7ldVsMmpq1TuywLVc9/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">I hope this color is ok. Don hates it!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They have the interior colors we picked too and should be starting the inside next week. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I picked all of my colors with the help of my friends in New York online, and without sampling them on the walls first.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I know it's only paint, but the ceilings are 12' high, and I can't see Don wanting to re-paint for many moons to come. lol</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The flooring is almost all done with the exception of the outdoor area around the pool and patio.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were out this morning talking to a local guy who we are going to get to make our beds, kitchen island, and dining table. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He is also drafting up a drawing of a large table for outside of our living room around the pool area under our patio where I am sure we will be spending most of our time.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had a humungous thunder and lightning storm last night which began at 4 am. It was amazing with very loud thunder and lightning that lit up our room.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We have noticed that all of the storms happen in the middle of the night here. It's unfortunate for me as I love to watch these storms, especially when you live on the Ocean. It's a spectacular show!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got over 3 inches of rain last night.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today it is now very breezy, little humindity and </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">very nice. No sun so far, but beautiful nonetheless.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Tonight we were invited to dinner at Ovidio and Koby's home, the people who run the Casa De Campo hotel here in town, which is the nicest one here I might add.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am totally looking forward to this. It will be fun!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a wonderful day, and remember to "Stay in the Light". </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-28406649276538133992011-08-28T13:40:00.001-04:002011-08-28T13:56:17.410-04:00Car Wash and Cerveza:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="134"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="149" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well the other day we went into Las Tablas which is about a half hour drive just to do some shopping and try and find a paint store with paint samples/chips that I could bring home. It was early so we just parked our car and walked around looking at the different stores. It was a gorgeous day, not too hot so just beautiful for strolling and especially as we had Sadie with us.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="134"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That dog comes everywhere with us. She sure is a world traveller, lol.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="134"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="150" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As we were strolling we came across a car wash and thought this would be a great idea as our truck was filthy from driving back and forth to the house site as the road is still not paved and the clay just sticks to the car and is very hard to get off.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="134"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We went back to our car and drove back to the car wash.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="134"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LokzPVEBXEKOlgkO0j-1wJe_SOL3FgFoEZPwFIhK1Y-3abruXnDZ15w5XbY0q873P6gIxSc-WpEoQd-iw_wQ13FEplDhhzpKB0Eua89aQCMOqFG4KyTiQfOD57PZQC3DPkrTvefhdwqJ/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6LokzPVEBXEKOlgkO0j-1wJe_SOL3FgFoEZPwFIhK1Y-3abruXnDZ15w5XbY0q873P6gIxSc-WpEoQd-iw_wQ13FEplDhhzpKB0Eua89aQCMOqFG4KyTiQfOD57PZQC3DPkrTvefhdwqJ/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_bxtfxx="284" style="text-align: center;"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="324" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>The Car Wash</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We drove our car in and asked the guy how much. He said $4 and I thought that this was a bit high for Panama but decided it needed cleaning so ok, go ahead.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got out of the car and walked over to an outdoor restaurant across the street that wasn't open yet just to sit and wait for him to finish as we thought it would only take 10 or 15 minutes. We look back and see him removing all of the floor mats and he started vacuuming and cleaning the whole interior, including all of the windows inside and out!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now this is more like it for $4, lol.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEnrfNlkuE4GjufmfXwpTsV6uvrVZE7kd-zzLBVrSfF4rBgFFQgS2O-yhdL5hdA__od2j3Q2m-vwB06ey4fugSF_Ca5OdWMQ2jM_Voz9m_PdBwaM5hf636S4lOFJf5YtZ5uN6XSaq3Cr_/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEnrfNlkuE4GjufmfXwpTsV6uvrVZE7kd-zzLBVrSfF4rBgFFQgS2O-yhdL5hdA__od2j3Q2m-vwB06ey4fugSF_Ca5OdWMQ2jM_Voz9m_PdBwaM5hf636S4lOFJf5YtZ5uN6XSaq3Cr_/s320/023.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_bxtfxx="320" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;"><strong>The closed restaurant where we waited for car to be cleaned.</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="448" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Notice on the picture above, the jar of hand sanitizer hanging from the light above the table by a piece of fishing line.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love the Panamanians, the inventors of new technology:)</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway it looked like it was going to take a while now for the guy to clean the car so I went into the store right beside to just browse around and Don stayed outside with Sadie. </span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It is now 10 am. </span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After I was in the store about 10 minutes I get a text from Don saying he was at the pub beside the car wash having a beer!</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Having a beer?</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="449" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's 10 o'clock in the morning!</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="450" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So out I go, and sure enough there he was, Sadie in tow, sitting at the bar drinking a $.50 'Panama' beer.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="451" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He had to ask the girls inside to open up as they were still closed at this time. They opened up the bar just for Don.</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="451" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now I well aware that he is a cutie, but I did not know that he had this ability or this effect on women:)</span></div><div closure_uid_bxtfxx="325"><span closure_uid_bxtfxx="452" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So not to be outdone, I walked in, propped myself up on a barstool and ordered myself one of those $.50 beers as well.</span> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_bxtfxx="397" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAh59TU2tByMCVSpBLs1S3yXWhyF6OLYxji01Q-iKjxChB2W-HORvikUQW8va-YH17qZOj-_FoxuODdTMy29VOc4ylA6hLdV_nZFj-fLPwE-_cwPCCn_hYxReg3PTUBeAH6GrzY2Qk6OQ/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeAh59TU2tByMCVSpBLs1S3yXWhyF6OLYxji01Q-iKjxChB2W-HORvikUQW8va-YH17qZOj-_FoxuODdTMy29VOc4ylA6hLdV_nZFj-fLPwE-_cwPCCn_hYxReg3PTUBeAH6GrzY2Qk6OQ/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_bxtfxx="377" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Three of us at 10 am at the bar beside the car wash, lol</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td closure_uid_bxtfxx="425" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvrsv4LPMyPei3XJq6kd2RQJ0IInr5ZdDzA1HVpj2GyB2zLEh78-OmEdCTHEyEZTFAh3ELy4qY8DAwkQ0u8cWIIZBkHShtv6x2sXg-yYfHmNdxm9vpvzb9-cmbgUeFP7U0kYY8OLtWY9X/s1600/027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmvrsv4LPMyPei3XJq6kd2RQJ0IInr5ZdDzA1HVpj2GyB2zLEh78-OmEdCTHEyEZTFAh3ELy4qY8DAwkQ0u8cWIIZBkHShtv6x2sXg-yYfHmNdxm9vpvzb9-cmbgUeFP7U0kYY8OLtWY9X/s320/027.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_bxtfxx="423" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just so you believe me that they were really $.50 :)</span></strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turns out it took the guy almost an hour clean our car, so we had time for 2 beers each, and we also bought the poor guy cleaning a bottle of coke, and our bill was $2.50!!</span><br />
<div closure_uid_h50yrb="108"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You see what I am telling you folks! You all need to move here! Beautiful weather and $.50 beer!</span></div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That's all you need:)</span></div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today we walked our beach for just over 2 hours.</span></div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="114" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We came across these beautiful 'blue' rocks which I convinced Don to carry back. They are only in this one part of the beach and I want them for our landscaping. They are the most beaufiful shade of dark blue with reds and yellows going through them. We found a spot quite near to where they are that we can bring our truck to and gather them up.</span></div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I'm very excited to have found these.</span></div><div closure_uid_h50yrb="109"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="126" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We walked all of that time as well and the only person we saw was one little girl walking to the ocean with her Golden Retriever. It's unbelieveable how uninabited this strip of beach is. Usually on Sundays you can find quite a few of the locals coming down to enjoy a swim, but not today.</span></div> <br />
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<tr><td closure_uid_h50yrb="198" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUlDH7Z367SdZf4oDwYwNpHO3ph7wY6H_gV4QOXho33UW7j7URYPzPVXB3LQ4WuEoltZY6PZrycIwDQvt-npm0xv45yRsFrAlIrCBpc_IHrPDnyo9xceaROmKlqi-NPDfuIxg3OSP1cz3/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUlDH7Z367SdZf4oDwYwNpHO3ph7wY6H_gV4QOXho33UW7j7URYPzPVXB3LQ4WuEoltZY6PZrycIwDQvt-npm0xv45yRsFrAlIrCBpc_IHrPDnyo9xceaROmKlqi-NPDfuIxg3OSP1cz3/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_h50yrb="160" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Squatters house on the beach with a 'for sale' sign on it, lol</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_h50yrb="223" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Their 'Toilet'</span></strong></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DlJ_4rO7TQRchl0VGe5kZlh-M-DacpfAtgyEqpOJsJhkC5EhWye9mqQA07mT6ezsUxUZNLtRNh_kh8tA82ZURj4l9XJ3n1EPlSxYpD4Ahas7Do-KJ3hhyqIxVQ5O2qrpwPagVVafg2gd/s1600/004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9DlJ_4rO7TQRchl0VGe5kZlh-M-DacpfAtgyEqpOJsJhkC5EhWye9mqQA07mT6ezsUxUZNLtRNh_kh8tA82ZURj4l9XJ3n1EPlSxYpD4Ahas7Do-KJ3hhyqIxVQ5O2qrpwPagVVafg2gd/s320/004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_h50yrb="291" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Their View!!</span></strong><br />
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<div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="313" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I love the pic of this squatters house with a for sale sign on it. They do have the most incredible view. There is no phone number on the sign. I need to find out where they are and see how much they are asking. </span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="313" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Unbelievable. </span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><br />
</div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="313" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Just to let you know how cheap some things are here, yesterday I went with a now 'good friend' of mine to Las Tablas to take her Chihuahua 'Melvin' to the vet as he was dragging his back paw/leg and seemed to be in a lot of pain.</span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">The vet took blood, did blood testing, gave him some pills for medication (said he had a very bad bacterial infection), a shot of antibiotic, and the bill was $30.00!</span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">We were there for over an hour, and I am sure that back in Canada that bill would have topped $300.00.</span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately she had to take him back to another vet in Chitre this morning as he had gotten worse. </span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">She had to leave him there as they need to now take X-rays as they think he may have a blockage of some kind. He is the sweetest little guy. </span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">If I can convince Don after we get into our home, I would love to get one for a friend and companion for Sadie.</span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="316" style="font-size: small;">She paid only $80 for Melvin, and he is a purebred.</span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, I will let you know how it goes with poor Melvin, and how much this bill will be for his overnight stay/X-rays, etc.</span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><br />
</div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="315" style="font-size: small;">I have nothing else excited to write now, but it is now 12:30 and I am at least 2 hours overdue for a cerveza, lol. <span closure_uid_h50yrb="313"> </span></span></span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><br />
</div><div align="left" closure_uid_h50yrb="298"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="315" style="font-size: small;"><span closure_uid_h50yrb="313">Take good care my friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light' </span></span></span></div></td></tr>
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</div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-54608903928932815232011-08-20T12:44:00.014-04:002011-09-18T12:26:04.879-04:00Shopping for Mattresses in Panama. Yikes, lol<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ok, so our day starts like any other, getting up, having our coffee, checking the tide schedule and heading out to the beach for our walk.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="159" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yesterday was an amazing beautiful day here weatherwise.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="126" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We walked for an hour and a half and saw 6 or 8 whales jumping. One cannot EVER tire of seeing this. Don and Sadie had a swim in the Ocean (You will never catch me in there. There are all kinds of creepy things in there as well as Sharks, and if I ever did go in, good chance that there would be one lurking right there, lol. Pools are good for me!), and all of this before 10:30 am.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We decide to then go for a drive into Las Tablas as one resident had told us that you can buy mattresses there and also wanted to get a copier/scanner as well.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So off we go!</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="99"><span closure_uid_aalut1="140" closure_uid_bx7hzk="97" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The first place we went was to the computer store, which I wish I had a pic of, was this tiny little hole in the wall of a store that one would never think of going into, but were told this was the place to buy the printer. It was an old rundown place and beside it was some kind of an apartment that had it's door open with numerous chickens running rampant and at least six people that I could count inside. It truly is amazing how people live here and how content and happy they all seem.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="98"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="101" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway we go in and of course noone speaks English, but eventually we got out the name of the guy we were supposed to meet and one of the men gave him a call and said would be there in five minutes.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well it's Panama don't forget.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="103"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="102" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Half a hour later in he saunters. This place also is no bigger than 300 square feet if that.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="104" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He speaks broken English and turns out to be a great guy who fixes computers as well and has Internet service that he sells to the public and does a lot of things that we may need in the future.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The person who recommended this fella had called him prior to us going there and said he had the copier/printer there. Well it's Panama dont' forget, lol</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He tells us he has to call and order it and it will be here tomorrow, which is today.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We can't go today so will go on Monday, Lunes, to pick it up. (note my Spanish..it's improving)</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="141" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a great Canon product too and we expected it to be at least $100, but turns out to be $56 and his cartridges are also cheap.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="141" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">$5.00 for black and white and $9.00 for color. </span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="144" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We walked out, Sadie in tow, and gave him my most favourite phrase, 'Hasta Luego', (see you later) and he smiled and said your Spanish is good...LOL</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="145" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is about all I know yet, except for 'dos cervezas, por favor' :)</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="142" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well!!</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="146" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Off we go to one of the mattress stores that was recommended to us.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="147" closure_uid_bx7hzk="107" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We get to the first one, and we see that there is a lock on it. The lock is not latched tight, but we didn't dare just take it off and go in, so we went into the neighbouring store, looked kind of stupid, (ok, I can here the snickers), and finally got a man who understood through some fancy maneuvering what we were looking for, took us outside and then into the store.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="109"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="97" closure_uid_bx7hzk="108" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Once again, no English spoken here, but he did understand 'King' and 'Queen', so we at least got though enough 'kind of' Spanish so at least we could look at the mattresses that we were looking for.</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="109"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="98" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The mattresses looked like something you would buy at Wal-Mart and I was really not interested, besides it was at least 150 degrees in the store, but Don being the thrifty one, has to look at ALL of them and see if they are ok for us to sleep on.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_2ouc2r="100"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="99" closure_uid_aalut1="149" closure_uid_bx7hzk="110" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It may have been the one salesgirl also (turns out to be the owner), who wore 4" high heels, skin tight blue jeans, tight sweater and a figure to kill for, pouty Angelina lips, hair that looks good no-matter what the temperature or wind may be, perfect makeup, that kept his attention. </span><span closure_uid_aalut1="149" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><br />
God only knows, but all I know is that I wanted to get the hell out of there.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_iik3sz="123"><span closure_uid_aalut1="148" closure_uid_iik3sz="122" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I want a 'Stearns and Foster' mattress and box spring ,<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 'wha-wha-wha'.</span></span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not Don!</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="150" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He needs to 'lay down on them'. BOTH of them, as there are two different brands. Wow! What a selection.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now this store is just slightly bigger than the computer store, so maybe 400 square feet if that, and all of the mattresses were wrapped in plastic and standing on their sides.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remember it's hot enough to fry a freakin' egg in there and Don NEEDS to try out these things.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My God!</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="151" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway going through a lot of 'charades' trying to get this guy and 'Miss Latin America' to understand, he finally understands that he needs him to put them on the floor so Don can lay on them.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="151" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Of course the ones, the King ones, are not on the front. No Way! They are way at the back so he has to move four or five out of the way to get to the right one.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">At this point I wouldn't care if I slept on a bed of nails.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_3hsp2o="106" closure_uid_aalut1="151" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally on the floor it goes.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="111" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don flops down on the first one and I stand there looking at him in disgust knowing full well that there was NO WAY in hell I was buying either of these, but he insists I try it too as he says they are really comfortable.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="113"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="112" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So down I lay, looking now like some old sweaty hag, with Don lying beside me and of course Sadie right in the middle as she always is in our bed licking our faces.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="114"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="101" closure_uid_fv4ghu="119" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The 'gorgeous' one of course is looking down at us, and ladies we all know what we look like lying down with gravity as our enemy don't we?</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="116"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="102" closure_uid_bx7hzk="115" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I get up and since we are wearing shorts, and of course are lying on plastic with bare legs, the sound it makes as we get up sounds very close to you know, farting!</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="116"><div closure_uid_2ouc2r="103"><br />
</div></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="153" closure_uid_iik3sz="98" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is just great. I have not learned how to say 'excuse me' in Spanish, but at this point I really could care less what they think, especially what the 'man stealer' thinks who of course NEVER SWEATS!! </span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="152" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Let's go' I say, and he says, 'No, I really want to try the other one".</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_2ouc2r="104"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Lord help me!</span></div><div closure_uid_2ouc2r="104"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="154" closure_uid_bx7hzk="117" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After all of this Don has to go into the other place beside where we first went into to get a 'quote' and walking by he saw a headboard that he liked.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span closure_uid_aalut1="151">HE liked, not ME liked.</span></span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span closure_uid_aalut1="151">It was an ungodly looking thing, made out of teak, I think they were saying, with some ugly scribing on it and in a shiny paint.</span></span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_fv4ghu="120" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="119"><span closure_uid_2ouc2r="105" closure_uid_aalut1="155" closure_uid_bx7hzk="118" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Nope, Don had to go through his negotiating skills although he knows less Spanish than I do which also means that he knows only 'Cerveza' which is I don't think is going to help him much in a mattress store unless they indeed do sell beer here, which wouldn't totally surprise me as here in Panama you can buy beer in almost any kind of store here, and at any hour. </span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="119"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_gk45bp="99"><span closure_uid_aalut1="156" closure_uid_fv4ghu="122" closure_uid_gk45bp="98" closure_uid_iik3sz="99" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Honestly I really don't understand men sometimes. He knows that there isn't a hope in hell of us buying these poor excuses for mattress here, but he needs to put me through all of this for what? It HAD to have been the 'sales beauty/model/hubby thief'.</span></div><div closure_uid_gk45bp="99"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="120" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway off we go with me almost foaming at the mouth and into our airconditioned car.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="121"><span closure_uid_aalut1="157" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sadie almost dying from thirst and myself looking more and more like someone or something that just crawled out of a dumpster!</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="160" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Off we go and have another store to supposedly go to. </span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="123"><div closure_uid_iik3sz="100"><span closure_uid_aalut1="161" closure_uid_bx7hzk="122" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We get close to where the next store is, and Don asks me if I really want to go to another, and I say NO, I have seen enough. I want my 'Stearns and Foster'!</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wha-Wha-Wha</span>.</div></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="125"><div closure_uid_iik3sz="121"><span closure_uid_aalut1="163" closure_uid_bx7hzk="124" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This store does look better though and did look like it may be air conditioned so I thought what the hell, let's give it a try.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="164" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We walk in, and I was wrong, no air conditioning again, but at least I think is a little less that 150 degrees, perhaps 140.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="127"><span closure_uid_aalut1="164" closure_uid_bx7hzk="126" closure_uid_fv4ghu="118" closure_uid_gk45bp="100" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then who walks towards us to help us out, none other than, I am positive, "Miss Latin America's" twin sister, only wearing 5" stilletto's and perhaps, if possible, even prettier than the other 'man stealer' at the other store, lol </span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span closure_uid_aalut1="165" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I <strong><em>now</em></strong> look even worse than I did five minutes ago...And yes, that <strong><em>IS</em></strong> possible,<strong><em>VERY </em></strong>possible, lol.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, Miss Panama number two speaks absolutely NO English at all. You think she would at least know how to say 'beer' in English wouldn't you?</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So after about 15 minutes of utter frustration with our blackberry translator trying to ask pricing, brands etc, we decided just to leave. It was getting scary:)</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="129"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="128" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then low and behold the 'gorgeous one' brings this guy down towards us who SPEAKS ENGLISH and who lived in Toronto for 10 years.</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="129"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Hallelujah!!!!</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="170" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don dropped to the guys feet, grabbed him by his legs and started sobbing uncontrollably.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="140"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="139" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(Ok, OK, this really didn't happen, but I thought it sounded good, lol)</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="140"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="141" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So our new friend for life 'Miguel' translated for us and it turns out he is the salesperson for the store and tells us that he has his own place in Panama City where he is now going to be selling the new 'Foam Mattresses' but doesn't have them ready for sale to the public yet.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="142"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="144" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We begged and begged, and he finally agreed that he would actually sell them to us but we would have to have a look at a similar one that was at the store next door so that we would have some idea of what his mattresses would look like. </span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="142"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_3ydohf="107" closure_uid_bx7hzk="145" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, so we trudged on over to the store right next door, Don, I and Sadie, and this store was like an old dilapidated overcrowed mixture of wal-mart/Zellers/k-mart, and $5 and $10 store all rolled into one, without a mattess department.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="146"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What the?????</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="146"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Where is the mattress we were going to look at? </span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_bx7hzk="147" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally Miguel came in and after speaking Spanish to the owner or whatever he was, for 15 minutes or so came to us and said that someone was going to bring the mattress into the store for us to look at.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bring in from where? God knows.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_gk45bp="102"><span closure_uid_aalut1="171" closure_uid_fv4ghu="117" closure_uid_gk45bp="101" closure_uid_iik3sz="97" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We stood there, and I mean, 'stood there', as the aisles in this store were so narrow that noone but those 'skinny Panamanian mattress floggers' could ever get down.</span><br />
<span closure_uid_aalut1="172" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After about half an hour this man who could hardly walk or breath, brings this mattress in to the store, literally on his back.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="150"><span closure_uid_aalut1="173" closure_uid_bx7hzk="149" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was of course wrapped in plastic and looked like it had been around for a while, but it did look like the ones we have seen in North America and we were ok with this and I was so thankful now for the the narrow aisles as they could never lay it down on the floor for Don to try it out.</span></div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="150"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_bx7hzk="150"><span closure_uid_aalut1="179" closure_uid_bx7hzk="151" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway it turns out this Miguel is a really nice guy and he is going to give us his best quality foam mattress for his cost, as Don and he spoke at great lengths, and knows that he is selling all of the lots in Costa Pedasi and with over 130 families moving in, he has the potential to make a few, if not a lot of sales if his mattresses are indeed good.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="187" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He gave us his website and we looked at them on our blackberry and the mattresses really look great and his price is only $400 for King Size including a box spring.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="182" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Even if we end up not liking them in a year or so, we can always buy better, but it's going to be good enough at least for our guest room, lol.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="183" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We get into our car and drive away feeling pretty good about our mattress situation.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_3ydohf="106" closure_uid_bx7hzk="152" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I did have to make one stop at Super store though, as it was now 3:30 in the afternoon, and seeing as Don was driving home, I thought it only appropriate that I have myself one of those$.50 cerveza's for the half hour trip home.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="184" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">After all, the image of those two salesgirls were still firmly implanted in my brain and I needed something to 'ease that pain' lol.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="185" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway today is another day and it's a beauty too. It's 28 degrees, beautiful breeze and no humidity.</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span closure_uid_aalut1="186" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think there may be one of those nice cold cerveza's in my future today too:)</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Enjoy your day my friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span></div><div closure_uid_aalut1="125" closure_uid_fv4ghu="98"><br />
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</div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-9270095330685332622011-08-15T12:25:00.001-04:002011-08-15T12:39:45.943-04:00You really have to marvel!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Living in Panama sure is an eye opener in some ways. </span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="146" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For example, on Saturday there was a tractor trailer delivering 1000 cases of beer to the local beer/liquor store, which I must add is two houses down from where we are living, and seeing as the roads here are mostly gravel (side streets) and quite narrow, the truck had to do some maneuvering to back into the front of the store where he was making his delivery. He had the traffic blocked for 10 minutes or so and when we went out to have a look, there was a guy who was obviously working for the town and who was directing the driver, helping him maneuver, all while drinking a BEER!!</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="148" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Can you just imagine? There are just no rules, lol. Today I am hunting that guy down and finding out if there are any openings at his place of employment:)</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="149" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There are local cantina's everywhere here, and sometimes when you drive by on your way to the beach in the mornings, you can find the locals sitting in them drinking beer, and I mean at 8:30 am. </span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="150" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This can't be good for the liver.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="215" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our house is coming along great. They have almost finished the roof, and then the windows will be installed.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They have begun putting the reclaimed tiles on the roof too, and once that is done, it will really start looking like a house.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="215" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They have given us an October 12th date for possession, but for some reason I don't believe them. </span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are in Panama I need to keep telling myself, and things just don't happen overnight and we need to learn to just go with the flow.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_7q6ju2="196" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq31o9Ogne56VVWw5fiHtVHsR20aj_9b85MeFPta__kHi92z597GOHnci_9HQDE7Yr32V7AlY2RIJV0CTtqVoY3r529xXkEQ47ng6cpAsKzfhb8yZn4c9jNNKKeIl6lVOOE6-Nyg9cSOi/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVq31o9Ogne56VVWw5fiHtVHsR20aj_9b85MeFPta__kHi92z597GOHnci_9HQDE7Yr32V7AlY2RIJV0CTtqVoY3r529xXkEQ47ng6cpAsKzfhb8yZn4c9jNNKKeIl6lVOOE6-Nyg9cSOi/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="195" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our home with the underlying room installed. Now just the tiles and we are good to go!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="154" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you have read my previous blog, you will remember that we went to Panama City to pick out our tiles/kitchen/bathroom etc.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="135"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="217" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I think of this and while I am wondering if I got the right colour for the kitchen cabinets and whether or not the floor tiles will match the walls, and if my wall oven or dishwasher, or stove top will look just perfect, I think of these people in the pictures below who live on the beach in this lean-to and would kill just for a set of pots and pans to cook on, if they were lucky enough to have caught a fish that morning to have for dinner. If not, I guess they go hungry.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSlbrJV7OapiO6Uq_Kv3cPveRJbF6biza6baNiN29wK6dzGcf9DL-Dnbi0f5UZ2sRaqRxvPHtuG4__x6h5QPno0eazJGnWWBr7khds0e3C2oqf2XxMB-AIAQ-Nhm5-SgKPl-wURaY_hXW/s1600/007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOSlbrJV7OapiO6Uq_Kv3cPveRJbF6biza6baNiN29wK6dzGcf9DL-Dnbi0f5UZ2sRaqRxvPHtuG4__x6h5QPno0eazJGnWWBr7khds0e3C2oqf2XxMB-AIAQ-Nhm5-SgKPl-wURaY_hXW/s320/007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="352" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Their home. Notice the toilet just sitting there in the front</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_7q6ju2="385" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UNfq0W63kdpjaZshdoRrWnd1OlIjfsfpHpYbGqgjA4q_aDRj6Sr78TqSGH2yhaxoFOdaEA-BHuhrsNGDIPblf9xcuql95FyrKSHCJVe8MgKX1FkFOjQSWcUTV92zGCKLuvmC7LoFkOhh/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7UNfq0W63kdpjaZshdoRrWnd1OlIjfsfpHpYbGqgjA4q_aDRj6Sr78TqSGH2yhaxoFOdaEA-BHuhrsNGDIPblf9xcuql95FyrKSHCJVe8MgKX1FkFOjQSWcUTV92zGCKLuvmC7LoFkOhh/s320/008.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="378" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">A table made out of a piece of wood probably brought up from the beach</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeywjqHTeZ6wlGspirey1P38ojoROZVnDfh2ahoBqIL_MK-sWHeZHkJ5BYbqe0GclEefGuDG5mMlkycdDY4Cd4Fx4OUbIXlrN6fRTp92pM_G8AlX2r2R3Bt6AQTQdKS3LT7ktp4j1iMzE6/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeywjqHTeZ6wlGspirey1P38ojoROZVnDfh2ahoBqIL_MK-sWHeZHkJ5BYbqe0GclEefGuDG5mMlkycdDY4Cd4Fx4OUbIXlrN6fRTp92pM_G8AlX2r2R3Bt6AQTQdKS3LT7ktp4j1iMzE6/s320/015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="411" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">I am not sure what this is for.</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZaClLUKykdU05x7eXMDmKRpZ2oXFQ13fwxMv67kUqOWuVZKUqO-fC-9JSSzTlxa1o8_shQTGe7VV-I4aFM6Y1N1fVrgaiAmI9xoXe636x3i-2ui3KxmMUsMiOAnal2dCgVH4mwS1wirb/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZaClLUKykdU05x7eXMDmKRpZ2oXFQ13fwxMv67kUqOWuVZKUqO-fC-9JSSzTlxa1o8_shQTGe7VV-I4aFM6Y1N1fVrgaiAmI9xoXe636x3i-2ui3KxmMUsMiOAnal2dCgVH4mwS1wirb/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="687" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is their sitting area!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_7q6ju2="596" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJB1hsyaONclMlokX3_v4etrIeOQZqm2BDjUd-8oZOWf2HNyJmAA8XkOAkcwCEQuy693iV6CsnZ6tqqTp1mc6zd0MhKaPrtRqIRN68on674aOmxuIQXyIpTTGrzE3JfgBv8DydI3daNSt/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJB1hsyaONclMlokX3_v4etrIeOQZqm2BDjUd-8oZOWf2HNyJmAA8XkOAkcwCEQuy693iV6CsnZ6tqqTp1mc6zd0MhKaPrtRqIRN68on674aOmxuIQXyIpTTGrzE3JfgBv8DydI3daNSt/s320/012.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="576" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is their view from their humble abode..It's breathtaking</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There are six people living in this place. Three adults and three children. They are such nice people too. When we walk by they always give us the biggest waves. </span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I think my floor tiles will be just fine!</span></span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><span closure_uid_6clf22="97" closure_uid_7q6ju2="760" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On a lighter note, I just want to say that this town is getting too congested with all of the traffic that is accumulating on the streets. Just this morning on our way to the beach, we had to stop for 3 or 4 minutes to wait for this long traffic jam.</span></div><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">See below:)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxYVia-0kvaXqpYvT3F9qesrUGg82dBIHtfppGxo7GCl6G-vTtI7QO3oTgNAD1Fwazsaiqaa6qPtR0NOQuxHYejO6V-MeI744VnagWObfuh0_fF8W8lbQLdVH1eeyq0VsxjXYRy5osUM-/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBxYVia-0kvaXqpYvT3F9qesrUGg82dBIHtfppGxo7GCl6G-vTtI7QO3oTgNAD1Fwazsaiqaa6qPtR0NOQuxHYejO6V-MeI744VnagWObfuh0_fF8W8lbQLdVH1eeyq0VsxjXYRy5osUM-/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_7q6ju2="813" style="text-align: center;"><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="814"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Our Traffic Jam this morning:)</span></div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="814"><br />
</div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><span closure_uid_7q6ju2="815" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I think I will have to move back to Toronto and start using the 401 again. It's a lot less stressful, lol.</span></div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><br />
</div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Well we are on our way to Chitre now as we need to find a paint store as they need the colours for our home inside and outside.</span></div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I am remembering the family on the beach.</span></div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><br />
</div><div align="justify" closure_uid_7q6ju2="823"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Have a nice day friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span></div><div align="justify"><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div closure_uid_5kcx8g="98" closure_uid_7q6ju2="147"></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-65643586147144543762011-08-07T11:29:00.003-04:002011-08-07T16:34:43.665-04:00Panama City and Stuff!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="108" closure_uid_co6apj="106" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well going to Panama City. Now this is a chore and an experience in it's own.</span><br />
<span closure_uid_5uutnl="108" closure_uid_co6apj="106" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They say if you can drive in Panama City you can drive anywhere. This is a fact for sure. What a madhouse this city is. Geez, you take your life in your hands every time you hop into a car.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway, we had to go to meet our builder and the Architect to pick out all of our fixtures/flooring/wall tiles, etc, etc.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><div closure_uid_yawj5q="107"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So we got up at 4 am on Tuesday morning for the 'so called' 4 hour trip to the City. We also had Sadie with us as there is noone here to look after her, and I was not about to leave her here with the vet who butchered her. Goodness knows what she would be like upon our return.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So off we go. </span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="113" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had only driven to the City once before and when we did we got instructions as to where we turn when we get to a town called Divisa. We were told to turn right there and NOT to go over the bridge. </span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well the first time we did NOT turn right and we DID go over the bridge.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><div closure_uid_co6apj="113"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="114" closure_uid_co6apj="112" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This time we were told again and when we got to Divisa I said to Don, we need to turn right here. He of course being a 'man' said, No, I think we go over this bridge...What the????</span></div><div closure_uid_co6apj="114"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="114" closure_uid_co6apj="112" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So I said nothing. We had Erick the Architect with us (a really nice guy who speaks pretty good English and gave me Spanish lessions along the way) and I asked him and he said no, we are going in the right direction, I think! I think? Ha Ha. I still said nothing.</span></div><div closure_uid_co6apj="114"><br />
</div><span closure_uid_5uutnl="114" closure_uid_co6apj="112" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">About a half hour later, Erick looked around and got on his cell phone speaking to a friend of his gibbering in some foreign language, (Spanish I think, lol) and then got off the phone and guess what?...Yupper, we are going in the wrong direction. I still said nothing, but they both knew. I was right! I am not a 'gloater', but one day, one day!! :)</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><div closure_uid_co6apj="115"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So we had to turn around and drive back another half hour so this brings as I said before, our so called 'four' hour drive not up to five hours. We are supposed to meet the builder at 9, and now it will be 10. </span></div><div closure_uid_co6apj="115"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="115" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Men...Sometimes I just don't know. Are they programmed not to listen? Are they programmed to just tune out all sensibilty and reason and just go with their 'gut instinct'? </span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><div closure_uid_co6apj="116"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When we got home and spoke to the guy who told us the first time to NOT go over the bridge, all he said was, why did you not turn right? LOL</span></div><div closure_uid_co6apj="116"><br />
</div></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway we got there, Sadie in tow and started the beginning of our 20 hour stint of going store to store, store to store, taking our lives in our hands in the truck and not eating or drinking for all of that time.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Poor Sadie. She was a trooper though. All she did was follow us around and lie on the cold floors. She was actually no trouble at all.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We finally finished at around 7:30 and got quite a bit accomplished. We got our kitchen cupboards picked, our flooring, and all bathroom tiles.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="116" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What really took long was that we would look through all of the samples, and after arguing and hitting each other, lol, finally came up with something we both liked and told the girl, ok, we will take this. Then she toddles away and comes back in a few minutes and says, 'We are sorry we don't have that anymore'. What the again? Why wouldn't they tell us that at the beginning?</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="117" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So back to square one with the bickering and hitting, lol.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, I know this pic below doesn't really have too much relevance, but the guy in the middle is the guy who owns the kitchen place. Now who, I ask any woman who, would NOT buy a kitchen from this guy? lol I just looked at him and said, ok, whatever you think is best:)</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="106"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just hope he comes to install!</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBn11PokZ5dvFb0TRSOKrQj_-ittgrzXXuWKCchfZqS2jXYlOK3lQTU4WkmpLWIwBEZRt3xw6fDZ5LR3B_DKoUBq0J6zaj0BlgE9JFvLIRDyjhjYgE4TNB746OvdGe3xznO-kfIMEtO80/s1600/Shopping+for+house+in+Panama+City+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBn11PokZ5dvFb0TRSOKrQj_-ittgrzXXuWKCchfZqS2jXYlOK3lQTU4WkmpLWIwBEZRt3xw6fDZ5LR3B_DKoUBq0J6zaj0BlgE9JFvLIRDyjhjYgE4TNB746OvdGe3xznO-kfIMEtO80/s320/Shopping+for+house+in+Panama+City+003.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_5uutnl="167" style="text-align: center;"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="198" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Don, Sadie, Lalo(the kichen designer) and the <em>cute</em> kitchen guy:)</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="204" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So we begin the drive home and God bless Don, I feel so sorry for him. The traffic in this God forsaken City is brutal and he has to maneuver his way out of there. It was pitch black and when you get out of the city there are virtually no street lights. We finally get to the Pan American highway that we were told to stay on and then come to a fork in the road with a sign that you cannot even see until you are right up on it that says, Pan American highway to the right. So Don starts to go left and I say "No", we need to stay on the right as we were told to do. So ok, he gets to the right and we end up practically in the ditch. My Gosh!</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were terrified. There was traffic left, right and on top of us honking horns, waving, and saying something that I don't think was complimentary to us and poor Don was trying to get out of this ditch of sorts that we were in. All we could hear was the bottom of the truck scraping on cement or something of that nature.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He put in in 4 X 4 and finally got out and then had to wait for the traffic to break to get back into the right lane. </span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><span closure_uid_27yks7="99" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We then travel for 15 minutes or so and then come into this rather large town and then knew that we were not on the right road. We stopped and asked a man who barely spoke how to get to Chitre, and he just pointed thankfully in the direction we were going. We then realized that we should have stayed on the other road as it was a 'bypass' through this town.</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="205" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sheesh!! Ok, it's Panama!!</span></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><div closure_uid_8ibni3="107"><span closure_uid_5uutnl="208" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then it started a torrential downpour and lasted for about an hour.</span><span closure_uid_5uutnl="206" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This place has virtually NO street signs. You really just have to 'guess' where you going. Maybe I will run for office, lol.</span></div></div><div closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_5uutnl="179"><div closure_uid_8ibni3="108"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But we got home safe and sound thanks to my great Hubby.</span></div><div closure_uid_8ibni3="108"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_8ibni3="108"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday Kevin, the man whom we are renting our home from asked us to go deep sea fishing with him. I am not interested in fishing at all, but I just LOVE being on the water. I could spend day after day after day in a boat. </span></div><div closure_uid_8ibni3="108" closure_uid_yawj5q="300"><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday morning it was raining cats and dogs, but around 10 it stopped and by the time we left at 11am, the sun was shining and it was an absolutely beautiful day.</span></div><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were on the Ocean for about 4 hours and we saw so many whales. It is the season of Whale Watching here and you can see them a lot from August to October when they then migrate up North to feed. They are here now in the warm waters of the Pacific to breed.</span></div><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span closure_uid_yawj5q="126" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We also saw a lot of porpoises and they were swimming along with our boat, jumping out of the water. What a sight this was! The pictures I have are not the greatest as I had only our small camera and it's difficult to snap as they are fast.</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ-slZUSAi8rLexxfTrC9SKs8aY38WuMBN6KTZe7qXaSqh1Ya15L8_feYPdEHOfDmxKLFhL_YSFqLxD3xGTJ4Pt7LN4N0XPC0mAyHxD74zHTBP_-_PHkSnpfu-GFLvW6D8Rp4SX0XcW5i/s1600/IMG_2533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJ-slZUSAi8rLexxfTrC9SKs8aY38WuMBN6KTZe7qXaSqh1Ya15L8_feYPdEHOfDmxKLFhL_YSFqLxD3xGTJ4Pt7LN4N0XPC0mAyHxD74zHTBP_-_PHkSnpfu-GFLvW6D8Rp4SX0XcW5i/s320/IMG_2533.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Isla Iguana, a protected wildlife preserve off of our coast</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7E17KkxEi4w6BNKZ1U5sGey78JEyY6io4fHQuBAuzPDjD2C_aOsjcKESAchSRDE69SS70MxGRGlDnQs9Z8iTwdPXOPiMJR56KuWIwO5QU1kQusNKSD5_xeBzzRzYG3pRs4bCA0LBnkCw/s1600/IMG_2486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7E17KkxEi4w6BNKZ1U5sGey78JEyY6io4fHQuBAuzPDjD2C_aOsjcKESAchSRDE69SS70MxGRGlDnQs9Z8iTwdPXOPiMJR56KuWIwO5QU1kQusNKSD5_xeBzzRzYG3pRs4bCA0LBnkCw/s320/IMG_2486.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_yawj5q="352" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hubby reeling in the big one, :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQR5e0GCNDoZ3JSS8AONDJxyStu7Cc1zMnWc1yso9ToZq4-f7s1Ekh8CQznGvzgwnJoTsyURPOoEQPNKpAaLPp5j3C2wx_zcVMSwpj-rgp5ObezwmJTr767YMWcAvrDfi7bHehoe9fzPv/s1600/IMG_2499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQR5e0GCNDoZ3JSS8AONDJxyStu7Cc1zMnWc1yso9ToZq4-f7s1Ekh8CQznGvzgwnJoTsyURPOoEQPNKpAaLPp5j3C2wx_zcVMSwpj-rgp5ObezwmJTr767YMWcAvrDfi7bHehoe9fzPv/s320/IMG_2499.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_yawj5q="461" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Me doing what I do best....observe and navigate:)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXyBJg4gyR60P0Z9KOu8BWCzeUmZ6_i316xS6Q-_X9j4NFK_e3ErgMIGrd5Qju5zTOYQIwYQMJwsWVm6vJJm1PL3PLtRNYbzuGPZPWKmntI7o06V5aZ0LWu9S5HeJN4gXgLFEQBG9njsd/s1600/IMG_2509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXyBJg4gyR60P0Z9KOu8BWCzeUmZ6_i316xS6Q-_X9j4NFK_e3ErgMIGrd5Qju5zTOYQIwYQMJwsWVm6vJJm1PL3PLtRNYbzuGPZPWKmntI7o06V5aZ0LWu9S5HeJN4gXgLFEQBG9njsd/s320/IMG_2509.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_yawj5q="489" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Porpoises swimming alongside our boat..so beautiful!</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" closure_uid_yawj5q="217" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-ToEo5cyDl_VgAEMaVtuVDLT014ts7VVNLt89lcwuSRgHVVsAO1k-3h5AUae3qKfJXfKV1HLuGuebwBfEDfNbAwNvpkqq7PgL_Y5h3curb1Mx2G-g8uHwlZjcpSTUDnBkg-59HWEAUkP/s1600/IMG_2517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-ToEo5cyDl_VgAEMaVtuVDLT014ts7VVNLt89lcwuSRgHVVsAO1k-3h5AUae3qKfJXfKV1HLuGuebwBfEDfNbAwNvpkqq7PgL_Y5h3curb1Mx2G-g8uHwlZjcpSTUDnBkg-59HWEAUkP/s320/IMG_2517.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></div><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span closure_uid_yawj5q="527" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So that was our day fishing! Was just fantastic. I could be out on the water every day, I just love it so much. We ended catching 4 Dorado's and we split the catch and had enough for two dinners which we had last night. There is absolutely nothing better than fresh fish caught fresh right from the Ocean.</span></div><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span closure_uid_27yks7="100" closure_uid_yawj5q="528" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One of the great things here is that you can buy fresh fish just steps down the road from the local fishermen, and then take it to one of the local Panamanian's who will filet it for you free if he can keep the heads and tail. Now tell me, what the hell would I want with the head and tail anyway? </span><br />
<span closure_uid_27yks7="100" closure_uid_yawj5q="528" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Does it get any better than this?</span></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span closure_uid_3h1e75="121" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here is a picture of this beautiful crab we found yesterday on our walk. I think they call them the 'Hallowe'en' crab, for obvious reasons.</span></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="222" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody closure_uid_3h1e75="210">
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6qoaOIy8aJfQhp3TV6_Cs6QB7AgFuDNt7MbHNvx9Vytgdrw3A8_YrJvSh2tdiccXuQWlvww_t5anczqODh7LHcg60n3P9c6q3IU9qtMsfKh8vlTdhh7D4SLhMoeUigXph11XONdvzTxe/s1600/boys+working+and+crab+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6qoaOIy8aJfQhp3TV6_Cs6QB7AgFuDNt7MbHNvx9Vytgdrw3A8_YrJvSh2tdiccXuQWlvww_t5anczqODh7LHcg60n3P9c6q3IU9qtMsfKh8vlTdhh7D4SLhMoeUigXph11XONdvzTxe/s320/boys+working+and+crab+010.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_3h1e75="209" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Crab we found on the beach</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXSIt3xdUSnvmmIey2JlDWg8uludE6-Exddaxwjx20l1wW57OM0US4gWhBMDneJNS2eAZjbuL8go4bxSklRee0dmWeIG5N9Ufts34GRFrAN1umpXJUgp0lHj-np2PgCSyPTJenTPrglUs/s1600/boys+working+and+crab+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXSIt3xdUSnvmmIey2JlDWg8uludE6-Exddaxwjx20l1wW57OM0US4gWhBMDneJNS2eAZjbuL8go4bxSklRee0dmWeIG5N9Ufts34GRFrAN1umpXJUgp0lHj-np2PgCSyPTJenTPrglUs/s320/boys+working+and+crab+003.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Washed ashore piece of wood with some kind of crabs attached to it. Pretty amazing! </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURJdAmwFFEwaqzu13WXgWt_sfLIY9ZpywSOHpMpQJB9Zf_sD2D4EqnejlKEgAaxR1APHe80Mwy9It5pZr7MS9vja0qPRey-UTRs1xMAgz8zs9y9_iiWoM_nc-UGongzoRo88lNJLTGBrz/s1600/boys+working+and+crab+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURJdAmwFFEwaqzu13WXgWt_sfLIY9ZpywSOHpMpQJB9Zf_sD2D4EqnejlKEgAaxR1APHe80Mwy9It5pZr7MS9vja0qPRey-UTRs1xMAgz8zs9y9_iiWoM_nc-UGongzoRo88lNJLTGBrz/s320/boys+working+and+crab+008.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_3h1e75="396" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pic taken yesterday in high tide</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="222" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="222" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="222" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td closure_uid_3h1e75="424" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRlqYNJlR13f6svYKhi2G9xhnOSJY-jjZjr_BBCPMsBSjGowZUiyP0BngVdLu5WajWgxkQZV2NBW_0Uw7kufBvXAikOQ21j2IRKi5n4SKE_W7npwdZGqk46DxK4FMtBIBQgZebYgdXBYj/s1600/boys+working+and+crab+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRlqYNJlR13f6svYKhi2G9xhnOSJY-jjZjr_BBCPMsBSjGowZUiyP0BngVdLu5WajWgxkQZV2NBW_0Uw7kufBvXAikOQ21j2IRKi5n4SKE_W7npwdZGqk46DxK4FMtBIBQgZebYgdXBYj/s320/boys+working+and+crab+001.JPG" t$="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" closure_uid_3h1e75="423" style="text-align: center;"><div closure_uid_3h1e75="479"><span closure_uid_3h1e75="499" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The boys who are working on our home drinking beer which Don brought down to them after a long hot day at work!</span> </div><div align="left" closure_uid_3h1e75="483" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span closure_uid_3h1e75="481" closure_uid_yawj5q="526" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Well I guess I hd better go now. I have lots of 'not much to do' today, lol</span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Goodbye for now friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light' </span></div><div align="left" closure_uid_1jyc81="116" closure_uid_3h1e75="480" closure_uid_5uutnl="179" closure_uid_yawj5q="524"><br />
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</tbody></table></div><div align="left" closure_uid_3h1e75="222" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"></div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><br />
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</div><div closure_uid_3h1e75="119" closure_uid_yawj5q="109"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> </span></div><div closure_uid_yawj5q="109"></div></div></div></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-18078511095756277492011-07-21T12:11:00.005-04:002011-07-21T14:44:25.449-04:00Just skipping along:)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hi everyone.</span><br />
<span closure_uid_3pnjxc="106" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well all is well here. Don is out with a couple of his buddies deep sea fishing, so since I haven't written in a bit, I thought I would write a short blog to keep you up to date with a few little things that had happened with a few pics as well</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Friday and Saturday we had a really nice couple, Karissa and Trav rent a room here from where we are staying. They were from California and had been here for a month and were just working their way back home so stopped in here to stay for two days before heading to Panama City for their flight on Monday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They were the nicest young couple and we spent the two days with them chatting, laughing (a lot) and of course indulging in some of our $2.50 wine.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGG4TjxyVj5zm-DKKjHdp2XFO3VNK8tqo-jGiSLGf7_KQlTIgk4AjnfwG-yj_-ldKbs6Ng7OdLQGSeMzSOYo-iS-skznucii2iga8e_E-q_DTiDdC75G-qEYGwy034gdI7nzKFdS0P48m/s1600/008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGG4TjxyVj5zm-DKKjHdp2XFO3VNK8tqo-jGiSLGf7_KQlTIgk4AjnfwG-yj_-ldKbs6Ng7OdLQGSeMzSOYo-iS-skznucii2iga8e_E-q_DTiDdC75G-qEYGwy034gdI7nzKFdS0P48m/s400/008.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Karissa and Trav and their Beer:)</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They were telling us about a place near Playa Venao where they stayed and when they left on Sunday we decided to take a drive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had been to Venao Beach many times but hadn't gone past it. The drive was nice and when we got about an hour past we came to this most amazing place. It is called Sambutal (pronounced "Samboota) and had the most amazing beach and hotels/restaurants.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCr_OpfzkL1sezHFOoewwpGrVCMFEVYghYIV4_4hQCtnn-F6cZ1Ha60B4uWbRY2AtV97kKFvzVj5b9ADYXBU-Q5oyhwLuiKRNBPMCcTegwkQuvELruhV30as8mWJALY0lV2gGpbHW4QqKl/s1600/026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCr_OpfzkL1sezHFOoewwpGrVCMFEVYghYIV4_4hQCtnn-F6cZ1Ha60B4uWbRY2AtV97kKFvzVj5b9ADYXBU-Q5oyhwLuiKRNBPMCcTegwkQuvELruhV30as8mWJALY0lV2gGpbHW4QqKl/s400/026.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The incredible Beach</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_96_8xwQ98j1tDWPDzxmEvJKCxOj3OQJdkyx5qKWE0J7pSeRflSetFSuUm21dIXS7JsPssQXz_Tn2TyX8wk1kbygzzmroLI9dI2p0Ppc6dMywJflQBdzMys013OdOqziMTNOjb0GhAis8/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_96_8xwQ98j1tDWPDzxmEvJKCxOj3OQJdkyx5qKWE0J7pSeRflSetFSuUm21dIXS7JsPssQXz_Tn2TyX8wk1kbygzzmroLI9dI2p0Ppc6dMywJflQBdzMys013OdOqziMTNOjb0GhAis8/s400/028.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hotel Pool and Sadie of course</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu1Ll4kW7StX8c3UC6Fi_EelRxUJxxcM1Q1wgli5gEo85-rqlxxQ5f-DqfkYeRgBTtQSIRWNGWv0hjj-1DMmA27A_Bs_KT4hQJUa4zjxRhMaRw9UkyS15Xali9tDkrwIvPp1bn4DBdaFM/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXu1Ll4kW7StX8c3UC6Fi_EelRxUJxxcM1Q1wgli5gEo85-rqlxxQ5f-DqfkYeRgBTtQSIRWNGWv0hjj-1DMmA27A_Bs_KT4hQJUa4zjxRhMaRw9UkyS15Xali9tDkrwIvPp1bn4DBdaFM/s400/033.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hubby at Hotel Lobby having a Cerveza</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We stayed at the beach for a half hour or so and had been driving for a couple of hours so decided to work our way home. Don had driven down so I kindly said the I would take the wheel for the remainder of the trip.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was driving in my usual wonderful manner, when I took a left turn. Don immediately says, "Why would you turn left there when we are supposed to go straight?". </span><br />
<div closure_uid_oq23jy="107"><span closure_uid_oq23jy="106" style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I did not know we were supposed to go straight so not wanting to appear kinda stupid, lol, I just said, "No sweetie pie, you wonderful man you, we needed to turn here, so is it ok if we continue on this nice road my love?", (Ok, maybe I didn't say it in those <strong><u>exact</u></strong> words, but you catch my drift, right? LOL)</span></div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I forgot to mention that on our trip down the roads were awful and full of potholes and the road that I took was just freshly paved. Ahhh. What a relief.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway Don reluctantly went along with me with my new found 'chartered course' and we found it to be a very nice drive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We started ascending and ascending and realized that we were now going up the mountain behind Las Tablas that we had wanted to see since we had been here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The scenery was getting beautiful and as we got higher up the temperature was falling too. By the time we got to the top of the mountain it had dropped 6 degrees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Wow!! What a view!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbj-vAKCs8Ij_mRjzL-A0FvWaz4uBBa-EYi57G7aBImc-eyLVwU2FloIi7Kr9q27AhDOccbuj6EDSjupekIMBF61sBAuvAXA9691Sb1DC9RV-ZY2jdg5JAWamJQ078MMF-UQgTK3Ty47BR/s1600/067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbj-vAKCs8Ij_mRjzL-A0FvWaz4uBBa-EYi57G7aBImc-eyLVwU2FloIi7Kr9q27AhDOccbuj6EDSjupekIMBF61sBAuvAXA9691Sb1DC9RV-ZY2jdg5JAWamJQ078MMF-UQgTK3Ty47BR/s400/067.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sadie and I at the Edge...Incredible</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC06cPu8Wq2yq3LCbsF8PDYjKjF8M_oZpWSZS4ldV6g7q6qbN6C_LsD0Oi4p5T_6ecOZv4nbKtu1iTEoAdg3sLnhX8b7CgGDetB3B8Xwcq7ZvDZOrBK3L9JMHoOIg2GJN0_MPkz9Ry_eV/s1600/063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmC06cPu8Wq2yq3LCbsF8PDYjKjF8M_oZpWSZS4ldV6g7q6qbN6C_LsD0Oi4p5T_6ecOZv4nbKtu1iTEoAdg3sLnhX8b7CgGDetB3B8Xwcq7ZvDZOrBK3L9JMHoOIg2GJN0_MPkz9Ry_eV/s400/063.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wow!!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This scenery was something that I had never seen before anywhere. If you are on my Facebook you can see more pic's that we took while climbing the mountain.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Panama is such an incredible place with so many beautiful places to explore. And we have only started. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sometimes I have to pinch myself to be sure this is not a dream!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway we kept driving and finally got near home and got this torrential downpour. It had been just gorgeous all day but of course when I take the wheel I have to drive through the hardest rain one has ever seen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well though and all three of us got home in one piece.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I hear that there is 'Dangerous Heat is invading Ontario and Quebec' and I just want to say that I hope all of my friends and family are ok and stay cool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have been following the weather back home of course and its been cooler here than there in the past week or so.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The weather here has been beautiful and even though it is the rainy season we really haven't had too much and when it does rain it usually rains and thunders at night. I must admit that I just LOVE so see a good storm though and can't wait until we get into our home on the Ocean to see them there.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUPI75XhFxFld_QNQ9aurqrCv6o-Av7jgVz2sks4kRRyC7d7F35J_1CfrNYjP5u5RhNcXYZADcyZ5ue_CJm1QiASrNn1jWGoeiiLwPs07ZytVA6EsE8saSlJrQq6S3ZMXZvcziZeT0ovc/s1600/012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEUPI75XhFxFld_QNQ9aurqrCv6o-Av7jgVz2sks4kRRyC7d7F35J_1CfrNYjP5u5RhNcXYZADcyZ5ue_CJm1QiASrNn1jWGoeiiLwPs07ZytVA6EsE8saSlJrQq6S3ZMXZvcziZeT0ovc/s640/012.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Keeping it real!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I like to put these kinds of pic's in once in a while to 'keep it real' and to make me realize how incredibly lucky I am to be able to not only write these blogs on a computer that most here don't even own, but also to be able to live here and see with my own eyes the absolute beauty that this place affords us!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I totally am in love with Panama and the beautiful natives that live here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Life is good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I need to go now and hopefully the U-Haul rental place will have a big enough truck for me to rent to pick up Don's 'catch' of the day, lol</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a great day my friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><em>NEWSFLASH!!!</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><em>I just found out when going to the beer store which is within walking distance, that if you buy 'warm' beer then it's CHEAPER than cold beer. What the?</em></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><strong><em>Now the $.35 beer is only $.32. I hope I live to be 150 years old, lol</em></strong></span></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-8699773796365932252011-07-10T16:02:00.041-04:002011-07-10T18:51:06.166-04:00Easing into the life of Relaxation:)<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I haven't written in a bit but thought I would write a short one today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The last time I blogged we had just bought our X Trail and had the accident and I have to report that our truck is still in tact and we are enjoying having a great <strong>new </strong>vehicle although Don did lean on the front fender talking on his cell phone the other day and almost fell right through it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He then learnt after talking to others that both front fenders on the cars here, (most cars) are made of flexible plastic like the bumpers are in Canada. Not sure why but they are!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">You remember me telling you about how inexpensive the beer and wine is here. Well I have to share with you what my friend Ian in England said to me after getting the truck. Quote "But will your blood alcolol level ever be low enough for you to drive it?" LOL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He breaks me up!!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Speaking of a little drinky poo now and then, we found a really nice little beach bar within 5 minutes of where we are staying and the other day we met our new friends Christine and Wayne there and enjoyed 12 beers and the total bill was $7.80. Yup, no typo here..... $7.80!!!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLEO3PU-A_6yiN7TFdgIAqHfR3yEcmHkAjtqci45q5KGuL8EJrWUNFQxnGIbaikbegWNQfj3hjYVqHg5s-Mn4ljJrwroMYlDcdxbLjfkAm2fHXZRWu3B15FzYJoHIvdyNC0nbNUYtz_5W/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLEO3PU-A_6yiN7TFdgIAqHfR3yEcmHkAjtqci45q5KGuL8EJrWUNFQxnGIbaikbegWNQfj3hjYVqHg5s-Mn4ljJrwroMYlDcdxbLjfkAm2fHXZRWu3B15FzYJoHIvdyNC0nbNUYtz_5W/s200/001.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">View from the Beach Bar</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At this bar you can bring your own beer/wine and whatever you want to eat or drink. They don't care at all, so the other night we and our new friends Christine and Wayne went to the bar and Christine and I brought our own wine with us (they only sell beer), and we sat for a couple of hours chatting and laughing overlooking the Pacific Ocean while the guys drank their $.60 cervezas. Life is good in Panama, lol And as you can see Sadie is also welcome:)</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFc3C9tFy8Izkw0ibP_8bvSBqKqf3JVhUiT-JPmzaigMfGO6sJQ-ypN5ve1vaonFcv-tnNNCZf0e7ahBiso77jbMy74KJ284gBpO5k_Fenm-1Vpt8PuUrHcTvfCp5blxFfI51p4kal_X3/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyFc3C9tFy8Izkw0ibP_8bvSBqKqf3JVhUiT-JPmzaigMfGO6sJQ-ypN5ve1vaonFcv-tnNNCZf0e7ahBiso77jbMy74KJ284gBpO5k_Fenm-1Vpt8PuUrHcTvfCp5blxFfI51p4kal_X3/s200/003.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hubby and Sadie at our Beach Bar</span></td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The other day we went exploring the nice quaint town of Pedasi where we live. It is a small town with a population of about 3500 people with many nice restaurants/hotels and gift shops etc. We were driving down the streets just trying to get our bearings when we spotted this gravel road kind of going a bit out of town. Seeing as we now have a 4 X 4 and of course Don needs to try it out we venture down this road. I wasn't happy as the gravel was loose and hitting the undercarriage of our truck, but Don says not to worry..things are ok.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We travel down this old gravel road for about 15 minutes and then look ahead and see this brand new building on the left and a brand spanking newly paved highway ahead, so we thought.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got onto this beautiful highway and drove for for a few seconds and I said, "Wow this is a big beautiful new highway...I wonder where it goes?"</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then we noticed that the middle lines were about three car lengths long and also very wide. We then both looked at each other and said...."This is a <strong>RUNWAY!!"</strong> We both looked up in the sky to make sure we were not going to be "landed on" and Don thought, what the hell, we have never driven a runway before so let's go, lol</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What a hoot that was, and the one end of the runway there were a few cows grazing. I don't know what happens when planes begin to land.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;"> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The next day we went touring the Azueros Peninsula where the rich and famous live, or at least have homes there. Apparently rumour has it that Brad Pitt/Mick Jagger/Mel Gibson all have homes there as well. Pictured below is Michael Jordan's house.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">Michael Jordan's House</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_c1ff7GIP7Tny-dGWVReVYJYnyDnahjEsyn07eTaU-4C8pH4xFeUCp1Ee4o1hcUwsexU5JRPCX7T7o95Cxm19HOAj2PV-LtSyKqkL6_PK2I8QI3Lsj1gjllsu5o7k811gpOzyo3L-2xZ0/s1600/Road+Trip%252C+July+7th%252C+2011+053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_c1ff7GIP7Tny-dGWVReVYJYnyDnahjEsyn07eTaU-4C8pH4xFeUCp1Ee4o1hcUwsexU5JRPCX7T7o95Cxm19HOAj2PV-LtSyKqkL6_PK2I8QI3Lsj1gjllsu5o7k811gpOzyo3L-2xZ0/s200/Road+Trip%252C+July+7th%252C+2011+053.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: small;">The not so rich and Famous house</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">The Panamanian people are such nice friendly people who would give you the shirt off of their back if they even had a shirt.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Yesterday we went into Chitre to buy a charcoal bbq as Don has been dying for a filet mignon as we have heard from so many people are very cheap to buy here.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I need to learn Spanish!!</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I go into the back of the store where they have all of the meat and I ask the butcher for some filet. He had no clue what I was talking about but eventually got a piece of beef from him that didn't look like filet but did look ok.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">I also brought two nice chicken breasts for myself as I really don't like steak.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">We cooked the chicken and whatever the 'red meat' was and was so tough the Don could not eat it so he ended up eating one of the chicken breasts instead. I REALLY need to learn Spanish.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Today we are having beef stew, lol.</span></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbCiocjfMzt93cCTII4XVFppctrn-QQUU8SA4rqrNW5VdK9-ifSgnN6JBbRz7ctZASVlC2V95b7MqhfBLuzdddJ2KiixYhXTTGm3uq9R0LrsT-FHc9zv0HG9VoaoBy95gHdDYPlxK6xU2/s1600/Where+we+are+staying+until+house+is+finished+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" m$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWbCiocjfMzt93cCTII4XVFppctrn-QQUU8SA4rqrNW5VdK9-ifSgnN6JBbRz7ctZASVlC2V95b7MqhfBLuzdddJ2KiixYhXTTGm3uq9R0LrsT-FHc9zv0HG9VoaoBy95gHdDYPlxK6xU2/s200/Where+we+are+staying+until+house+is+finished+001.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div align="left" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Well the rain/lightning/thunder has stopped and there is now a nice breeze blowing so we are sitting under Kevin's porch enjoying the gardens as seen above.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS; font-size: small;">Thanks for reading and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-71060849698590799722011-06-30T20:22:00.001-04:002011-06-30T20:27:51.582-04:00You wouldn't believe our day!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well our day started out leaving for Las Tablas at 7:45 am to make an appointment for 8:30 to open our bank account which we had started on Tuesday. Seeing as Don had forgotten to bring two pieces of necessary documents we needed to go back today which she said would be no more than half an hour.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This is why we made the appointment for 8:30 as we needed to be in Chitre (which is half hour away) for our appointment to pick up our new truck at 10 am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was just Don who went into the bank as we had Sadie with us and couldn't leave her in the car as the temp was too high without the car running.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now keep in mind the girl at the bank took all of Don and I's information as we were opening a joint bank account. She photocopied passports/reference letters for both of us/personal references, etc etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now the time is now 9:45 and still no Don. He finally comes back out and says we both have to go back to the bank again as she didnt realize that it was supposed to be a 'joint' account...Oh, sigh, Oh sigh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don did manage to get one account open so that we can wire money down here as we NEED IT BADLY, lol</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We are only allowed to bring $20K cash with us into the country, and we had spent some and needed to buy the car.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We maxed out our new US Visa that we had opened and had to use most of our cash so time is of the essense regarding money, lol</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, so off we trudge to Chitre to pick up our brand new sparkling clean Nissan XTrail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We went to buy the car on Tuesday and we could have taken it with us at that time but they said it would take two days for the plates so we said we would wait until today then so we didn't have to come back for the plates.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So we get there, and they had not sent the forms in for the plates....Sigh, Sigh, Sigh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(but we are in Panama, remember)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok so we sign all of the papers...payed our money and everything of course is in Spanish, so hopefully we have bought it and not leased it, lol. We also took our insurance out with the dealership as it was convenient and the nice guy who sold it to us was so kind and tried so hard to explain everything in English for us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We have our insurance!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Little did we know that in a few minutes we would need it!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We needed to wait a few minutes (Panamanian Time) to get a piece of paper to replace the plates if stopped by the police so we thought we would go up to a local market to buy some fresh fish/veggies etc while we were waiting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got into Kevin's truck that he is renting us to go to the store, and as we were pulling out a senior in a big truck BACKED RIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF OUR TRUCK! Yup..I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Here we are in a place that barely speak English with damage to our friends truck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh my!! Hysteria is setting in. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The guy t-boned us and the whole side was dented in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So now we have to go back into the dealership to fill out one of the forms that the insurance broker told us we would have to fill out if we ever needed it, and again all in Spanish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sigh again!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Again with the passports and drivers licenses being photocopied again. We then have to </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">wait for the insurance adjuster to come from God knows where to fill out yet ANOTHER form and to take pic's etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">By the way the guy who hit us said it wasn't his fault and so if that was his story we would have had to go to court, but the adjuster talked to him in Spanish and explained that YES it was his fault he then decided to take responsibility.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That took about 45 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now after having filled out MORE forms we had to go to the body shop down the street to get a quote to fix the car/truck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It didn't take long there, thank God, and the guy took a quote on a writing pad and said it would be $150.00 (took 4 guys to arrive at this number), and then we went back to the dealership to hopefully pick up our new truck which by this time seemed so very old!!! lol</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So off we go to get our fish.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Easy three right turns and we are there...piece of cake.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Not so easy coming home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was following Don who professes to be the best driver in the world and I find myself going down a one way street in Chitre with people honking and waving and shouting stuff that made no sense to me. I thought they were just being friendly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh Boy!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So I had to back up (in a very busy street) as I was following Don to turn into another street so we could get out of that mess we were in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, so we got ourselves out of that mess and continued on on our quest to get out of this God Forbidden town and back to our quiet little house in Pedasi.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All seemed good! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was driving our brand spanking new truck on a highway that we had become acquainted with. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All is good!</span> I <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">was even listening to a Spanish radio station just rocking to the music whose words I didn't understand when all of a sudden the lightning and thunder start.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh No. I don't even know how to turn the wipers on the new truck.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It started raining SO hard I could barely see.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don had turned on his 'flashers' and in turn so did I. It was harrowing for about 10 minutes. Honesly it was very scary, but then the rains subsided. (this seems like a story from the Bible), lol</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Finally we got home where I immediately kissed the soggy wet grass.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is well though now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I just finished cooking our 'baby shark' fish for dinner. If you have never tasted this you must. It was so delicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don and I, and of course Sadie are sitting outside now enjoying a nice glass of $2.75 wine taking in all of the days adventures.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank God for wine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I can only imagine what will be in store for us tomorrow.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarm8e0oUgv5GdpLgqrP_WLFd_Ldxh_al4ah6fixFwdGLUDEqlH-jSJ06peuPmyXyzEWglt-RCsz6TVCOES6kjWkFw15NSvupaXn6peeAO8PQAQ3k0kD9hMnGS3Jq0eVz3iaAf26BST8hd/s1600/New+Truck.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="212" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarm8e0oUgv5GdpLgqrP_WLFd_Ldxh_al4ah6fixFwdGLUDEqlH-jSJ06peuPmyXyzEWglt-RCsz6TVCOES6kjWkFw15NSvupaXn6peeAO8PQAQ3k0kD9hMnGS3Jq0eVz3iaAf26BST8hd/s320/New+Truck.JPG" width="320" /></span></strong></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After the Day from Hell, this is what we got....:) </span></strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thanks for reading, and remember please to "Stay in the Light"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">P.S.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you Kevin for understanding about your truck. Even though it was not our fault when things like this happen it always seems like it is.</span>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-7104748243091254822011-06-27T18:29:00.000-04:002011-06-27T18:29:46.863-04:00Getting to know you, getting to know all about you!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well these past three days have proved very informative to say the least.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On Friday we went into Chitre to look for a truck/4 wheel drive to buy. It is a little difficult to do this when we have a language barrier, but there was always one person in each dealership that we could get to translate for us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We wanted to buy a year old truck but we learned that it was very difficult to purchase used. We found only one in the three dealerships that we went to.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We did find the trucks are not a lot cheaper but they are a bit as the tax is lower and they don't charge freight and delivery.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">One thing I found hilarious was that when you buy your vehicle you may or may not get a license plate as sometimes they don't make enough, so you can MAKE YOUR OWN!! LOL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yup you read it right. You can make a plate and as long as the numbers match what they put on the sticker on your front window then you are good to go. You can make them out of whatever you want. I am still smiling at this one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Could we do this in North America? I think not!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We didn't buy yet as Don wants to check out the Ford dealership that we couldn't find on Friday so we will go back to Chitre tomorrow.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmwrp4X062O1bl-HI3OjlKDjXTD3CM156ZN7aJq3IhRoHEpIN1Ib4KDsK98nLoMkCU0miZBAff6qBSQPMz-xYffQ0n836-3ogilE9AY4hH4emIV4JkrGz-R5p9wPBATGy652MJV0nOQO0/s1600/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdmwrp4X062O1bl-HI3OjlKDjXTD3CM156ZN7aJq3IhRoHEpIN1Ib4KDsK98nLoMkCU0miZBAff6qBSQPMz-xYffQ0n836-3ogilE9AY4hH4emIV4JkrGz-R5p9wPBATGy652MJV0nOQO0/s200/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+042.JPG" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQUerb14PSU3_f-1S9S_HlueWYCNUEctgJNyalZWoclF19FPUBErawKqZDi4_8IsrBHx4lVvuchgg8xlfJh4G2Gc-4YPZ9NB_xHVjrJsFeQmbkfPrN-c86kanRYVed8JBvDXvbwnSdVOQ/s1600/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQUerb14PSU3_f-1S9S_HlueWYCNUEctgJNyalZWoclF19FPUBErawKqZDi4_8IsrBHx4lVvuchgg8xlfJh4G2Gc-4YPZ9NB_xHVjrJsFeQmbkfPrN-c86kanRYVed8JBvDXvbwnSdVOQ/s200/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+035.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Saturday they had the 'BillaBong' parade here in Pedasi. It was quite a spectacle with over 30 countries participating. There were surfers everywhere, and the parade was very well done with lots of Panamanian Men and Women donning their native dress.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZxcBrZpJyWZeOBCf_SOITk4J6Q5jiWm6uBgsLUp869Ie4QXoS-zv8-SwNX8wEJsOMuCurfHrv6kCNng5e4VwG9kfE4pcqSHV6y-LbgVbr-Ja4Am350746qP12h2E6UEX0e6wllMc77u6/s1600/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJZxcBrZpJyWZeOBCf_SOITk4J6Q5jiWm6uBgsLUp869Ie4QXoS-zv8-SwNX8wEJsOMuCurfHrv6kCNng5e4VwG9kfE4pcqSHV6y-LbgVbr-Ja4Am350746qP12h2E6UEX0e6wllMc77u6/s200/Billabong%252C+beach%252C+etc+039.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our Candian Surfers in the Parade</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We left the parade and then went to our new friend Joaquim's Hamburger cart in town to have one of the best burgers in town. He also sells Burrito's and they are delicious as well. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All for $2.25 plus a drink. Of course Don had one of each..being the dainty fella he is:)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Yesterday we went into Playa Venao where the Surfing competiton takes place. Now that was so great seeing surfers as I have never seen this before. These guys are crazy. They could hurt themselves, lol.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They had a huge Red Cross tent there and a helicopter running just in case. This tells me it may be a tad dangerous.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We left there and were invited to our friends who live in our development, Pierre and Beth, for a spaghetti dinner to meet our other neighbours who live there as well.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was a fun night with laughter, great food and lots of wine.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our development is going to be full of such tremendous people. I can't wait to get into our home, but for the interim we are staying at our friend Kevin's home which is absolutelty perfect for us.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He is such a great guy who is very accommodating and does his best to make us comfortable.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sadie is getting used to it slowly. I feel so sorry for her as we have dragged her half way across the world and she hasn't a clue what is going on. She hardly eats, but I know she will be ok and will adjust.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Today we went into Las Tablas to open a bank account that we were told would be such a chore.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It turned out to be a breeze. Don forgot a couple of pieces of paper otherwise it would have been set up immediately but will be done tomorrow after we bring the necessary paperwork.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now we are just sitting outside with Kevin enjoying a cold beverage.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I wanted to post a video of Sadie chasing a crab on the beach today but it wouldn't download, as the internet is a bit slow here.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you for reading, and 'Stay in the Light'</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">P.S I forgot to mention to you that when we landed at the airport in Panama our friend Kevin was waiting for us and when he went over to pay the attendant for his parking at the airport, we went and said we would take care of it as he was good enough to pick us up. I asked him how much and it was....get ready for this.....48 cents...Yup .48 cents.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In Toronto it would have been close to $20. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Panama rocks!!! LOL</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-48646256761784177372011-06-23T22:12:00.000-04:002011-06-23T22:12:44.321-04:00Roadtrip to Florida and more Stuff! <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well we are <em><strong>finally</strong></em> here in Pedasi, Panama in our little piece of Paradise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let me start from the beginning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Firstly I need to share with you the picture we took on our day of moving to show you what we ended up bringing with us after 33 years of being together. This is it folks....Three suitcases two carry on's and three boxes. Yup you are dealing with 'crazy people' :)</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuxJH2cNQNtlRbt5gz6gXrQKwxsG7OUB3fFyyiJRQydShZK6HKvtpF5k3W5pSBfFTLRcgkeXPvXRrYPFnkSR7A0mdAZPVp_LrZeVMOY6SfsQQu2mEh2iC6eHgDsUYigEoWmr9WO1_aGO-/s1600/Roadtrip+to+Panama+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBuxJH2cNQNtlRbt5gz6gXrQKwxsG7OUB3fFyyiJRQydShZK6HKvtpF5k3W5pSBfFTLRcgkeXPvXRrYPFnkSR7A0mdAZPVp_LrZeVMOY6SfsQQu2mEh2iC6eHgDsUYigEoWmr9WO1_aGO-/s320/Roadtrip+to+Panama+004.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">Of course Sadie had to be there to make sure we didn't leave her!</span></em></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Well <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">our drive from Hamilton to Florida went very well. Very uneventful but filled with laughter and chatter with my wonderful brother and sister in law who so kindly drove us there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We spent two nights and one day getting there, the first night in Virginia, the second in St. Agustine Florida and then off to Lauderdale by the Sea </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">on the third day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were met by our Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim who have this beautiful condo on the beach that they so graciously let us stay in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We could not have been treated better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The first night Aunt Ruth had organized a cook-out on the beach with the most huge steaks you could ever find, corn on the cob, salads, and of course lots of drinks. ( you do need to drink a lot when the weather is very warm). Well that is my story and I am sticking to it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Let me get back to Sadie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">If you follow my blogs you will remember that Sadie is a very nervous dog and she did not like her cage with the door closed and that is what she had to be in to go into the 'belly' of the plane, so the vet had prescribed some pills for her to help with some of her anxiety.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He gave us two different strenghts and told us to experiment with them on her so we would know if we needed to give her just the one or perhaps one and half of another one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Before we left on the road trip we gave her one and she was fine. A little 'dopy', like Don, lol, but otherwise just fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The first night of the cookout we gave Sadie a whole pill as she needed to stay in the condo by herself and she had been under a lot of stress and was just a very nervous dog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We went down to the beach and after a couple of hours Don had to come up to the condo to get something and when he took Sadie out for a pee she ran up to the top of the hill which was the underground parking garage and went through some bushes and perhaps because it was dark and also because she was very drugged she jumped over the wall which was 12 feet tall.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All Don heard was a 'yelp' and thought that something had bitten her, but when he looked over he saw Sadie on the ground not moving.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When I ran down and around the hill she was up on her feet, but not very steady. I then took her back up to the condo and Sadie was breathing deeply two or three times and then not breathing at all. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Uncle Jim was also there at that time and Don told him to please come down to the beach to get me as he thought Sadie was dying in his arms.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I came up and was so sick I thought that I was going to die. I was so scared thinking that we had killed our beautiful dog by giving her too much of the drug.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Anyway we went to bed and of course neither Don nor I slept the whole night and in the morning I really thought we had lost Sadie. I picked her up and she was still limp and her eyes rolling back in her head.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I went into hysterics!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don had tried to calm me down and then took Sadie out for a walk to see how she would react.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">She was very slow at walking in the beginning, but on her way back she picked up a bit of speed but she seemed a bit better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">She slept all of that day and then the third day the life began to creep back into her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">OMG, I was so relieved. We had our baby back!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">She was still sore, but who wouldn't be after falling 12 feet onto a cement driveway? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">But, all is well now, and she is here with us safe and sound, but she hates the sound of pill bottles being opened, lol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The next day we met with Don's Mom and Grandma who we don't see often either as they live so far away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had a great visit and shared many laughs and caught up on a couple of years of things that we had missed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That night we met up with more of Don's relatives and went to a restaurant in town and filled up on 'happy hour' stuff and of course more drinks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our last day there our beautiful Aunt Ruth had another cook-out on the beach. The weather had been beautiful the whole trip. No rain, just sun and fun!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">That night was sad for us as it was going to be our last night in North America and we were embarking on the next phase of our life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It was sad also as we were leaving all of our family there including the best brother and sister in law in the world who did so much for us and helped us tremendously along the way in more ways then they will ever know. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We love them all so much!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We were also very sad to leave our daughter Bobbi and her boyfriend, but also kept in mind that they will ALL visit us here and will probably see more of them now then we did then.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So Wednesday morning my brother picked us up at 5 am to take us to the Miami airport to take our flight to Panama City.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">There were a few accidents on the way and a couple of times we thought we may be late as our flight left at 8:25 am and we had 'all of that luggage' to check:) and had Sadie too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We made it in good time and got there at about 6 am.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don scared the life out of me there again as he said we had forgotten our passports at Uncle Jim's and Aunt Ruth's. Geez..Men!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I should have known they were under his seat. I think he is testing me somehow to see how much I can take, lol.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got all of our stuff on two luggage racks and after a very emotional 'goodbye' to my bro and his wife we meandered into the airport to head over to the check-in counter which had a very surprising short line-up, unlike Toronto.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">For the past 4 months Don has been calling and calling every airline possible to see if we could buy a seat for Sadie as we did <strong><em>NOT </em></strong>want to put her in the belly, not only because of her anxiety, but also because it was so hot on the tarmack it may be very hard on her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He tried relentlessly but got nowhere as they all said 'no' that they either had to go under the seat (which she was just a tad to big for)</span> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or go in the cargo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, we had accepted that!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It took forever to check our baggage as we had the three boxes too and they had to be weighed and tagged etc, so we just waited and waited and we had Sadie on the leash the whole time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The girl knew how anxious was too about putting Sadie in the belly and at one point I had tears in my eyes as I was so afraid for her, and Then at that point the supervisor had come over and said "Why don't you buy a seat for your dog?" </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What the?????????????????????????</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We could buy a seat? They had told us over and over and over again we could not do that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I was ecstatic!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It cost us $125 to put her in cargo and the seat only cost $300, so for $175 more we had Sadie with us on the plane.....Glory Be!!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well this was great so we walked Sadie on a leash right to the plane which was just about to board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">(by the way we walked Sadie the whole time through the airport on her leash and NOONE said anything)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It turns out her cage was to big to put on the seat and I had a duffle bag for a carry on with my clothes etc, so the flight attendant said why don't you take your things out of your bag, put them in Sadie's cage and put Sadie in the bag, so Sadie's cage now became a suitcase (which they checked for us), with all of my bra's underwear, hair dryer, etc, and the duffle bag was Sadie's cage...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This was too funny for us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We had to zip it up so her head was just sticking out and Sadie being the dog she is, she just sat there and didn't care.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We took her to her seat which was in between the two of us and she was quite content. She slept the whole way and never moved. </span><br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFY30k4rEn3LAyj0gQ0YRSvGHZ_69DeZUtqkqmGZRO6trxQdjnjbUv_-GN1ndRFlkYUGCtPgHex6_n7PmK9-02nwFOo-kkzk_X9H46pLID1yBEzhA3euOsJZO2_vFQOldff8nodzKUSGSK/s1600/Roadtrip+to+Panama+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFY30k4rEn3LAyj0gQ0YRSvGHZ_69DeZUtqkqmGZRO6trxQdjnjbUv_-GN1ndRFlkYUGCtPgHex6_n7PmK9-02nwFOo-kkzk_X9H46pLID1yBEzhA3euOsJZO2_vFQOldff8nodzKUSGSK/s200/Roadtrip+to+Panama+078.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em><span style="font-size: small;">Sadie on the plane with us</span></em></strong><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What a wonderful thing this was for Don and I....and of course Sadie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then the breakfast came and Don being the one who doesn't like to eat very much:) made sure that the flight attendent knew that he had bought the seat for our doggie and he wanted her breakfast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So Sadie had some toast, ham and eggs on her flight. This was fun for Don and I .....We couldn't stop smiling the whole flight, and poor Sadie just slept and of course never will know what we saved her from.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We carried her off of the plane and then walked her on her leash through the rest of the airport which I had never seen before. We then had to take her to the vet at the airport and got through customs without a hitch which I was surprised at as I thought they may question our boxes etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh, by the way all of the flight attendents that we spoke to said they had never seen a dog in a seat before. Maybe we have started something:)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">All is good!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our friend Kevin picked us up and drove us to Pedasi, our new home.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We got here yesterday after all of this and I must say that we are more in love with this place than we ever were before.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We love our rental place and today the three of us went for an hour walk on the most beautiful beach in the world, stopped at a local beach restaurant and had red snapper and beer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, now this is the most important part of this. The snapper was $5 and the beer was SIXTY CENTS!! Heck we even bought Jose and George (two workers) a beer....I mean for $1.20 why not? :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Life is good my friends, and I hope that those of you who have read this enjoy it as much as I did writing it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tomorrow I am sure will bring something more and I will be sure to share.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A special thanks to my brother Gary and his wife Irene for everything they have done for us and Aunt Ruth and Uncle Jim, you know:)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We love you all.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Stay in the Light!</span>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-21592970986102060732011-06-15T08:45:00.002-04:002011-06-15T14:40:10.305-04:00Yesterday..A day from Hell, LOL<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well yesterday was just the most stressful and horrendous day. If you are following my blogs then you know that in order to take any animals to Panama you need to get papers signed in Ottawa. It's the closest to us which is still a 5 hour drive one way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I have been asking Don for months if he had all of the paperwork ready and if he knew exactly where he had to go to get the papers signed and with the typical male attitude, lol, he gives me the look and says of course I do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Well after we went to bed on Monday night my mind was racing and I had the feeling that something was wrong, so at around midnight I got up and turned on the computer and when I checked the Panamanian Embassy page I discovered that yes, he had missed a step.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I woke him up and he still said NO, that he knew what he was doing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Then about 15 minutes later he got up and realized 'could he actually have made a mistake?' No.....not him!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Poor Don. The step he missed was that he had to get the papers signed first at the Canadian Food and Drug Inspection Agency that if we had of known was right here in our town.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We then had to scramble to see if there was one close in Ottawa to the other two places that he had to go anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We found one that was fairly close and after a couple of hours of hysteria, and at 2:30, Don was headed out as the one place opened up at 8 am and he wanted to be the first one there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He arrived at 6:30 am and sat there waiting and reading up on his new camera that we had just bought and to discover that there was no line up at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He goes in only to be faced with the fact that the vet had given us the wrong forms and they said 'We cannot sign this' and after Don almost had a heart attach, they said they had a vet across the city that he could go to for the Vet to sign the proper documents, only to discover then that the Vet said, "Where is Sadie"? and he would not sign it either as he had not seen Sadie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don called me at this point and was beside himself, he had no blood left in his face and he was close to being sick to his stomach. What do we do now?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So then through rush hour traffic he goes back to the first office that sent him on this goose chase and he had to convince them (by the paleness of his face) to break their own laws and forge the proper documents for him. It wasn't an easy task to do, but with the look on his face and the close to 'begging' that he did he got that part signed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Now he was off to the Embassy to meet with the Panamanian Embassador whom he had become friends with through online conversations and on the phone, only to discover AGAIN that he didn't make the second stop, the Dept of Foreign Affairs as the Canadian Food and Drug said he didn't have to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don now didn't have a clue where he was going as Ottawa is a big place and his vision was getting impaired due to lack of blood circulation and virtually no sleep.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The Embassador graciously left his post after he took a look at Don's face and drove him to Canadian Dept of Foreign Affairs, (as well as picking up his son from school, and his wife to take her to a function and to also stop by his house, lol) where he had to get the first 'forged' papers signed again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">They discovered then that the paperwork was not up to their liking, so after a while of a few people speaking Spanish the Embassador got the papers signed for Don!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Remember this is all for Sadie, to allow her to come with us to Panama, but it ended good with the papers signed and Don got to have a nice with the Embassador who will be visiting us in Pedasi as he knows it well, and goes there on a regular basis.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijW9w9pUxMRUT5eRQ7R1lh7lU1VKv-pxbtRnix9doocnPrkhEdK7DHlECU67TtTwdf4Mj6XYeCU7RCeCTYU3waxsprMQmJIXU9L7memlM0Sora6uasQOXFs5tIKmPl7OGzvCqfk1ekOYn2/s1600/Ottawa+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: red;"><strong><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijW9w9pUxMRUT5eRQ7R1lh7lU1VKv-pxbtRnix9doocnPrkhEdK7DHlECU67TtTwdf4Mj6XYeCU7RCeCTYU3waxsprMQmJIXU9L7memlM0Sora6uasQOXFs5tIKmPl7OGzvCqfk1ekOYn2/s320/Ottawa+003.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Don and Carlo, his new friend in the Panamanian Consulate, in his house yesterday!</strong></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">He was on the road for 18 hours and was certainly glad to get home yesterday and have a cold beer! Ok, he had 8, lol</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, I am now off to do the rest of the packing. Yesterday though all of my tears and stress I did get a lot done. Today it's just getting suitcases packed and the last odds and ends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">My brother and his wife will be here tomorrow morning to pick us up and then it's off to our new adventure.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I will be of course touching base along the way with pic's and news. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2evFG3CkYYUxvZXstmbRyyR3hUtKSutmeHBOyP79xcgmSBWRwF-l-ED_BUXH4TfmFsuG6P50cGiGq5UOryXK7Enks333AOegwhkqdRctM3xP91CSDulLXUYV7Z8TuNqeAVImI0T44F9a/s1600/DSC_0076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2evFG3CkYYUxvZXstmbRyyR3hUtKSutmeHBOyP79xcgmSBWRwF-l-ED_BUXH4TfmFsuG6P50cGiGq5UOryXK7Enks333AOegwhkqdRctM3xP91CSDulLXUYV7Z8TuNqeAVImI0T44F9a/s320/DSC_0076.jpg" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>It's on the way!! :)</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you all for reading my blog and remember to 'stay in the light'</span>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3157302438274751311.post-11224204696060954532011-06-10T11:21:00.002-04:002011-06-10T11:34:33.637-04:006 More Days and we will be headed to Florida:)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCLFvq6vL_8s2t7FyUiTywwn_v-GveBQe3FX4gDWJ7mL9JeXdftaJ3guBpoA9iVjKpzlWvNvDgHQpgTuaGNMqm0fxSvciOzwWps2E54pmdIkLusxzNS8FuJQXU7yMlO9bMSQ8k02WJKFT/s1600/IMG_1577_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGCLFvq6vL_8s2t7FyUiTywwn_v-GveBQe3FX4gDWJ7mL9JeXdftaJ3guBpoA9iVjKpzlWvNvDgHQpgTuaGNMqm0fxSvciOzwWps2E54pmdIkLusxzNS8FuJQXU7yMlO9bMSQ8k02WJKFT/s200/IMG_1577_1.JPG" t8="true" width="200" /></strong></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>Our favourite restaurant in Pedasi. The one where we signed the papers to buy our lot in September, 2008 and also the one that Brad and Angelina have visited on a few occasions. </strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Well I can't believe that the time is almost here. When we sold our home back on December 8th I thought that 6 months was sooo long and would take forever to get here. People would tell me that it would go by fast but I didn't believe it would until just today! The time is now here and I'm stress beyond belief. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I am also very, very excited. To be living our dream seems so surreal. Last night I was telling Don that I can't believe we are really going to do this...really going to be leaving the country I have spent my whole 38 years (lol) in...and moving to paradise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We already have our 50th anniversary planned. It will be on Friday, October 7th, 2033, and we will celebrate either on our porch overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean with a drink in our hands, or on the beach saying our 'I love you's' </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I know I have said before that I have the most wonderful husband walking the earth, but I truly mean it. He loves me unconditionally and he is so industrious and has worked so hard in the past three years (and all of his working years) making our dream become a reality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love you Don!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh and he does all of the packing too....:)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ok, enough of the mushiness, let's talk about </span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">some things only men can do. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The other day Don lost his debit card so no biggie....He asked to borrow mine. No biggie either, except that he LOST MINE TOO!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So he goes to the bank to get us new ones and he finds out that he has also LOST HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is just great!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">A week before we leave and now we have to go and get a temporary one and of course it takes 4 to 6 weeks for a new one to come and we don't really have an address yet to send it to Panama when it comes, but we did work that out with our friend who lives there now. They will be sent to him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So now he has to drive around with a 'paper' license and when the girl that gave this to him he says and I quote, "Don't I have to have also have my drivers license with me when carrying this paper one"? What the? If he had his driver's license we would not be here!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Men!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The fantastic group of people at Don's office gave him a surprise going away party yesterday. Everyone showed up and it was so nice that they all were genuinely happy for both of us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I think our hotel will be full with just our friends and acquaintances that I hope come and visit. It's going to be awesome!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">The owner of Re/Max, Roger Anderson, gave us a gift card for $100 for a restaurant down the road that just opened. We have been wanting to go there for a couple of months, so tonight we are finally getting to go. Wine, best of food, laughter..just as long as it doesn't go over $100, lol. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Thank you to everyone. So nice that we have such good friends who really care.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Don's out doing last minute things so I had better go and do SOMETHING before he gets back. I am really not a slug, but when you have a hubby that does all of that ugly packing stuff what is a girl to do but sit back and watch, right? That is my story and I am sticking to it:)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's a beautiful day here in the neighbourhood. Oh yes, I forgot on my walk again today the Mom and Pop geese and their 6 babies were prancing across the road again. I have never seen anything so cute....That makes me smile!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I also saw a snapping turtle crossing the road, albeit very slowly....:)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I had to keep Sadie away as she is very inquisitive and wouldn't need it snapping at her and taking a piece out of her nose.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Have a great day my friends, and remember to 'Stay in the Light'</span>Conniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09862787502484950476noreply@blogger.com4Canada49.325122151943937 -99.58007850000001328.344236151943935 -144.593141 70.306008151943942 -54.567016000000017