The final step in our process had been completed. We had instructed our attorney in Panama City via power of attorney to pick our e-cédulas up and courier them to us. This card is an official government issued ID, similar to a social security card. Without a cédula, anything you do from getting a bank account, electricity, buying land, or even registering your car is done using your passport number. Unfortunately, every time you renew your passport you get a new passport number as well. Changing the passport number you have associated with almost everything in Panama is a nightmare and takes time. You don’t need to haul your passport around anymore. Just show your cédula. It entitles you to all the benefits of a Panama citizen, except voting.
Some Beach Time
We just got back from a short getaway to Las Lajas Beach. It was our first overnight trip since arriving almost 3 months ago. It was an easy 1.75 hour drive from Boquete. The ocean there is a bit calmer on that spot of the Pacific Ocean. There are other beaches that are closer, however swimming can be dangerous. Las Lajas reminds us of the beach on the TV show “Lost”. We walked quite a ways westward, enjoying nature’s splendor, until we reached the estuary of Río San Juan. We also walked on a boardwalk through a mangrove jungle and saw different species of mangroves and wildlife who call the habitat their home.
Weather
The weather here had been mostly dry of late, even though we are in the rainy season. It is considered winter now but we are having Indian summer, and it has been very pleasant. In Boquete about 114 inches of rain fall per year; rainfall exceeds 12 inches per month from May to November, while it drops below 4 inches per month from January to March. At altitudes above 6,500 feet, in the tierras frías (“cold lands”), nights can be cold, especially during the period from December to March. Above 10,000 feet, it can get cold even during the day. Where we live is around 3,900 feet or so above sea level. The temperature is perfect.
I cannot believe sometimes that we actually live here in this small piece of paradise. Hasta la próxima vez!