Experiences and Thoughts about Panamá Archives - Page 5 of 5

Adjusting to a Less Stressful Life

I’ve not written in a while. It seems there has not been much to say of late. Life has become so simplistic.

Today, Craig and I attended a Meet & Greet cocktail / luncheon that was held at a local restaurant. Newcomers to the area as well as expats who have been here a while, met to share their friendship and knowledge. We talked with a lot of great people who we plan on getting together with in the future.

Having been retired now for half a year and Craig retired for over 2 months, we are slowly settling in. When we first arrived in Boquete, Panama in early May, it felt like “vacation mode”, checking out the town, the sights, tours, getting to know the local hangouts. Finding a rental and getting a car was a priority, as was getting our Panamanian drivers licenses. Having been used to the hustle and bustle of every day life in the United States, it has been quite an adjustment mentally. I wake up in the morning without an agenda, leisurely enjoying the wonderful Panamanian coffee we have here, and catching up with my emails and Facebook. An afternoon out entails going to the fruit and vegetable lady and stocking up, grocery store, and maybe stopping for a cocktail. This week we had a friend over for dinner. Filling out our time are video Spanish lessons with teacher and friend, Yaira Munoz; oh, and homework! Going for long walks and going to the gym are things we also like to do. We’ve been re-watching The Sopranos many evenings. There is only so much relaxing that one can do, though. What else is out there? At times I miss the creative part of my former occupation as a graphic designer, but not the sitting behind a desk for 8 hours a day. It wreaked havoc on my shoulders, elbows, wrists, neck and back, I no longer have those issues.

There has been an inner struggle from time to time, looking for that missing piece, and missing family back in the States. The transition has been challenging. I am so grateful to be able to make this journey with my husband and best friend. Retirement is not a destination, but a journey. I do not know what my missing piece is yet, but it cannot be rushed. For some people, the need to work after retirement becomes a necessity, for others, it provides structure, routine and purpose. I do not know where I fall in the grand scheme of things. Waking up in this beautiful country with breathtaking views of Baru and the surrounding mountains, I have to count my blessings every day. We’re starting to get into the rhythm of life without structure, life has become more of an improvisation. We look forward to what the future holds and thank God every day for our good health and for this opportunity and fresh chance at a new adventure.

Panamá Coffee

One of the highlights of living in the mountains of Volcán Barú is the coffee. It is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Panamá coffee will not disappoint. It’s the best I’ve ever had. This past week, we toured one of the local coffee farms, Finca Dos Jefes. Their coffee varieties, Cafés de la Luna, is grown, harvested, processed and roasted there. Their farming practices are based around the lunar calendar. It was very interesting indeed. It all starts off as a cherry on a tree.

Here are some of the facts I’ve learned about the subject. The simplest and most organic method of processing coffee is called dry process. … The coffee is laid on raised drying beds that allow air to circulate around the fruit. Another method is the washing process, which if not done ethically, can potentially damage the environment and water resources around it. Environmental regulations are not equally enforced, or do not exist at most coffee producing nations.

What makes Panamá coffee so good? The fertile conditions on the areas surrounding the Volcán Barú, regular rainfall and appropriate altitude are a key factor in the success of coffee production: The rich nutrients found in the volcanic soil, abundant moisture and cloud cover nourish the coffee plants producing high quality beans that develop a rich, deeper flavor. The environmental factors of Panamá is quite unique with mountainous regions and nutrient rich volcanic soil that together create numerous microclimates across the country. The winds blowing over the mountains from the north create a fine mist called bajareque that acts as a huge air conditioner slowing the ripening of coffee cherries and contributing, ultimately, to sweet and complex cups.

Panamá’s coffee industry is marginal, but the country has specialized in producing special coffees such as geisha, which is sold at record prices especially in Asia and Europe. Just recently, A U.S. coffee roasting company in San Francisco area, served up the pricey cups of coffee made from Elida Natural Geisha beans purchased in Panamá at a world record price of $803 per pound.

We’ve had the opportunity to taste coffee samplings from a handful of fincas. The jury is still out as we continue our Panamá coffee tastings, including Black Mountain and Kotowa. They are all so good!

Taking Everything In

Arriving in Boquete a little over 3 weeks ago, we are slowly getting acclimated to our new home. It has been quite an adjustment to say the least. Having arrived at the start of the rainy season, you can expect a bit of rain every day, some days can downpour for hours, other days just a short period or two. Everything is lush and green, the flowers really love it!

This week, my daughter Jess gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Stella Louise. What a joyous occasion! It was difficult for me not being able to be there and share in their joy. Thank goodness for Skype and Google Hangouts, the next best thing to being there, until we can make a trip back to visit.

Our days are filled with taking walks, going into town to pick up groceries and necessities, having snacks and a cerveza or margarita at our new favorite bar & grill, Big Daddy’s, Spanish lessons, and relaxing. We also joined a local gym that has a pool, hot tub and saunas.

Every Tuesday we go to the Boquete Tuesday Market. It has a good selection of items including an assortment of food, medicinal items, fresh fruit and vegetables, souvenirs, and Panamanian handmade items. All the expats in the area seem to congregate there every week.

One cannot underestimate how much we rely on the basic necessities, such as water, electricity, and internet. It is pretty common for one of these 3 things to be out at any given time. I think this is our biggest adjustment. We have two water reserve tanks for when the city water goes out, but when the reserve tanks are low, water pressure is slim to none, and at times doesn’t give us enough hot water. We get our showers when the getting is good. Electricity can flicker on and off. We have not had any major disruptions thankfully. We have a propane tank for our hot water and cooking. We have figured out when to return the tank for a new one…an empty tank weighs 6.17 kilos. We have been using our luggage scale to weigh it so we don’t run out! The internet is another story. The first week or so that we were here, it went out at least 3 times a day, which made our VPN router get all messed up with numerous calls to Sabai Technology for technical support. This week we’ll drive into David and get a UPS battery backup for our electronics to hopefully lessen future issues.

We are getting to know our community and some locals. Everyone has been so welcoming. Hasta la próxima vez!

Earthquake 12.5.19

Nancy and I were in the house around 2:30pm last Sunday; Nancy was sitting at the counter and I was standing in the kitchen with a beer in my hand when the earthquake started. The shaking started slowly and gradually increased in intensity. At first I thought a huge gust of wind was shaking the whole house but then Nancy shouted “Earthquake!!” and “What do we do?!? Quick! Stand in a doorway!!” I just stood there just thinking “Wow – welcome to Panamà…” as the shaking slowly changed to rolling; it almost felt like we we’re on a ship. A unique sensation. Then after maybe twenty or thirty seconds it was over. Apparently some nearby towns like Puerto Armuelles had stuff flying off shelves, buildings getting damaged, and a couple of injuries. So for Nancy and I this was a new experience. For others, maybe not so much…

Saludos, Craig

We Found a Rental Home

A few days after our arrival in Boquete, we found an open layout modern 2 bed, 1 bath home that we are renting in the Volcancito area, which is about 2 miles from Boquete. Our furnished rental is $625/month including internet, water and garbage, and washer and dryer. It is fenced and also has a small yard out back. There is also a reserve water tank for any water outages. The oven, stove, dryer and hot water are heated by propane gas. We have been picking up things little by little to make it a little homier, it is still a work in progress. This will be our home base while we do some discovering.

Our altitude is 3,938 feet, with Boquete being at 3,200 feet. The surrounding mountains rise 11,000 feet above sea level. On a clear day you can see Volcan Baru clearly, but much of the time it is in cloud cover.

We are finding that stores in Boquete are pricier as far as name brands from the US. Normal day to day things are also a bit pricy due to the high influx of expats living in this area. Getting your fruits and vegetables from roadside stands or from the back of pick up trucks will get you freshness at a very reasonable price. We’ve had some great fruit and are anxious to change our eating habits and get into a healthier lifestyle.

We drove into David today, which is about 30 minutes away, to check out some of the stores. Their prices are lower and they have an amazing array of department stores with whatever you need. We went into a Conway store today which is a 3 floor department store. Also the Do It Center has all your household and home improvement needs at good prices. While in David we had lunch at TGI Fridays. We wanted a good old fashioned cheeseburger, lol. It was delicious.

Boquete and Surrounding Highlands

After accomplishing all the administrative work in Panamá City, we hired a driver to take us to the western part of the country where we have decided to settle, at least for now. There are a large expat numbers here in the Boquete area where we can get help with learning how things work around here. The highlands are absolutely beautiful. Boquete means “hole” in Spanish. It is in a valley surrounded by mountains, including the highest point in Panamá, Volcán Barú.

The Volcán Barú is an active stratovolcano and the tallest mountain in Panama, at 3,475 metres high. It lies about 35 km off the border of Costa Rica in the province of Chiriqui. It is also the twelfth highest peak in Central America. Due to its height and the narrowness of the isthmus of Panama, it is possible to see both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea from Volcán Barú’s peak on a clear day.

There are all kinds of eco tours, hiking and bird watching here. There is also a plethora of coffee plantations which flourish here because of the altitude. The coffee is to die for! Every Tuesday morning, Boquete has an Open Market with plenty of people selling their wares, various fruits and vegetables that they have grown, a variety of homemade foods, as well as plants and herbs. We purchased 2 bags of delicious tomatoes for $1! The indigenous tribe in this area, the Ngöble-Buglé, also sell their hand made items.

Boquete has a lot of English speaking people…the area is a draw because of its spring like weather all year long. Right now is the start of the wet season and we have been having some rain every day now. This morning the sun is shining, but this afternoon more than likely will have a few hours of rain. In Boquete, over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 55° F to 75° F and is rarely below 53° F or above 78° F. Just from the short period of time we have spent here thus far, we are learning towards temperatures that are a little warmer than this. Of course it has its benefits. There is no need for heat or air conditioning here, saving lots of money in electric bills. There are so many micro-climates here. From what we have seen in town, most people wear long pants, and in the evening, they wear jackets.