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Our Writers Group Invades Boquete

Jen and I explored Boquete’ on our original exploratory trip to Panama. The trip was beautiful, and it inspired future visits. It did not inspire us to want to live there, although it is a place where many expats choose to live. When the Coronodo Writers group decided to do a remote writing workshop, Boquete’ was the perfect destination.

We departed from Coronodo on Saturday morning and caravanned the 404km to the Boquete’ highlands. To put the geographic location of Boquete’ in perspective I wanted to share a portion of my book from Chapter 6 “Our Due Diligence Exploration”.

Boquete’ is halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, high in the mountains, about 60 km from the border of Costa Rica. At 11,397 feet, the highest elevation in Panama is Volcán Barú, which is located near Boquete’.

We made a stop in David for lunch and arrived in Boquete’ around 2 pm. The timing was perfect. Our check-in time at the Boquete’ Garden Inn was 2 pm and we were able to get settled into our rooms. The spouses were tasked with a grocery store run, while the writers gathered nearby in a delightful little space on the grounds of the Inn. The writers had previously written and submitted a piece of work to be critiqued by the others in the group. The exercise was both educational and informative. This was the first of 2 workshops we had while in Boquete’.

After the workshop we all returned to our rooms to get ready for dinner. It became a daily tradition to gather for a drink at the Allison’s patio before dinner. There was a wedding going on down the road, so many wedding guests were housed at the inn. It was fun watching them walk by in their wedding best attire. This was the beginning of our getting to know a few of the other guests.

As the sun was setting, we headed into town for dinner. The staff at the inn recommended Restaurante’ Retrogusto. I still do not know if we enjoyed the environment of the mountain community or the food more. Retrogusto had a wonderful selection. We ordered drinks and food shortly after arrival. The kitchen was within site distance and every time dishes came out someone at our table wanted to change their order. Everything served was a work of art.

Needless to say, nobody left the place hungry. The picture above is of my plate. It was the pork chop with roasted vegetables. It held me over just fine until breakfast.

We were so impressed by the Boquete’ Garden Inn that I feel compelled to recommend it. Our room was well decorated, comfortable, and clean. We had full accommodations including a living room, full kitchen, bedroom, and bath (with hot water), internet, and cable. We have paid more for much less while in Panama. Often, nice bed and breakfast places do not even offer hot water in their rooms.

Each morning we were served a nice breakfast. We were provided with a menu to order in advance for the following day. My breakfast on day one was fresh fruit, coffee, juice, banana pancakes with syrup, and fresh locally sourced sausage.

The breakfast was served on a delightful patio surrounded by gardens. The inn keeper would put out fruit on small stone statues to feed the beautiful birds. We were able to see some great birds right there while we ate. This is such a daily event that it is listed on the activity list that the inn provides.

While we ate breakfast on our first, we discussed the day’s adventures. We decided to take the waterfall hike. It is also known as the pipeline trail. This was the same hike that Jen and I had attempted on our first visit to Boquete’. We had showed up to the trailhead only to find it deserted and no other hikers around. We were a bit apprehensive at the time to enter the jungle across private property without anyone knowing where we were. We thought it best to wait for another opportunity.

It seems that the day was perfect for that trail. When we got there, we were met by the owner of the property who accepted $5 each to enter the trail. As we passed through the gate we were met by friendly dogs. It was clear to me that they were hungry, but none of us had anything to give them. If you head out for this hike, take the dogs a little something.

As we walked along, the waterfall was directly next to the trail on our left. There was a couple of homes on the right. I am sure that this is where the dogs lived. There were also chickens, geese, and other farm animals. I have become a bit embarrassed by our privilege. I am often hesitant to take out my phone and take pictures of the rustic, impoverished homes of the local people. As we continued up the trail, I did take a few which I am sharing. We came across a family walking out to the road on their way to church. We also spotted a couple of boys swimming in the river, before walking past another farm. The farmer was working a patch of ground where he was growing cabbage.

Soon the trail started a gradual incline and became rocky. It appeared to me that it was a watershed which wound up next to the river. I believe that they call this the waterfall trail because it is almost all soft rapids. I wish that I could photograph the wonderful sound of the rushing water. As we went higher in elevation the rocks became wet and slippery from the mist in the air. The mist was part cloud forest and part light rain. The temperatures of the higher elevation were very comfortable hiking weather.

We continued to hike up while enjoying the beauty of this magnificent place. Soon we came across a bridge where we stopped to grab some great pictures. Ty and Lyn posed on the bridge for a selfie, then we got the writers to the center of the bridge for another shot.

We continued up the trail until the mist from the cloud forest made the rocky trail a bit slippery. We soon arrived at a place where the pipeline crossed the river. Continuing on meant crossing on the pipe or walking through the river to the trail on the other side. Some of the group continued up the trail while others settled in on the edge of the river to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. I was a bit disappointed that we did not see much nature. We probably were not quiet enough, disrupting the birds and wildlife which caused them to hide. Those who continued on found a tree which was over 1000 years old before arriving at the pinnacle of the hike…a beautiful little waterfall.

Lynda near a tree that is believed to be 1000 years old.

The return was just as delightful as the hike up. We stopped frequently to photograph many of the flora and fauna on the trail. Soon we were back to where we left our cars.

We began the drive down the mountain on the narrow mountain road, and soon came upon the San Ramon waterfall where we had someone take the picture which I used for the feature image on this post. After a short mile or so we came upon the rock formation pictured below. It was packed with people. Some were marveling at the site while others were preparing to climb it. We took a few pictures before continuing on. The drive through the area was beautiful. We passed coffee farms and people walking about. It amazed me that there could be such a disparity in the homes and living conditions co-existing there. I am certain that most of the people we saw were workers for the massive amount of farming on the mountain.

It was time for lunch. This group never missed a meal, and many of us had recommendations for great places to eat. We decided on a quaint little Chinese Restaurant called Restaurante’ Panda on the main road into Boquete’. The food was excellent despite the 1-1/2-star rating on Google.

Ty and Jan toasting a successful hike with the restaurants fabulous iced tea

We departed the restaurant with plenty of afternoon left to have another writing workshop. Our group normally meets on the last Thursday of the month to write together. We write from prompts provided by Lynda Allison. Lynda and her husband, Lowell, operate Tranquilo Retreat in Coronodo. The bed and breakfast was established to give writers a peaceful and inspirational place to write. While their place is awesome, nothing is more inspiring than getting out in the beauty of a place like Boquete’. I have been writing non-fiction for the majority of the time. Often, I write from Lynda’s prompt, while at other times I am free to write newsletter articles or just fun little pieces that will never be seen or read by anyone outside of the group. We write for 10 minutes before sharing our work with the others. We then all comment and give constructive encouragement to one another. Lately I have been encouraged to write a fiction piece. I had been resisting the encouragement until Lynda provided us with a prompt that struck me in a positive way. My first piece of the session came out well and left the group hanging. I continued the story through both of the other prompts and at the end of the day the group was asking for the next chapter. There may just be the beginning of a murder mystery in my journaling book. Stay tuned…

We gathered for drinks again before heading off to dinner. We did not decide on destination, other than we would park downtown and walk around until we found just the right place. the group decided on Tre Scalini. Our meals were nice, and the conversation was special. It seems that getting to know the people we write with a little better is inspiring…or perhaps it is the breathtaking nature all around this place. We did discuss our possible adventures for the following day. The decision was made to split for the day with some of us driving off to the volcano Volcán, while the rest of us were going to hike the hanging bridges of Boquete’ Tree Trek.

Our morning breakfast was again perfect. I had fruit, juice, coffee, french toast with syrup, and the wonderful local sausage. Following breakfast, Lynda, Jen, and I were going to Tree Trek, while the others were off to Volcán. Jen is fearful of heights, so the hanging bridges were quite a challenge for her. We drove up the mountain to the trailhead where we would meet our guide at 10:30 am. The others left for Volcán.

The Boquete’ Tree Trek has the second largest zipline in Central America and the Hanging Bridges Tour. Jen and I are not candidates for ziplining again. Our last zipline adventure was enough for a lifetime. This would likely be a great adventure for many, but we wanted time to pause and take in the sites along the way. We opted for the Hanging Bridges Tour which was fully guided, and it did not disappoint. We found the trail to be fairly well maintained and there were even a few places along the way to stop and rest. This is important for people like us, who are not in the best physical condition, with many parts that do not often recover from serious abuse like mountain climbing.

Our guide, Ingrid, was awesome. She met us promptly at 10:30 and spoke perfect English. She filled us with great information about all the nature we were seeing along the way. This experience left us speechless.

Ingrid started right away pointing out interesting insects and plants unique to the area. We should have recorded her so that we could remember all the names and origins of these magnificent things being pointed out. After quite a strenuous hike we arrived at the first bridge. Ingrid explained that it was the longest bridge of the tour. Once we got to the other side, she said we passed the test to continue on. Jen was surprised that she made it without the fear to continue. The bridges were safe and solid construction, usually anchored to trees on either end. Maybe Jen was thinking that these bridges would be constructed of rope and planks like the ones you see in the movies.

Jen cautiously walks out onto the first bridge

These elephant ears can reach 14′ in diameter.

Continuing on, we came to the second bridge. The higher we went the more incredible the views were becoming. These bridges were actually taking us above the jungle canopy. Ingrid continued to point out amazing plants and insects. We were fortunate to see a rare glass butterfly. It posed for me and patiently waited until I got the perfect picture. It was completely transparent, almost as if it was made from cellophane wrap. We also passed an Armadillo den. Ingrid explained that they were nocturnal and only came out at night.

As we continued on, Ingrid showed us the smallest known Orchid and a tarantula hole. I was surprised at the size of both. I loved seeing and photographing the orchid and hoped that I would not see Mr. Tarantula. His hole was huge for a spider.

Bridge number three and we were still going up. When would we start our decent? There were steps but they were often difficult for my old knees and back. Thank goodness there were a few handrails at the most opportune times.

These elephant ears were way below a bridge. They measured over 14′ in diameter.

As we closed in on the fourth bridge I was still wondering when we would begin our decent. I have to admit that the higher we got the more magnificent the views. I took over 2oo pictures during our stay in Boquete’ and I cannot seem to find the best to share. I concluded that the pictures just do not do justice to this wonderful adventure. Ingrid began pointing out the huge oak trees along the trail. There was a couple in particular that were 700-800 years old. These trees were here and alive during the last eruption of Volcán Barú. If these trees could talk, they would have such a story to tell.

Oak Tree predating the last Eruption of Volcán.

With only two bridges left in our journey, we did begin our descent. We reached a split in the trail where we were forced to take the trail less traveled. Ingrid explained that the trail to the left had been washed out in a recent rain. I soon noticed that there were not handrails on this part of our journey. The trail down was not any easier than the hike up. When we had steps on the trail, they were often uneven, and some were very long steps down. Along the way we were able to see some of the stations of the zip line. I imagined what a rush it would be to zip line through this magnificent jungle paradise. Realistically though, I still would not do it.

Ingrid explained that the Tarzan Vines, like those pictured above, really are parts of the tree rooted back into the ground. No person could actually swing on such a vine.

I am truly embarrassed by the pictures. Of the more than 200 I took, along with others shared by group, I cannot seem to find the pictures that intimately speak to the beauty of the place.

I cannot deny that I was relived to finally reach the sixth and last bridge. This bridge did not have a sign. This old body was wearing down from the trek. I realized at that moment that adventures like this were not long for us. I told Jen that we need to prioritize our Panama bucket list to get these type of adventures done soon. The first picture here is of Boquete’ as we emerged from the last bridge.

Boquete' From Above — Boquete’ from above.

I believe that the other was taken earlier but it reminds us of our friends who took the 1-1/2 hour drive to Volcán. Our phones were dinging from time to time as they were sharing their pictures. We had only the smallest of cell signals in the jungle, so we could not see the pictures until we got back to a place with a wi-fi signal. If you notice in the Volcán picture the foreground is really the top of the jungle canopy. I suspect that was our view from somewhere shortly after crossing the fourth bridge. While crossing the fifth bridge we had some great views that I could not capture in photographs. On the rocks near the river below we spotted an Iguana couple. They were huge but only a speck on the camera. Ingrid told us that the iguana mate for life, and that one was the male and the other female. At the middle of the bridge, she pointed out a fern straight below that had the distinct appearance of a spider web. It was one of the most amazing things. As we exited the bridge, she pointed out the elephant ear plants that I pictured above. We had seen these plants all along the way, but none were as huge as those below. While we were so high on the bridge that they did not appear big, these were, in fact, as big as they usually get. That should put into perspective how high on that bridge we were.

With the hanging bridges in the rearview mirror, we headed off to grab lunch. A place with wi-fi would be great so we can look at the pictures from our friends in Volcán. We opted for Big Daddy’s, a nice relaxing place with a back patio facing out into the jungle. We grabbed a table and signed into their wi-fi to look at the pictures our friends were sending.

The Volcán group stop for a picture at Cerra Punta

The other group had a great road trip. It seemed that they had a great time driving and cutting up. They stopped for fresh local strawberries and cream. And later they stopped at a farm where Lowell posed as a scarecrow. They also found a place along the road to pick up 2 huge bags of local vegetables for $5 each.

Lyn and Ty pose in front of one of those cool signs.

I wish that they taken a picture of the vegetables. The bags were massive. Since we have been home Lynda has been posting Facebook pictures of her culinary genius. She posted this one yesterday.

Lynda, Jen, and I had a little time before the others returned so we explored the local artisan market just outside Boquete’. We found it at the end of the bridge which crosses between the Tuesday Market Buildings. It was friendly, with local Panamanian vendors selling their wares. Jen found a new hat and Lynda found a few treasures.

Late afternoon found us all back at the inn. We had our regular visit on the patio of Lynda and Lowell. We relaxed and enjoyed the time. Our dinner plans were already in place as we were meeting Melinda Miles-Lindberg, a local Boquete’, author at Mesa Azul. She invited a couple of other local authors, but none were able to make it. Our dinner, and the conversation was wonderful. Mesa Azul was another highly recommended restaurant that did not disappoint. I highly suggest checking it out if you find yourself in Boquete’. It is in the Hotel Oasis just down from the market. After dinner we retired back to the Garden Inn for the night. Our adventure was winding down, and we would be checking our after breakfast to explore the Tuesday Market.

On Tuesday morning, we got up and had another great breakfast. I repeated the first day menu. I found those banana pancakes to be well worth another try. After we ate, we all loaded up and made the short journey to the market. The market occupies two spaces. If you go, make sure you check out both buildings. We found Melinda and her significant other in the building adjacent to the flower market. Melinda’s significant other is a magnificent artist, and in her booth, she displays her work which is mostly paintings of pets that are commissioned work. Melinda maintains a booth next to hers where she displays books from authors who live in Panama. In Melinda’s booth you will find her book, my book, Diane Maxwell’s book, Lynda’s books, and the work of other local authors. She sells the books of local authors for $15 which covers shipping to Panama. After we had all explored the market, we made the journey home to Coronodo.

I have shared a lot without talking about anything more than our 4 days in Boquete’. Click the highlighted links in this paragraph if you are interested in anything mentioned. The links will take you to information related to each. I have mentioned our writers group, including Lynda Allison’s Write Along. If you haven’t yet, please subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. In it I spend a little time each week giving informative updates about the goings on in Panama. It puts my butt in the seat to write, and that is important to me. Every week I get a new writing prompt from my daughters. That also gets my butt in the seat to write. Those prompts go to Story Worth which will compile the whole years’ work into a volume to be treasured by my family for years. You can subscribe to Story Worth for yourself or a gift by clicking the link. Clicking through this link will give you $10 off. My book, “2 Retire In Panama” is available at Amazon and on Kindle. It was born from the early blog posts here. Diane Maxwell’s book “An Expats Struggle” is a memoir detailing her retirement in Panama. Lynda Allison is a retired English teacher. When she isn’t hosting authors in her marvelous B&B Tranquilo Retreat, she writes Science Fiction for teens and young adults. Her final book of the summer trilogy is out for publishing and the first 2 books are available at Amazon and on Kindle. Melinda Miles-Lindberg wrote and published “Mommy No. 13“. It is also a memoir of her adoption and raising of a child born to a murderer. This is just a few of the people with whom I write on a regular basis. There is a growing list of great work from many of my other author friends on the author board of my Pinterest feed. You will also find a newsletter board on my Pinterest feed that will have an archive of all of the past newsletters.

It has been a pleasure sharing our Boquete’ adventure. If you have enjoyed this post, please like and share it. I am also thrilled to get messages and comments.

Blessings From Paradise,

Greg and Jen

What Have We Been Up To?

We love our home in Panama and are always waiting in anticipation for our next adventure. Having been in the United States for the Christmas and New Year holidays, another trip north was not on our radar. While we visited during the holidays, we were realizing the opportunity for investment in Florida real estate. My sister, Melinda is an agent in Punta Gorda where she and my dad both now live. She was telling us of the thousands of people who are relocating to Florida because of the positive handling of the COVID crisis and the particularly good political environment. With the huge influx of people relocating there the real estate industry has almost no inventory. I mentioned to her that we were anxious to get some of our money out of the stock market and park it in a hard asset. I asked that she keep her eye out for something that may meet our need in the way of a condo. In May she contacted us with a possibility.

The condo that she found for us was in our price range and showed pride of ownership. The systems and appliances were all recently updated, and it was recently repainted top to bottom. She immediately gave us a video tour and we made an offer. We were competing with other potential buyers, but our offer was cash with a guaranteed 15 day close. The elderly seller was happy to accept our offer which gave her a quick easy closing. We waited for the inspection report, which revealed almost no issues, and booked our trip to Florida to close on our new investment.

We did our own final inspection the day before our closing and found it to be very much what we expected. It is less than 15 minutes from my dad and my sister in nearby Port Charlotte. We found it to be very convenient to restaurants, shopping, churches, and the harbor. The community is quiet, and our neighbors were very welcoming.

We settled in and did a little redecorating. We prepared the unit for a potential tenant during the high season in Florida. We equipped it with fresh linens and replaced the small appliances in the kitchen. We purchased cookware and a couple of pieces of furniture. By the time we were through it proved to be wonderfully comfortable.

By the time we left to return to Panama we had secured a tenant for the high season and are pleased with our new investment.

While we were in Florida, we were terribly busy. We registered to vote, got drivers licenses, celebrated a couple of important birthdays, helped my dad with a project, celebrated Father’s Day, and got our COVID shots. In addition to all of that we made sure that everything worked properly in the condo. We also made a trip to Michigan to visit with friends and family.

I wanted to report on the vaccination process in Panama, but had we waited for our turn to get it here we would still be waiting. The process in Florida was quick, free, and simple. We made our appointment at Walgreens and the process caused us no stress whatsoever. By the way, it is important to note that when we were returning to Panama, we got our COVID test free at Walgreens as well. That process also requires an appointment, but it was also easy. We made the appointment on-line and were directed to go through the pharmacy drive through at our appointed time. Once there, they passed the swabs through the window, and we were instructed how to swab ourselves. Another important note here is that neither of us had any side effects from the vaccine. I know that there is much controversy regarding the vaccine, however we did our own research and made the informed decision that it was right for us to vaccinate. We got the Pfizer vaccine, and we both agree that we feel much safer having gotten it.

When we arrived in Florida it was Memorial Day weekend, and every place was hopping. The first thing that we noticed was that mask wearing was nearly non-existent. With the majority of the Florida population vaccinated the mask mandate is optional. It was not hard to get used to NOT wearing a mask everywhere. We still exercised caution until we got our second shot. I got some great pictures over the long weekend.

It was that first weekend that we celebrated my dad’s wife Renee’s and Jen’s birthdays. We went to a Carmelo’s Italian Restorante in Punta Gorda (Renee’s favorite) and had an awesome celebration with the whole family.

You may imagine that that first full week was perhaps the busiest of all with closing on the condo and getting it equipped. The truth is that it was perhaps the easiest of the 5 weeks we spent on the ground.

The second full week we flew to Michigan, rented a car and couch surfed around the state visiting friends and family. Our first couple of days we spent at my mom’s house in Cedar Springs. She and Rich were gracious hosts, and it was a thrill to have the opportunity to see their new house. Mom planned a BBQ for Hope and family which was so nice. The rest of our stay we visited and relaxed.

Hope, Jeremiah, Victoria, Nellie, and Jameson

By the beginning of the third day, we were on the road to Jen’s brother’s house on the east side of the state in Clarkston. Bill and Deb also did a great job of showing us a good time. They planned a cook-out and invited all of Jen’s local family. That gave us the opportunity to see and visit with our nephews, Cullen, Donovan, Connor, and Connor’s wife Olivia. After dinner they staged an impromptu book signing that was so cool. I remain honored by the love and support that family has shown for my book.

Check out future newsletters for some great individual fan photos that I got while on the trip. If you are not getting my newsletter on Monday mornings, and would like it, sign up here. You will see the archive page of past newsletters. Scroll to the bottom for the sign-up. I have been working hard to improve the newsletter since returning to Panama. While traveling we ran into some technical challenges that caused me to miss a few weeks, but we are back on track now.

After a couple of days with Bill and Deb we ventured to our old stomping grounds and visited with our good friends Linda, Ron, Ray, and Diane. We had a nice dinner with the four of them at Black Rock in Kalamazoo.

We had a wonderful meal and spent some much-needed time catching up. Later in weekend Diane and Ray hosted us for a great dinner and boat ride at their place. Mom and Rich came down and we all relaxed and had a great day. On Sunday we returned to Florida.

I addition to boring you all to death with the details of our month, I wanted also to provide valuable information. Post COVID, rental cars are in noticeably short supply across the United States. If you find yourself in need of a rental, be prepared for the price. Our rental car in Michigan for a week with limited mileage was nearly $500. When in Florida we were able to use my dad’s car. Our initial estimate to rent a car for the whole stay in the states was nearly $3,000. That was cost prohibitive for us. When I complained about the exorbitant rental car costs at the rental counter, the clerk would only say that they were unable to get new cars because of manufacturers shortages. She told me that they sold a lot of cars during the pandemic.

For me, the pinnacle of our visit to the states was the wonderful Father’s Day celebration. Our kids started arriving in Florida on Wednesday, and by Friday night all 3 girls and all 4 grandkids were there for the celebration. Jen and I vacated the condo and let them have run of the place.

Friday, we took everyone to the Shell Factory in North Fort Myers. We did not know exactly what to expect, but I think it was a great time for all the kids. First, we went to the animal preserve where all the kids were able to get up close and personal with many of the animals. After that we had a great lunch, played mini golf, ziplined, and toured the gift shop.

Mister Tree says welcome to The Shell Factory

Quiet please…we don’t want to wake up the dinosaur.

Jameson feeds the birds while Nellie and Lucy look on.

Victoria, Jameson, Nellie, and Lucy pose in front of the Dinosaur exhibit.

Jameson, Nellie, and Lucy are hatching from dinosaur eggs.

Between all the other events we had plenty of time in the pool at the condo. We also had a great pizza party, went to Gatorz, and checked out the Peace River Wildlife Refuge. On Saturday the kids went to Gilchrist Park with a photographer to have a family picture taken for dad and I. They managed to have the pictures developed and framed to give us at our Father’s Day luncheon.

Kara, Lucy, Jennifer, Hope, Jameson, Victoria, and Nellie

On Father’s Day my sister arranged our luncheon at Laishley’s Crab House. We all had a nice time with great food, followed by a trip to the beach at Ponce De Leon Park where we grabbed some more awesome pictures. This time was super special for my dad and I as we rarely have this whole crew together in one place. In addition to the picture of the kids and grandkids, I got a subscription to Story Worth. They are sending me a writing prompt every Monday. I will be writing on the weekly prompts and returning the work to Story Worth where they will put the whole thing in a book at the end of the year. I guess I am writing my 2nd book. I am still trying to decide if any of it will end up in future blogs or newsletters. Let me know what you think! If a Story Worth subscription is something that interests you for yourself, or a gift, see tomorrow’s newsletter for a link to a valuable coupon.

When all the kids left and the dust settled, Dad and Renee took Jen and I to the Elk’s Club for Chicken and karaoke. We enjoyed the setting on the Peace River while listening to some of the most talented people I have ever heard sing karaoke. These people were so good that I almost forfeited my chance to sing. At the end of the day, I did sing as the sun was setting over the Peace River. Thank-you dad and Renee for hanging around and treating us to a great time while I waited to sing.

Dad, Renee, Jen, and I Beautiful evening on the Peace River

When it came time to go home to Panama, we were both excited to sleep in our own bed. I was asked what the first thing I wanted to do when I got home after 39 days away was. I had a hard time coming up with a response. There were so many things I missed. I think mostly I just wanted a $5 haircut from my favorite barber and to start planning our next big adventure. Finally, I think we are going to make it to the archeological site near Penonome’. Stay tuned.

If you have been enjoying the blog, but are not subscribed, please hit the subscribe button and we will let you know each time a new post is published (about 10 times per year). We will not spam you or share your information. It is really cool when people hit the like button, share and/or comment. We love you guys and hope to see you soon here in paradise.

Blessings,

Greg and Jen

Newsletter Volume 38 June 14

Do not forget…

…Fathers Day is this Sunday in the United States. We have awesome plans for the weekend with visits from our daughters and grandchildren at our condo in Port Charlotte. They are all coming in for a long weekend and a special luncheon is planned for Fathers Day. My dad is over the top thrilled that his son, daughter, and all his granddaughters and all his great grandchildren will be here to celebrate this very special day. Living in Panama makes it difficult during holidays and birthdays when many families get together to celebrate. Some people decide after a few years that living abroad is not worth lost time with family and friends. For this reason, I always suggest that these things be considered before buying a home in a foreign country. For Jen and I, video chats meet our needs as long as we can have periodic visits. Our children are at an age when traveling to our home in Panama is difficult for the whole family so these visits from us are important.

Many of you may be wondering…

…why there was no newsletter delivered for the last 2 weeks. I wrote both newsletters and have been experiencing delivery issues. For this reason, I am publishing this newsletter as a blog post. If this is our first newsletter that you are seeing I hope you are enjoying a rare case where it is being published as a blog post. While traveling we have had challenges with the newsletter app. My plan is to resume regular newsletter posts when we return to Panama in July. Newsletters come to your inbox free on Monday mornings as subscribers to our blog.

While Jen and I travel…

…the original photos that I usually share on my newsletter head are a little harder to come by. For that reason, I am sharing on the header for the next few weeks some stock photos that are from the internet, and have been shared by others. Generally, I try to credit the photographer, but these photos are just floating around and credit is unavailable. These are, however, some very cool pictures and they remind us of all the great things in the country where we choose to live.

Last week…

…Jen and I traveled from Florida to Michigan where we were able to visit with family and friends. Many of our visits were with people who we have managed to see periodically when they visited us in Panama, and many we have not seen in quite some time. We had a great time and the week went much too fast. Thank-you to all of you who hosted us and went out of your way to catch up with us.

This week’s fan photo…

…is Diane. Diane and husband Mike are expats who moved permanently to Panama a few months ago. Mike told me that he has three copies of my book, and has used them for helpful information when planning for their move. When I signed their book, I found it to be dog-eared and highlighted which delighted me. We have enjoyed getting to know both of them, and consider them to be among our best friends in Panama. They also maintain a second home in Florida, which is another thing we have in common. They are in Florida now for a few weeks and we may have an opportunity to catch up with them next week. I was happy to sign their copy of my book, and can do the same for you. I have a few copies left that I had shipped to Panama. Including the shipping cost these paperback books will cost $12. Let me know if you are in Panama and would like a copy.

I love getting original fan photos, so if you are willing, and can share a fan photo with me it would be greatly appreciated. It will appear in an upcoming newsletter.

It would also mean a lot to me if those of you who haven’t, would go to Amazon or Goodreads and leave a review. This makes my book easier for people to find.

You can get a copy of my book by clicking the link here, or the link on the blog. It is exclusively available on Amazon or Kindle. Kindle Unlimited subscribers read it free.

Blessings from paradise,

Greg

Our Bocas Del Toro Adventure

Last year when I published my book, Jen and I had not been to Bocas. Our trip last week was one of the most anticipated adventures yet, and I was really looking forward to making more great memories with our travel buddies Lyn and Ty.

I would like to share the first paragraph or two from the Bocas Del Toro chapter of my book to set the stage.

No book on Panama would be complete without a little bit about Bocas del Toro. Jen and I have yet to explore this magnificent part of the country we now call home, but I felt compelled to write a bit about it. I shamelessly stole a bit of information about it from their official web site, bocasdeltoro.com. I think that I will be forgiven.

Several friends have visited this magnificent area and most say that the average age there is much lower than the beach area where we live. They tell me that the
islands of Bocas are a continuous party. This seems to me that it may be the place to find the party crowd. Internationalliving.com describes Bocas del Toro as the
best-kept secret in the Caribbean, and that makes it a rare off-the-radar gem indeed. Part-mainland and part archipelago, Bocas is one of Panama’s two western-most provinces, right on the busy border with neighboring Costa Rica.

On Tuesday we left our home in Coronado to drive to Albrook regional airport in Panama City to catch the 1-hour flight to Bocas Town. We allowed 4 hours for the 90-minute drive to alleviate concern about morning traffic. Waze usually works remarkably well for directing us, but on Tuesday there was a protest on the Bridge of the Americas which crosses the Panama Canal. The protest shut down the bridge and we were trapped in traffic for almost 4 hours. Our flight left before we arrived at the airport. We were fortunate to be able to rebook on the 1 pm flight and settled in at the airport coffee shop to wait. Rebooking our flight was simple but cost us $50 per couple. We contacted the property where we would be staying to let them know we would miss the water taxi which was scheduled to pick us up for our adventure. Missing the already arranged transportation cost us another $30 per couple. Another water taxi had to be ordered for us.

Upon arrival at the airport in Bocas Town we were quickly processed through and a taxi took us to the dock. Our boat captain would be there in a few minutes which gave us time to walk down the street and get soft drinks and chips at a deli. Our ride on the water taxi from Bocas to our accommodations on Isla Bastimentos took about 45 minutes, so it was nice to have the chips and drinks. We had all had light breakfasts and no lunch.

It was a beautiful sunny day, and we were all dreaming of a nice swim and getting settled in our cabanas. We were met on the dock by a friendly crew who gave us a bit of information and showed us to our cabanas. We ordered drinks and changed into our swimsuits. After the day we were having the swim was delightful. We were told that dinner was at 8pm so when it started getting dark, we went to shower and met back in the dining area to play dominoes with Lyn and Ty. We also spent a little time trying to plan our excursions. Snorkeling, visiting a native village, and a tour to the organic cacao farm were all high on our list. One snorkeling adventure promised dolphins.

Dinner was delightful and we were all so hungry that we scarfed our food and went to bed. The beds in our cabanas were protected by mosquito netting. I also opted to use Deep Woods Off the entire time which proved minimally effective toward the end. We were deep in the jungle and the actual amenities were sparse at best. We had water sometimes and no outlets in our cabana except for a USB port. At least we were able to keep our phones charged. The only thing a phone is good for deep in the jungle of Bastimenos is the camera. We took a lot of pictures. We were getting a great dose of data detox. It was possible to get an internet connection with a 20- minute walk up the beach, and we did check in on Facebook and looked at e-mail a couple of times.

If you think that the end of our woes was when we missed our flight you are sadly mistaken. Once we settled into our beds under the mosquito netting it started to rain. It rained almost the entire time we were there. That gave us time to play more dominoes, card games and feed the mosquitos. Every time the rain stopped, we tried to get an adventure in, but the mud and humidity were unbelievable. I am trying to spin the positive stuff out of our adventure. The problem is that our host was very inattentive and seemed to care less that our plans were being short circuited by the rain. He kept to a strict schedule of breakfast at 8 am, lunch at 1 pm and dinner at 8 pm. Our drinks, excursions and meals were included, but getting a drink other than mealtime proved difficult. He said help yourself, but there was not much to choose from.

Now that I have climbed off my soap box let me tell you about what we did manage to do…The first excursion we took was to a native Ngäbe-Buglé village. The Ngäbe-Buglé are one of Panama’s largest indigenous tribes. The boat ride to the village was spectacular, winding through mangrove waterways and taking in the jungle all around. We were expecting an experience like the Embera Village we had visited in 2018, but what we found was heartbreaking. The village was impoverished and rundown, with most of the homes and inhabitants living in conditions like any other slum in the country. We were able to purchase some hand-crafted jewelry and paid for a tour of the village. The tour guide showed us around and told us a little about the background of the tribe. We later learned that many of the boat captains and kitchen staff at the place we stayed were from the tribe. We tried to make sure that we tipped them well when we left on Saturday morning.

Lyn and Jen buying the handmade bracelets

That is a termite nest. They live above ground here.

On Thursday we arranged to visit the organic cacao farm. The farmer had come to the island over 20 years ago to surf. He ended up buying 10 acres and a small stretch of waterfront called Wizard Beach on the surf side of the island. The piece of land is on the top of the highest hill on the island and when he bought it it was nearly bare. Over the years he has reforested and farmed the land which supplies most of the necessary food for his family and some amazing cacao. He also grows coffee and spices which his wife uses to operate a small coffee café on the site. A small shop offers spices and chocolate along with herbal soaps, shampoos, and lotions to mention just a few. We were transported by boat to the village of Old Bank and told to follow the path and the signs that said Up In The Hill. The locals knew where we were heading and were more than happy to point the way. Once we started walking it only took a few minutes to reach the end of the sidewalk. Once the sidewalk ended the hike was along a trail for about 15 minutes on a good day. Remember, it has been raining a lot. That trail was a slippery, muddy mess and we were not prepared for it. Two of us slipped and fell in the mud on the journey, but nobody let it dampen the spirit of this amazing tour. The farmer showed us how he was producing all this amazing food and spices alongside the cacao. He also showed us how he planted bamboo and trees to protect areas of the farm creating an amazing ecosystem which supports life and animals in the jungle. At the conclusion of the tour, we were invited to sit down and enjoy many of the fruits and vegetables produced on the farm. He called it a snack, but it was a meal to us. His wife did an incredible job in the preparation. If it seems that I overused the word amazing in this paragraph, I will beg to differ with you. Every time the farmer showed us something on his little farm the passion would ooze from him as he said, “it is amazing”. If you ever get to Bastimentos, follow the signs from Old Bank to Up In The Hill. The host is amazing, and the tour is unbelievable.

We finally made it. Tour begins shortly.

Amazing Farmer shows how he starts new coconut trees.

Many of the items available that are made from things grown on the farm.

We were fortunate to make it back before it started raining again. Along the way we were also fortunate to see a dolphin, although it was impossible to get a great picture. We got in a swim and cleaned up for dinner. Our shoes were all ruined but it did not really matter. The four of us managed to get in a game of cards before dinner. There was discussion about what we would do on our last day, but no decision could be made before we saw the weather on Friday morning. We turned in early with hopes of spending the day snorkeling with the dolphins at Coral Cay.

Our hopes were dashed by the wind and overnight rain. On Friday morning snorkeling was hardly advised. The boat left for the dock to pick up more guests, so we relaxed and played dominoes until it returned. By that time, it looked like it may be safe to have the captain take us on a boat tour. Right after lunch we left in the boat and he gave us a great tour of the marinas and the waterfront of Bocas Town. The entire time we were out it only rained in sprinkles, until we got about 10 minutes from the dock. It was then that we had a torrential downpour. The rain did stop by dinner. One of the highlights during dinner here was an evening visit by a monkey family. The alpha male would come into the dining to announce their arrival and then go to a little platform where mama and baby were waiting for a couple of bananas. We were able to give them bananas and take pictures. This was the first time since coming to Panama that Jen and I had an opportunity to see monkeys. With the rain having stopped, the jungle sounds were so different during the night. Jen and I had a hard time sleeping while listening to the profound sounds in the jungle all around us.

When we woke up early Saturday morning the sky was clearing, and I managed to get several pictures of an amazing sunrise. The pictures were taken from the deck of our cabana which hung out over the Caribbean. We were told that the magnificent sunrise could be better witnessed with a short walk through the jungle to the east point of the island. I opted to forgo that journey in favor of the safety of our deck. Once the sun was up, we packed in preparation for our departure.

We carried our bags to the dining area and had breakfast. Our host arranged for an early departure back to Bocas so that we could walk around town and see some of the sites. The 45-minute boat ride back was rough and the wind on the ocean was a bit chilly. Once we arrived at the dock, we could store our bags while we walked around the streets of the busy little port. Bocas Town is on the Isla Colon, and is the hub of activity for the nearby islands. We witnessed a ferry unloading fuel trucks and groceries before walking down the streets just coming alive on this early Saturday morning. After our walk about town, we returned to the dock to wait for our taxi to the airport.

La Buga Bocas. Do these people look familiar?

We made some amazing new friends on our trip. There was a family from Spain, a young couple from Poland, a couple of doctors from the Dallas area, students from Muskegon, MI, and the family from Virginia with whom we shared our Cacao farm tour. People go to the islands here to surf, snorkel and explore, as well as investigate retiring destinations.

On the flight home I got some great pictures of the Caribbean islands and shoreline. The Caribbean shore here is almost all jungle and undeveloped. Other than the north end of the Canal zone and the Islands of Bocas, the only beach communities in Panama are on the Pacific where we live.

It is good to be home and planning another adventure. If you are enjoying my blog, please, subscribe and share it with friends. Subscribing to the blog will get a notice when I publish future posts and my weekly newsletter in your e-mail. I do not share subscriber information and vow never to spam you. Also feel free to visit our Facebook page.

Blessings From Paradise,

Greg and Jen

Writing and Nature Collide

One of the highlights of my month is attending my Write Along workshop. A group of us gather monthly to write together and critique the work of one another. We have an established, safe space to work and share. The group agrees never to share the work of another writer. Privacy is the safety net for doing some great writing and enjoying the company of other great writers.

The workshops are facilitated by Lyndi Allison who is in the final stages of publishing her first full length novel. Her novel is a work of fiction that has been written for the enjoyment of young teens. It is science-fiction fantasy and will be the first in a series. Lyndi is a retired educator from Canada. She has been offering writing workshops in Panama at Tranquilo Retreat for several years. Tranquilo Retreat is a place designed to welcome writers and inspire the creative juices needed to create great work.

While the retreat is a great place to write, it was the vision of Lyndi to host a workshop out in nature. Our small group took the challenge and made a short hike to the Filipina Falls near Altos Del Maria here in Panama. The falls inspired us all to write from a different perspective. We all felt that nearness to nature was a special treat for our workshop this past week. The workshop went so well that we are talking about taking the next one to the beach.

Even in the cool mountain air I am sweating up a storm

We never expected so many dogs... — We never expected so many dogs…

Group shot from above (thanks to our special photographer)

I have to be incredibly careful here not to defy the confidence of the other writers in the group. We all write with the understanding that what is said in Write Along stays in Write Along. There are rare times when a piece is so special that the writer gives permission for his or her work to be shared. That was the case with the piece I am going to share below. Lyn Gilbert who is my friend, adventure buddy, and one of the others who participate in our monthly workshops, wrote this after being inspired by the nature all around the falls.

When we gather to write, the facilitator, Lyndi, provides us with a prompt to get things started. We are free to use the prompt provided or write something different. At times I will write something that can be used later for a blog or newsletter post. Generally, though, I write to the prompt, as do most of the others.

When we arrived at the trailhead, we were met by several very friendly dogs who lead us to the falls and spent the entire morning with us before leading us back. Once at the falls, we all settled on the rocks at the base of the falls, close enough to enjoy the cool mist emanating from the water pouring down. Lyndi brought along a batch of her incredible homemade muffins which we enjoyed while chatting about the release of her book. When the time came to write Lyndi provided a prompt. The first prompt of the workshop was a fill in the blank, I never expected…. Lyn’s piece was the one I am sharing below.

We got the chance to see Lyndi's book — We got the chance to see Lyndi’s book

I never expected it to be so all encompassing. The last year of our lives it has taken over everything, from our thoughts to our actions. Everything we do, feel, or say seems to evolve around COVID. People have lost friends and family, but not due to the actual illness, but because of uncertainty, politics, and fear. It has been the deciding factor in every aspect of our lives, where we go, when, what we do, and how we dress. But the worst of it is the feelings it has brought on…confusion, frustration, angst, fear, anger, and loneliness.

Sitting here next to this beautiful waterfall, watching the clear water with the yellow leaf floating by one can almost feel a world away from all of the uncertainty. Nature brings us back, it grounds us. We feel free and can breathe again. –Lyn Gilbert

In my weekly newsletter I explain that my feelings are each of us must take responsibility for our own health. We must do what we feel is right when it comes to going out, masking, and enjoying life. I hope you all get the newsletter and are enjoying it. I have tried to keep it short enough each week as not bore you, but long enough to pass on valuable deals and information. I have made a conscious decision to discontinue talking about COVID, including providing the weekly COVID report in my newsletter. If that report is important to you, it appears daily in the All Things Coronado Facebook group. Click the link to join the group. If you are missing the newsletter in your e-mail, perhaps you are not subscribed to the blog. It is free to blog subscribers and the archives are on the bar on the header above. If you find it interesting and informative subscribe to the blog on the right sidebar. I will never spam you or share your information.

The next writer’s event is open to anyone interested. Lyndi Allison, Diane Maxwell and I will be sharing our experience publishing our books. The event is at Tranquilo Retreat on April 1, 2021. Contact Lyndi to secure your space.

Diane Maxwell has launched her book which is available on Amazon and Kindle. She is having a launch event and signing at Picasso on March 30,2021 at 5PM.

Lyndi will launch her book on April 15, 2021 at 7PM along with another author. Contact her to register for the on-line event. lynda@thewordtour.com

Buy my book at Amazon or on Kindle by clicking here.

2 Retire In Panama? Adventures of a young retired couple is now available on Amazon and preorder on Kindle click the link to order https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BYZ4JSG — 2 Retire In Panama? Adventures of a young retired couple is now available on Amazon and Kindle. Click on the link to order today. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BYZ4JSG

When an expat wants to buy a new car, the process can be overwhelming. I told my friend Marc Vargas that Jen and I were interested in upgrading our vehicle. I told him what we were looking for and our budget. I told him that I was interested in purchasing only if he could locate a good car at a good price. Marc eventually found a great car for us and we moved forward with the purchase. Buying a car in a foreign country is nothing like buying in the United States. I recommend Marc here in Panama because he can navigate the process and make sure that you are doing everything properly. Transferring the money and title, getting the plate transferred, and inspections are difficult, even if you know what you are doing.

After the purchase, Marc helped us find a new home for our Nissan. We were sorry to see the old car go, but Marc again came through and found it a new home with an expat couple who will love and care for it as much as we did.

One of the best things about living in Panama is the eternal summer. Jen and I came to Panama for the consistently great weather and desirable cost of living. Living abroad does not come without challenges, and it is not for everyone. I started writing this blog to keep friends and family aware of what we were doing in retirement. The blog has turned into something that people all over the world are looking for on a regular basis. It has inspired the book by the same title and the newsletter that comes out weekly. I try my best to provide clear concise information about living as an expat couple. Many of you find the blog by visiting our Facebook page also by the same name. Many of you subscribe by e-mail and for that I thank you. Still others just happen upon it. Please help me out by liking and sharing the blog posts. This helps others find it.

One of the greatest compliments we get is being contacted by readers. We have been contacted by numerous people who are on the same journey. Often, they pass through the area and we get together. Some have even become our friends and neighbors here in Panama. A few weeks ago, a lady contacted Jen. She had found the blog and bought my book. She asked about our hometown in the States. Turns out she was neighbors with a relative of mine and she recognized our name. They raised their family just minutes from where I grew up and their children attended the same school where I attended. They have recently retired and are making their exploration trip next month. We will be able to meet in person when they pass through Coronado. Another small world story that I thought you may enjoy.

I have been blessed to have many people share their fan photos with me, and for that I am also appreciative. If you enjoyed the book, and are willing, I would love to get a selfie from you. You can share it on Facebook or send it by e-mail. I will use it in an upcoming newsletter.

Blessings from paradise,

Greg and Jen

Never a dull moment here in Panama…

…even during a pandemic. Jen and I have been remaining busy through the ups and downs of lockdowns and curfews. If you have been following us through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and my newsletter, you probably already know some of what I will share in this post. I sometimes have trouble getting motivated to write a blog post, but it seems that I had more to share than is possible on my weekly newsletter. If you are not getting the newsletter every Monday perhaps you have not yet subscribed to the get my blog in your inbox. It is well worth the effort. I share special deals, statistics on the virus as it pertains to Panama and much more. Just click the link below to subscribe and put in your e-mail address. You can leave your name if you wish. I do not share information with anyone. You will get an e-mail follow-up to confirm your subscription.

The feature image for this post is a sunrise over the Pacific. The photo was taken by Tom Gripman.

I have been attending a writers workshop nearly every month which encourages me to keep writing. Lynda Allison’s workshops are great and she offers them at Tranquilo Retreat . Lynda was instrumental in helping get my book published. Several of us write at each workshop based on prompts that Lynda provides. Once we finish in the allotted time, we each read our piece and the others offer feedback. We all agree never to share the work of anyone else (what happens at writing workshop stays at writing workshop). It is a totally safe and an non-judgmental atmosphere. Often the feedback I get encourages me to use more colorful and descriptive language. As I work to improve my writing, I find myself depending on pictures to enhance the readers pleasure. In March we will be hiking to a remote mountain waterfall where we will write.

Lynda Allison enjoying her copy of my book.

Despite the lockdowns on weekends and curfews, we have been fortunate to be able to enjoy the amenities of the resort where we live. That is the benefit to belonging to a private club with its own restaurants, bars, pool, spa, golf and tennis facilities. When we are unable to go outside the complex, we find everything for a good time right here on the property. The pictures below are just a few of our recent experiences here in Coronado.

On Thursdays, we get together with two other couples for lunch and Mexican Train. That activity started in the middle of the complete lockdown. It was a mechanism to help all of us cope with the isolation. The six of us consider one another within the same “bubble”. More than once, one of us has stated that this was the single most important thing every week to maintain our personal sanity. We take turns cooking and rotate homes. These people rock!

The lunch and dominoes crew. Tyrone took the picture.

Jen and I have been blessed to be able to help others with our experience. One thing that we did was to help an expat couple secure a vehicle before their final move to Panama. This is not something that I would like to do often, but these people are special to us. Our friend, Marc Vargas, found an excellent vehicle for them, and in the process, made us wish for a new car as well. Marc kept a watchful eye on the market and was able to find us a great deal on a “new to us” car. This past week we were able to take delivery of it. It is most likely the nicest vehicle that either of us has ever owned or hoped for. Thank you, Marc, for all you do for us.

I was able to buy a nice toolbox a few weeks ago. That kept me busy for days with assembly and organization. There was literally 1000 screws, and that was just for the assembly of the box. Once it was put together, I was able to organize my small tool and hardware collection, putting things away so that I always know where to find them. My deposito has a bunch more room now that things are boxed and labeled. We also, realized that without my tools in a closet in the condo we have more room to organize there.

In other project news, I finished painting all the doors and trim in the condo. I completed the project in the guest room, which has 12 louvered doors. Jen wanted me to lighten them up and give them a beach like look. I had to get a lesson from You Tube for this. I used a crackle medium and painted all the louvers with random beach colors. The result was unbelievable. We ordered new hardware and it changed the whole look of the room. I really like having projects, but this one was almost overwhelming.

Recently a friend of ours here in Panama wrote and published a book that is another point of view for expats. It is “An Expat’s Struggle – Making a Home in Panama” by Diane Maxwell.

Her book gives a point of view that is the opposite of mine, “2 Retire in Panama?”. Where everything went so smoothly for us, Diane had more than the usual difficulties. Many people categorize her book as a single woman overcoming adversity. She told me that several readers have contacted her saying the they had a similar experience, so it is not a unique story. She wanted to help anyone thinking about living abroad by presenting her solutions to issues. She deals with what the realtors won’t tell you. She talked to one relocation specialist, who said, “people who come on my tours don’t have any struggles at all.” That is exactly why she wrote her book.

Expats coming into a foreign country are usually unfamiliar with the customs, making everyday tasks even harder. Add in a language barrier and everyone struggles. One chapter of her book addresses cultural differences and how to live with them. Another chapter summarizes Panama’s history, putting an expats position among the Panamanians in perspective. She had to deal with legal issues including firsthand accounts of the court system. Her experience in both public and private hospitals compare quality and expenses. And the main theme is buying a home and dealing with the real estate market.

Her book has received 5-star ratings with very positive comments. Amazon selected it as the #1 new release in Panama travel guides. Along with the usual attractions of the Panama Canal, a visit to an indigenous tribe, and Panama City tour, she takes readers along on trips all over Panama. She sails around Bocas del Toro, lounges on the beach near Pedasi, visits a rum factory, takes in the turquoise waters of San Blas, and feels the excitement whale watching off the Pearl Islands. If interested in more obscure getaways, she visited an archeologic dig, soaked in hot volcanic springs, and shot the rapids in the rainforest while contributing to a reforestation project.

I found her book informative and enjoyable. The contrast between her experience and ours was very interesting to me. I recommend her book which is available on Kindle and at Amazon. Kindle Unlimited customers can read it free. Click here to get a copy.

I appreciate all the great feedback and reviews on my book. I hope that everyone who reads it takes away a little knowledge of what it may be like to retire abroad. Jen and I do extensive research prior to everything. It is easier to prepare in advance than have regrets. If you have not had an opportunity to read it, please get your copy here. And, by all means, send me a selfie with my book so I can include you in a future newsletter.

If you are enjoying this blog for the first time, please like and share it. I love sharing our experiences and adventures. With the lockdowns and curfews loosening up, we hope to have some new adventures to share soon.

Blessings from paradise,

Greg and Jen

My Lack of Recent Blog Posts…

…is without excuse. I have been attempting to provide a weekly newsletter that is being enjoyed by nearly 600 people every week. The newsletter is morphing into quite an undertaking, and while I vow that it will not replace my blog, I will probably blog less with the newsletter providing brief up to date information for would be expatriates and many on the ground here in Panama.

If I had to offer up an excuse for the lack of recent blog posts, I would say that I have been less than inspired by the pandemic and politics of late. I am deeply concerned for the United States. I am amazed that the country would ignore the recent failures of Socialism around the world and vote it in to their own back yard. The protests are okay as long as you are the party of the media and not if your not. It has become okay to censure anyone not fitting into the game properly. I have been careful to remain neutral on most political matters here, however this is something that people in the United States seem to be missing. I have friends here in Panama who have escaped the political situations in places like Venezuela and South Africa. They are beside themselves that the great country of the United States would go the way of these and other countries. That is all I am going to say about that here. If any of you want to debate any of these issues with me it will have to be on some other platform. I want this space reserved for positive experiences and adventure.

The pandemic is the other issue causing my reluctance to blog. I have been posting the statistics of Panama weekly in the newsletter. Please take a look, if that interests you. I am like many who are frustrated about the lockdowns and quarantines. The bright side of all of that is that we are possibly in one of the safest places on earth. Panama has contracted with Pfizer to buy vaccine and Jen and I are already on the list to receive it. We are too interested in adventuring, and without the vaccine it is frightening to climb aboard a commercial flight or go with a group into the jungle.

This past weekend we were supposed to be on adventure in Bocas Del Toro. It was one of our adventure buddies birthday and her surprise was this awesome trip. Due to the extended weekend lockdowns and difficult travel (even domestically) we were forced to cancel the trip.

Jen and I did travel to the States for the holidays. It was quite a stressful time with all the covid-19 restrictions and mandatory masking. We visited with several people who are high risk so we did a voluntary test prior to our departure. Testing upon our return was required by the Ministry of Health in Panama. One of the worse parts of the experience was the swab probe up the nose into the nasal cavity. When asked about future International travel, I have been reluctant to say positively that I will do it. I do not blame any of you who refuse to travel back to Panama, or come for the first time, until all this crazy pandemic business is in the rearview mirror.

Our trip started on Christmas Eve and we traveled from Panama to Miami on Copa. We booked Business Class at $6.00 each more than Coach. It always pays to check both prices. Business Class on Copa proved to be almost the same as Coach except they gave us a food box. Only water was available. The advantage was that we were in the front of the plane for easy departure of the aircraft at Miami. Planes are being unloaded by row to keep people distanced as best they can. We were surprised to find the International Terminal empty and we breezed right through Immigration and Customs. We picked up our luggage, rented a car, and were bound for Punta Gorda, Florida within 30 minutes of landing.

The International Arrival Terminal at Miami

Florida does not have masking requirements, however masks are required by many of the shops and restaurants. We were able to relax for Christmas with some of my family under much less restrictions than we have become accustomed to in Panama. We were very selective where we went to avoid being exposed to the virus. It was really nice to visit with my parents and sister. We got a bunch of new fan photos for my book, and took care of some business that could only be done in the States. We learned that even temperatures in the 70’s F are a bit cool for us. We never even took any of our shorts out of the suitcase.

Renee nearly incited a riot when she made all the girls put on Santa Shirts

After Christmas we drove north. We made an awesome lunch stop to catch up with some friends in Homosassa. After lunch, we continued north to Orange Beach, Alabama. I did not figure out the mask requirement there, but every where we went, outside of our friends condo, required masks. Our friends just recently purchased their condo on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico. They are taking their first stab at being snowbirds. They considered Panama, but they ultimately chose a place that is driving distance from Michigan. Their condo is delightful, but the temperature outside while we visited was 50 degrees F during the day and down into the mid 30 degree F range at night. Despite the cool weather, it was really nice to see and catch up with our friends. We did a little shopping and enjoyed the beautiful little beach community where they are spending the winter.

On January 4th we departed early for the airport at Pensacola, FL. The temperature in the car was reading 37 degrees F and we were freezing as we turned the car in and checked in for our flight home. We were again in Business Class. We knew that we would be doing a little shopping while in the States and a 1st Class ticket allows more bags at a higher weight. That is something that also merits consideration. The return flight was on American with a layover in Miami. I give American high marks for their hospitality on the flight. Despite the covid-19 restrictions, they did everything possible to make us comfortable. They did serve drinks and gave us a choice of a sandwich or a cheese tray. The flight was almost completely empty. I settled back in my seat and watched a movie. By the time the movie concluded we were on approach to Panama City.

We were very comfortable in Business Class on American

The flight from Miami to Panama City was shorter than our experience with the covid-19 testing center at the airport. I have been advising people in my newsletter to get the test free if possible before leaving home. If that is not possible it is available at the airport upon arrival for $50. Jen and I could not get a free one so we opted for the airport option. We had been told that the testing center was easy to find with a lot of signage. We did not find adequate signs, but followed the crowd. We joined a line that may easily have been 300 people. I felt that the most likely place to be infected with covid-19 was the line at the testing center. The Ministry of Health should evaluate the system in place there and seek to improve it. We were there for over 3-1/2 hours from start to finish. Most of the time was spent in a crowd waiting for test results. We were there so long that we figured out who was delivering the negative results and who was delivering the positive results. Periodically a man would come out and take people away while there was a woman who brought out paperwork for those testing negative. You cannot get through immigration without a paper showing a negative result. Those people being escorted away were being taken to a covid-19 hotel to spend 14 days of quarantine at their own expense. I am told that they will give you a second test after 7 days and release you if it comes up negative. I am sharing the pictures from the testing experience below. If you choose to arrive and be tested this way I pray that your experience is better than ours.

The line was nearly the length of the concourse

In November when I last blogged, outside of the newsletter, Jen and I were finishing up a bathroom remodel. It was one way we could give back to the local workers while getting something that we have had on our wish list for quite some time. Prior to our leaving on vacation the work was completed. Many of you followed along in the newsletter, but in case you did not see the newsletter and want to see the final result I wanted to share a few before and after pictures. It came out beautiful, if I do say so myself.

Book sales have remained strong through the holidays and into the beginning of 2021. For this I feel blessed. Thank-you to all of you who have bought a copy and/or suggested it to a friend or acquaintance. I would like to extend a special thank-you to any of you who left a review on Amazon or Goodreads. Those reviews help others find it. I never wrote the book to make money. It was something that I had to prove to myself that I could accomplish. It may never turn a monetary profit, but the profit is the knowledge that it touched a few people and helped others in their quest toward expatriating. Click here to see a montage of selfies that book readers have shared.

I guess that I had more than I thought to say this time. I hope to share some real adventures soon. It means a lot to me to have you all following with so much intention. I had a couple of people let me know that my last post (with advertisements) caused them some grief. Apparently, one of the advertisers nabbed them and made it difficult to get away. I took those comments very seriously and discontinued almost all of the advertisers. Please forgive me if you experienced anything less than you deserve. If you are finding my blog and/or newsletter inciteful and informative, please, share it with friends. Also check out, like, and share my 2 Retire In Panama Facebook page. I am closing with a link to a video trailer for my book. The book is without pictures so the video trailer contains a few pictures of past adventures.

Blessing From Panama,

Greg and Jen

Panama Is Reopening

For those of you who receive my newsletter, I may be repeating myself a bit in this post. About a month ago, I published the first weekly newsletter in place of the blog. My idea was to begin providing weekly updates for my readers and those who need to keep up with happenings in Panama. The newsletter gave me challenges that I never expected. The platform from which I publish the blog provided me with the ability to publish a newsletter, but gave me a hard time sending it to the almost 800 regular readers of the blog. I have subscribed to a better software to improve the process and it seems that the frustration readers and I were experiencing is now a thing of the past. If you missed a week of the newsletter you can access it from the newsletter archives on the header. If you are not getting the newsletter…perhaps you are not officially subscribed to the blog. I am only giving it free to regular subscribers.

You may be noticing that a few advertisements are appearing in the blog. My hope is to recover some of the expenses involved in publication of it. I do not necessarily endorse each of the advertisers and the advertisements appearing are almost all random. One advertiser that will appear is Amazon. I am a fan of Amazon and future volumes of the newsletter will have coupon offers exclusive to my readers. I am also noticing that there is a free offer for a trial of Amazon Prime appearing. As an expat, Amazon Prime is a great resource. Jen and I use it for premium television , movies, and sending gifts to our grandchildren. Clicking through the ads will get you to the provider and I will make a few cents to defray expenses. Thank you for helping me out with this. Thank you also for your indulgence with the ads that do not interest you. Just ignore them. If you are not subscribed for the blog (and newsletter), please subscribe today. Do not miss the great offers coming your way.

The snow is flying in many parts of the United States and Canada. That usually signals the arrival of our snowbird friends. Some are not coming due to travel challenges. Many others are arriving daily. If you are still on the fence about travelling to Panama this year, the following information may prove helpful. With the reactivation of international flights at Tucuman International Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority has announced that nationals, residents, and foreigners who enter the country and do not have a Certificate of Swab Test/PCR or negative antigen, the cost to perform the test at the air terminal will be $50. There are three Swabbing Centers strategically located and duly signposted for the attention of travelers, in the Central Area, North Pier and Satellite B within Terminal 1 of the airport. Travelers will be able to obtain the results in approximately 20 to 30 minutes. If the rapid test result is negative, the passenger will be exempt from complying with the mandatory isolation.

If the swab/PCR or antigen test is positive, the person will go to mandatory isolation in a hospital hotel designated by the Ministry of Health. Seven days later the passenger will have another antigen test. If the result is positive, the passenger must complete the fourteen-day isolation and if the result is negative, the isolation ends. I advise getting the test before leaving home, but within 48 hours of arrival in Panama. If you do not have a residence upon arrival, and test positive the government will send you to quarantine in a hotel at your own expense.

Technical crews, auxiliary crews, mechanics, and humanitarian personnel are exempt.

This information came from a statement released by the airport.

One of the things that we love about Panama is the ability to bless the local working people by hiring them to work for you. Many of our friends have local housekeepers, pool guys, grounds keepers, and the list goes on. When Jen and I decided to move forward with a remodel of our master bath, we searched our recourses to find local workers. We secured a group of guys who have been as much a blessing to us as we have been to them. The guys did the complete demo, prepared the space for a spa type shower, and all new bath fixtures. The tile work is winding down and the cabinet guy will be able to install our locally sourced and built cabinetry. Once the cabinets are installed the local granite purveyor will be in to get his final measurement before cutting our countertop. We also involved an electrician for additional lighting and outlets. Most of these people have been shut down for 7 months, and are just now getting back to work. Most of the working class in Panama have been barely surviving; with the majority spending all of their savings to provide bare necessities for their families. There is more about our project is in the newsletter. If you have not been getting it click on the newsletter link on the header to get a list of the archives.

November is like July in the United States. It is the beginning of summer in Panama with a full month of celebrations. This year the Panamanian people are celebrating without festivals and gatherings. Due to the COVID crisis, the government has cancelled all the big celebration events, but the holidays are not cancelled. Record numbers of people are expected to head to the beaches and the government is ready for them. According to PanaTimes, the first weekend that the beaches reopened the police were out enforcing part of the Ocean 2020 operation. The operation was deployed in 27 locations at beaches, rivers, and spas nationwide. Commissioner Arroyavez indicated that during that first weekend 1,513 people visited the beaches. Of those,14 people were arrested for failure to wear masks and 3 for consumption of alcohol on the beaches. Alcohol and food consumption on the beach is prohibited due to the COVID 19 crisis. The people who were arrested were taken to the justice of the peace and fined $100.00 each. The individuals who were fined all tested negative for COVID. The Ocean 2020 operation will continue through December due to the large capacity of people going to the beaches after 7 months of quarantine.

The Pan-American Highway was choked on the first day the beaches opened.

The opening of the beaches marked nearly the last of the reopening effort. We have been enjoying many of our favorite restaurants and nearly all the shops are open and maintaining regular hours. The pools are open and the movie theatres are opening with limits on capacity. About the only things not opened are the schools and the gyms, which are under a great deal of scrutiny. Churches that meet the protocols set forth by the government are being allowed to open with limits on capacity. Our church, Coronodo Bible Church is opening for regular services, on the first Sunday in December. We have been meeting on Fridays over the past few weeks due to the Sunday full lockdown, which just ended. On line services are expected to continue indefinitely.

Some of the protocols required here in Panama include masks anytime you leave your home, temperature checks anytime you enter a place of business, and social distancing. Anytime you enter a business you must walk across a shoe bath, and they spray sanitizer on your hands. Those of you who live in the United States, may be surprised to see how much more rigid it is here in Panama. I see news reports from the States with people complaining of mask usage and social distancing. In Panama it is not an option so, if you have a problem with this, it may be better for you to stay home this year.

I wanted to give you all an idea of how the Republic of Panama has handled the COVID crisis. MINSA, which is a division of the Ministry of Health, reports that the country has registered 134,366 cases and 2706 deaths. The resulting fatality rate for the entire country is at 2.0%. Active cases total 19,996. Of those 18,765 are recovering at home and 562 in hotels. The remaining 669 are hospitalized with 562 in ward and 107 in ICU. Compare that the rest of the world where 30,907,934 recovered registered patients are compared with 46,196,087 accumulated cases and 1,197,194 deaths creating a fatality percentage of 2.6%. Compared to the rest of the world Panama has done a phenomenal job of protecting its population from the virus.

The holiday schedule for November is important information. During the month there will be many days when government offices, banks, and other businesses will close. On many major holidays the government prohibits the sale of alcohol. Even if you are not going out for a drink, you may find your favorite restaurant running on a different schedule because of the prohibited alcohol sales. There are 5 official holidays in November. The 2nd is the day of the dead in Panama. It is a dry holiday which is set aside for the Panamanian people to visit the cemeteries and tidy up. On the 3rd Panama celebrates its separation from Colombia which occurred on November 3, 1903. This is also known as Independence Day; one of 2 celebrated in Panama. The 4th is Flag Day. You will see the Panamanian flag waving and hanging everywhere on Flag day. Flags are displayed on banks, businesses, overpasses, car antenna, and about anything that can be decorated with a flag. On the 10th Panama celebrates the uprising of Villa de Los Santos. This is known as the first cry of independence from Spain. On the 28th the second Independence Day is celebrated. The day commemorates independence from Spain which occurred on November 28, 1821.

I wrote a great deal of information about the holidays of Panama in my book “2 Retire In Panama?” which is available at Amazon or on Kindle. You can order by clicking the link on the home page. The Independent Press honored “2 Retire In Panama?” with a New York City Big Book Award. It was recognized as a Distinguished Favorite in the category of Reference. Writing the book has been an adventure all of its own. I feel blessed that it is getting noticed by many important organizations.

Please remember to subscribe to the blog today to receive both the newsletter and blog in your e-mail in box. It helps me when you give feedback so I know that I have been helpful in keeping you informed about what is going on in Panama. It also helps when you like and share my posts.

Blessing from Paradise,

Greg and Jen

2 Retire In Panama? Newsletter

Volume 2 October 5, 2020

Going all in on the newsletter to subscribers only?

Volume 1 went out via social media only, as I struggled with the logistics of making a special newsletter only available to my subscribers. I am still experiencing difficulty with the e-mail functions so I will be posting the newsletter in this manner today as I work through the challenges. If this is the first for you, I appreciate you for following the blog and will be sending out this free newsletter weekly by e-mail on Mondays soon .

Panama is Reopening.

The government-imposed restrictions have been loosened and Jen and I have had a busy week enjoying freedoms that were missed during our more than 6 months of lockdown.

On Monday we took the opportunity to do a little grocery shopping at one of our favorite places PriceSmart. PriceSmart is similar to Costco or Sam’s Club in the States and we are able to get products there unavailable in our local stores. We also made a grocery stop at Reba Smith which is a local grocery, however there is a much larger one near the PriceSmart. Reba carries a lot of grocery brands from the States. We pay a premium for some items there that we also cannot find elsewhere. Last but not least we visited Ashley Furniture where we were able to order a couple of pieces of furniture that have been on our wish list. The lockdown left us with a little more disposable income, and we want to help stimulate the local economy. We also, ate inside at McDonalds with restaurants opening for inside dining being the height of excitement here.

Tuesday, I had a Zoom Meeting with Panama Living. They are interested in having me write some articles for their publication which promotes living in Panama. I will be meeting with them again this week and will report back on what transpires.

Wednesday I took an expat to Penonome so he could take care of some business. He and his family are from South Africa and have been struggling after arriving here at the beginning of the lockdown in March. My heart goes out to them as they make decisions to return to South Africa in spite of the political climate there.

Thursday continues to be our day for gathering socially with some good friends and we have no intention of changing that. Our lunch and Dominoes afternoon has been sustaining us through the most depressing periods of isolation.

On Friday we were able to enjoy dinner at SecundoPiso which is one of our favorite local restaurants. Our good friends Lyn and Ty joined us, and we celebrated their anniversary. We also, were able to attend our church for a service on Friday which is our churches way of hosting gatherings prior to the end of Sunday lockdown. Churches have been allowed to open, but not on Sunday. Official church services are scheduled to resume on Sunday October 18.

I did not offer a bribe…

Readers of my book will remember that I had not had a moving traffic violation in Panama. A couple of months ago, a friend and I traveled to PriceSmart on our allowed Tuesday shopping day. We traveled outside our normal time without too much trouble, however I had an unfortunate traffic stop on our return. The officer claimed that I was going 80km/hr. and the jurisdiction was a 60km/hr. zone. The officer seemed to want me to offer him a cash payment, but I stuck to my morals and accepted the citation. He was not happy, and upon returning to my car he threw my ticket and documentation through my open window from several feet away. Payment is required within 30 days. Payment can be made online once the citation is entered into the system. More than 6 weeks after the ticket was issued it finally appeared in the system and I was able to pay online from my local bank account. Fines for offering a bribe can be bad so my sources say take the ticket and pay it.

A Doctor Visit Last Week.

My sinus infection appears to be succumbing to the antibiotic. For that I am thankful. I will have a follow-up with Dr. Levy later this afternoon. We still have no official word on the reopening of our gym here on the property. Our administration tells me that if I have a Doctor RX for therapy, they may be able to get the gym and pool opened for me. I will have him write the script and hope for the best.

I am Committed…

…to keeping this newsletter under 2 pages and sharing good information. It would benefit the whole readership to have feedback. Please reply with any questions or suggestions for next week. Remember that if you have not had a chance to get your own copy of “2 Retire In Panama? the book, click here to order now.

Blessings from Paradise,

Greg

Our Official Update From Panama

The past 6 months have been a challenge for all of us. Jen and I have been in virtual lockdown since returning from our abbreviated adventure in Israel last March. I have been reluctant to make many blog posts as it seems everything appearing in others posts and on social media has been largely negative. I have never been a fan of spreading negativity here or in any other medias. I never want the unvarnished perspective that I present in my posts and in my book to be mistaken for negativity. Often when we have a negative experience, we prefer to refuse to return for a repeat experience rather than spread hatred of a business or vendor. People often contact us to inquire about something of which we have been vague. The fact that we have been vague about an experience does not necessarily mean the experience was bad. We have been offering endorsements sparingly, because we want to keep our blog honest and raw, allowing our readers to create their own experience. Hopefully, all the readers are sharing our experiences from afar or learning enough to help pave their own path. Today I am going to share with all of you a bit about how we have spent the past 6 months and where the country of Panama is heading as they attempt to reopen the economy here. The next few paragraphs are rooted in my research and come from various sources that I will attempt to give credit as I share.

In a previous post I detailed our experience upon returning from Israel. I will give a brief recap to bring our new readers up to date. While traveling to the Middle East we found no concern for the COVID in the airports other than in our own departure from Panama City where they were doing health checks of all passengers arriving. Our departure was early in March and we did not see any widespread concern until about half way through the first week on the ground in Israel. Nothing about our time in Israel was as we expected. After being told that the tourism industry was closing and that we should plan to leave the country as soon as possible, we began having concerns that we would not be able to return to our home in Panama. As it turned out, we just barely got home before the airport in Panama closed. Other than the numerous cancelled and rescheduled flights, and difficulty finding a restaurant opened in Miami where we had an unplanned overnight layover, the only real appearance of a world-wide pandemic was upon landing in Panama City. We were carefully screened in the airport and sent home for a 14 day quarantine. We were only allowed to leave quarantine to go for groceries or the pharmacy (only 1 of us was allowed to go). Within a few days of our return the entire country was placed under strict quarantine. Gender specific days out of the house with people only allowed out for 2 hours at a time. The time for going out was based on the last number of a persons cedula with foreign residents allowed out based on their passport number. Only people meeting the proper criteria were allowed into a grocery store or pharmacy. All other businesses were closed and any person with a special need to be out during a different time were required to have a special permission from the government which is called a salvo conducto. While none of this was particularly comfortable, we agreed that the restrictions were there to keep us safe from the pandemic. After a few weeks, some restaurants were allowed to open for take-out and delivery. I think the number one income of people in Panama for most of the past 6 months is delivery drivers. The streets have been deserted and traffic concerns dropped to nearly zero.

Wear your mask and practice social distancing

Fast forward to today…things are starting to re-open. The 2-hour time restrictions ended at the beginning of September. The gender-specific quarantine ended this past Monday with all people being allowed out Monday through Saturday from 5am to 11pm. Only those with a salvo conducto are allowed out on Sunday and from 11pm to 5am. For the past several months we have waited patiently every evening for an update on one of our Facebook groups like the one below. Our friend Karyn Saunders gets the update in Spanish from the Minister of Health, translates it, and posts it to the group. A careful look at the post from yesterday will show just how successful all this lockdown has been for Panama.

September 17th, 2020 UPDATE

104,138 total cases +672 new, 2213 deaths +15 new, 152 ICU, 731 hospitalized, 24,044 active, 77,881 recovered +1094 new, 2.1% death rate,

- 417,620 total tests, +5355 new, 12.5% positive rate, 9761/100,000
- There are over 218 tracking and tracing teams throughout the country.
- Vice Minister Ivette Berrio and her team paid a visit to the new mask manufacturing company in the Panaparkfree Zone. She is pleased to report the masks follow all the requirements needed for the medical industry (KN95 and surgical). The company is also making other equipment that will be used as PPE.

We are still on course and our numbers are going down. A great sign 4 days into our new found freedom.

Our church has been involved in a very comprehensive process to open back up. Approval has been granted, however we still have a total lockdown on Sundays. We had a service today to test the system for allowing us to reopen. Every person was required to walk across a shoe cleaner, have their temperature taken and recorded along with their cedula number and name (for tracing purposes). Attendees were required to use hand sanitizer every 30 minutes, wear masks, and exercise social distancing. 13 people were in attendance which is a long way from the average of 100 pre virus. Thank you Pastor Jon for the video of the Doxology and the picture of our small gathering.

We will continue to have Sunday service via You Tube and Facebook until things open up a little better. I am still not sure about having services on Friday to conform to the government requirements. People here are starting to feel a little rebellious with the restrictions and I am not sure why it has taken this long. Jen and I are putting it all in God’s hands and accepting that we are guests in this country. The Constitution of Panama guarantees health care to all. They have to keep us all healthy or prepare to take care of us.

Car washes were allowed to open on September 7. That is nice, but I fail to see the importance of this being put above many other things. They allowed the beauty parlors and barber shops to re-open, due to public outrage, a few weeks ago. This was done with huge limitations. Jen got her hair done the other day and her salon has enacted significant price increases.

On September 28th retail stores, restaurants, and portions of the service industry will be allowed to open. National Aviation will resume and National Parks, rivers and beaches will open. Earlier this week my friend Roberto posted a tour of the beaches near our home here on the seco arc. Roberto Hernandez writes a popular blog called The Spartacus Papers on WordPress. Jen and I have had the privileges’ of enjoying most of these beaches and I am sharing the link to his post for your enjoyment Roberto’s beach tour. After you check out the link, please use your back browser to return to the remainder of my post.

International Aviation will resume along with hotels, motels, rural hostels, other accommodations, and tourist activities. Tourism, tours, cultural industries, music and art academies, libraries and swimming pools.

NO date has yet been announced for the remaining which includes schools, colleges, universities, cinemas, theaters, museums, galleries, and closed structure tourist sites. Also remaining closed without an opening date are gyms, casinos, bars, canteens, discotheques, and carnival parades.

At our house we are anxiously awaiting the reopening of the beaches, pools, restaurants and gym. Even in our closed private community, gyms, the country club, and pools have remained closed.

We have had friends who returned to the States to wait out the restrictions. It has been hard to remain in virtual solitary confinement and that is taking a toll on the mental stability of many people. Many parts of the world have far less restrictions but the mental suffering is still a huge concern. For several weeks now we have been having a weekly lunch with 2 other couples. We have rotated the location and cooking responsibilities with an afternoon of dominos following lunch. This has given us a wonderful thing for which to look forward. Our condos have not told us we cannot do it and our friends are all happy to escape solitary confinement once a week as well. In the past, this was possibly against the rules, so I will not disclose the locations, day, or time.

Today our ballots arrived. Pursuant to the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) we requested our ballot be sent to us by e-mail. The email ballot includes instructions for completing and returning the ballot for the upcoming election. We will be required to print and sign the ballot. It must be returned in the pre-addressed, postage paid envelope which was included with the e-mail with instructions for assembly. Our ballot must be delivered to the US Embassy no later than September 24th. They will return it to the States in a diplomatic pouch. From there it will go by mail to our jurisdiction. I learned from a friend in Michigan today that she has received 6 applications for an absentee ballot in her mailbox which she never requested. I hope that this does not cause voter fraud. Every legitimate vote counts; once you move to a foreign country, make sure you continue to vote.

When I started writing this blog post I was unsure if I had enough content. There are actually several other points that I wanted to make. I will save these for another time. Thank you for the overwhelming support of my book. If you are among those who have read it, please go Amazon or Good Reads to leave a review. That helps others find it on search engines. If you have not yet picked up the book please go to Kindle or Amazon to get a copy today. Kindle Unlimited readers get it free. As always, like and share my blog to help me build the reader base. I am considering publishing a newsletter once we have the readers to support it.

Blessings from Panama,

Greg and Jen

Author: gkitz89

Writing and Nature Collide

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Our Official Update From Panama

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