Floating Crane

The Titan Crane, among the largest floating cranes in the world was originally built by Germany in 1941, moved to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard in 1948 and finally sold to Panama Canal and put into service in 1999. The Tital 'floating' crane is used to maintain the canal locks, the tip of the main boom towers 114m (374 ft) above the water and can lift 350 metric tons! Among the largest floating cranes in the world, "Titan" was built by Hitler's Germany and claimed by the Unites States as war booty. Tian entered service in Panama in 1999 after having served for 50 years in Long Beach, California. The crane can be floated into the locks on the Panama Canal and is used for heavy lifting required to maintain the doors of the locks of the canal. It is one of the strongest in the world.

The Titan was actually one of three built by the Germans. Of the other two, the British got one but lost it in a storm while towing it across the English Channel, and the Russians got the other, but no one seems to know whatever became of it. While in Long Beach, the Titan was known as either "Herman the German," or simply the"German Crane."

The heart of Mary is in the heart of Panama City

Panama City, like so many cities in Latin America, has many beautiful and historic churches. A few are well-known to tourists. One that is not so well-known is the Santuario Nacional del Corazon de Maria (National Shrine of the Heart of Mary) in the city's financial district, but off the major streets, unseen by many. Construction began in August 1947 and was finally complete two years later.

It is a beautiful church and certainly worth a visit.

Palo Seco: A Leprosarium

The Palo Seco Leper Asylum was established on April 1907. In 1904 the United States and the new Republic of Panama ratified the Panama Canal Treaty. By that treaty the United States became responsible for the public health of the Canal Zone. The United States sought this in order to effectively combat the diseases of yellow fever and malaria which had contributed greatly to the failure of the French to attempt to build the canal. The American doctors in 1904 discovered a group of 13 outcasts suffering from Hansen's disease (leprosy) were living precariously on a beach near Panama City. A financial arrangement was made whereby the United States would provide for the housing, food and care of any Panamanian lepers in exchange for 75 cents a day per patient.

At Palo Seco, health officials went to great lengths to minimize patients' contact with the outside world. Mail was sterilized with a hot iron before it left the settlement. Special currency, created by the Philadelphia mint, was used between 1919 and 1952 to keep money touched by Hansen's disease sufferers out of the hands of the uninfected. Most precautions were unnecessary. Fear of the disease has always been greater than the danger of contagion.

Palo Seco (the name means "Dry Stick" in Spanish) was an ocean-side 500 acre fruit farm six miles from Panama City. The fruit farm was isolated, and initially access was only by boat (even though it was part of the mainland). In order to be more homelike, the facility was built like a Panamanian village. It had a plaza with a chapel on one side and the dwelling houses on the other side of the plaza. Palo Seco was a wind swept quadrangle of nine buildings consisting of living quarters for single patients, each with a room to himself, married patients' apartments, and a building with a kitchen and two dining rooms, one for patients and one for employees. Next door was the administrative office, dental clinic, commissary and storerooms, a hospital to take care of those more seriously ill, and a clinic and treatment room. There was a laundry that could handle 200 pounds of laundry a day and a maintenance shop operated by patients. One of the most important components of the hospital was the recreation building where movies were shown and where patients hold dances and parties, play pool, and entertain friends.

As many as 150 patients lived at one time at Palo Seco. The lepers were allowed to eat at a mess the food prepared for them or to draw their ration uncooked and do their own cooking. If they wished to do any farming, implements and seeds were provided. The produce was purchased by the facility for the use of the colony. Similarly, they were allowed to raise chickens.

Today, Palo Seco sits more than half empty. Statues of saints stare at empty pews in the dusty chapel. Only eight Hansen's disease patients remain, joined by a handful of Alzheimers patients and physically disabled youth abandoned at hospitals by their parents.

Construction in Panama!

Skyline construction: In Panama City, the pace of construction is continuous and rapid. The skyline has changed dramatically in the last five years, stunningly in the last ten, and all but unbelievably to folks returning after fifteen years. Someone has to do the work and here we see them hard at it. They are the backbone of our city.

Condo canyons: Condos are rising all over Panama City as people from many nations seek a home in the capital of a rapidly expanding economy. Old residents don't always appreciate them, but they do add their own color and style to the city as do these in the Marbella neighborhood.

Tunner Mooted for Cinta Costera Expansion

A tunnel under Casco Viejo and leading to the Avenue De Los Poetas is the latest proposal for the third phase extension of the Cinta Costera.

The extension would then circle Chorrillo, before moving on to the Amador Causeway. The extension of the coastal strip in this area has drawn criticism for its potential impact on the historic Old Town. In presenting the city's road realignment, Federico Jose Suarez, MOP minister, said the bidders could submit different proposals. So far all the work on the Cinta Costera has been done by one company which was granted the $52 million no bid contract for the second phase, circling the Fish Market.

Panama Canal.

An excellent new video of the Panama Canal.

National Holidays - Fiestas Patrias

Big holidays approaching Panama and Panamanians like to celebrate. Just about everything will shut down and there will be many parades, music and fireworks.

November 3: foundation of the Republic when Panama separated from Colombia in 1903.
November 4: Flag Day - flag designers had been working on a flag secretly.
November 5: Colon Day - Panamanian officials persuaded Colombian forces stationed in Colon to desist their efforts to march on the Panamanian capital.
November 10: "First cry for Independence from Spain" (Primer Grito de Independencia de Panama de Espana) from Los Santos
November 28: Independence Day celebrates its independence from Spain in 1821

Panama's Tropical Paradise a "hub of biodiversity"

(CNN) A hotbed of biodiversity, Panama's tropical habitats are home to some of the most diverse and exotic species of plants and animals on Earth.

Covering almost half the century's land surface are immense tracks of rain forests, mangrove wetlands and mountain clouds. Even the country's cosmopolitan capital of Panama City boasts a forest within its city boundaries - one of the last tropical forests in Central America.

In all, the country houses over 10,444 different types of plant species including 1,200 orchid varieties, 678 fern species and 1,500 varieties of trees. As well as 255 species of mammals and 972 indigenous bird species, according to the National Society for the Protection of Nature, Panama.

The reason for such ecological abundance is the country's prime geographical position. Dividing the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea, the country serves as a "biological corridor," connecting both North and Central America. This, makes Panama a "hub of biodiversity." "The Isthmus of Panama and Central America arose over three million years ago through volcanic activity and has served as a bridge ever since - allowing land and freshwater species to migrate from north to south and vice versa."

The most famous part of this "corridor" is the Darien Region. Forming the easternmost part of Panama and boarding Colombia, the almost impenetrable wilderness of the Darien Region is perhaps most famous as a hiding ground for guerrillas, narcotics traffickers and paramilitary forces. But despite the negative connotations, it is one of the most biodiverse areas in the entire world." Due to its remote location and lack of infrastructure, the area has remained a haven for countless species, home to haguars, giant anteaters, harpy eagles and American crocodiles as well as sheltering various tribes of remote indigenous groups.

It is a constant battle to keep developers at bay. The region is definitely one of the most inaccessible areas of the country, but there is always talk about opening it up and constructing a road through it. What science and research has clearly indicated is that as soon as you cut a road through any fires it unfolds a chain of deforestation. Colonizers come in and extractive industries start to com in. The Panamanian government says it plans to keep the Darien Gap closed.

But not all areas remain safe. Various mining companies have announced future drilling operations in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, while the authorities plan to build the "Gran Costanera," a new road along the Caribbean cost - most of which is still forested.

Smithsonian celebrates 100 years in Panama!

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) has been in Panama since the beginning of the 20th Century, when the Smithsonian came to Panama around the same time that the construction of the Panama Canal began. In 1910, Smithsonian scientists carried out a "biological inventory" of the flora and fauna to study the impact of the Canal. The study ended in 1912, and thus began what has been a century of influential scientific research that has provided an important sum of data on the biodiversity of Panama.

In 1923, a small field station on Barro Colorado Island was established, in the middle of Lake Gatun, the freshwater passageway that is the Panama Canal between its Pacific and Atlantic locks. Barro Colorado has grown to be a site of major importance in the world of scientific research. From there, STRI scientists and fellows collect important data, focused on recent decades on the effects of global warming on tropical environments.

There will be many events beginning in October 2010 through February 2012 to celebrate the long and important relationship between the Smithsonian and Panama.

More information can be found at www.smithosnianpanama100.si.edu

Put your salad to the test!

You are here at the Rey, a large local supermarket chain, and you see all the shiny beautiful US grown apples, cucumbers and polished green peppers. How can you resist. The apples are so shiny that you can see your reflection in them and the green peppers look plastic they are so perfect. What you may not realize is the chemicals and the polishes that are used to make the fruit look so attractive. You then show up at the organic fruit market. The green peppers may be a bit smaller, the tomatoes are not as brilliant and the cucumbers are not as robust. So why would you go organic, well it is the TASTE.

Recently we bought our first basket of organic produce from our local Organic Market. All the food is grown in El Valle and brought to Coronado for pick up. You can choose from 3 different size baskets, and each basket contains a variety of items. We sorted everything out and made a salad with some of the items. The salad tasted so good. Why so good? Because you are eating pure vegetable. It has not been induced with chemicals to make it bigger, or sprayed with pesticides, and it hasn't been polished with wax to make it look nicer. There is a good article we found that discussed both sides of the debate.

US Department of Agriculture reveals that since the 1940's the mineral levels in fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy hae declined substantially in conventional foods. Combine this with earlier (pre-ripened) picking, longer storage, and more processing of crops, and it's not surprising that we may be getting fewer nutrients in our food than we were 60 years ago. Organic food has more "dry matter" (i.e. food). Because of this there are higher levels of nutrients in organic produce. (www.grinningplanet.com)

So our monthly organic market is growing and will be offering more variety and will be bringing together a few of the local organic resources in one place. I feel that this will be helping us all to eat healthier. As the market grows we might even be able to purchase our different size baskets more than once a month!

Panama Canal Fossils Reveal Ancient Collision of Worlds

Entire hillsides are being blasted away to widen the Panama Canal. It was the biggest event in our planet's history since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Three million years ago, the Americas collided.

The creation of the Panama Isthmus - the narrow land bridge that joins the two continents - wreaked havoc on land, sea and air. It triggered extinctions, diverted ocean currents and transformed climate.

Now a multi-billion dollar project to widen the Panama Canal is set to reveal new secrets about the event that changed the world. Panama is a tiny country, but in a perfect location. Positioned just north of the equator in the Caribbean, its famous canal is the strategic hub of the global shipping industry.

The 80 km (50 mile) long Panama Canal, completed in 1914, connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Its existence means that ships can avoid - at a price - the treacherous 8,000 mile journey round Cape Horn, the southernmost tip of South America.

Authorities hope that the canal will increase revenue from shipping. However, the massive excavations have also proved to be a "gold mine" for scientists, trying to uncover Panama's hidden past.

As entire hillsides are being blasted away to expand the canal, amazing fossils are emerging that shed light on this key event. However, scientists only have a short window to collect the fossils before they are re-buried beneath concrete.

One of those fossil hunters stumbled upon one of the most important discoveries so far: the jaw and bones of horses, rhinos and camels. Three million years ago there was a kind of land rush. Animals that were native to North America - sabre-toothed cats, horses, camels and elephants - surged south across the land bridge. Animals from South America such as giant sloths and armadillos, moved north.

Fossils hinted at the possibility that giant predatory birds dubbed "terror birds" seem to have migrated from between the Americas as early as five million years ago. It is possible that long before the seaway finally closed, a chain of islands spanned the gap. Perhaps Terror Birds and other animals were the original "island-hoppers," migrating from one island to the next.

Lake Gatun

Lake Gatun is a man-made lake created in 1913 by damming the Chargres River. It forms an integral part of the Panama Canal which is the freshwater bridge between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean that allows ships to pass. The native jungle that surrounds the lake is actually the best defense of the Panama Canal. For this reason, the rain forest surrounding the Canal and Lake Gatun have remained largely untouched by human intrusion.

it is home to native Central American and South American animal species, indigenous tribes and the Smithsonian tropical Institute's world famous Barro Colorado Island, a site for biodiversity studies on an island that was formed when the land was flooded. Many important scientific and biological discoveries of the animal and plant kingdom originated at this site.

Note the impressive sprawl of Lake Gatun in the photo above.

Holy Spirit Flower

Panama graces us with about 1200 species of orchids. The country is blessed with an abundance of fora and fauna and thankfully beautiful weather to enjoy them. Finding them can sometimes be the hard part as a lot of orchids are tucked away, hidden in deep jungles or high in trees making them hard to spot and enjoy. That is why it is so important to take advantage of any situation that allows you to see them so you can enjoy them and learn about them more!

There are lots of places where they can be purchased or you may visit an orchid farm where you can enjoy the many varieties.

This is the Holy Spirit orchid, which is also Panama's national flower.

Harpy Eagle

A captive-bred harpy eagle, Panama's national bird, was released to the wilds from Summit Gardens, Balboa, on Monday, September 27 by biologists of Panama's environmental authority (ANAM).

Anam official Melquiades Ramos said that the female eagle which had been raised in captivity since 2005, had been certified as fit by a vet. She had received special training so that she could be released into the wild. The harpy eagle one of the world's largest birds of prey, is the national bird of Panama but in danger of extinction. It is found in areas from southern Mexico in North America, to Brazil in the south.

The Panama Canal

Controversial. Revolutionary. Amazing. The Panama Canal has been called "The Eighth Wonder of the World." And with good reason! It took 250,000 people from all corners of the globe more than 10 years to build, and it stands as a monument of mankind's ingenuity and power of conviction.

The Panama Canal is a unique experience which can't be reproduced anywhere else in the world. See 5,000,000-ton vessels rise and drop more than 50 feet as they make their way over Panama from one ocean to another, and learn about the history and future of this marvel of modern engineering.

Panama City "must do" is a visit to the new Miraflores Visitor Center at the Panama Canal. The state-of-the art visitor center has 4 exhibition halls: Canal History, Water the Source of Life; The Canal in Action and the Canal of the World. The exhibitions include historical objects of Canal operations, interactive modules, video presentations, and models of the Panama Canal. There is also a snack bar and a restaurant with stunning Canal-side views. Visitors may view ships passing through the Canal from the Visitors Center terrace free of charge.

A Day in Panama City

Casco Viejo is preserved as the conquistadors left it, Casco Viejo vies with Old Havana and Old San Juan in authenticity - but it is beginning to leave the others behind with the restored beautify of its courtyards, tiles and marble that line the cafes, restaurants that occupy these historic structures. Panama City across the bay is transforming itself into a totally unexpected, skyscraper-packed Hong Kong, Casco Viejo is in the process of being restored into the most tastefully attractive are of the city.

Plaza Mayor: also known as Parque Catedral or Plaza de la Independencia, is the main square of Casco Viejo. There is a mix of Spanish and French architecture.

Panamanian independence was declared on this plaza on November 3, 1903 and many important buildings such as the Canal Museum, Municipal Palace, Cathedral Church, and the religious ruins of the Jesuit Church, fringe the plaza.

Compania de Jesus Convent: The Jesuit Convent and its church were built in 1673, before the Spanish banished the Jesuits from the Colonies. In 1781 the complex burned down and was never rebuilt. The site also housed the first university and synagogue of the city.

La Plaza de Francia: The southern tip of Casco Viejo Peninsula is the Plaza de Francia and is home to a large obelisk in honor of the ill-fated Frenchmen, who, under Ferdinand De Lesseps, started the arduous task of building a sea level Canal in 1880.

Surrounding the obelisk is an arcade of marble plaques ornately carved with the story of the valiant French effort. This is also the current location of the French Embassy, the Instituto Nacional de Cultura and the Las Bovedas Restaurant.

Paseo Las Bovedas: wrapping around the French Plaza and the Institute of Culture is Paseo Las Bovedas (Promenade of Vaults) that offers couples and tourists a charming stroll on top of the Old Spanish seawall. An excellent view of the Panama City skyline, the ships cued for their turn through the Canal, and the Bridge of the Americas can be seen on this walkway.

Arco Chato: Built in 1678, Arco Chato (The Flat Arch) played a deciding factor in Panama's history and the construction of the Panama Canal. Spanning some 50 ft, Arco Chato was an architectural marvel for the fact that it resisted earthquakes and storms with no support other than its terminal arches. Logic reasoned that if the brick could withstand nearly 200 years with no visible means of support, then there was no real threat to constructing a lock-style canal. Ironically enough, in 2003, fireworks celebrating Panama's Centennial brought down most of what was left of the then 300 plus - year old arch.

Presidential Palace: Constructed in the old Customs Building, the structure was restored in 1922. Herons live inside the lobby of the entrance and contribute to its name, Palace of the Herons.

Plaza Santa Ana: Santa Ana at mid-morning is the heart of popular commerce; there is life in every corner where almost everything imaginable is for sale: cell phones, fruits, grains, incense, bottles of medicinal medicine that promise "to make you rich," inflatable toys and religious paraphernalia. Cafe Coca Cola, which dates from the early Canal days, is a great local restaurant on the south side of the park that is still a favorite among locals and tourists alike, especially for breakfast.

Amador Causeway, the Outstretched Arm of Panama City

On your way to the Causeway there is the striking architecture of the Figali Convention Center. It was built as the primary venue for the Miss Universe Pageant in 2003. It is now used mostly for concerts and sporting events such as boxing or ice skating. The Figali seating capacity is 10, 275. It is known to be one of the largest and most well equipped convention centers in Central America.

As you drive down the Causeway you will find well maintained lawns, benches and walking space. You might even run into a functioning carriage horse which transports people along a portion of the Causeway. Panama City, Panama embraces an international population of about one million persons. Panama is a country the size of South Carolina, with a populace of over three million. The city now includes over 250 high-rise office buildings, as well as condominiums and hotel towers, with another 280 or so high rises under construction. The Causeway is a wonderful part of Panama City, that is getting a lot of attention right now.

Continuing down the Causeway you will then be on Perico Island, on the left side, facing the Bay of Panama. Between Perico and Flamenco Islands there are many private motor and sailboats at anchor at the Flamenco Yacht Club and Fuerte Amador Resort and Marina. There are shops, restaurants and bars. On Flamenco Islands, the Southern tip of the Amador Causeway there are more restaurants and the cruise ships docks called Port Amador. That modern terminal is designed to comfortably receive passengers and offers them Immigration and Customs services, internet cafe, call center and several duty free shops.

The Amador Causeway connects four small islands: Noas, Culebra, Perico and Flamenco; with the mainland near the foot of the Bridge of the Americas in the Panama Canal. All of the islands were part of Fort Grant, which was established in 1913 as a fortification for the Panamanians and Americans to protect Panama canal access during the two world wars. Many of the fortifications and massive underground bomb proof structures still exist. The most distant of the islands - Isla Flamenco, was a US military Command Post in 1942 and on Isla Perico - part of the Fuerte Amador Shopping Center is built over an old underground military sanctuary.

The first island is Noas Island, when you make a right there you will find the home of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute's Laboratories (STRI). The scientists have been working on Punta Culebra since early in the last century, accomplishing enormous amounts of research and analysis. It offers visitors an open-air museum focusing mainly on marine science and education, conservation and interpretations of marine coastal environments. Within walking distance is their Marine Exhibition Center which offers a number of interesting exhibits, explained both in English and Spanish. Some of these are: Panama: abundance of fish; Sea Turtles: mysterious navigators; Sea Aquarium; Marine invertebrates touching pool; Marine Physical process; Rise of the Isthmus: Panama's People and Oceans; Ocean Pollution; From the Reef. The most demanding entertainment available might be the use of their free telescope to view the ships passing on their way North and South in the Panama Canal.

Ancon Hill

No matter where you are in Panama City you cannot miss the huge Panama flag atop a very prominent landmark - Ancon Hill, about 650 feet high. It is definitely a challenge to find the road that leads up there and actually getting all the way to the top. You start by finding your way to Balboa which was originally a Canal Zone town and Quarry Heights, where the US Southern Command is located. You start driving up you arrive at a parking area and once you get out of your car you will find some of the most amazing views of Panama City, the Canal and all the areas surrounding it.

When you are up there you must admit it is the most spectacular view! Fabulous photo ops ever! It certainly makes your day!

Something smells fishy.....

Somewhere along Avenida Central as you wind your way to Casco Viejo you will find the Mercado de Mariscos or Fish Market. There is a Japanese flag on the sign BUT it is because the building was a gift from the Japanese government. On the top floor upstairs is a restaurant that overlooks the floor of the market where you can see all the vendors selling their seafood. That makes for a pretty nice show because it can really be incredible. You can buy your entree from one of the vendors and take it to the restaurant for preparation if you wish.

The fishermen dock at the municipal pier out front and sell their catches to wholesalers who buy the entire load. The wholesalers then turn around and resell the fish to the retailers. The stand you see are individual retailers who sell to the general public. No matter what your taste is you are very likely to find it!

Casco Viejo - what is that?

Casco Viejo (Casco Antiguo or San Felipe) is the old quarter of Panama City. It was founded in 1673 after the original Pacific settlement of Panama Viejo was sacked by Henry Morgan. It is the oldest city on the Pacific coast of the Americas and remained the center of Panamanian life for 300 years until the 1930's. At that time Casco Antiguo declined as Panama's upper class moved to the suburbs.

It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 mainly because of it's blend of Spanish, French and American colonial, neoclassical and art nouveau architecture. Certain styles, such as the 16th through 18th century houses with inside courtyards, are specific to the region. Today, the buildings often contain a combination of ruins from the days of Spanish Explorers and Pirates, along with the influences of all of those who followed. To walk through Casco Viejo is definitely to walk through history. Buildings sitting side by side can be over three hundred years apart in age. Balconies are filled with flowers such as geraniums and bougainvillea wrapped around sculpted wrought iron crafted in another country. The streets are brick, and no matter which way they run, they run to the sea, because Casco Viejo is a peninsula jutting into the Bay of Panama.

It is very similar to Old San Juan (in Puerto Rico) in architecture as well as the narrow streets made out of cobblestones.

Today in Casco Viejo you will find the National Theater with black tie events. Kids diving from old ruins into the sea and indigenous people selling their crafts. Tourist shops, small clubs and sidewalk cafes, art galleries and many restaurants.

Starwood Hotels open 2 hotels in Panama!

Starwood Hotels is opening a Westin Playa Blanca Hotel not far from the city and Tocumen International Airport. In addition they are opening a Westin Panama in Costa del Este which is one of the fastest growing business centers.

There is a great need for hotels in Panama and new ones such as these will be very successful. Just keeps showing the growth being experienced currently in Panama.

FLEUR DE LANCE, from the viper family, is the largest and deadliest of the poisonous snakes. Costa Rica's most feared. Has a yellow throat. Rich brown or gray color, lives in wet and dry places. Can grow to 8 feet. Blends with surroundings, dangerous after sunset because it wonders looking for prey. Feeds off of lizards, frogs, birds....

This one was about 12-14 inches and was killed by our gardener in the front yard. This is the second one we have found this rainy season.

What happened?

When Manuel Noriega was running the show in Panama this was a Social Club for his top commanders. You can see it was severely damaged during the US invasion that took place in 1989. Since then it has been sold several times to private investors and the hope was that it would be turned into a hotel. Recently, it appeared in one of the James Bond films - Quantum of Solace - in the evening party scene. it is also used by the kids as a diving platform and often they also skate there. Even though it is very neglected it has been used for fashion shows, concerts and for filming of many commercials.

So what is missing? What happened? You can easily spot the before and after as the tree shows that it is definitely as big as it looks.

Many times the old buildings (especially when we get a lot of rain and wind) start coming apart. The tree and part of the building collapsed! The only problem with that collapse is that all the debris has blocked access to the beach. Right now this site is under renovation and reconstruction to become a luxury hotel. Perhaps that idea will finally come to pass.

El Valle de Anton

El Valle de Anton is the largest continually inhabited volcanic crater in the World. It's nestled in the second largest volcano (extinct) in the world. A five by three mile crater created when a volcano blew its top off five million years ago. The result was a lovely steep valley surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and rich volcanic soil that gives way to flowers and green forest as a result - ideal for exploring ancient (11,000 years old) historic paths. The local community is mainly descendant of the Guaymi Indian Tribe.

A major draw to El Valle is the market held every Sunday morning in a market hall on the main road. You can buy directly from the Indian artisans themselves. Apart from vegetables, fruit, plants and flowers you can buy handicrafts such as wooden bowls, paintings on wood, hammocks, molas, baskets and ceramics.

There is no real center to the town but most tourists like to go and take a look at the square trees, and golden frogs which can be found on the grounds of the Hotel El Campestre. Another place to see golden frogs is at El Nispero, a small zoo with a wide selection of native animals and birds. The are streams and the backdrop of the hills is very dramatic. The zoo is another great location to see the Golden Frog with black spots that lives only in this region and is in danger of extinction.

Another popular activity is the canopy zipline ride where you can whiz through the forest in a harness through the canopy of a rain forest ending over a waterfall. In addition you can hike the cloud forests of Gaital National Monument nature preserve where you will observe wildlife and learn more about the habitat.

A hike to the top of Sleeping Indian Woman is highly recommended. The mountain is known as La India Dormida and yoou can definitely see the mountain from town. It looks exactly like a sleeping Indian woman and has a legent attached. The hike takes about 3 hours and includes spectacular views of the valley, a waterfall and a tour of a native sugar cane mill. At the end you can cool offf in a natural swimming pool.

El Valle is one of Panama's best birding areas and you will enjoy birds going in any of the hikes or just walking around town.

Thermal Hot Waters and Mud baths can be found for just $1.00. Here you can indulge in therapeutic volcanic mud bath and you can even buy some to take home. This place is always filled with Europeans and Americans and has definitely got to be the best bargain. Just past the thermal baths you can find the entrance to Piedra Pintada: large pre-Columbian drawings of figures on huge boulders. There are no official archaeological explanations of these petroglyphs yet.

There are quite a few stores that have opened as a result of the tourist visits and there are many restaurants that you can go to have lunch for under $4.00. There are also many restaurants located in the hotels that offer a full variety of menus.

Rainy season

Today is a very appropriate day to blog about the rainy season. So far we have had rain just about every day and it is currently pouring buckets!! In Panama we have two seasons, dry and rainy, and for some reason they are also called winter and summer - which are opposite the seasons back home in North America. It just means that it rains more during certain months of the year and less in others. The rainy seasons starts in May and goes through November. With so many climate changes I personally think it starts and stops when it wants to.

When planning a road trip or any excursion, you should not wait for Mother Nature to provide you with the perfect day - you learn that after you have been here a while. Generally we dont have rainy days (but just so you know, it can happen) but short scattered showers. When it rains it can be very hard on one part of the city and not be raining in another. All tourism agencies tell you what we have also found out ~ late afternoon is a good bet for a shower and it can be pretty hard rain at times so plan the most you can in the morning. It can also include lightning, thunder and flooding.

In the mountains we get a lot more rain because we are in the rainforest. Many times we can see the coastline below and it is very sunny while we might be in the middle of a downpour. As you drive up the mountains you can tell immediately that the forest almost wants to take over the roads. There is dense vegetation, beautiful flowering plants, and quickly growing trees. The same phenomenon happens in the mountains ~ it can rain in a certain area and not rain at all just a couple of blocks away. I personally feel the lightning and thunder are stronger up here and joke about the fact that this is so because we are so much higher in the mountains.

I think the only ones that really enjoy all the rain is the kids, they just go outside and play in the rain while the rest of us have to wait it out. The best thing about the rain is the fact that everything is so green, but also it is so much cooler and fresher! It can cause delays and even heavier traffic but sometimes the good outweighs the bad. As we drive up towards the mountains you see everyone walking and going about their business when there is a downpour and I often ask my husband "don't they know it is pouring?" They usually don't carry an umbrella and it is sad to see elderly people or children walking getting totally drenched. I supposed they are used to it, but to me it is sad.

NOTE: Water ~ and lots of it ~ is essential for the operation of the 50-mile long Panama Canal. The canal watershed and associated lakes (Miraflores, Gatun and Alajuela) provides the water so that the canal is deep enough for ships to pass through and for the locks to function properly. Every ship transiting the canal requires over 50 million gallons of fresh water be flushed away.

Diablo Rojo! What is that?

Indianapolis 500 car race? Nope, but that is what you would think these people are doing. You think they are trying to see who wins! These people are the Diablo Rojos (Red Devils) or taxi drivers. When they are not in the middle of traffic they try their very best to pretend they are in the Indianapolis 500 race. The "Diablo Rojo" is very famous in Panama but also infamous! Their demise will either be a giant step forward or the death of a cultural icon. They are recycled US school buses and they have been a permanent fixture in Panama forever! Since there is no alternative, Panamanians crowd into these very decorated, loud, buses and literally hang on for dear life!

The artwork on the buses is definitely unique! I guess those of us that sit in our cars or watch from the sidewalk whereas most people need to get to where they are going and probably wonder why tourists or others like to always be taking pictures of the Diablos! They are really different. And they are hard to forget when their exhaust is ready to claim your life or at least your lungs!

You might want to take a chance and climb on board of one just so you can tell the tale one day of what it was like but I personally will remain grounded where I know I am as safe as I can get.

It is good to know they are being replaced by brand new buses that will not add more to the pollution.

Snow cones!

In Panama these are called "raspaos." As you walk around Casco Viejo or drive through any place in the country you will eventually see one of these guys, usually under a shade tree in one of the plazas. But you can also spot them moving down the sidewalks along the road, beaches or anywhere in the city. They make snow cones the old fashioned way - from a big block of ise they purchased at the start of the day.

A traditional Panamanian one means any flavor topped with cream! Usually sell for 35 cents - what a bargain!

Allbrook then and now!

When you say Albrook Mall everyone knows what that means ~ Panama's largest mall. Let's first take a look at how it got to be what it is today. It has undergone some big changes in the last 75 years.

Let's start back in the 1900's with what was called "Balboa swamp." After the completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 security concerns brought about a slow but steady increase in the numberof US military installations in the Canal Zone. In 1922 the "Balboa Fill Landing Filed" was completed and as the name implies the swamp was "filled in" and the river was diverted undergeround to make room for the airfield. in 1924 it was renamed "Allbrook Field" in honor of Lt. Frank P. Albrook - the general area is still referred to as "Albrook" although many of the facilities, including the airport,now have names honoring Panamanians.

Today: Albrook Field was expanded and improved many times over its lifetime and eventually transferred to Panama in 1979 as a result of the Panama Canal Treaty. Today, Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (still called Albrook by many) is now Panama's primary domestic airport with scheduled service to most areas of the country. This picture taken from the same location as the old photo, shows just a portion of the current airport and gives you a general idea of the changes over time. The Panama Canal can be seen in the upper left corner of the picture.

The Gran Terminal de Transporte de Albrook: This gigantic terminal (this picture only shows have its size) is the hub for bus service to every corner of Panama and international service to Costa Rica and Mexico - it sits on part of the old airport. Buses of every description, from the diablo Rojo to sleek long range expresses, depart around the clock and because it is so affordable they carre a LOT of people. During the last Carnival break in February, they estimated over 350,000 people used the terminal. While you're waiting you can eat (food court) get a haircut, do your banking and of course shop - it even has its own police station.

Albrook Mall is Panama's largest mall and as you can guess it occupies a portion of the original air base - it sits next to Gran Terminal and across the runway from the current airport's terminal. This is an area that Panama did a good job of recycling a base they received from the United States.

It is great for us because we do not have to cross town to get to this mall, we can bypass the city completely. For high end stores you will have to go to Multiplaza Mall where you will find a selection of designer shops like Hermes, Louis Vitton and others. Albrook has two "HomeDepot" type stores, three food courts, lost of ice cream and it is nice and cool. It is also two levels and VERY LONG - great for exercise. It will be very convenient for us when we have to purchase items for our construction because it can be accessed easily and quickly.

National Folkloric Festival of La Mejorana

The National Festival of La Mejorana is held this year between 22-25 September. In 1949 Manuel Zarate, with a group of friends from his hometown, Guarare, initiated a tradition that has become the most renouned festival in all of Panama. Today, 60 years later, it continues to promote Panamanian folklore and keeps protecting traditional customs that are an integral part of the provinces in Panama. Together with the Patron Saint Festival of the Virgin of Las Mercedes, the Guararenos, the people of Guarare organize each year an event that gather in this little town in the Azuero Peninsula folkloric groups with the common objective of enjoying, spreading and preserving the Panamanian culture. Musical dances, singing, bullfight, oxcart parade and other expressions and competitions take place during the festival. The "mejorana" is the type of guitar that is used for this type of music (see in poster on left) Also please note that this is this year's queen of that festival.

The beginning of construction!

Maybe a better title for this blog should be "the end of a nightmare." This is the end of a 10 month process to get a construction loan. I must pick up the story at this point because I feel that if I started at the beginning it would take too long to narrate all that we have been through: the copies we have had to make, the trips to the US Embassy, documents notarized, legal documents that have had to be drawn in the city, copies of builder chronology of construction, copies of house plans, letters that we have had to obtain from many sources for different reasons, more copies and more letters, and more legal documents, life insurance, insurance to cover builder and his employees and construction site, new insurance which is a bond required of builders so that they will not walk away and leave construction unfinished, more copies, permits, and more permits, more notaized documents.....well I imagine you get the picture.

The loan was approved three months ago. Now it has been a question of the bank and their lawyers making a series of mistakes that have caused unnecessary delays. We cannot believe it has taken this long to get our first disbursement and we have come to the conclusion that things are going to move as fast as the bank wants them to move, and that means SLOW. As it has been our custom to macro-manage this process, last Thursday I called the bank to find out if there were any news. I was told that we should be receiving our first disbursement in our savings account today. The loan manager also added that I should call my builder and make sure he is ready to start immediately because once the money gets disbursed - the six month countdown begins today.

No sooner we were up and about this morning, we received a phone call from the bank just after 8:00am. "Please come down soon this morning and get your check to give to your builder so he can get started immediately," the loan manager told me. At this point, how long can it take to get a check? Down we went and inquired about the necessary steps to obtain a cashier's or certified check. We sat down and were given several forms we had to fill out. By now we are not amazed at being told we have to fill out multiple forms. One was to provide all the pertinent information from the check, the other was to transfer funds from the savings to the checking account because funds could not be withdrawn from the savings for that transaction. After completing those my husband is told he did not sign it exactly as the passport signature, i.e., needs a middle initial not the entire middle name written out. So we had to fill out all the forms again. Then one last look and we were told that his signature, the second time around, does not look exactly like the passport signature and he needs to sign again IN A NEW SET OF FORMS. I have to admit I was about ready to give up on this entire process. They took advantage of this opportunity to remind us that even though we might get older and our hand just does not cooperate with us as when we were younger, we must sign the signature identical to what it looks like on the passport and there will be no exceptions to that rule.

On the way out the loan officer caught our attention and asked us if we could stop and wait for her to provide us with copies of all the official bank papers, i.e., a copy of the deed and a copy of a letter that informs us the amounts of the construction payments for the next six months. We are only required to pay interest only but the amount changes monthly. The she proceeded to explain to us all the different ways we could consider paying: cash in person directly with her, by automatic withdrawal if we prefer. Then she suggested that perhaps we should pay monthly but could pay every two months but monthly would definitely be so much better. After she printed the letter she informed us that she had decided to make the payments every two months. I hope you are just as confused reading this as we were trying to figure out what she was doing. Was she trying to make it easier on us by paying monthly? Your take is as good as ours.

Just about three hours later what I thought would be a quick stop seemed like an eternity. I have learned through this experience that nothing in the bank takes less than 15 minutes, but I surely thought this would not take three hours.

From there we went next door to the Municipality to pay for our contruction permit. Turned in our paper indicating the amount of our payment and were told that we needed to go upstairs to the "treasury" window, pay and bring back a receipt in return for the permit. Off we went upstairs in what seemed to us a pretty run down building, in bad need of repair, paint or maybe a complete overhaul. For the amount of money they charge for permits they could at least give the building a paint job! When we walked into the "treasury" it was an area with enought room for maybe three people to stand in front of glass windows where payments would be made. Could not see the person on the other side of the smoked glass but we did see a hand waving under the little opening above the counter. As she is giving us a receipt I glanced at a sign that says "No shorts allowed in this office" and hoped that nobody would realize that Ronnie was wearing shorts. I had forgotten that we had run into this situation in La Chorrera when we had gone to leave plans to process the first part of the construction permit. Ronnie had been chastised at the time but because he was with a very well known and respected architect from that same town they had "overlooked it" that time.

Once back home we made the call to our builder and informed him we had the "goods" and he needed to get going as soon as possible. Just as I was getting ready to get in the car to go and meet him he drove up our driveway. We were able to sit down and discuss some preliminary issues and he promises to start immediately. We will wait with excitement for work to start in our lot.

The Cinta Costera

The last trips we took to Panama before our final move allowed us to experience the traffic jams, one way roads that were blocked off, and all the detours and delays that this construction caused. I did read that the previous administration had been pressing hard to get this project finalized. Even though most Latinamerican countries are characterized by "manana" that administration wanted it completed before they left office. This was a huge undertaking, next to the expansion of the Panama Canal and was very complicated. This was the expansion of Avenida Balboa!

Now it has basically been completed and although it does not take care of solving all the traffic problems it has been a tremendous help in crossing from one end of the city to the other in a faster and easier manner.

On the left side of this photo you can see six lanes of the existing Avenida Balboa and everything to the right was water. What looks like a road near the water is a bike path and walkway with a pedestrian walkway shown in the middle. That has been completed since we arrived in Panama and traffic seems to move smoothly and easily.

The middle section houses several plazas, benches, basketball courts, soccer fields, public parking which make it even more enjoyable and friendly. They are now working just as hard to complete the portion that will take the Cinta Costera into Casto Viejo. They project this to be completed and open to the public in the next two months - time will tell, but this will also help alleviate the traffic heading into Casco Viejo on a daily basis.

Getting our Panama Driver's License

It did not take long before we needed to get our Panamian driver's license after we arrived. We used our Georgia license and knew the law required us to get a local one before 90 days were up. First stop was the US Embassy so they could put a fancy seal on a form that said that our copy of the Georgia Driver's license was a valid license. That took us about 30 minutes and cost us $50. Next stop was the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, where they seal and affix some stamps to the document we got from the Embassy and certifies those documents to be acceptable to the country of Panama. Our lawyer thank God, helped us with that part (government offices rarely accept money, but they send you to a bank then you come back with a deposit slip) and then you receive the authenticated documents and move on to the next stage. Total cost was $8.

Next stop was a blood test. We planned to be at the Lab just a block away from Sertracen (Driver License Office) as early as we could not knowing how long the wait might be - the requirements were for a blood test that verified our blood type. This information is printed on all Panamanian driver licenses. It cost us $5 each and in 15 minutes we were done and on our way down the street.

We arrived at Sertracen. We found lots of confusion and what we should do was definitely not clear to us. Obviously we had to take a number and wait our turn. I knew that "jubilados" (or retirees) get priority so I approached a clerk on the other side of the counter and mentioned that my husband was a jubilado and also "handicapped" and asked if there was a special line for us to use. This inquiry definitely raised several eyebrows not only in the clerks working there but in other folks waiting for their number to be called. However, in just a few minutes Ronnie was jumped to the front of the line and we were sitting down in front of a girl that would check his documents and make copies. It was then that I was told that HE had that privilege and that I would have to keep my number and wait my turn. I can only assume that meant that he was not only retired but also handicapped.

A short while later my number was called and I found myself right behind my husband in the processing line. By this time it was around 2pm and the office closed at 4pm so I was not sure if either of us would walk out with a driver license that day. We were each called with minimum waiting time in between for the vision and hearing tests. Then we paid the fee for the two tests and the driver license - a total of $45 - and it was just before 4pm that we both walked out of that office with our driver's licenses.

We were so thankful that we were able to do this in one day. We have heard that other expats have had to return on the second day to complete the process.

Since we got our driver's license we have had to renew it once as well. Now we can drive 30 minutes to Chorrera, the closest town to us that has a Sertracen office and all we have to do is show up, take the same tests again, pay the $45 fee for each of us and we walk out with our renewed license in about an hour's time. We no longer need to produce paperwork or drive all the way into the city and because we are jubilados we still get preferential treatment - much easier and faster!

New Link added

Please note that at the top right of the home page there is a link to my other blog about living in Panama. That blog includes all subjects including the construction of our house. I hope you visit that blog and find it interesting as well.

The Kuna Indians

Kuna, also known as the Tule, Native South American group of the Chibchan language family and of Panama. In former times Kuna occupied the greater part of the Isthmus of Panama. Cases of hereditary albinism among the Kuna have given rise to the legend of white Native Americans.

The Kuna Indians number approximately 35,000 with the majority living in the San Blas Islands and on the mainland in the Madugandi Reservation while a very small percentage live in Panama City.

They speak their own language called "tule." Many speak Spanish and some English, but in the Madugandi reservation there is little proficiency for Spanish. They live in thatched roof huts made from materials found in the jungle.

The Kuna women wear wrap around skirts and hand-made blouses known as "molas." The Mola is an intricately sewn picture made from layers of cloth in a reverse applique technique. Kuna women paint their faces with a homemade rouge made from achiote seeds. They usually wear a nose ring and paint a line down their nose.

The Kuna have the most advance political system of any tribal group in Latin America, and possibly the world. They have three village chiefs who manage village politics and a series of meetings called congresos; they conduct electrions through the village and nationally as well.

They are animists: they believe in a creator God who is far away from them and that the poni, groups of malevolent spirits roam the earth entering people's bodies causing sickness and disease. They use the nuchus, small dolls made out of balsa wood, to protect them from the poni. The saila, or Kuna chief, speaks for God much like a prophet telling the people what they need to do so God will be pleased with them. They believe they must work to please God sohe does not send an earthquake or other terrible thing against them. The vast majority of the Indians in Madugandi have never heard a clear message of the Gospel message.

A Kuna woman selling some Molas in Casco Viejo. It is very common to find them selling their Molas on plazas or on sidewalks. They can be very expensive as it is an incredible detailed work all done by hand. Many Molas are now incorporated into T-shirts, cloth purses, kitchen towels and other decorative pieces for the home. Normally there are several layers in each piece and the more layers the more expensive the piece is! You can try to bargain but they do not always budge, and you can tell from the detail that it is very time consuming. Many times as you walk down the streets in Casco Viejo you can see them sewing the pieces.

Ferry to Isla Taboga

The Capypso Queen will provide views of the Pacific Ocean leaving for Isla Taboga from the Amador Causeway pier daily.

The island of flowers, or Isla Taboga, is located in the Gulf of Panama, 12 miles south of Panama City, and it takes less than an hour by ferry ride.

There are three ferries going to Taboga daily in the mornings and three ferries returning from Taboga daily.

Isla Taboga

Although I frequently drive down the Amador Causeway and get a very clear view of that island I really did not know anything about it other than people being able to take the ferry out there daily; that many of the Carnaval customs came out of there and they hold some ofthe biggest celebrations; that the population there is very low. I was amazed at some of the historical facts I found out about it and thought I would share it with you. A lot of it I find quite interesting and hope you do too.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa, 16th century Spaniard credited with the first citing of the Pacific Ocean, and the first Spaniard to set foot on the dot called Isla de San Pedro. The name Taboga was later adopted from the Indian term "aboga" meaning many fish. Nearly 450 years after its founding the island maintains the simplicity of bygone days.

Iglesia San Pedro is claimed to be the second oldest church in the Hemisphere. The early settlers came from Venezuela and Nicaragua. They were enslaved indigenous indians who were brought to serve the needs of the Spanish Conquistadors.

The village of San Pedro was founded in 1524 by Padre Hernando de Luque, dean of the Panama Cathedral, who also lived on the island. He also provided funds to Francisco Pizarro and Diego Almagro before they set off on their conquest of the flourishing Inca Empire. Ruins still remain of those days of the conquistadors and early settlers.

Padre Luque raised vegetables and fruits on his plantation and his pineapples could well be the progenitors of the pineapple patches that pepper the island today, and some say the Hawaiian pineapple was developed through cross pollination with the Taboga pineapple. The Taboganos still venerate the priest by referring to a crystalline pool in the folds of Picacho de Vigia, the highest point on the island, as the "Pope's Pool."

Santa Rosa de Lima was conceived in Taboga ~ the first saint of this hemisphere. According to historians, the girl lived on a house in Playa Hondo on the nothern side. The house still exists today. The family later moved to Peru where she is known as Santa Rosa de Lima de Taboga. She is known for her humility and kindness to those in need. Many came to her for comfort and to learn more about their salvation. she is very well known in South America, Mexico and the Philippines.

El Morro, the little island you can walk to. Linked to the island at low tide by a sandbar, is El Morro, a small rocky islet where at the end ofthe 17th century the Spaniards established a fort to defend Taboga. During the wars of Independence, it was the three cannons in El Morro that 10 soldiers fought the attacks of Englishman John Illingworth, the Chilean warship Rosa de los Andes, and the Peruvian Frigate Pichincha.

The Three Crosses. In a later attack by John Illingworth, the invaders took Taboga. The inhabitants fleeing to the hills. Three of the invaders were killed and buried by the villagers who marked their graves with wooden crosses. Within the passing of years, cast iron crosses embeded in a mortar base replaced the wooden markers. To this day, Taboganos in the vecinity of "Las Tres Cruces" never fail to light a candle in memory of the three that dared to disturb the peace of their little island.

Isla Taboga and the Panama Canal. The island also played an important role in the construction of the Panama Canal. In the 1880's the French constructed a 50 bed $400,000 retreat for their canal workers attempting to build a canal. This same building was taken over by the United States in 1905 and used as rest and recuperation center for the Panama Canal construction workers. It served this purpose until 1915, when it became a vacation resort for the employees and their families and was known as Hotel Aspinwall. During World War I Aspinwall became an internment camp for German prisoners. After the war it was once again the hub of Taboga social life until 1945. Aspinwall is gone but many recall its activities and the part it played in the by-gone era.

PT Boats in World War II. During World War II, the US Navy had a "mosquito base" training in El Morro. The heroic record of these boats in the Pacific theatre of war proved the efficiency of officers and sailors of El Morro. IslaTaboga was also the site of attempted Japanese espionage when spy Yoshitaro Amana, head of a Japanese spy ring, tried to set up a commercial business on the island so that the Japanese could ascertain which ships were transiting the Panama Canal. He was discovered in a sting operation and deported back to Japan. Also gun placements at strategic points on Isla Taboga and lookout points atop El Morro, made it possible to increase security in the Panama Canal.

US Presence in Isla Taboga in Panama history is a treasured past and for Taboganos. Military and civilian personnel integrated themselves with island life and provided services which included improving infrastructure and providing medical services. They brought entertainment to the island by creating an outdoor cinema, participating in sports and constructing the island pier to serve visitors. Taboganos old enough to remember recall with enthusiasm the days of US military presence on the island.