The Rich Life of Panamanian Children

Detail of a mural in progress on the side of a grocery store in El Valle de Anton, Panama

Who truly is "rich?" Who is "better off?" Do fancy toys, video games, plasma TVs and other "necessities" of modern childhood really make for well-adjusted, truly happy kids?

The children in our small mountain town in Panama don't have a movie theatre, Best Buy store or McDonald's. They do have strong family ties, a sense of community, simple, abundant and fresh food, and the natural world with its fresh air and sunshine. They have neighbors who know their names and look out for them if mom is not around (and even if she is). They have big brothers and sisters who hold their hands and walk them to school, or let them ride side-saddle with them on their bikes. They have moms and dads that play baseball or soccer with them in the yard.

The children in our town have a foundation of faith, and worship in tiny, open-air chapels, the big Catholic Church on the main street, in the high school, houses... even an old candy factory.

Families go out to dinner, lay around on patios and in hammocks on a Saturday afternoon, take shopping trips to town in buses... well, you get the idea. Family means everything here.

Is life perfect? Of course not. Many of the parents work at jobs that pay only $10 per day (you read it right - per DAY!), and they have bills to pay, like rent, water and propane. Most of them have cell phones - although those devices are not as ubiquitous as they are in other places, Panamanians are catching up quickly. The big news in Panama this week has been that it is "Regreso a Clases" time ("Back to School"), and like parents all over the world, this means extra expenses for school supplies. A newspaper article that I read in today's Dia a Dia (a newspaper that resembles the New York Post) quoted parent after parent lamenting how the cost of uniforms, books, paper and all of the other "utiles escolares" were more expensive than last year.

Tom and I love kids. Ours are now in college, and it's no secret that not long ago, I had a bit of an "empty nest" crisis. I'm happy to say that I did get over it, and that's when Tom and I decided to embrace our empty nester-hood (which, according to more experienced friends, might be short-lived as the birds often return to the nest) and have this adventure. So, we tend to coo over babies, try out our pathetic Spanish skills on little kids, and have conversations with teenagers about Selena Gomez and the Lone Ranger. We have been known to buy treats at the kiosk at La Pintada for as many kids as happened to be there at a given time. Tom plays peek-a-boo with babies on buses and I take way too many pictures of them.

Here are some pictures that we think show the rich and happy life that we see children living, every day, all around us. We hope you enjoy them.

We came upon this giggling group of swimmers in a pool under a waterfall on one of our mountain hikes. When they saw us, they showed off their cannon ball skills.

Mother and sons on the way to do some shopping. Sometimes buses are crowded, but they don't mind sitting 3 to a seat!

Adorable little girl on the local bus.

Taking a break from playing to enjoy some shade and a snack.

Best friends play after church.

These talented acrobats were more than willing to show us their skills!

This little guy has to sit out and just watch for now, but soon he will be big enough to join the fun.

The best treat in town - shaved ice, with your choice of flavored syrup, and cream added if you want (you want!). 50 cents each - a great deal. And look at the muscles on this lady!

It's not common, but some folks still get around on horseback around here, including the kids!

A chance meeting at a Panama beach leads to "Six Minutes To Freedom"

While enjoying a day at the beach (Santa Clara) recently, Tom and I met a young American family. The Mom, Ingrid, was tending to baby Maren, while Dad (Erik) was speaking with the housekeeper at his nearby hotel room. We overheard this young man from Chicago speaking excellent Spanish, so we asked him how he came to be fluent.

In a casual way, Erik told us that he had been born and raised in Panama, but had be forced to flee at the age of 12 with his family because of his father's involvement in the undermining of General Manuel Noriega's notoriously oppressive regime. Well, this caught our interest, to say the least! In the course of further conversation, Erik told us about his father, Kurt Muse, and that a book had been written about the family's ordeal, his rescue and how it was interwoven with the overthrow of Noriega in 1989.

After saying our goodbyes to the Muses, Tom and I decided that we needed to read this book, so we ordered it for our Kindle 3G right away, with me winning dibs on the first read!  Once I had finished the book, which I found difficult to put down, I knew that I should share my review with our followers.

Even for those who don't have much interest in Panama, or its history and politics, this is still a fascinating story. For those who want to visit or live in Panama (or who live here now), reading the book will definitely give some perspective as to how far the country has come in terms of personal liberty. It's hard to image that such an oppressive police state existed here as recently as 1989; in 2012, people are free to raise families, build businesses, live their lives, without the fear of imprisonment and torture because they may have criticized the government.

The strong faith of the entire Muse family and their friends, as demonstrated throughout the course of their escape from Noriega's thugs, give an added depth to the story. The quiet dignity of Kurt Muse as he endures months of interrogation, psychological torture and confinement in the notorious Modelo prison is as inspiring as his unwavering faith. I must say that I really enjoyed this book, and it has piqued my interest in learning more about Panamanian history and politics.

If you would like to check it out, the book can be ordered, in Kindle format or "old school style", by clicking the book title in Amazon box below. Enjoy!!

Hiking La India Dormida...or How I Learned to Love My Ample Backside

La India Dormida - The Sleeping Indian Girl

The Legend of La India Dormida goes like this:

Flor del Aire was the daughter of Urraca, the most successful Chief in Panama fighting against the Conquistadores. It was her misfortune to fall in love with one of the Spanish soldiers. Yavari, one of the strongest fighters of her tribe, vied for her affection. When she did not return his love, in despair, he jumped to his death from a mountain top before the Princess' eyes. In sorrow, Princess Flor del Aire left her home and never saw the Spaniard again.

She crossed mountains and valleys bitterly weeping over her fate. Above the beaches of the Caribbean, she fell dead, looking back at the beloved mountains where she had been born. The mountains were so touched by this sad love story they decided to form the shape of the Princess, and that is how the India Dormida arose.

From the El Valle de Anton website

Based on Presbitero José Noto, De Historia de El Valle de Anton
Borrowed by El Rugidor Vallero

Besides being the subject of this evocative legend, the mountain that looms over El Valle is a popular hiking destination for residents and day-trippers. For the indigenous populations, however, the trails that criss-cross the mountain are vital routes between homes and jobs, the market, school and church.

Tom and I decided one morning that we would head up to an area of town known as La Pintada, home to the Petroglyphs, and one of the trail heads for the hike to the top of La India. Our goal was NOT to climb the mountain - it didn't even cross our minds - but merely to go and check out the mysterious drawings on the rocks. I mention this fact in the hopes that you will cut us some slack when I also mention that 1.) we didn't bring any water, and 2.) I was wearing my Keen hiking SANDALS and not my brand new Keen hiking BOOTS. Tom was wearing his Keen boots, prepared man that he is. And actual hiking socks!

Oh yes... and I was carrying a purse. With both of my Nikon cameras in it, but still... a purse.

Upon arriving at the site (take the "Dona Lucy" bus from downtown El Valle - it says, "La Pintada - Capirita" on the front), we paid our entrance fee. Being "Extranjeros" - foreigners - and not eligible for a discount for being neither jubilados (retirees) nor ninos (children), we paid the highest possible fee of $1.25 each. After a leisurely walk up the sloped sidewalk and over a lovely swimming hole occupied by frolicking local children, we quickly arrived at the enormous rock upon which the petroglyphs appear. While no one really knows who made these drawings or what they represent, there are theories that these are maps of caves, water sources and other landmarks of the area. It's fun to look at the petroglyphs and imagine what kind of people put them there so very long ago.

What you pay at the entrance depends on who you are, where you come from and how old you are...

Petroglyphs... no one is really sure who made these drawings...

or what they mean.

While we were viewing the petroglyphs, our little day trip began to get interesting. An Indian man of about 55 years old, in rubber boots, appeared next to us and began speaking to us in Spanish. We got the basic idea that he wanted to show us some waterfalls up the trail, and even though we knew this probably meant that we were hiring a guide, we nevertheless followed him.

In his rubber boots, the man was way ahead of us in moments and looked back at us to see if we were still following him. As we trudged up the steep trail, huffing and sweating, our guide was leaping along as if the terrain was flat. Whereas we had spent years sitting at desks working on computers, he had been walking up and down this mountain. Tom was having an easier time than I was, having been in better shape to begin with.

We soon arrived at a lovely waterfall and pool, and thought, "Ok, this wasn't so bad, and now we can head back to town for lunch"... but our guide said that just 15 minutes up the trail was another, even more impressive waterfall. "Ok, vamanos," we said and continued our climb. By now, it was obvious that we were going to try to make it all the way to the top.

Tom at a waterfall at the base of the mountain.

So peaceful.

Looking happy before the climb got gnarly!

With our guide ahead of us, we climbed higher and higher, hearing the refreshing sound of falling water as we neared several waterfalls, feeling the mountain breezes, and stopping frequently so I could catch my breath! By now, Tom was carrying my purse (in a very heroic, manly way!), and as we were passed numerous times by old men with loads of vegetables, building materials and firewood, I began to wonder if it wasn't a good time to admit defeat and head back down the mountain. Just then, we looked up to see an elderly, yet very fit, American woman coming down the trail. She told us that it was still about 45 minutes hike to the top, and yes, it was worth it! Then came the clincher... she said the was well over 60, and though the remaining climb was steep and difficult, she had made it. So, it was officially on. We were going to the top, and that was it.

70 year old men go up and down all day long with loads of wood, vegetables...

pipes... anything and everything they need to transport.

A short time later, we came to another rock with petroglyphs on it, which marked the end of the portion of the hike that the guide would accompany us. He explained that we should continue on the trail, and with the blue sky looking close, it seemed that the rest of the hike would be easy. We gave him three and a half balboas (he wanted five), and then continued up the trail, stopping here and there to rest at clear mountain streams and take photographs.

Interesting fungus on a tree.

Vines of flowers climb up the trees and cover the forest floor.

We soon saw a sign up in a tree, and we knew we were getting close to the top. After some clambering over steep parts of the trail, slippery with loose stones, we could see through the trees that there was a little house way up on the top of the mountain.

After hiking for about an hour, we saw this sign welcoming us to La India Dormida. From here, it was another 40 minutes to the top.

Seemingly out of nowhere, this immaculately tended garden appeared on the side of the trail. On the other side of the trail, we saw a couple cutting and burning brush to clear more gardening space. We called to them to ask if we were still on the trail, and hadn't somehow stumbled on their private property. After some back and forth conversation in Spanglish, Tom and I were invited up to la casa by the Lady of the Mountain.

Neat rows of vegetables and herbs grace the mountain top.

As we walked past a shed and chicken coop, the incredible view of El Valle opened up before us. The modest house looked out on a view that made us speechless. As we admired the scene, curious puppies ran over to greet us, and our hostess offered us each a cup of MUCH-needed water from her well, along with 2 large round lemons from her tree. After admiring the many flowers in the garden and thanking our hostess for her kindness, Tom and I set off for the trail back down the mountain.

Our hostess -- this "India" sure wasn't sleeping when we met her!

The view from La India's porch.

One of many chickens who lives on the mountain top.

I had never seen a poinsettia growing in the wild! What a delight to see this in La India's garden.

Bananas almost ready for market... somebody is going to have to carry these down the mountain!

Feeling refreshed and triumphant, we set off down the trail. Almost immediately we (mostly me, in my sandals) realized that the trail that was steep and slippery on the way up, could present the danger of falling on the way down. Always concerned about falling the wrong way and injuring my "bad" knee, I perfected the art of falling on my backside after 2 or 3 slips. I spent the remainder of the trip down the mountain giving silent thanks to Chick-Fil-A and Jersey Mike's Subs for helping to provide the padding that made my falls less painful! As we approached the trail head, we passed swimming holes filled with laughing, splashing children and women going back and forth to the market.

We don't know if we'll will hike up this La India Dormida trail again, but we will certainly seek out other mountain trails near El Valle to explore. Our hope is that we can one day be at least half as fit as the people who use the mountain trails on a regular basis. And, on subsequent hikes, I will be sure to wear my hiking boots and Tom will carry plenty of water..!

What We Miss About "Home" - Franklin, TN - Parte Dos!!

Rusty at the Factory

Today, February 15th, marks the 1 month anniversary of the start of Our Awesome Middle-Aged Adventure... or at least the Panama part of it (We actually consider the real beginning to be over a year ago, when we vowed to change our lives.). Back in December, 2011, we wrote a post about what we thought we would miss about Franklin, TN, our home in the States. If you are new to this blog, see: our original "what we'll miss about home" post .

As it turns out, we do fondly remember and long for the people, places and things we wrote about back in December. While we don't consider ourselves to be "homesick," let's face it... there are certain things that you can't bring with you, and these particular people, places and things come to mind today.

History, charm and authenticity... these are characteristics of Franklin that we love. A great example of this is how the old stove factory, left derelict and abandoned for many years, was transformed into The Factory. The Factory has shops, restaurants and  meeting spaces for churches, music lessons, karate, etc. Additionally, the parking lot is where the Farmers' Market is held every Saturday. This sculpture ("Rusty") stands tall and proud at one of the entrances, and he is made of all sorts of cast off metal gizmos that we believe were gathered here during the transformation of the building. Rusty is arriving for work at the factory, all  ready for the day. And he even brought his lunchbox..!

Here's a full-length view of Rusty - He's huge!

Embarking on an adventure always means that new people will come into your life in surprising and wonderful ways! Back in September, 2011, Tom and I had to move out of our little duplex in Franklin, and with only 4 months remaining until our exodus to Panama! This meant that leasing a new place in Franklin would be out of the question, so Tom and I did something that we never considered doing: we became roommates with a person that we didn't previously know. It could have only been the work of God that brought us together with Stacey Carden, who had just decided that her 3 bedroom home was just a little too big for one person! As soon as we learned that we had to move out of our place, we got online and checked Craigslist. Lo and behold, Stacey had just placed her ad for a room for rent. We wrote to Stacey and asked her if she would consider renting the room to a couple of crazy people who had sold almost all of their possessions and were planning to go off traveling. Being the easy-going free spirit that she is, Stacey said, "come on over!"

It turned out that we all got along famously - 3 "mature" people who love to eat, swap stories and laugh - and those 4 months sped by. It made us all say repeatedly, "Why did we not do this months ago?." Besides allowing Tom and me to save a lot of money for our trip, and give Stacey some good income on her unused space, it was just FUN. As we moved into Stacey's place with just the stuff we were planning to bring with us on our trip (half of which eventually ended up at Goodwill anyway), it really brought home the fact that we were actually DOING THIS.

While in residence at Stacey's House of the Wayfaring Travelers, we got to be the grateful recipients of our host's selfless hospitality: not the least of which are her amazing cooking skills. Stacey makes the best pot roast in the world. Many folks who know her will agree. And it's not just the pot roast. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn casserole...the list goes on and on. And she's not shy about using the butter! And being the outgoing soul that she is, and one of nine kids (or is it ten? I lose count), there are always friends and family around her. We were fortunate to get to know Ann, Stacey's delightful Scottish mom, as well as her good buddy Linda, and when we mixed our kids into the group, it was always a party. When we left Stacey's house on January 14th, there were hugs and tears and we will always have love and gratitude in our hearts for this very special lady!

Two of the classiest ladies in Franklin: Stacey and Ann Carden.

By now everyone in our orb knows that I am a great lover of espresso, and Starbucks is my "habit." I'm not being paid to shill for Starbucks, and yes, I realize that other places sell espresso. But my Starbucks experience has always been about the people who work there as much as the coffee. For some reason, Starbucks seems to attract employees who are typically cooler, funner and nicer than other places. Or, as Tom theorizes, it might just be me, since I tend to talk to everyone. Whatever IT is, the point is that some of my dearest friends work at the Cool Springs Starbucks and Jesse is one of them! No matter how bad his day might be going, you would never know it.

Our dear friend and favorite barista, Jesse Estrada.

Another great thing about Franklin is the Harpeth River. Even though the Harpeth got a little bit "out of hand" a few years ago and flooded part of the town, it is typically a very tame body of water. The river snakes through Franklin, and you can cross over it numerous times as you pass through town. Here in El Valle, the Rio Anton does the same thing, and Tom cracks me up as we walk around town, crossing the "Panamanian Harpeth" over and over.

The Harpeth River winds its way through Franklin.

In the months preceding the Adventure, Tom and I worked as much as possible to earn money for our trip. In addition to my "main job," I also worked weekends at a local department store called Stein Mart. Tom increased his hours at his job, so we really did not have much time to spend together during the weekends. Knowing that we would have plenty of time to spend together on our trip made it all worthwhile (although the waking up at 4 am some days for Tom did get old). While we don't miss WORK at all, we do miss some of our former co-workers (Tom sez: "ALL of mine - those kids're good kids!"). During my last week of work at the mortgage company where I was a compliance manager, there was a wonderful goodbye luncheon thrown in my honor by the sweetest co-workers anyone could ever ask for. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to Amber, Brian, Clay, Brittany, Stephanie and everyone!

Susan's former colleagues at her going away lunch.

Now, for the greatest "void" we are feeling today - we miss our family! We miss Tom's parents and sister and brother-in-law in Tucson, Arizona and my brother in Albany, New York, and my dearest friend Shari, in Brooklyn. And we miss our kids, Thomas and Alex, like crazy! Both of them are students at the University of TN, and are very busy with classes, jobs and activities, so they probably don't miss us quite as much. We are looking forward to Spring Break when they will visit us here in Panama and we get to act as tour guides in our new home.

Our kids - Thomas and Alex - at UT's Neyland Stadium

Now here's a quick rundown of all of the "other stuff" we miss about Franklin, TN:

Everyone knows by now that Tom and I enjoy good grub. While Panama has fantastic dining options, every now and then we crave a taste of home. The following Franklin restaurants come to mind at present:

• The Bunganut Pig. I dream of their perfect hamburger and onion rings, sublime Spring, Summer and Fall evenings on the patio listening to live music, and the fact that their professional wait staff can take your order without needing to write it down (and they get it right 99% of the time!). Tom misses their ribeye steaks, onion rings and the friendly atmosphere of the place. We always felt like friends, rather than customers, every time we showed up.

• Jersey Mike's. A regular number 7 on wheat, thankyouverymuch. Mayo AND oil and vinegar. Heaven!

• Chick-Fil-A. Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Nothing more needs to be said.

• Mellow Mushroom. Kosmic Karma pizza and Capri Salad for me, Funky Q BBQ Chicken pizza for Tom and the cool libations of our choice. A table with a view of the square would be great! After dinner, we'll take a walk down the street to Starbucks and Sweet CeCe's for coffee and dessert.

• Shane's Rib Shack. Tom's go-to for down home BBQ ribs and a large sweet tea. I'll have the loaded baked potato. Mmmm  mmmm!

• Logan's Road House. Another place for delicious ribs. I took Tom here for his first TN meal, and it sure did give the right impression!! I love the blackened tilapia and a nice big sweet potato with butter and cinnamon.

There is a lot more we miss - such as the way people pray before meals and no one looks twice (here in Panama we are a bit of an oddity in restaurants when we say "grace," but that's ok!); the way "strangers" on Main Street start chatting and become friends; the way that a "Kroger Alert" can occur with just the slightest threat of a snowstorm.

So, Hello to everyone in Franklin! You are always in our thoughts and prayers!

Beaching It!! At Playa Santa Clara, Panama

 

Playa Santa Clara

We'd heard that, of the beaches of the Pacific coast of Panama, Santa Clara is perhaps the finest. So, we decided on Monday morning that the following day would be the ideal day for a trip to la playa. A quick internet search showed that the choices for accommodations were very limited (and not cheap); we opted to reserve a casita at Las Sirenas (The Mermaids), which looked to be the nicest and best value ($130 per night for a casita that sleeps 4, has a fully stocked kitchen - sans food, of course, and has a lovely patio complete with hammock, steps from the beach!).

To reach Santa Clara from our home in El Valle, we took the one of several buses that would get us "down the mountain" to Las Uvas. This is a small village where the El Valle road meets the Pan-American Highway. We disembarked at Las Uvas, and waited on the northwest corner for a bus going anyplace near Santa Clara. Within minutes, a bus headed for the town of Penonome appeared, and knowing that it would pass Santa Clara, we hopped on. It only took about 10 minutes before we arrived in Santa Clara, where we hailed a taxi to take us to the beach, and Las Sirenas.

Total cost for buses and taxis from El Valle to Las Sirenas: $7.  Time to get there: 40 minutes (normally, it would have been a shorter trip, but our bus down the mountain had a soft tire and the driver had to stop several times to use a can of "Fix-A-Flat").

Upon arrival at Las Sirenas, we were greeted by Senor Ines, who explained everything we would need to know, and accepted our credit card payment. (We only absorbed a fraction of what was said, as Senor has no English and our Spanish, is um, under construction!). A quick inspection assured as that our casita more than met our needs, and within moments we were swimsuit-clad and headed to the beach.

Room tip!! Try to book casita number 11, which is steps from the beach. Numbers 6 -10 are also close to the beach, but a little further inland. The hillside casitas (1-5) have amazing views of the ocean, if that's what you prefer, but it's a bit of a walk uphill when you come back from the beach, all tired and sunburnt.

On this glorious Tuesday, the sands were blissfully uncrowded and the quiet was interrupted only occasionally by the sounds of gulls, laughing children, and the roar of speedboats and ATVs.  The water temperature was about 75 degrees, which tempted us to stay in longer than we should have (if you and/or your companions are fair-skinned, like Tom is, slather on the 70 SPF!). Las Sirenas has several covered bohios - the shade lets in some sun, but filters much of it - where we retreated for a siesta. (The hammocks at Las Sirenas are world-class siesta locations, a fact to which I can personally attest!)

A word about the undertow at Playa Santa Clara -- it is very strong! Don't swim out too far unless you are practicing for the Olympics.

Just down the beach from Las Sirenas are la playa's only dining and drinking options. Santa Clara Beach Bar and Grill is owned by Jennifer and Warren, 2 charming Canadians, and the bar is well-tended by Tennessee-born Curtis. Desayuno (breakfast) is served all day here, so you can enjoy your veggie omelet or a yummy meat-based dish with a cold Atlas beer if you're so inclined! They also serve chicken, hamburgers and my favorite - corvina in garlic. The bar area is set up with tables for dining, or you can sit out on the patio - it's all open to the sea and air; just a perfect place to wile away the hours. For those who are day-tripping, the bar rents "rancheros" (little bohios) with 2 hammocks for $10!

It is said that the entire country of Panama is "just a small town," where, sooner or later, a person will run into someone they know. We found evidence of this when we had our evening meal at Santa Clara Beach Bar and ran into 3 people we knew from El Valle, as well as vacationing Maine inn owners Terri and Kevin (whom we had met while they were passing through El Valle). [Terri and Kevin, if you read this, please let us know how you enjoyed the rest of your trip!]

Further down the beach is Las Veranderas hotel and its restaurant. We haven't heard anything about the hotel, so we can't recommend it, but the dogs sleeping in the sand outside seemed pretty content! The restaurant is spacious, and surrounded by palm covered shade structures, making this a great spot for escaping that strong Panamanian sun. The breakfast is basic and satisfying; my omelet with a side of fried yucca, and Tom's bistec pichada, were an excellent start to our Wednesday morning.

Although we were sorely tempted to stay at Las Sirenas for another night, we had planned to meet friends in Coronado so we had to depart from this little paradise. Senor Ines gave us a ride to the bus stop, and we were on our way! Our trip to the beach was wonderful, and it won't be our last by any means. But coming back to El Valle, with the coolness, abundance of flowers and "green-ness," made us glad that we have chosen this little town as "home."

We hope you enjoy these photos of Las Sirenas and Playa Santa Clara!

The view of the ocean from the Las Sirenas entrance.

Our patio... the hammock is addicting!

This neat bougainvillea covered tunnel leads to the beach.

The kid in you will make you want to walk through the tunnel over and over....

Las Veranderas

Along with sea gulls, you might even spot hermit crabs skittering along the sand.

View of the beach from the Santa Clara Beach Bar and Grill

Folks enjoying the beach.

El Tominator at sunset with a cold Atlas. Cheers!

Beach dogs... ahhh, what a life!

Sunset stroll.

Peace!

Pan-American Highway Road Trip - Capira to Santa Clara

This past Sunday, Tom and I were invited to spend the day exploring some sites off the Pan-American Highway between Capira and Santa Clara. Our friends Eric and Debbie, who also live in El Valle, picked us up early in morning for the excursion. Eric and I share a love of photography, and had been planning a "photo safari" so we could practice our hobby. Debbie and Tom, both lovers of sweeping vistas, were great sports as Eric and I fiddled with equipment (Eric) or took dozens of frames from slightly differing angles (me), and just generally hung out taking pictures for a good, long time.

Eric had already scouted out this area - the Mirador National Park - which is a good thing, as it is up a long, winding road and is not really the type of place that one just happens across. There are some little pull-off areas for cars, and a viewing platform, so that an incredible view of the Chagres River flowing into the Pacific Ocean may be enjoyed:

This neat little house is situated to take full advantage of that gorgeous view. Debbie and I thought this might be the perfect house for us...if only the grocery store wasn't so far away...

It's hard not to sit and stare for a long time...

Debbie and Eric - they are happily retired and living in Panama!

Driving farther up into the mountains, it's one magnificent scene after another. There are some quiet little villages tucked away in the hills, which had modest homes surrounded by lovingly-tended gardens. We'll have to go back and explore them someday!

Birds of prey such as hawks and Harpy eagles ride the thermals...

When I look at this photo, I can't help thinking that the von Trapp family is going to suddenly appear and break into "The Sound of Music."

Back out on the Pan-American highway, heading west, there is an incredibly intriguing place that compels a closer look! There are hectares of metal and wooden parts of endless variety and origin, and near the road there are numerous examples of what the ingenious owner can craft out of all of that "stuff."  There are dinosaurs, conquistadors, giant insects, horses, dragons, elephants (oh, my!)...

This reminds me of a horse statue in Fountain Hills, Arizona, made in a similar fashion.

This is quite a handsome and happy guy.

This car is mostly made of old parts that have nothing to do with cars! Our son, Thomas, would like this one.

This pterodactyl is something our daughter, Alex, would appreciate.

"Take me to your leader!"

After all of the vista viewing, picture taking, sculpture perusing and driving, we started looking for a place to get some good criollo (local) food. There are lots of restaurants, fondas (small restaurants) and parrilladas (grills) all along the highway. We pulled into a parrillada - you will know you have found one when you smell the meat cooking before you even see the place! Typically, parrilladas will have various dishes based upon the meats being grilled, such as pollo (chicken), cerdo (pork), chorizo (sausage) and carne (beef). There are usually accompaniments on offer such as arroz (rice) and patacones (fried plaintains), but this place had arepas (similar to flattened cornbread stuffed with cheese)! Anyone who knows me or has read this blog more than once knows that I love cheese - so I quite enjoyed my pollo con arepas, muchas gracias!

Chorizo and arepas on the grill.

Hot off the grill.

With full bellies, we continued going west on the Pan-Americana, all the way to Santa Clara. While in Santa Clara, we stopped by the XS Hotel right off the highway to visit the fantastic collection of birds that live on the property. The hotel itself is very nice, with an inviting pool and lush landscaping. One of the macaws spends the better part of the day in the tree near his cage, only using the cage for eating and sleeping! He looks extremely pleased with this situation.

What's next?

Tomorrow, we will be heading down to Santa Clara for a few days of "beach time," and our next report will detail that area of the Pacific Coast. Many folks have contacted us with questions about the desirability of one Panama beach area versus another, and since we chose to (initially) live in the mountains, we can't really answer that question yet. Tom and I do enjoy the beach and will probably move closer to it at some point; however, we are learning that beaches and beach towns in Panama vary greatly. So, we are taking on the arduous and unpleasant task of assaying as many beach towns as possible for the benefit of our readers!