RAY'S VERSION OF 50 SHADES--BUT HIS COLOR WAS GREEN

After making arrangements with the hotel owner to have an earlier breakfast (since our meeting time was at 7:55 am on Wednesday), Ray and I quickly ate watermelon, yogurt and toast.  We drove our car to where the fishing boats are docked along the main road minutes away.  TC and Emmet had secured a boat for us to go deep sea fishing for tuna.  You would have thought Santa was coming to visit Clyde a little early this year.  He has been wanting to go deep sea fishing in Panama for three years.  Emmet and TC had told us they were on three other trips in the same boat, but always a different Captain.  Deep sea fishing trips and tours can get costly here.  This trip would cost us $50 for the six of us, plus $25 for the gas Emmet provided the Captain.

The process of deep sea fishing in Cambutal or for our group that morning looked like this:

Random boats, but not for us

First, we have to get our boat, so he swam out there for it.

Pulling up the anchor.

Bringing it in (notice the sky)

All aboard!

Few horseback riders seen that morning.

 Ray, Terry and I were originally going to stay behind lounging poolside while the fishermen (and woman) caught tuna.  But whales were out there in the deep blue water, we had seen the blowholes from TC and Emmet's porch, and we hoped to see them closer.  Plus we wanted to be a part of this adventure with Clyde, TC and Emmet.

Hindsight being 20/20......

A few things to note:

--the hard candy Ray had packed for the road trip he tossed over to me to pack in our beach bag.  I didn't want to add the entire bag of candy to the bag, and I (he says curtly) told him to just take a few pieces.  I didn't think we needed candy for a two hour boat ride.  Fortunately, Ray packed the candy.  It wasn't going to be for the group.  It would be medicinal.

--the Captain and his assistant wore life vests.  We did not, and we were not offered a vest.  Emmet now knows this to mean "rough water".

--Emmet and TC  HAD TO HAVE flares, two oars, a Panamanian flag, life vests and whistles on their boat to register it in Panama.  This boat had none of these emergency staples.

--I sat in between Ray and Terry.  They could hold onto the side of the boat (good to grip later).

We set out on our three hour tour riding the big waves.  For me, it was like riding the best of roller coasters out there!  I held my arms up in the air and took each wave better than the first!  But with each wave, Ray and Terry's stomachs were tumbling a bit more.  When Clyde caught the first fish, he asked Terry to film him pulling the fish in from the water (I was recording it, also).  Her stomach became angrier when she turned herself around towards the back of the boat.  She passed the camera to Ray and from that point, she stared at the horizon.  She asked Ray to film the catch.  And once the first fish was caught, they both were then staring at the horizon.  Terry had taken half a seasickness pill that morning, since this had happened to her many years ago.  Ray ate candy.  I couldn't understand why it just didn't hold the little ziploc bag, so the candy would be right there available to him.  He explained later that he had neither his sense nor his wits about him the entire boat ride.  He had also lost a lot of color.

Meanwhile, the fish Emmet and Clyde first caught was a "bonita" fish.  Good for nothing but bait, so over the side of the boat it went back into the ocean.  A little while later, and a few more great waves, Clyde caught the first and second tuna of the morning!

Pretty awesome!

Fish two!

Clyde was happier than a pig in mud, but he had no idea why Ray and Terry weren't sharing in his enthusiasm.  Ray and Terry said with the boat moving their stomachs were better, but anytime they slowed the boat down to catch fish, their stomachs tumbled more.

After two and a half hours, the boat was headed towards the shore.  Until the birds showed up.  Ray doesn't love birds, and he didn't love these even more!  The birds are where the fish are, and this is where the Captain would redirect the boat.  Emmet came to the back of the boat to try his luck here.  I had someone to chat with--yay!  He caught nothing.  And then we saw whales far away.  I saw the waterspout in the distance and the shiny black back, but we were too far to capture a good picture or video.

While sitting in the back with me, Emmet realized my group wasn't faring too well (especially when Terry asked "how much longer"?), and he ordered the Captain to get the boat back to shore quickly.  Little did we know that they had been adding gas to the tank in hopes of catching more fish and continuing the tour a little while longer.  Clyde realized what was going on when he asked for a piece of candy.  I had to tell him he could have one, but Ray was using them medicinally for his stomach.

So if we had stayed poolside (since we didn't really see those whales), the tour could have gone on a little longer, but Clyde was happy to walk away with two tuna that equaled twelve tuna steaks.  Once back at the house (Ray and I cleaned up in our hotel room), Clyde and Emmet cleaned the fish, fileted them, packed them on ice, and they did whatever else you do to freshly caught fish.  We met again to take the waterfall tour at Villa del Mar.  Ray and Terry felt much better on land.  Ray and Clyde hopped in the back of the pick up truck, so we could all just be in one car.  We had plans to take the hike to the waterfall, and then to eat dinner at a Mexican restaurant in Playa Venao.  The weather turned stormy, thunder and lightening showed up, and it started pouring rain.  Clyde, Terry, Ray and I sat nestled in the the back seat of the truck getting to know each other a little more.  I thought it was nice that the six of us could then be in the truck together passing time.  We bypassed the waterfall tour due to the weather, and the Mexican restaurant was closed.  Always having a back up plan, we then sat our tired bodies (from all the work we had done so far!) down at an oceanside restaurant nearby ordering margaritas and beer.  Terry was being crazy with ordering Coke Light (we had many large drinks the night before), and she came over to sip some of my passionfruit frozen margarita.  We ate lunch, took pictures, enjoyed the view and each other, and plans were made for the rest of the day.  We were done touring and decided to do nothing for the rest of the day once back at the house.  We wanted to sit on the porch and stare at the ocean.  First though, Clyde, Ray, Emmet and TC secured the cable to a really tall pole at the house up the hill.  Hopefully, they will get internet soon.  (Although I think they need connectors brought back from the States, since the one's they have aren't quite the right size).

Playa Venao restaurant

The beach

TC and Emmet

Clyde and Terry

Happily retired!

Okay...you can have some but use the TINY straw!

Did I already mention "happily retired couple"

Getting windy

At the neighbors house securing the cable.

Terry and I watch the activity from the neighbor's porch

Odd vines

TC turns the pole just so....

Drinks on the porch waiting for the sun to set.

OH!  And shout out to TC--it was her 21st birthday on this fishing day!  She had a great day!
Back in Cambutal and after sitting on the porch watching the sun go down for the day, we got back into the truck in search of dinner at another local restaurant.  TC walked up to the gate (remember the day before the restaurant owner opened it for us), but she was told this restaurant would not open that night because "I am painting".  Makes sense.  Can't stop to cook if you are painting.  Since we enjoyed Hotel Playa Cambutal from two nights before, this is where we ate dinner.  This time I tried red snapper (pargo), while Terry and Clyde raved about the chicken I had had previously.  We weren't disappointed.  Another great meal with great friends.

All good things come to an end, and what a great vacation!  Thursday morning Ray and I managed to make breakfast again (!), check our emails and hang out in the lobby watching people checking out the surfboards, and the newcomers swimming early in the morning.  I bought a t-shirt as a souvenir, and when Ray decided to buy one, the owner said "it's on the house".  We then said our goodbyes to our wonderful new friends all the while making plans for future trips and visits.  We also realized again that the four of us make pretty good traveling companions!  More road trips to come!

On the drive to back to Chame, we drove along the coast stopping at Playa El Toro for picture taking and sight seeing.  Then we proceeded to the popular surfer town of Pedasi which the four of us had been to in the past.  We quickly made our way to other beach stops, and then through Las Tables to lunch in Chitre.  Most of the food on the menu was Chinese.  Clyde and Terry enjoyed a large bowl of wonton soup, Ray ordered chicken fried rice but NO french fries this time, and my grilled chicken came with a Thanksgiving-like gravy and french fries (either this or rice).  This time Ray tried my fries and unfortunately, they were disappointing.

Looking for?  Mussels?  

Selfie!

These milk cans are along the road.  Some are picked up and others just get hose put in to pull the cow's milk up and out.  And yes, a man was standing by one urinating.  Men do that a lot along the road here.

Rice field

Running of the cows!

Lunch.

Bus stop outside as well.

Wires everywhere.  And the Church.

Ray's rice.

Many artisan shops are in our area of Chame, but they tend to be more expensive, because we are close to the beach town of Coronado.  They have hammocks, planters, statues, decor to hang on the outside walls of the house, dishes, and more.  Clyde and Terry knew of one closer to the town of Chitre just before we were to hop back onto the PanAmerican Highway (or take the bend in the road).  Ray and I bought a few items, but we have our eyes on a man and woman statue wearing sombreros taking siestas.  We will return.  Clyde and Terry "need nothing", but they found a few garden sculptures and wall hangings.  They were discounted $4, and I was given a souvenir.  The woman was very kind, so I want to return for my little man.

Pottery

Wall hangings

Bananas!

Penonome is where the McDonalds is, but to me, it is where the restroom break comes in hand.  And what is McD's without an ice cream with double the caramel sauce?  There were about 50 plus children there celebrating birthdays, lining up for face painting, and even Ronald was there with an attitude.  Not a crying child to be heard--they are all so happy.  Even if they are walking in the rain (umbrellas are mostly carried when the sun is blazing hot).

We drove through some heavy downpours arriving to Chame and unloading Clyde and Terry at their house where their two super happy dogs were waiting for them!  Our vacation ended, and chores began such as laundry.  Yesterday, while Ray was changing his online banking password at the bank (it was the right word, but it didn't work), I had my blood taken for those eight tests.  $80, and I can pick up the results "mañana".  I was fourth in line, but I was out the door within fifteen minutes!  And I made sure to bring a purple band-aid with me, since Ray wasn't given one, but this time the man was ready to give me one of his.  I wore my bright purple one instead.  (Today I went to pick up the results, but from what I understood after the man's long explanation is that they will be ready Monday.)

Ray and I muffled our way through our Spanish lesson (she took it easy on us, but we had practiced a bit in Cambutal) and last night we attended our whopping third happy hour in the six weeks we have lived here.  I mention this because many expats attend many happy hours weekly.  We were meeting a couple that found my blog, and they had just arrived four days ago.  Clyde and Terry came along a little while later, the six of us chatted and then once we moved away from the band,  others joined our group to catch up. Stomachs growling though, Clyde, Terry, Ray and I decided to grab dinner at Leonardo's.  After three attempts of ordering chicken and salad, I threw in the towel and ordered delicious pizza.  It wasn't meant to be to have any grilled chicken this past week.

And finally today!  I know, will this post never end!  A lazy morning with loud thunder and heavy rain.  Ray and I caught up with our daughter who is staying very busy spending LONG days at her new teaching job (new school and new grade), and busy nights and weekends hanging out with friends attending weddings, concerts, trivia nights, wine festivals--it runs the gamut!  Then we took a drive to the RioHato Fish and Produce Market.  Most things were closed.

This new restaurant has, supposedly, a five star chef (but it is in such a non-descript area).

The nursery was still open.

Inside the building is the fish and produce market.  And the artisan stands had closed for the day.

 We bought our produce and fruit at the reliable San Carlos Market instead, unloaded it into the house and finally headed to the car wash.  There are many roadside car washes, but Clyde shared one with Ray that seems most popular, because it has a bar and outdoor restaurant nearby.

This young girl is making the food for the men under the bohio.  And then she made my batido.

Pineapple batido.

The man takes the car into the bay VERY slowly.

This is the restaurant/bar side of the lot.

Our car is in the middle (the car next to it had about a two hour washing job!)

There are Alison Car Washes and Alison discos in Panama!  (New bays being built to the left)

Ray checks mail and drinks beer.  For the most part, he just watched and took it all in.

There were two crates under the table with empty beer bottles.  There was  a tv above our head showing "House" in Spanish.

So clean!  

We arrived to this car wash at 1:45 (we will go much earlier and perhaps not on a weekend the next time).  Ray had a beer (.75 bottle), and I had a yummy good (!) pineapple batido (smoothie for $1.50).  We sat under the LARGE bohio.  Men that were there ahead of us were on their fourth round of beers.  Our car was taken into the bay at 2:15....or so.  TIP (This is Panama).  $5 later for the car wash and two beers for Ray, we had a SQUEAKY clean car at 3:30.  Oy vey.  What a day at the car wash!  Inside and out though, the car looks amazing!  So believe it or not, this is all I got!  Until next time (like tomorrow!), stay tuned for whatever else it is Ray and I come up with for our days in this thing we call retirement in Panama!