2RetireesInPanama: SUCCESSFULLY MADE APPOINTMENT, AND A ROAD TRIP THROWN IN THERE

Today after Spanish lesson, with our teacher's encouragment and help with words and phrases, Ray and I picked up Clyde and Terry and drove to San Carlos Hospital. Originally, Terry was going to drive us there, and the two of us would go in to make our mammogram appointments (I promise the whole post won't be about xrays). Clyde decided to go along, and so Ray did as well. There was a line at the radiology window, so I knew to ask if it was the line. We were told that there was a line, yes, but they weren't waiting in it. Meaning, there was a woman at the counter, but the other women we were speaking to were not on that line behind that women. Follow? We handed the man our "referencia" or order, and then we were told we could return October 21st. Nope, no good. Neither one of us are in town that day. I asked about the 27th, 28th, or even in November. I couldn't remember what dates were good for Terry, so I was only asking dates like on the game show Price is Right. You know the game where you have to guess the price of the two items within so many seconds. You say "25, 26, 27" all the while Bob and now Drew say "higher, higher" until eventually you get it right! So our appointment is on Halloween. We don't do this together, of course. We do have two separate appointment times, and the cost is $20. We did not ask if this is with the discount. He had our Pensionado Visa cards, so maybe the fee he wrote down is what we pay? Unsure. Another blogger paid $35 for mammogram and chest x-ray. We'll find out in a few weeks. We were given a piece of paper with the appointment time on it along with our instructions of what not to do prior to the x-ray and also to let them know if we are pregnant. This was stapled to our order.
Note here that while Terry was listening to what the man behind the glass was saying, I was standing behind her on my tippy toes listening and reading his lips. The glass was not clear, it was not a full window of glass, it was a dimpled glass wall with a two inch crack down the center. This is the crack we could see him through, so I could just about see his mouth moving and Terry could just about hear him with her ear up to the crack.

Still so early in the morning (our Spanish lesson is at eight am, and the appointment was made within minutes), Clyde suggested we check out the lake along with the pineapple farms in Arenosa, Panama. Arenosa is a small village in the La Chorrera area on the western end of Lake Gatun and is about a thirty minute drive up and over the mountain past Capira on the way to the city. It is forty-five minutes from the city. There are boat tours, a B & B, and there is a restaurant. When we arrived, there were no boats, I didn't see the B & B, and the restaurant was closed. Perhaps rainy season or that it's Thursday. haha The lake is eighty-five feet above sea level. Maybe so, but today it appeared low. Many tree trunks sticking out of the water. http://pesca-arenosa.weebly.com Click there for fishing trip.

On the two lane windy road to the lake, we passed pineapple farm after pineapple farm. We passed many women and children dressed in Indian clothing. We passed children playing band instruments, horses, a Chino store, churches, graveyards, and WE DROVE AROUND many dogs. The dogs don't move, so you really can't pass them. You just drive around them. It is a long road to the lake.

Pineapple farm (one of them close to a factory)

These steps look so safe, but they lead you to...

this.

One boat, many tree trunks and sticks

Mountains closer

A bright green house

Two story house behind the red one

Yes, a bird in there.

One Red Devil Bus with a man taking a nap. a man behind the wheel and three dogs (really four, but one was hiding)

Where we were, and the size of the lake.

Tonight we went to the Happy Hour at BluWater Bistro in the Bahai complex. This restaurant is in Gorgona only a few minutes from our house here in Chame. Every Thursday from 5-7 there is happy hour overlooking the pools and Playa Serena beach. The sangria was delicious, and the free appetizers were eaten up in no time flat. Ray and I met a few new people, and I put voices to those faces I have seen on facebook for the past year or so. We were graciously shown a beautiful oceanfront three bedroom condominium owned by a realtor that hails from Chantilly, Va, as well. Afterwards, Clyde, Terry, Ray and I stopped at Nueva Gorgona for dinner although Terry and I weren't too hungry. Good thing since the waitress was getting ready to leave for the night and never put our order into the cook. Oh well, it can't always be a great dining experience, and the happy hour at BluWater Bistro was a good way to wrap up almost one more retirement week here in Panama.