ANOTHER ROAD TRIP (DAY ONE) & THIS TIME WE HEAD SOUTH TO CAMBUTAL, PANAMA

Always up for an adventure, when Ray and I talked with Clyde and Terry about taking another road trip, with this one being to visit new friends, TC and Emmet (who had just arrived in Panama one month prior to us moving here), they were all for it!  They certainly did have this on their list of places to go, and things to do--perhaps not so soon after our last adventure, but since we had a blast in San Blas, why not go now?!   TC and Emmet, a wonderfully accommodating host and hostess with the mostess, recently moved from Texas to Cambutal, Panama.  Cambutal is located at the southern tip of the Azuero Peninsula and is a top surfing and fishing destination.  It is one of the driest areas in Panama.  This couple had researched Panama for about two years, had already met Clyde and Terry in person through their blog, bought a house, are trying desperately to get any internet connection they can to this house (this includes Clyde watching her climb up a steep hill one morning with the 135 feet cable we had just found in La Chorrera a few days prior to have the guys attach it later to a tall pole), shipped a boat and belongings here, and became residents, but they haven't had quite the same luck as Ray and I did that first week we arrived to the city.  All in all though, they are getting things done--these things are just taking a little longer, they are deeply immersed in a mostly Panamanian occupied town, they have already made SO MANY friends (expat gringos and Panamanian), and they are loving the good life Panama has already shown them and has in store for them.

We loaded the car up on early Monday morning at eight am.  Bags thrown in back along with snorkeling equipment as a just in case.  Ray also made sure Clyde and I had enough hard candy to chomp on along the way.  Snacks and water were also plentiful.  We expected this trip to take 5 1/2 hours with a lunch stop along the way.  We also made plans to stop in Pese, Panama at the Varela Hermanos Rum Distillery.  We didn't have reservations for a tour simply, because we couldn't find anywhere online to make a reservation.  We would just "wing it".  Easy enough in Panama, right?  

First, we had to find it.  Clyde skillfully asked a policeman who stood right by the factory where we could see a ticket window where the tour would be given to the four gringos from Chame.  He told us to go to the cemetery (we had just come from there), go left or right or direct (everyone heard or different hear his Spanish differently), and there it would be--he was right, we just hadn't driven past that cemetery far enough earlier.  We came upon the big gates, saw the ox and carts, Clyde again was pushed out of the car to figure out the whole "do we need reservations" ordeal, and we were given an email address.  (We did not take this tour later in the week, because it was $100/person--the man never emailed me again about our "discount" and it was a three hour tour.  Imagine this--we didn't care enough to taste rum we had already had plenty of tastings of!).

The entrance gate to the distillery

These carts will take the tour participants on tour of the grounds.

Clyde discusses the meaning of life with the guard.

Once through Pese and back on the road towards Chitre and beyond (so beyond), we stopped for lunch in Las Tablas. Terry remembered that there was a gringo sports bar in this town, and we found it easily enough on the main street.  We met the owner, Jim (who is originally from Boston), ordered quesadillas, chicken tenders, fries, chicken sandwich and salad along with milkshakes.

Lunchtime!

Ponchalos restaurant

Back on the road, we left the busy town of Chitre and rather than drive along the coast through Pedasi, TC suggested to take the scenic mountain road.  It would cut our time out by about 45 minutes as well.  It was amazing and so beautiful.  The hills really did remind Ray and I of drives to Charlottesville, VA or even just to Louisa County from the lake house.  With it being rainy season, the grass was tall and green.  The hills and mountains were lush and green.

Entering the town of Las Tablas

A little rain on the way to the mountains.

Winding road, steep hillside, lush greenery all around

Occasional cows in our lane or the opposite lane depending on the day and location of the farm

Cambutal waits for us!

We arrived to Hotel Playa Cambutal at three pm.  TC and Emmet again are getting their internet sitting on the beach and not at their house.  I had sent an email to TC letting her know our ETA.  When we pulled up to the beautiful lodge/hotel, Emmet greeted us in the parking lot and TC was right behind him.  We had set it up with Ray and I staying at the hotel while Clyde and Terry stayed at their house a few minutes away.

Hotel restaurant

Pool, bohio and beach

Hotel from the water

Bar (best Tequila Sunrise!)

Low tide with wide beach

Entrance to hotel with restaurant below

Gorgeous surf

Never used pool (next visit!)

Our buddy greeted us each morning

Flowers!

Loving the sunlight.

Entrance (and up the street is where our friend's live--and up a STEEP hill)

Kayaks, boogie boards and bikes can be used for free.  Paddle boards and surf boards have minimal charge.

Ray and I checked into the hotel and followed TC and Emmet to a parking lot so to speak down the road.  We left our car at the bottom of the hill, and we loaded up into Emmet's truck.  Their hill requires 4 x 4.  We sat on the porch getting to know each other, learning about our lives in the States before retirement, learning about our lives since we had made our way to Panama, and then we were greeted by hungry howler monkeys.  Off the deck are trees loaded with berries.  The monkeys put on a show for us swinging from branch to branch, jumping from tree to tree, hanging out upside down all the while Clyde, TC and I tried to get the most perfect picture.  I eventually just started videotaping them.  

I will keep this blog G rated but somehow I managed to catch the other side of this monkey as well.  

Without my readers on, I was just aiming and shooting.  First with my Iphone and then camera.

Some pictures were stolen from Clyde.  Actually, we share our cards with each other.  

They were everywhere.

Moving along.

Taking a break to chomp on a berry (like I chomp on hard candy).

Stuffing it all in there.

Doing so upside down.

More wildlife at the house;  

This is why they live where they live (the view, location to fishing, the mountains!)

And this guy with his many friends for entertainment.

Once the monkeys put on a show for us, and they were finished staring at us (okay, perhaps they didn't notice us snapping pictures left and right), we decided to stay local and eat dinner at the hotel.  One thing about rainy season here is you usually aren't waiting for the best table.  We sat in the middle of the restaurant at the largest table drinking Balboa beer, eating fresh caught tuna, chicken and pork.  The presentation of the meals and the flavor of the food was outstanding.  We ended up enjoying two dinners during this vacation at this restaurant along with complimentary breakfasts each morning.  And we were never disappointed.  The staff was phenomenal as well!

Ahead of us, we had two more days of getting to know our friends and their hometown. With our eyelids drooping from the food, drink and conversation, we said goodnight until the next day where morning time was coming all too quickly!  We had big plans to take TC and Emmet's boat out to the mangroves, see Isla Cana and maybe even see the sea turtles later in the night nesting and hatching thousands and thousands of eggs.  So much to see and do still ahead!

Good morning, Cambutal!  Ready for day two.  (Low tide)

View at night from the house

ANOTHER TYPICAL FEW DAYS IN PANAMA

Just now back from the gym (we managed to get two days in!), Ray and I have plans later to run errands with Clyde and Terry.  We, I am sure, will find things we need as well while going along their gringo trail of adventures.  Terry needs a keyboard that will type the letters B and N, but she needs it in English, and Clyde may need to look at some very long cable.  Panafoto is best bet for the keyboard.  Ray and I have yet another couple that we met "virtually" through emails and have known for about six months or a little longer.  This couple just moved to Panama in July from Texas.  They have met and visited with Clyde and Terry already. They are the one's that need the very long cable, because they are having difficulty with cable and internet in their part of the country.  They live in the driest of dry places in Panama on the Azuero Peninsula, the most south of all, and I am going to guess it is less than a five hour drive from here.  It always depends on road conditions and how many little towns pop up (not many) where the speed limit then drops to below 60 kph (or about 40 mph).  When Ray and I traveled the road last year, there was a lot of construction just being finished up, so it should be smooth sailing this time around for us.  They live in Cambutal, Panama, and this is our next road trip next week.  The four of us will pack up our car and, while Clyde and Terry will stay with this couple, Ray and I have a booked a room on the beach for $50/night (using our discount).  Yes, we could all stay in the house together (graciously offered), but one couple would be on an air mattress, and I am betting that would be younger of the two couples (haha).   This link shows where Cambutal is in Panama.  And on the way, we hope to stop at Varela (new President here) Rum Distillery in Pese (if we can find it).  Ray and I have been as far as Pedasi, but we haven't traveled this far south.  I am looking forward to this trip and to see this part of the country.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cambutal,+Panama/@7.2661086,-80.483333,8z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8fb23f3be596dc85:0xf6f5b1017fa2cb85

We are also looking forward to sharing stories with our new friends.  This past Wednesday, Ray and I had the chance to make many new friends and share in their stories of how they came to Panama, and how they met Clyde and Terry.  We were at Clydes' big birthday bash!  Not only was it his birthday, but it was a celebration of Clyde and Terry's arrival to Panama three years ago on his birthday. It was a potluck party that started at noon.  We had made "the green stuff" the night before (which was lime jello salad that Ray loves, and many of the guests knew exactly what it was!), so we brought that in a green pot sitting on ice.  But we first, with bated breath, picked up the birthday cake from El Machetazo.  The girl remembered us, brought us behind the counter so we could look at the cake, and it was just lovely.  Panamanian lovely.  Lots of scrolls.  Not too many flowers.  It was a deep chocolate color, almost black, with a layer of caramel inside.  A nice surprise.  The icing was more of a whip cream, which had me liking the cake more than the icing.  This is not normal.

What else was not so normal and odd in a great way was to be sitting under a bohio on a Wednesday drinking Sangria and not being on vacation.  We were able to meet many more expats here that Clyde and Terry have known for quite some time.  The group of about 25 had moved to Panama either one month ago (us) or as long ago as nine years. They were from California, New York, Texas, Virginia, Costa Rica, Colorado, Scotland, Canada and Florida (I know I am missing places). Our ages ranged from 35-70 years young.  While sitting at the table chatting with one couple about New York and New Jersey, we then talked about Northern Virginia with another man who went to Langley High School, turning to another man talking about Quantico and the new Marine Museum (he has been there, we have not), and we found another couple that comes from the San Francisco area and are wine aficionados.  This couple I had been in contact via email last winter when they were traveling through Washington, DC with their grandkids.  This didn't dawn us until hours later, after the party, that we had "virtually" met and had been corresponding with for some time.  Duh.  Must have been the Sangria and wine.  We ate, drank and talked for six hours.  It had been a stormy morning, but my eight am the sky turned blue, the breeze started to blow, and there wasn't another drop of rain seen (another indication of living in the Dry Arc) for the rest of the day.

Since we were so unproductive on Wednesday, yesterday Ray and I tried to have keys made at my favorite store, Novey, and practicing Spanish, we learned the machine was broken (we think--we could be told just about anything and grab bits and pieces of it).  While driving to Novey, we noticed men painting the bridge that goes over the Chame River.  They were adding an extra coat of bright orange to the walls and repainting the words "Rio Chame" in dark black.  They were also adding a fresh coat of royal blue paint to the overpass by the shopping center.  The annual triathlon is coming up in two weeks, so perhaps this is why things are getting spruced up and cleaned up?  Or is it just the time of year?

We also stopped at the medical lab to ask the cost of blood work.  I will have eight different things checked (from what I can read cholesterol, HDL, LDL, hormones and more), and the cost is $90.  No credit cards taken, so I will check the gringo lab soon and compare prices.  I would like to get points, but it isn't such a big deal if I don't, and I save more money along the way.  And then, and then, and then, we met with another realtor.  Marla Diaz of United Country scheduled appointments to show us a few rental houses.  Marla and her husband have lived here three years.  She lived in South Carolina for more than ten years, and he is Panamanian but lived in the States for over twenty years.  They own the realty business together and live in Coronado.  She is a coastal girl at heart, efficient, prompt and sweet.  Here is her information:
www.panama1925.com

We had Marina with us, who is an employee-in-training at the office.  The houses we were shown were completely opposite in style.  One was in the Panamanian neighborhood of San Carlos, the school band was marching up the street, the waves crashing in the ocean could be seen from the front of the house, the garden/yard was lush with tropical plants (a lemon tree had a gorgeous orchid growing on it), and the colors of the house were very tropical.  It had been completely redone inside.  A great house that had a graveyard for a backyard (hey, at least no one will build there in the future).  The owners are also looking to sell if anyone is interested.  It had two bedrooms and two bathrooms and was decorated with solid woods and leather couches.  The second house was in the town of Costa Esmerelda (before getting to the gates of the beach town).  It had amazing gardens, a large bohio with a jacuzzi tub for one, a casita with gardener living on site, three Rotweilers that lived in a gated side yard (the gardener takes care of the dogs or we could play with them, too), but inside the house is what far from what tropical Panamanian style is to me.  It had more of a bohemian, Tahitian, ecletic, and/or modern flare.  There was lots going on inside this house.  It was pretty and large.   There were four bedrooms (one used as a gym), several bathrooms, large kitchen with normal size refrigerator (both houses have this, but not a dishwasher), and this house is also for sale.  The third property we could not see, because the realtor that lists the house did not have the correct key for the locked gate.  There is no MLS in Panama.  The realtors don't share listings.  Or you can list your house with several different agents at one time, and agents will share amongst each other.  There isn't one main key to the padlocks.  This is why we had another realtor meeting us to open the gates at the last two houses.  Marla said it wasn't really up to par anyways and had sparse furnishings.  The point of this story is that while we love Casa Cuarenta we are contemplating if we are renters for the next twenty years, renters for the next year until we decide if this is the area we want to continue living in (we think this is a no brainer), or should we be entertaining the idea of buying a home.  Will we even bother opening this box up and now touring homes for sale as well as for rent. At least, we don't have to decide anything today.  There is always tomorrow.  So Panamanian of me!  Or next week.   And that was our puzzling day.  We put our minds at ease watching more episodes of "Breaking Bad", and then we called it another day in Panama.

Back to today, we just got back from spending a few hours in La Chorrera looking for the cable.

One store in La Chorrera on the main street

Produce stand

 And in the fifth store, we found it!  135 feet of it.  We stopped in electronic and audio/video stores along the way.  These stores not only carried tablets, cell phones and cases, musical instruments and appliances, but then they would have the random coaxial cables hanging up on the walls.  One woman pulled cable out from behind the stoves.  Wrong size in the first four stores.  When we found the cable in the final store, they didn't have it in the front of the store, but the woman found the size we needed in the back of the store.  While waiting for her to search for it, we met a man from Alabama (just a side story here).  He lives on 13 hectares (32 acres) and has been here for three years.  He lives in a town that the cable company doesn't deem necessary to run any cable lines to his home (not enough people living in his area), so he pays $225 a month for cable and internet.  So important to not be way out in the boonies here!  He also runs his air conditioning all day and his monthly bill is $500.  But that's okay, because in Alabama it was $700.  While Terry and I were wandering around in this store (Electronica Universal not to be confused with the four other "Electronica" stores we had been to), we found small keyboards in English.  So there was one stop shopping for the day!  It just takes a few stores to find what you need here in Panama.

Red Devil bus strolling along the main road

Mickey and Minnie (reminded me of my mom and dad)

Appliances, guitars, speakers...

Miles of cable (not the correct size) next to table cloth coverings and super glue

This is flooring

Parts for the appliances

 Once back to our neck of the woods, we drove by the housing development to show Clyde and Terry.  They had not seen these homes or this development.  We also showed them the San Carlos house, and now hungry, we decided to eat dinner in a quaint Italian restaurant. but sad to say, we were all disappointed.  The service was poor, the meals were expensive for what we were presented with, our Jubilado Discount was not honored, and we were not pleased or full.  A dish of spaghetti carbonara without any sides or complimentary bread and a salad with shredded lettuce and a huge clump of fresh cheese in the center (not on top of any additional lettuce) cost $22.  We won't revisit.  Another lesson learned in Panama. Read the menu prior to being seated, and ask more specifically about the discount.  Tripadvisor reviews were recent and fantastic, so I didn't think we could go wrong.

Salad that we thought were part of entrees on the side menu.

A LARGE plate holds the spaghetti carbonara

And finally, going off on a tangent here as I am known to do, right outside of our community, there is a large open field.  When we first moved here, the grass was about three feet high.  Here in Panama, the grass is cut with machetes and weed whackers.  I have seen ONE lawn mower used in this development once.  A woman was mowing one of the neighbor's yards, and I know a lawn mower is used on this yard, but I haven't been here when it has been mowed.  Around the pool here, there were three men "mowing" with weed whackers.  One day, there was a man cutting the open field with a weed whacker.  It wasn't until it was all cut that I could then see the trash.  I would rather see tall grasses.  But yesterday there was a man raking the dead grass up and putting it into large black bags ALONG WITH the trash!  Wow!  And the day we drove into the city (last week?), there were men picking up trash along the highway.  No, wait a minute.  They were bagging aluminum cans.  Bags and bags of cans.  But anything helps.  Also, next to this open field is a driving school.  Yep.  Just a random driving school.  First odd thing about this is "do Panamanians really go to driving school?"  hahaha  And the second odd thing is that it is just along the road.  Random place.  Or maybe, as usual, I am the odd one here.

Grassy field freshly cut, orange cones, and then the white car has the new driver practicing the rules of the road.

The house is across the PanAm highway.  The cones are on this side of the highway.  The drivers just drive up and down a rocky strip of gravel.

MY OH MY, I AM LARGE IN PANAMA

Okay, confession to make here.  In the month that I have lived in Panama, I have gained two pounds.  I have really put on some weight, and today in the ladies dressing room at El Costo, this fact was confirmed.  Hold onto that until I get back to why we were in the mall again, and why I was bravely trying on Panamanian clothing.  Or maybe the clothes were manufactured somewhere else.  I didn't bother looking at the tag closely when the garments were stuck on me and became one with my skin.

In my anal retentiveness style, first thing first.  Six thirty am came way too quickly today.  The room didn't brighten up, because little did I know it was going to be an overcast kind of day.  I don't look at the weather here often, because it seems to be the same.  It was the perfect morning to sleep in, but once again (this happened one other time that it was raining in the morning), we had things to do and places to go.  Out of the house at seven am and on to the Nissan Dealership in La Chorrera to have our XTerra's 10km service done. There was a line at our gate to get out of the development.  We have yet to see this many cars coming or going here. I have to say the road was active!  And not just with cars.  Here in the interior of Panama, everyone walks.  I say it this way because our insurance broker told us the reason there are many large Panamanians (and remember that when I get back to the clothing story) is because they never walk.  Not so around here.  All the moms were out walking their children to school and to the bus stops along the highway (think US Hwy 1 without all the stop lights, if you are familiar with the East Coast).  At seven am, school was just about beginning, and the bus stops were also becoming crowded with people commuting to work.  Once to the dealership, it was pretty much the same as in the States.  We pulled into the service line behind a Nissan Sentra yellow cab.  One woman looked for our name on her list.  Uh oh.  Even though we were just here Saturday making our appointment, our name wasn't on the list.  No problem though.  Whew.  Another woman put the paper mat on the floor of the driver's side, and she wrapped the driver's seat in plastic. And by the way, since I was laughing about how Panamanians have ONE job to do only, Ray says there were three people that checked in his car at the Nissan shop in VA, as well.  A man then wrote down on paper why the car was in line, the cost, and when we should expect it to be ready.  Four hours.  We were told 2-2 1/2 on Saturday.  Always plan for longer.  We were then asked, in Spanish, if there was any money in the car.  Or maybe even jewelry.  We told them we had nothing valuable in the car.  Ray showed the man a part that he thought could be repaired while the car was in the shop.  This part is the handle that you put your fingers into when you want to reach up and pull the hatchback trunk down.  The inner part has come unglued.  I guess they don't glue things back here, because, well, maybe that guy was fired?  No.  Cracking myself up over here.  No, he just told Ray to get some silicone and stick it back in himself!  Will do.  Easy enough.  And maybe since it wasn't on the order?  And usually I just pull the whole thing down from the inside, so this isn't really all that important.  So while Ray was showing him this part, I was asking in my perfect Spanish, if they had rubber floor mats to buy.  She told me to ask inside in her speedy perfect Spanish.  We then talked about general things such as where we were from and where we lived.  We told her Chame, NOT Punta Chame, as everyone seems to ask.  I told her something to the effect of "we don't have that much money" which she knew because we don't keep it in the car obviously.  And we chatted that we were from Virginia near Washington, DC.  She made a face when I mentioned Washington, DC.  Interesting.  We followed her into the dealership, and Ray and I sat down on the gray, drab couch that was there by the service desk.  We saw people sitting here on Saturday and assumed this was the waiting area.  "No, no, no, follow me", she told us.  In the area with the brand new, shiny Nissan cars and SUVs sat thick, red, comfy leather chairs and a couch.  She offered us complimentary coffee, as well.  I was greedy and had two dainty cups of coffee.  Then I drank my Peach Juice.  I have learned that when in Panama, I should always bring my Tervis to stay hydrated.  This size paper cup is also found at the bank by the coffee machine.

Coffee and Peach Juice--breakfast

No Wifi at this Nissan, so Ray and I played games on our phones, I took notes on my tablet, read the paper (and used WordLens app on my phone to do some reconfiguring of the Spanish words), and I realized I really do need a new battery for my IPhone 4 (what was my daughter's from years ago).  The usage time--2 hours.  Dead.  Time waiting for car--3 hours.  Hey, less than the four hours they wrote on the paper.  Oh, they do not carry floor mats.  And the bathrooms are super clean.  BUT if they don't put the "Please do not throw paper in the toilet" sign in front of my face, I am not going to see it (it was off to the side).  This is a common occurrence in Panama.  Most restaurants and public places ask that you throw the paper in the trash can.  Fortunately in my rental house, we can throw it right into the toilet.  Ah, such is the life at Casa 40.  Power just interrupted.  Ray woke from his nap on the hammock (my purple one, since this is where I have the fan blowing) when the fan stopped blowing.  Nope, it popped back on in good fashion.

Since we were in La Chorrera and so close to Westland Mall and the Do It Center (Home Depot), we decided to pick up a few items while out.  Ray wanted to get some more lightweight shirts.  The past few days have been warm here.  Normal, I know.  But we haven't seen the car thermometer show 37 Celsius yet.  Until yesterday.  99 degrees.  And without rain, we haven't had breezes.  The last few days we have decided the porch isn't really the place to be during the afternoon.  The mall made sense, and to spend more money made even more sense.  Again, we didn't know it would be nice and overcast today with breezes on the porch (this is why we are back outside enjoying the birds).  We first went into a store called Arrocha.  This is a variety story with a pharmacy, "As Seen on TV" items, perfumes, candy (Skittles!), and it reminds me of a bigger Walgreens or CVS store.  We were there to purchase a Driving Regulations book.  Clyde told us, as he was told by Phil, to keep this book in the car.  It basically tells you the rules of the road when driving in Panama.  There are rules?!  Who knew!  It will be good to read, since it is in Spanish.  More practicing.  On to El Costo which is a large department store.  Ray went to the second floor and found several shirts right away.  I scanned the women's department.  I had six items to try on, and they ranged in cost from $2.99/shirt to $6.99 for a Marcia or even Jan Brady style dress.  So colorful!  I even picked up a shirt that was colorful in the front but had a lace back.  They seem to have a lot of tops that are lacy or see through in the back, and they are shorter in the front and longer in the back.  I should have taken pictures.  Next time.  Once at the dressing room, I was stopped and the white shirt I was holding was put off to the side.  I forgot.  White clothing cannot be tried on in Panama.  I started to explain why I had a red and a white shirt that were the same but different sizes (like maybe this was the problem?).  I had one in Medium, and I had one in Large just in case.  I usually wear Small and Medium tops when I shop in the States.  Then she told me "blanco", and I remembered the golden rule.  I might get makeup on the white one (not the red or green or purple one, mind you), so she put it off to the side, and while I was struggling in the dressing room to try on the large red one, and then the large sized shirt with the lace in the back (this is the one that stuck to my skin so tight, and the tag poked me in the eye), the nice lady brought me a black one to try on instead.  Ray actually said to me "maybe it was the way the shirt was meant to be worn, but you just aren't used to it fitting like that".  Cracking up over here again!  Okay, Panamanian women might wear jeggings one size too small and tight jeans, but their tops do not fit the way this one was fitting, or not fitting on me.  Ray was outside the dressing room at this time, so I chose to walk away from the groovy dress I had with my selection of tops.  I just walked away.  I will try again another day.  Maybe once I lose those two pounds that I obviously gained in my arms and back and neck.

The rest of the day has been uneventful.  We drove to Do It Center to comparison shop grills and to look for a tool set.  Not too many grills to choose from, and nothing beats the price of El Machetazo's grill (the one found in the large grocery store).  And tools are expensive in Panama.  I do remember reading this, but we both thought it pertained more to electric tools.  We did pick up floor mats instead of waiting until we could order once in the States ($20/four mats).  We stopped at one restaurant to eat lunch at along the PanAm highway.  The name is El Haciende, and it's sign translates in my head to "typical Panamanian food".  We walked in and saw a crowd lined up at the buffet, and we decided to try the next restaurant.  We weren't in the mood for typical, I suppose.  Next stop was Delizz, which is right along the highway as well.  It is a pretty restaurant with bright colored walls, glass covered tables inside and out and large ceiling fans.  There was a tv in the corner, so I could catch up on my TeleNovela (soap opera).  First, we asked for our discount (have to ask up front, so the waitress knows to take off the 25%).  We think since we had just ordered soda and were looking at the dessert menu, she thought this is all we were having, and she told us they didn't offer the discount.  But once the three of us put our heads together and spoke Spanish all at once, we understood each other.  Ray ordered the greek salad, I had the mixed/house salad, he also ordered french fries (duh), and I ordered an Emparedado.  With chicken.  I asked the waitress what this was, and I was so mad that I had forgotten learning it in our Duolingo lessons this past summer.  But I haven't seen it on menus here yet.  She told me it was "pan con pollo, jamon, queso, pescado"....bread with chicken or ham or cheese or fish (they have many selections).  I ordered the chicken sandwich and that bread was so good!  Light, airy, soft and tasty!  Loved the sandwich.  Shared it with Ray, and I stole some of his fries.  Then Ray and I talked about the batidos (milkshake made with either milk or water) and that it was too bad they didn't have pineapple flavored milkshakes.  Ray said they had pineapple, and she named it when we asked her the flavors.  I knew she had only told us papaya (because I don't usually love papaya smoothies) and peach.  So we asked the flavors again, and this time she listed two more flavors.  Ray then specifically asked for pineapple, and she said yes!  I guess they had two flavors and then when asked again, they now had five.  So we had to order this to try.  This week I can check arepas and batidos off the list of food I am enjoying in this new retirement life of mine.  Maybe this is the cause for those two pounds!

Outside Delizz

Inside room of Delizz

Pineapple batido with oil and vinegar (white) nearby.  Oh, and me finishing off Ray's half of the sandwich.

Once back at the house, Ray cut the floor mats to size, laid in the hammock for a nap, and is now sitting at the porch table with me winning big money (coins) on his Casino game.  It is really nice outside when the sun isn't so bright and intense as it has been the past few days.  (And we aren't swimming in the Caribbean.)  So besides noticing all of the walkers today, the small clothing sizes in stores that equal the coffee cup size, the toilet paper not being allowed to be thrown into a toilet in all places the Nissan dealership, I was also reminded of how big the leaves grow here in Panama while sitting on the patio.  Bugs and leaves--all big in Panama.  Just like me, supposedly.

FUNNY THING ABOUT THE DAYS HERE IN PANAMA

Before retiring to Panama, the most asked question from family, friends, co-workers and even my patients was "what will you do when there?".  At the time (less than one whole month ago), Ray and I didn't have any real concrete answers, and the concern always seemed to be that we were too young to retire.  We would usually answer with "we will get settled, decide where to live, discover the interior of Panama, take Spanish lessons, travel the country, travel back to the States, travel to other countries, volunteer, and become involved with whatever we find to become involved in".  Well, we have been in this rental house for a little over three weeks, and we have realized the days just go.  I am a planner.  Duh.  Anyone who knows me for even a day knows this about me.  But while plans here are made, they are made now, today, in a few hours, or sometimes the night before (except our road trip we just took, because with that we needed to carefully plan to insure such a phenomenal nights stay at the Express Inn haha).

Pretty much yesterday Ray and I had no plans except to do almost nothing.  We knew we wanted to take a drive to La Chorrerra to find the Nissan dealership and service station.  We then had a very lazy day.  A normal weekend day of R & R with an errand or two thrown in the mix.   Last night Terry emailed me to ask if we wanted to take a drive to Sora to visit with friends.  She was emailing them to see when they would be home, and she would let me know the time.  This morning, with the gym being closed on the weekends, Ray and I took a walk in our town of Chame (we ventured beyond the gates to the unknown--oh no, the horrors of walking in a Panamanian town) first thing this morning. We weren't picking Clyde and Terry up until 1:30.  We had time to take a walk, and forgetting sunscreen, we stayed in the shade, still feeling the heat and humidity starting up at eight am.  We said hello and good morning to those that were already sitting on their porches and walking to Church.

Yesterday, we noticed the bank line was wrapped around the bank building.  Payday for the Panamanians.  Today, they were all grocery shopping, and once again Ray and I stupidly shopped with them.  After our walk, we went to El Machetazo for maybe ten items.  First thing we wanted to do was order a cake for Clyde's birthday party this Wednesday.  We are bringing "green stuff" (a Jello recipe my dear friend, Holly in VA, has shared with me), and a cake.  This is not meant to be a complaint or a whine, but grocery shopping is exhausting these days and, with the crowds it was even more so.  Ordering a cake in Spanish--what size, shape, colors, what will it say on it, flavor, can it be ready by a certain time, pay for it now and bring back the receipt once you pay, and all of this in Spanish.  We muddled our way through and hopefully, we will have a cake to pick up before the party!  Then while Ray was on line for thirty minutes paying for the cake, I did some light grocery shopping.  I needed cornstarch for a recipe.  What is this called in Spanish?  It is written three different ways on Google Translate and ITranslate (I didn't have my phone at the time, and I looked it up later.)  It is labeled on the packaging two different ways.  Found it.  I needed block cream cheese.  I didn't want to pay for the brand name of Philadelphia ($5/block), and the store didn't have it anyways.  Did I just want to buy Queso Crema and risk screwing up a recipe?  Pecans.  None.  Not that I could find.  Minced garlic.  None.  I have seen it in several stores, but not today.  But I can mince fresh myself easily enough.  Juice.  So many varieties (peach, pear, apple, orange, then the usual brand name for the Cranberry), and I was trying to decide which juice to have with Seco Herrano.  I wanted to mix it up a bit and try a different Panamanian flavor.  Or did I?  Seco Herrano is what I may be imbibing at the party OR maybe I will just have the wine I bought from PriceMart.  Another decision.  Back to the juice.  I went with Orange.  Seco Herrano is an alcoholic beverage, by the way, distilled from sugar cane.  It is the Panamanian national beverage and can replace rum or vodka in most recipes.  Herrano is actually made by the Varelo family, and Panama's President as of July 1 is Juan Carlos Varelo.  Back to Ray standing on line for thirty minutes.  He had selected a short line.  Little did he know that the man in front of him with a few items in a basket had a wife with him.  Only while he stood on line, his wife was shopping and loading her shopping cart full of groceries.  She came back just in time to load up the belt.  This is why Ray's short line wasn't so short after all.  This is how Panamanians shop.  Well, after paying for the cake, I made a decision to put my cold groceries back and to just bail out of the store.  There were five or more items from my list (half of the list) that I couldn't find and the lines were getting longer, so we left and drove across the street to El Rey.  We have decided again (second time) that we like this store a little better.  This store had all of the items on my list along with pecans.  Expensive, but they are expensive in the States as well.  And as far as cream cheese goes, Ray picked up the Queso Crema again and asked a store employee if it was the same as Philadelphia block cream cheese.  Again, in Spanish.  We just learned how to say "the same" in Spanish.  She said "sort of".  Then she told him she would be right back, went to the back of the store, and came back to him with block cream cheese ($2 less than brand name).  Great customer service!  Let's see how "the green stuff" works out!  Well, here it is almost noon, and we have finished grocery shopping for "a few items".  My head is spinning with reading labels, thinking I know the right words only to be looked at like I have two heads, and why didn't I eat breakfast before I left the house?  Good thing I am retired and have all morning to grocery shop.  No complaints or whines here.  It will get easier.  These are just things I find to be different, of course, and challenging.  Who would think it would be challenging to retire to this now called "developing nation" Panama.

Once we unloaded the groceries and practiced Spanish, we picked Clyde and Terry up and drove to Sora.  This is a town that is part of the Chame district and is sixty miles from Panama City.  It takes about thirty minutes, again up a few steep hills, to get our new friends home.  The couple, Paul and Nancy,  we were visiting recently bought a house in the mountains and have it turned it into a beautiful bed and breakfast.  It just opened and would be a wonderful place to stay when discovering the interior of Panama. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3047317
The views and grounds are stunning.  The house is warm and inviting just like the owners.  We were given a tour of the house and the landscape, and then for three hours we sat on the balcony and talked with new friends, along with listening to the distant thunder, birds and occasional rooster.

 When we left, it was already dinnertime, so we tried a BBQ place that Clyde and Terry ate at more frequently when they lived in Capira.  Los Arrieros is an open aired restaurant alongside the highway, with big speakers playing loud music (the norm here), picnic tables, a parking lot jammed with cars, a swingset and playground in the back for the children to play while the parents eat and drink (large bar here), and being served are arepas and BBQ.  Not the BBQ I was thinking (choices are chicken, pork or chorizo, and there is no menu), but my chicken BBQ on top of a white cheesy arepa was delicious.  Arepas are flat, round patties made of corn that are grilled and stuffed with anything.  These were stuffed with white cheese melted on the open grill.  They brought back memories of our first trip to Panama when we met Clyde and Terry at their home.  Clyde grilled me my first arepa served with Ron Abuelo and Coke.  This arepa tonight was almost as good.

Here are views from the house today.

We can head to those beaches of Gorgona, Coronado, Santa Clara and beyond seen here.

Or sit on a friend's balcony enjoying the mountain breezes staring at Cerro Picacho (sleeping cat)

Giant African Violet

Chorizo hanging, with the cook grilling

Outdoor seating

 And there was the day.  Some planned, most not, and definitely getting used to just being able to come and go in this retirement of ours.

***Briefly about today, Labor Day.   I didn't realize when making a yearly appointment (gynecological) that it was Labor Day.  I scheduled it for nine am.  I always like to take the first appointment as a just in case.  I have to remember that here in Panama, I am not running around in one day doing all of my errands, so so what if doctor is running a little behind.  And last year, I scheduled a seven am appointment, and the nurse practitioner overslept.  So early isn't always better.  Ray drove me to the appointment, and when I went into the office I understood this from the receptionist---something about me being the only appointment of the day, I could return at a different time today, and perhaps the doctor was on his way.  I decided to return (learned this word just last week!  Regresar.), and she pointed to ten am in the appointment book.  She also said she would call me hahaha  That should go over well, I thought.  Ray and I went to El Machetazo to buy a few things not on my list from yesterday, and we looked at grills.  We will comparison shop at Do It Center tomorrow.  Then we looked at birthday cards.  Another mentally draining task, but it was all accomplished in good fashion.  We learned more words!  Hopefully, we bought a birthday card for Clyde and not an "In Sympathy"--he is turning sixty after all!  (Just Kidding, Clyde!)

Christmas comes to Panama!

Ho, Ho, Ho!  

After speaking our broken Spanish to an employee at the store about the grills (do they come assembled?), my phone rang, and it was the doctor's receptionist.  I gathered this information--you can come now, the doctor is in (I think).  I met with the doctor in his office, and he put my medical history into his laptop.  He is a nice man with great English speaking abilities.  However, he still has a Spanish dialect, so I turned my hearing aids up and read his lips as well.  He asked "Do you have Diabetes or in the family?", but diabetes came out like "deeeaabetays".  So I muddled through the Q & A, proceeded to the exam room right next to his office (through an alcove), hopped up on the table, and the exam was complete!  Free Pap Smear, order written for mammogram and an order written for blood work to be done (whenever I want, since I asked what he recommended) for hormonal levels to be checked, cholesterol and other things I can't read (in English but written just like a doctor would write it out--scribbled).  The Pap Smear results come back in eight days.  The cost for the appointment with my discount--$50.  I turn my receipt into our insurance broker for it to go towards our deductible that we hope never to meet, because we will stay healthy.

Clinic in Coronado

Back to Casa 40 to throw meal in the crockpot, cram for Spanish and Ray will help Clyde pick up some chairs for his party Wednesday.  I think for me, it will be time for a nap!