So Far in Panama

How I got here... I went on a little vacation to Costa Rica in October 2007. While in Fortuna viewing the volcano Arenal, i met Kees and Loes from Holland. Long story short I escorted Loes to Holland (on a Buddy Pass) in November and retreived her in December. So now I have a new friend.... Who happens to live in Panama. I went to David (Pronounced Dabeed) twice and stayed at the Purple House Hostel http://www.purplehousehostel.com Rates are good, about $6.50 per night in a shared room. Very clean and a nice kitchen. Centrally located near stores and a main streeet with plenty of taxis. South of Bouquete by 30 minutes. Loes said I should visit her area, in the Province of Veraguas. Think North and West of Panama City. I did some research on the prices of renting. Let me tell you, Craigslist will not get you the deal you are looking for. Unless you are a retired doctor with lots of extra cash in your back pocket. Loes and Kees (her husband) checked around the area and found me a wonderful little house on the beach for $50 per month. She said it is newly constructed. So, January 20 I flew down to see it. This particular flight took longer than expected. I missed the first flight from San Antonio to Houston, which made me miss the 0900 flight to Panama. The first flight arrives to Panama about 1pm, + a 3 hour bus ride to my final destination. Now I have to take the 3pm flight, which gets me to Panama City at 7 pm. Panama City is not really a place to make your way around if you dont know your way or the language. While waiting for the 3pm flight I met a nice lady and her mother. While talking, they mentioned that their neice who is picking them up would surely not mind giving me a lift to the Albrook Bus station. (normally costs $15) It is my new plan to "make friends" with people on my plane and hopefully get a free ride to the airport. Without actually planning it, I have been offered twice. Not bad. So I get on the bus ($7.50) at 9 pm from Albrook bus estacion in Panama to Santiago. THE BUSES ARE VERY COLD. We stopped maybe 6 times, turning on the light very bright each time. People shuffle their bags/boxes/children and 5 gallon buckets into the seats. Turn off the lights!! The man in front of me was reclining his seat so far back that I could taste his hair gel. We get to Santiago and Kees is waiting for me. Great! I arrived very late, I'm Sorry!!! We drove 1.5 hours to their house and went to sleep. The next day we went to see The Man (Salvador) about a house to rent. Luckily Kees and Loes both speak Espanol, so the transaction went smooth. I paid for Feb and March and hope to see a toilet (with water in it, not dirt) and the Suicide Shower hooked up. Nobody has hot water, I guess it is just not necessary for anyone except me. It is called a Suicide Shower b/c the temperature can range from nice to boiling. But dont touch the setting button while you are in the shower b/c you will get shocked! Not painful, but so light that you touch it again to make sure that is what just happened. Ha! Loes and Kees are beginning a business http://www.tanagertourism.com They also cultivate Termites on the property... I experieinced an earth quake as well. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/us2008mmai.php Nothing much happened, I was almost asleep on a mattress on the floor and it felt like someone had kicked the mattress. I got up, and turned on the light. There was the biggest spider I had ever seen. I think he was on his way to my bed to eat me. I called to Loes to some do something about the spider and she relocated him out the backdoor. Rob (a student under the supervision of Kees and Loes) http://robvandemerwe.waarbenjij.nu/index.php?page=message&action=submitreaction&intMessageId=2317698&nocache made an indication from his room that he felt it, too. I honestly thought that he was teasing me b/c we had a few beers! I bought some paint and began working on the house. As you see from the pictures, I am not quite tall enough to reach the top. It's a start... Interesting fact: Rural Panamanians only paint the front of their house b/c that is the side you can see from the street. Mine is not painted yet. All of the beach pictures are front my front porch. I will save you a chair. See you soon!