Good News even though it is a bad translation
Thanks Sam from Primapanamablog

This week we were very busy in Rambala.

We bought 2 horses- their names are Negro and Conejo (Rabbit). These guys will take our stuff up to our cabin and take our product down. They will be pack and riding horses and are already trained for this by our Farm Manager Javier. Every person or animal that is black is negro here and it is not a pejorative – just a color! The same goes for “fat”. It is “Gordo” in Spanish and considered to be a condition of wealth to be a bit “gordo”.  So an friend may greet you by saying you are a bit fat and it it is fine – not an insult! Hard to get used to for me!!!

Anyway we saved the horses and they are saving us. The owner (our farm manager’s cousin) gave us a great price as he had no grass left in his pasture and could not afford feed or medication so it was a great arrangement for all involved. We have lots of pasture and Javier (our farm manager) is so happy that they are here to help.  He has worked with them before and the horses trust him.

Any ideas for new better names? Please? Something with a bit more dignity?

The photo below is Conejo and Javier

This is our Guanabana . The fruit is delicious and is about 18 inches – 2 feet long.

Our wild bananas are great. We have about 100 now that we are taking care of . These are from the plants that have had no care and were on the property – much like the guava, guanabana and the Cashew.

But the best part of the whole week was the morning we got up and saw 3 Jaguarundi climbing around on a guava tree in the field.

The photo is a bit far to see them well. Size is about 6 ft including the tail. They are endangered  and part of the cat family and look like a cross between a cat and an otter. Similar to the Florida Panther they need a huge territory to survive and deforestation has made their survival difficult. We are reforesting as we go here and changing  land that was previously was cleared for cattle by planting cacao, lemon, papaya, mango, guava and almendro (a giant hardwood).

We are so happy and have now seen the jaguaraundi twice now but it does add a new challenge to the security of the chicken coup….um.m.mm… more chicken wire needed.

Here is a better close up of a Jaguarundi or as the locals call it “Tigritto”.

Everything is in Bloom or hatching out since it is spring….

Our eggplant is growing well and almost ready to eat. Sadly not so much luck with the sweet corn…

The field corn for the soon to come chickens is doing great.

and then there are these guys who are regulars…

On the way back to Boquete last Monday Eric took a photo of this. They bloom along the mountains in the National Park we drive through to go back to our little home in Boquete.

After 4 days of washing clothes and shopping for essentials ( a saddle qualifies right?)  we are ready to head back to the farm for a few days. We are very excited that we have a retired Peace Corps guy (friend of a friend) coming  to visit at the beginning of June. He is an expert in Micro Hydro energy so we are hopeful that he can help us figure out how to get set up for electricity at last and for a reasonable price. With that we are on the road to complete  self- sufficiency! In the meantime we are perfecting our backgammon games by the kerosene light and flashlight. Not as difficult as it might seem as when we return to cable TV and Internet we are no longer as addicted and can certainly live without much of the news. It is very peaceful on the farm and I never dreamed I would miss all the other stuff so little!

Like most alternative energy options the powers  that control the technology and the products (that would be the oil companies for those that don’t know) continue to keep it unaffordable for normal folks so it is our goal to make it happen creatively and without spending what many Panamanians pay for a small home!

We will let you know how it goes but are sure it can be done!

Until next time

Life is Good Panama!

Hope you enjoy.  It will be a while and it will only be a farm for now but we will get there in time. This project is for sale – please contact us if interested.

Technorati Tags: caribbean views, eco park, eco park and resort, eco resort, land for sale bocas del toro, real estate in panama, reawl estate for sale panama

Lot’s of good things happening in Bocas thanks to the new adminstration. Finally getting one of the best surfing beaches back.

Bocas News

Technorati Tags: Bocas Del Toro, Surfing in Panama, Surfing Panama

Here are important facts about traffic accidents in Panama. If you drive here as a guest or a resident this is MUST KNOW information.

Driving accidents in Panama

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I started reading Bob Adams here in Panama due to his Retirement Wave site which has great information on retiring in Panama. A financial planner/ retirement specialist Bob is well qualified to expound on the subject and has a direct and interesting perspective on the financial condition of the US, Panama and how this relates to us in our world.  In his latest publication in Barron’s he talks about our next bubble bursting experience. Click below and see his perspective on the “retirement bubble” and his direct approach to telling it the way he sees it! He gives good advice and even more reasons to travel to Panama for retirement and business.

I hope you enjoy his writing as much as I do and as always please let me know what you think.

http://theretirementbubble.com/barrons.htm

Bob’s Bubble Blog – a great read

Technorati Tags: retire in panama, travel to panama

I love reading anything that shows people trying to make a difference for our planet. It is amazing how creative some folks can become when they are inspired by a cause. In this great article the “boat builders” have made their creation out of plastic bottles. Living in Panama I am reminded all the time of the need to recycle as any programs toward tht effort, even here in Boquete are dismal at best. Eric recycles bottles and makes hummingbirds out of recycled materials at our house so at least some effort is there. The recycling center in Boquete is always changing what materials they will take as there apparently is no market for much of it! Unbelievable in this day and age that there is such a lack of understanding of the importance of reusing our resources. Do we have to be sitting in the garbage heap before we will get it?

Anyway here are some folks who are trying to make a statement around the world. See what they came up with here:

Recycled Sailboat

As Usual please share you thoughts so I know you are out there!

Technorati Tags: environmental travel, panama travel

Here is a translation of Panama’s new president’s  inaugural speech. We all hope he can keep some if not all of his promises. He is a successful businessman with experience in efficiency and fiscal responsibility and sentiments are high that he can help Panama to benefit from his business acumen by leading the country in a new more responsible direction.  Some tougher economic times are predicted for Panama due to the global crisis but the country already enjoys fiscal stability and low unemployment so things can only improve from here. Most important for expats is open arms policies for foreign investors in Panama and a promise to clean up the bureaucratic bull crap!

Panama News Online

Happy July!

On Wednesday Eric & I set out for a few days at the beach. First stop about 4 ½ hours away was Playa Blanca Our friend Wendy has a new villa there and we were taking a few pieces of furniture and tools for her new place in the van. She has rented another villa so we have a great place to stay, cooler packed and off we go. Our plan was to drop off the items, spend a little time at Playa Blanca and then go to explore an area we haven’t been in a while. Pedasi and Cambutal ( see the Panama Report)  both located on the beach at the bottom of the Los Santos Province and in some of the best surfing and fishing areas in Panama on the Pacific side. We have been anxious to see the progress there and since we would be somewhere in close proximity at Playa Blanca  we figured it was a good way to spend the weekend.

About 3 hours into the trip the chauffeur (Eric always does the driving so he won’t sleep) ran into a little problem and thus here is our Spanish word of the day!

Galote = turkey vulture - Here is what happened as I was perusing the map to identify some of the side roads and go down memory lane trying to recall events from when we traveled those side roads before – almost 3 years ago.

About 5 minutes following the accident  and while I was still on the phone with the insurance company we were stopped by the police who said we were speeding. Since there was no sign designating the speed limit and we were on the Pan American Highway I guess it was possible that we were, but highly unlikely since Eric was almost leaning out the window so he could see to drive. Unfortunately in all the hubbub Eric didn’t have any small bills so that stop cost us $20. It is typical to not take the ticket and just pay the cop. We did check on the way back and could not find any speed limit sign in the area nor we could we find the dead vulture – no doubt his friends and family “cleaned him up” so to speak.

Well – the good news is that our insurance company covers this damage with a $75 deductible. The roadside emergency service was great and very helpful, it was not a Panamanian holiday, and we are alive and well. On the down side we did have to continue to Playa Blanca with the windshield vibrating in the wind to drop off the things. There was only Panama City or David to go to get it repaired – one another 2 hours in the wrong direction and the other our “go  to” city.  We had a great dinner treat at Buenaventura Resort, slept over and turned right back around and headed to David in the morning to try to beat the rain so we would not have to use the wipers.  Every time Eric would turn the wipers on, little shards of glass would fall on the dash!

We never even saw the beach!

Eric always used to fish on his birthday which was yesterday and Vulture catching wasn’t quite what he was hoping for – we will have to make that up to him once the van is repaired. Now the challenge is to find a windshield for a 1998 Ford Van in Panama! Below is our culprit – or one like him!

Technorati Tags: pacific beaches, playa blanca, travel to panama