Panama Photos : 

March 7, 2002

In The Beginning

My friends John and Gloria purchased a house in Panama three years ago in which they plan to retire to.  John and Gloria met originally in Panama when he was a GI stationed here in the Canal Zone. Gloria is Panamanian, and still ahs family here, in Panama City and Puerto Pilon.

One day shortly after I was laid off I went into their store, the West Linn True Value, and John looked at me, unshaven and dressed in shorts, and said "Got the day off?", to which I smiled and said that actually, I had quite a few days off, and told him about the big lay off at PwC.  John then asks me, "So, what are you gonna do?" Now keep in mind that at this point I had no idea they had a house here in Panama.  So with a big sigh I looked at John and said "You know, to tell you the truth, I just feel like going to a beach in the Caribbean and hanging out for a month".  And John replied joking, , "Well, I have a place in Panama that needs some work done on it".  "John, how much of this is joking and how much is serious?" I responded, and we started chatting, and as I write this I am now sitting under a coconut palm tree overlooking the Ocean at La Roca.

La Roca

La Roca is the name of John and Gloria's house, and in Spanish it means "The Rock"  The house is built on a promontory 100' or so above the beach and is, in fact, on the Caribbean in the Panamanian province of Colon, near the town of Portobelo.   It's a smallish stucco house painted bright colors with a red tile roof.  The house consists of a living area, a kitchen, an open area with an extra bed, and a separate bedroom.

And it's wonderful.  Completely private, not another person in sight.  Coconut palms, oceans waves, ships on the horizon lined up to go into the Panama Canal, for me this is Paradise.  I am truly having the time of my life here.

On Panamanians

One of the primary reasons for my happiness here are the people.  As a cultural social group, Panamanians are great people.  Happy, helpful and for the most part passive (except when they get behind a steering wheel, then all bets are off...). And very friendly. Additionally, the children are incredibly polite and well behaved.  The other day I was having lunch at a restaurant and heard a child cry - the first time I had heard such a sound since being here.  I looked up, and there's a gringo family near by and it's (of course) their child.  Turns out that the women, Rachel, is from Sherwood Oregon.  Small world...

Mi Familia

 I am really fortunate that Gloria's family is here, as both sets (Panama City and here on the Carib) have bent over backwards to help me.  I feel as though they have become my family.  From "renting" me a car for a very fair price, to teaching me Spanish and finding me Spanish teachers, to making sure that I am comfortable, safe and secure, to inviting me to their parties and events, they have made this trip the success it has been for me.  I am forver grateful to them for their generosity and sincere friendship.

Senoritas

And the women here.  Three words:  Oh.  My.  God.  They are beautiful, with perfect figures.  When I first arrived I couldn't help myself but marvel that in the States we spend billions of dollars each year on dieting, gyms, and related clothing and gear, and here in a relatively poor country the people are in terrific shape.  And being a guy, and being me,  I primarily have noticed how trim and tone the women here are. (And yes, I have met a senorita, her name is Isabela and you can see her in one of the photo galleries I have at the Ofoto.com site).

10 Leagues Under the Sea

Since arriving here I have learned to scuba dive.  I was really fortunate in finding a dive operation that is first class (www.padamatwinoceans.com), run by gringos that believe in safety first.  The class consisted of another student, Carol, and myself.  Carol and her boyfriend Jack, who is retired, are cruising the seas in his sail boat.  Our instructor, Key, is a Brit who (to me) sounds like an Aussi, and of course I unwittingly insulted him by making a comment about him being from an island that was originally a penal colony.  To which he replied that he's not Australian, but instead from Jersey - the original  Jersey, not "New" one.

Anyway, I digress.  After a week of diving in both shallow water in a little beach cove reachable only by boat, and open diving around a coral reef near Drake's Island (so name because the infamous pirate Sir Francis Drake was buried at sea near here), Carol and I received our PADI certifications.  I really enjoy diving - it feels very natural to me to be breathing in 60' of water. 

The primary partners of the dive center are Pat & Jesse Allen, a husband/wife career Army couple that were stationed here and decided to retire here.  Jesse spent pretty much his entire career in special forces, and although he may be a trained killer he is also a gentle soul.  Pat and him make a terrific couple, and they have a good natured11 year old son named Eric. 

The Canal:

The Panama Canal is NOT - I repeat - NOT - managed by a Chinese company.  This is a complete falsehood, and stems from the fact that a Chinese company did buy a container company that has a site on the Canal.  American Republicans, still upset over Carter signing the treaty that gave the Canal back to Panama, cited this purchase as an example: "Look!  The Chinese are taking over the Canal!  We told you we should have kept it!"

To tell the truth, I am glad we gave the Canal back.  The Panama Canal Zone, which extended the length of the Canal (60 miles) and was 25 miles wide along the entire Canal, amounted to a country within a country, dividing that country in half.  As a general rule Panamanians were not allowed in the Canal Zone.  The Canal Zone had it's own laws, justice, etc.  To me, being here now with the country and the Canal unified as one, it's hard to imagine that the country segregated like that.

Photos of La Roca are below.  Please note that you will need to create an Ofoto account to view photos.  There is no cost to do this.  The reason that I use the Ofoto site is because only having 28.8 (when I'm lucky) modem access, I only have to upload the photos once, then they can be linked form web site, I can print them, forward them etc. without having to upload again, saving lots of time.  I appreciate your taking a moment to register so you can view my photos.