It's the PANAMA CANAL baby! - Our final day in Panama City

Everything must end....

And so we ended our visit to Panama City with a trip to the Panama Canal. If you have not been there --GO! It is pretty amazing. We thought we would be in and out in an hour but after we got there we became fascinated with all the boats and ships coming through. Watching the locks open and close and the boats disappearing lower and lower in the water.

The Panama Canal (Spanish: Canal de Panamá) is an artificial 48-mile (77 km) waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. There are locks at each end to lift ships up to Gatun Lake, an artificial lake created to reduce the amount of excavation work required for the canal, 26 metres (85 ft) above sea level, and then lower the ships at the other end. The original locks are 33.5 metres (110 ft) wide. A third, wider lane of locks was constructed between September 2007 and May 2016. The expanded canal began commercial operation on June 26, 2016. The new locks allow transit of larger, Post-Panamax ships, capable of handling more cargo.

We also met a nice couple from Wisconsin who were passing through on their way to Costa Rica for a 15 day vacation. We sat outside on the upper level watching the boats/ships, drinking beer and wine and chatting with them for a couple of hours. It was a beautiful day! I LOVE to travel!

We made it!

Just a side note. In 2013 we scheduled a 15-day Panama Canal cruise on my favorite cruise line, Celebrity Cruises. The departure date on the Celebrity Infinity was 3/29/15. Around this same time, we were exploring making the move to Costa Rica (for 2016) but had not yet visited. We made the decision to reschedule the cruise for a later date (April 2017) and visit Costa Rica instead.

To be honest, I completely forgot about the rescheduled cruise until I received an email reminder that the "final payment" was due. I quickly replied that we had moved to Costa Rica and I would need to cancel the cruise and BTW we were planning to fly to Panama City on Jan 18 and would see the canal at that time. The cruise line said they would refund our deposit (that made me very happy because I figured I would lose the deposit - it was a small deposit but hey, money is money!). A flight from Costa Rica to Panama City is about $150 round trip. Our 15-day Panama Canal cruise was $6,737.50 (balcony -  Aqua Class aft cabin 1141) not including airfare. We had one of the best cabins on the ship (not a penthouse) for viewing the canal and we were planning a BIG party in our stateroom.  I had arranged for a knowledgable speaker (on the subject of the canal) to be in our cabin during the pass through. We were going to celebrate retirements, birthdays and anniversaries. We were very excited!

But get this....I was checking online the other day to see if I could find a video of our originally scheduled cruise from 2015 -- just to see what it looks like from the ship (wondering what I might have missed) and I came across the article below...

Funny how things work out sometimes!

The Centers for Disease Control says 112 passengers and crew were sickened by norovirus aboard the Celebrity Infinity, which carried some 2,000 passengers on a 15-day trip that began in Fort Lauderdale March 29 and arrived back in San Diego on Monday. Celebrity Cruises, however, put the total at 100 and has said those who fell ill responded to shipboard medication. Norovirus can be transmitted from contaminated food or water or an infected person.

During its 15-day cruise it made stops in Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and went through the Panama Canal. 

The Infinity was disinfected and departed for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with new passengers Monday afternoon. Royal Caribbean is the corporate owner of Celebrity Cruises.

A view from the top

Below is our Panama Canal Video 

It's the Panama Canal baby! from Devon on Vimeo.

I'm adding this 2nd video for myself (for old times' sake) than anything else, so that I have it for reference. If you are interested in seeing the Panama Canal from a cruise perspective -- here's the way it would have looked from The Infinity Aril 2015 (email subscribers click here for link)

 I'm not going to lie. I LOVE cruising too (Smiling)
Choices!

I have put this one to bed
Panama Canal

The historic, Casco Viejo - Our Panama Visit Day 2

Ken & Ife Grady (Black Expats Exploring Panama)

One of the biggest perks for me when traveling, is meeting people. Meeting native people is a joy and also very helpful because it gives us an opportunity to see the location through the eyes of someone who lives there and you have the opportunity to discover places off the beaten (tourist) path. As we travel through Latin America that will not always be the case due to the language barrier, but in that situation, meeting a couple of US expats is the perfect solution! You can now get the perspective of what it's like to be a US American living abroad. 

For us, that is exactly what happened on our recent trip to Panama. We met up with Ife & Ken Grady. They have been in the Panama City area for about 6 yrs (I think that's how long) They are happily living life there and loving it! 

Ken and Ife have a website called Black Expats Exploring Panama and also do tours. If you are in the area please give them a call. 

The couple was nice enough to meet us in Casco Viejo and take us around and give us a mini tour of the area. We sat down over lunch to chat about life in Panama. One of the things we discussed was the cost of living. And, yes it's true, It is much cheaper to live there. Their rent is $200 a month less than ours (for a comparable property), their electricity bill runs $16 while ours is $140 - $160. Also the government subsidizes the (propane) gas for its residents. They pay $6 for a can that lasts 2-3 months. We pay $14 for a can that lasts 3 wks. The list goes on. I will post a more in depth comparison in my Panama wrap up.

For now, back to Casco Viejo

The Casco, the southwestern tip of Panama City, overlooks the Pacific entrance to the canal, where huge container ships hover. It’s just three avenues wide and nobody uses addresses. Architecturally encyclopedic, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997.

Along with stylish hotels and apartments they’re building affordable housing, a travel agency, a bakery, restaurants, artists’ residences, a hostel, and a community center. Their hotels employ mostly neighborhood people trained by a local foundation. There are several US expats who own property and businesses in Casco. 

Reminds me a lot of La Antigua, Guatemala except Casco Viejo is only in the beginning stages although real estate prices have been going up steadily - Cha Ching!

Ken Grady

Ken & Ife also introduced us to (US expat) Alyce Sherman, she and her husband Rich are the owners of a cute boutique hotel called Casa Sucre. They bought the property when on vacation in Panama. We got a personal tour of the inside and an explanation of their intricate and detailed remodel project due to the building's Unesco classification.  Alyce was very kind to give me an original floor tile. The building was renovated in 1873 but the hand painted tile is much older (see video below) 

"Located in the historic Casco Viejo neighborhood of San Felipe, Panama, Casa Sucre Boutique Hotel and Coffeehouse is a renovated 1873 Spanish Colonial home with five bedrooms and three apartments for those visiting our historic city.  Incorporated into the historic building is a 1,000 square foot coffeehouse featuring the coffees of the Boquete region of Panama.    At Casa Sucre Coffeehouse we feature fresh roasted coffees from the major fincas (farms) in Panama such as Finca Lerida, Pomona Estate, Cafe de la Luna, Hartmann Farms, Hacienda Fennarrio, and Bajareque Coffee to name a few of the many specialty coffees of Panama.The building which houses the boutique hotel and coffeehouse was built in 1873 and goes by the historic name of Casa Sucre. "Sucre" is the French word for sugar or candy (sucrerie)"

Calle 8 y Ave. B Casco Viejo​www.facebook.com/cscoffeehouseCasaSucreCoffeehouse@gmail.com(507) 698-22504 or (507)393-6130

It is a lovely hotel. You just might want to see if you can reserve a room there, if you get to Panama City! I had no luck when I tried, but will try again in the future. It will be worth it!

Ife Grady, Alyce Sherman (owner) and me @ Casa Sucre

Casco Viejo - Panama Day 2
Email Subscribers click the link below or view on the site

Casco Viejo, Panama Day 2 from Devon on Vimeo.

Dinner at Beirut - Our Panamá Visit Day 1

Copa Airlines Wednesday Jan 18, 2017

This was Border Run/Visa Run #3. We booked a non stop afternoon flight to Panama City. The thought was, to spend a somewhat leisurely morning making sure we had everything we needed before heading off to the airport (and for once avoiding getting up at the crack of dawn). I generally schedule early flights so that we have more time at our destination but that usually just means -- we arrive prior to check in time and often have to wait before getting into our rooms.

Our flight was scheduled for 12:43 pm (which by the 3 hr prior to departure rule) meant we actually got picked up at 9:30 am. So much for a leisurely morning!! We did have time for coffee!

Easy Breezy at the airport

The airport check-in went quickly and smoothly. We had already completed the web check in and had our seat assignments. We had passports in hand along with bus tickets on Tica Bus (proof of onward travel from Costa Rica is required - although not always requested - at immigration upon return to Costa Rica). At the Copa airline check in desk we needed only our passports to depart. After going through 2 other security check points we were finally on our way to the gate (no hair searching or shoe removal).  Time elapsed...approx 30 minutes, which leaves a lot of waiting time.

There are many nice shops at the Costa Rica airport. I wish many of the items were also available in local stores. However, to waste some time, I stopped into one of the the duty free shops where I found a new perfume that I liked. I decided to buy it and cross off "perfume" on my Panama City shopping list. Except, I did not know that they actually attach the purchase information to your passport in the computer. I was asked for my final destination, after which, the perfume was placed it in a sealed plastic bag marked "do not open until your final destination". On the immigration handout sheet which must be completed both coming and going, I had to list the item and the value. When we arrived in Panamá I handed it over to the agent and he waved me through.

Going forward I think I would only use the duty free shop on my way out of the airport!

Bristol Hotel Lobby

Expedia.com

Our airline tickets, hotel reservations and airport pick up were all done on Expedia. I have used them before and find the service to be easy and reliable. The hotel reservation was discounted and included free "full breakfast" ea day, and a King Suite in the new tower of the hotel on an upper floor (in the TripAdvisor reviews I read that the new tower had the best decor etc).

Breakfast (excellent food and service) at our hotel also included coverage of the orange clown which played quietly in the background. Even in Panamá there is just no ignoring the Drumpf!!

The Bristol Hotel (located in the Bella Vista district) 

The room was ready when we arrived. (there is a 1-hr time difference between Costa Rica and Panamá ET, the temperature was hot and humid - neither were unbearable)

We did get a room in the new tower (but just barely) as there are 24 floors and we were on 12 (which I think is the beginning of the new tower). We really liked the hotel though. The view was nice and we had no complaints.

The Allbrook Mall

Once checked in, we decided to get the shopping out of the way first. We took our 1st Uber ride to the Allbrook Mall. With over 700 stores, this mall is HUGE. We only explored a tiny part of one portion of the mall. I did not see as many familiar stores as I had expected. There was however, store after store of clothing, shoes, accessories and household items for very reasonable prices.

We were searching for tank tops for Lavanson in size extra large (almost non existent in Costa Rica) - we were unable to find more than a few items in XL in any of the stores in Panama City.  I was looking for some light, comfortable pants, capris or walking shorts. I did not find any that I liked in the stores we went in. Even though we were unsuccessful, I give the Allbrook an A because it is a very nice mall, it's pretty and has a lot of stores. So many stores can become a bit overwhelming. You will need to spend a lot of time (days) there if you want to check out even half of the stores.

Dinner at Beirut

Later we ate dinner at Beirut, a lively, neighborhood Lebanese restaurant down the street from our hotel. Lavanson ordered their traditional drink called Arak, (an alcoholic drink made with anise). I tasted it and it had a very strong anise flavor and reminded me of medicine. Lavanson gave it a good try but did not finish the whole drink (he enjoyed the beer much better). For dinner Lavanson had their sampler plate and I had calamari a margarita and a glass of white wine (which I did not like - Chardonnay is rare in Costa Rica and apparently in Panama as well).  The restaurant came complete with hookah pipe and belly dancers. Cost for dinner and drinks $40.

Pretty cool.

 Right across from the restaurant @ calle Vía España

The show

A little Beirut in Panama City from Devon on Vimeo.

Stop back tomorrow as we meet new friends and visit Casco Viejo (the old city) 

Panama City - We LOVED it!! - Our Life in Costa Rica

THIS is Panama City!

Upon our arrival at Tocumen International Airport, the pilot jokingly announced "welcome to Miami"

Panama City, the capital of Panama is a modern city framed by the Pacific Ocean and the man-made Panama Canal. The urban population is only about 430,000 which really surprised me because the city is HUGE and you would think the population would be in the millions. I guess Panama City, like so many other cities, swells with day time workers who return to the areas surrounding the city to live (the population including urban areas is about 880,000). 

The most cosmopolitan capital in Central America, Panama City is both vibrant metropolis and gateway to tropical escapes. Many worlds coexist here. Welcoming both east and west, Panama is a regional hub of trade and immigration. The resulting cultural cocktail forges a refreshing 'anything goes' attitude, more dynamic and fluid than its neighbors. 

Unflinchingly urban, the capital rides the rails of chaos, with traffic jams, wayward taxis and casinos stacked between chic clubs and construction sites. A center of international banking and trade, the sultry skyline of shimmering glass and steel towers is reminiscent of Miami. In contrast, the peninsula of Casco Viejo has become a thriving colonial neighborhood where cobblestones link boutique hotels with underground bars and crumbled ruins with pirate lore. Source

Here's how this trip went down. This was our 3rd Visa Run since arriving in Costa Rica on June 1, 2016. Since we do not like crossing into some of the border towns, we instead choose cities (or countries) on our "must see" list and make our crossing to those areas instead. It is much more enjoyable and kills 2 birds with one stone.

How fortunate we are that there are some pretty cool countries within a short distance of Costa Rica. 

For this trip we selected Panama City. Panama City had been on our short list of places to retire (there are a LOT of reasons to retire in Panama - more later) so it was nice to see it up close and personal. It is also only an hour away by plane (like making the trip from SFO to LAX). The fares on Copa Airlines are pretty reasonable (plus you can check 2 bags at no additional cost and the planes are modern and very nice). Copa also serves a meal (remember those?) on this short flight. 

We decided to stay for 3 days. We wanted to do some shopping, visit the Panama Canal, check out Casco Viejo (the old city) and meet up with a couple of expats we met online. I am happy to say, we met all of our goals! 

Oh, and we used Uber for the 1st time! I signed up for Uber about 2 years ago, when I was still working but never used it. In Panama City, it worked out really well. The cost was never over $5 to go just about anywhere in the city. We only paid about $5.50 to go to the Panama Canal. I recommend you use this as your form of transportation if you come to Panama City, although there are Yellow Taxis everywhere. Panama City also has a convenient Metro system. 

You will also find the cost of hotels in Panama City to be fairly inexpensive as well - we chose to stay at a 5-Star hotel, well because I also like to treat myself when we travel (it's a mini vacation) and I really enjoy staying at nice hotels. It's sort of "my thing"! And why not? If that's not your thing, not to worry, there are many reasonably priced hotels in the area including name brands like Hyatt, Marriott and Hilton. All are very nice. 

BTW- I could not do any of this if I had retired in San Francisco on a fixed income. Just sayin!

Here's a short video of the drive through the city (using Uber)

Our trip to Panama City from Devon on Vimeo.

Email subscribers click link above or watch on the website

Stop back tomorrow for more of our Panama City trip

We're Back! - Our Life in Costa Rica

Lots more to follow

Friday! - Our Life in Costa Rica

We love going to the feria and we really enjoy having our Spanish lesson once a week.
Our teacher, Shirley, comes to our house and we sit out on the patio for the lesson

however.....

This week we took the show on the road!

Shirley accompanied us to the feria to help us make some sense out of the "strange/unusual" fruits and vegetables we have been seeing each week.

Here is part 1 (not sure how many parts there will end up being but probably 3)

Enjoy

Friday from Devon on Vimeo.
(email subscribers click the link above or view directly on the website)

A Simple Life Expectancy Test - Our Life in Costa Rica

Today's post might seem a little off topic, but not really. If you are going to be around long enough to retire (and beyond) you have to take care of yourself and make sure that you do everything you can to stay in shape, which in turn will help you live longer and be stronger.

Living in Costa Rica is different from living in the US in a lot of ways.

If you live here, especially in some of the mountainous areas (where a lot of expats live) you are going to encounter hills, uneven grade, unexpected dips and lots of potholes. On the hills and the slopes you will see many locals walking and riding their bikes. They take these hills like they are nothing (of course they are used to them) but, if your body is not up to par you aren't going to be able to deal with it and might find yourself scurrying back to the U.S.

There are many ways to stay in shape, yoga is just one of them.

Kim & Mayela on our last incline (there are 2)

Friday was the 1st day we walked the 2nd leg of our journey to the community center (Mayela drove her car on Mon & Wed). Since I have to walk up a steep hill just to get to Mayela's, I get a double work out.

After class some of the the gals stay to do a little cool down and some push ups

There is some controversy about the balance test below but I think we can all agree that musculoskeletal fitness is important. Everything we do relies heavily on our ability to balance. As we age, we gradually start to lose our muscle strength, vision and sensory perception – all things that contribute to our ability to balance. As a result, our mobility can be compromised and lack of mobility can lead to falling, which can lead to a whole new set of health issues.

I would not encourage anyone with bad knees or back issues (or if you are too frail) to try the test below. The rest of you - give it a try! Young & old alike.

The good news is that physical balance is a learned skill that can be maintained and improved by practice. 

What is your balance like?

Here's me

Balance Test Yoga Day #3 from Devon on Vimeo.

Yoga on the ridge - Our Life in Costa Rica

The lady who is walking ahead of me here - on my way back home - brought her little girl to participate in class. It was the cutest thing!

Walking home after Day #2 of yoga. Walking downhill is much easier than walking up

There it is folks ---That VIEW!!!

I made a Short Video  with a few thoughts after my 1st yoga class. 

(BTW - the class will also help me with my Spanish because only the instructors speak both English & Spanish). My classmates tried to talk to me - in the beginning everyone pretty much assumes I speak Spanish - but unfortunately I did not understand most of what they said, except, a couple of ladies complimented me on my hair - which I understand because I've been stopped a few times and people have basically said the same thing - so I recognize those words!  

The walk to the class alone would have been reward enough for me! 

And so I begin 2017

Namaste!

A Song in the Making - Our Life in Costa Rica

Living the Pura Vida!

Pura Vida means Pure Life

Part of the reason we are in Costa Rica is because we wanted to be in a place where we could truly be free to be who we are. Not that you can't do that in the U.S (because you certainly can). It is just easier here because life is much simpler.  Maybe it's in the air, but there is definitely something here that provides the deepest sense of peace.
In Costa Rica, you learn to make your own version of life,  you can surround yourself with the things you love, and the things that make you happy. There's an atmosphere of favoring family and friends and good times above all else.

In Costa Rica, we both discovered a freer, healthier, happier, more creative life!

Lavanson taught himself to play the Native American flute, after I surprised him with one from High Spirits for his birthday about 10 yrs ago. Problem is, he always played alone and never had the opinion or collaboration with a musician. Since we have been here he has been invited to the home of one of our new friends (Larry) who is a musician. Last week he got to record in Larry's studio.
He was a happy guy! Below are are a couple of minutes of their session together.
Thanks Larry!!

The Making of a Song from Devon on Vimeo.

Meet our Neighbors - Our Life in Costa Rica

Hahaha bet you thought the parties were over!!

Well, not so fast. The holiday parties may be over but appears there is pretty much non stop activity going on in this neck of the woods (El Cajon). They call it the party ridge.

I have such a hard time answering the question "So what do you do all day?" If you read this blog you pretty much know the answer to that question. We are busy almost all the time!!

Saturday night we went to a birthday dinner and tonight (Sunday) we were invited to a dinner party (if the house looks familiar, that's because it is. It is the home of Jim & Irina. They are the couple that hosted the Solstice Party a few weeks ago)

Dinner was to meet these two -- Roy & Kimberly - our neighbors. They live about 3 houses up the hill from us on the same side of the street. Imagine. We have never even seen them. Their house is behind a very tall gate, so that might be why. Kimberly is a co instructor for a yoga class further up on our ridge and...I am going to start going. Meeting time 6:45am tomorrow!  We have to w-a-l-k up the ridge to the class, however the classes are free. 

This was NOT even one of my New Year's resolutions!!! 

Kimberly is also an interior designer and did the interior design for Jim & Irina's beautiful house.

The menu was spaghetti. Irina made homemade pasta with special consideration for Lavanson's vegan diet (which he always appreciates). 

Irina and Jim really know how to host a dinner party. We have been to their house for dinner once before. It is like eating in a fine restaurant.

I brought the dessert - which was a tropical fruit mixto. I spent half the day chopping. Then I made a very good dressing from basil, mint, honey, lemon, lime and ginger. Pretty good -- if I do say so myself. Sorry no photo.

Lots of wine and rum! Of course Irina makes her own bread too - as many expats here do. It is "heaven" Yum!!!

Jim & Irina have their sausage made to order by the people who run one of the restaurants in town. The outer sausage is using their requested ingredients - fennel and more spice and less fat. The inner sausage is what the restaurant serves on its menu. Both are delicious.

A toast to new friends and old!

and to yoga in the morning!

It's Summer - Our Life in Costa Rica

This time I really mean it

It's SUMMER! And not a minute too soon for me!

The sounds of summer! (at our house!)

(email subscribers click link below to view video)

It's Summer! from Devon on Vimeo.

Introducing the NEW Costa Rica FAQ page - Our Life in Costa Rica

Today is a quick update.

Attended our 5th and final Holiday party of 2016 on New Year's Eve. It was very nice, with an amazing fireworks display that you could see for miles. I posted a short clip on my last entry but I am not sure that it came through, so I am posting another one today (even if you saw the other one watch this one as well, it's different).

We also entertained on 5 occasions at our house over the holidays. So that makes 10 total! 

Not bad for the new kids on the block.

Secondly, I completed the 

Costa Rica FAQ page

When you have a minute please take a look at it. 

There is a link on the menu bar but you can click here to view. There are over 20 questions which many of you may find helpful if you are planning to relocate or even if you are planning a vacation or short stay here.(I included many of the questions I had when I was planning our move)

If you need further assistance, please shoot me a comment, email or message me. 

I will be happy to help you in any way I can. 

When the view is the star of the show

Jeanetta Owens, owner of La Terraza B&B in Grecia and her daughter visiting for the holidays

Evelyn and Marilyn (Marilyn lives in CR 6 mo and Atlanta 6 mos)

Lavanson stylin in his handmade vest

Beautiful tree

Our hosts, Evelyn & Matt

In Costa Rica, all the communities have a fireworks display at exactly midnight. It is beautiful. We could see from Escazu to Alajuela (where the airport is located) to Heredia (a city just north of San Jose)

New Year's Eve video

(email subscribers please click the link to view)

New Year's Eve in Costa Rica from Devon on Vimeo.