20K and a Year Away

Here is an update on where we are and what we’re doing next. The place we have rented is fine, and for what we paid, it has a lot. This one, after the discounts and specials, came to a total of $330. That is less than our regular two nights, not even full days, at a nice hotel back home. Let’s look at the positives of this new place…

First, it has a kitchen – ish – and that is fantastic for our food situation. We have already made some meals – including the arroz con pollo we learned in Santa Fe. Granted, we are not experts, but it tasted good. Second, it has a dining area and a couch – not just beds – for sitting and hanging out. It is a two-room unit – like a suite at a hotel. Third, there is a washer for doing our laundry. Fourth, it is right next to a mini-grocery for basics. Fifth, it is a couple blocks from a bakery with fresh bread every morning. Sixth, there is a great hill to climb right out the door. Seventh, it is close to town by bus, taxi, or Uber. And, finally, there is a sitting area with a little table and chairs, a hammock, and tortugas just wandering around. All great things.

Now, the few, but actually worth pondering, negatives. First, it is close to town, but the town it is close to doesn’t have much to see. We will visit the shopping areas, catch a movie, and do some restaurant visits, but aside from that, it doesn’t have much to offer. We will take a bus to Panama City to do some real exploring. It is about an hour away. From the main terminal, we will Uber our way around. Uber is really good and reliable here. It costs the same as a taxi, but since you use the map to indicate where you want to go, there is a lot less confusion since we don’t actually know where we are going.

The second thing is the air conditioning. This is not essential, but boy, would it be nice. Our host told us it would be here when we got here, but when we arrived, he said it quit working two days before our arrival and he was trying to fix it. For the first three days, he tried to get it working. On two occasions, he managed to get it to blow air, but the compressor was just not having it. He couldn’t get it working and had to order parts from a local shop. Parts from local shops may get here in a couple weeks… but no one here is counting on it. So, as an alternative, for now, they gave us another fan. We can now be in different rooms, each with a fan pointed directly at us. We are going to score some little spray bottles to have our own misting systems. It will be fine… a little warm, but fine.

Finally, one little thing that was a little off-putting when we got here. We got off the bus at El Nazareno footbridge, crossed over the PanAmerican Intercontinental Highway, bought a coke and a snack at the mini-store, called an Uber, and waited. The Uber got there and the conversation began. We went over the directions to the house, which, of course, has no actual address, just some lot numbers, then, he was very funny. He said, “I don’t want to be a gossip, but what are you doing here?” Just jump right in. I told him we were staying at a house here just to see the area. He said he was a little concerned coming out here to drop us off, that it was one of those areas with a bad reputation. AHHHH HAAAA. That is interesting. He drops us off at the house and leaves us with these parting words, “Don’t walk around here by yourselves.”

So, that was our introduction to the area. We got in and met the host, who told us the area is safe but we do need to be aware. He said, by ourselves, we can take walks in the day with no problems. We should walk with his wife in the evening if we want to go later, to be safer. He said not to carry a lot of money, don’t wear flashy jewelry, and to lock all the doors when you leave and come back. That seems reasonable – all part of traveling. He also said, just so you know, we have five dogs. Already feeling safer!

We have been here just about a week and have not had, or felt, any trouble. We have taken Uber into the big town and walked to the main highway several times. People are friendly and curious. We say hello and wave. We walked up the hill behind us with his wife last night. It is a trek! We were not at all tired, though, thanks to the hills in Santa Fe. She told us that we can probably walk up here by ourselves after we go up with her a couple times, just so people get used to seeing us. Today, a relative of theirs just showed up to stay for a while. He offered to walk up with us, too, anytime she is not available. He just happens to be a cop. Is that good or bad… welllllll, it is debatable.

So, to put everything in perspective, the place is cute, comfortable – air not included – and inside, perfectly safe and secure. The negatives are not horrible. We will get warm, but we will also take advantage of Uber to go to places that are air-conditioned – like the movies, museum, or mall – or any other location that starts with M. We will be able to wander around anywhere in the morning – to get fresh bread, of course – and we will have someone accompany us in the evening for walks. We will take advantage of our transportation options and visit Panama City to get out of town. As a matter of fact, we are going to visit the Panama Canal Miraflores Locks Visitor’s Center the day after tomorrow. The adventure is still on, it has just taken on a different flavor this month. Let’s see what else is out there!!

As a treat for withstanding the heat and being super awesome, we got Dairy Queen!