It is rumored that President Obama has 24 cars in his entourage. And he is only 1 of the 35 world leaders here for the Summit.
For information about the road closures, see this US Embassy page.
For those that don't know.
The Summit is a venue for leaders of the western hemisphere to "discuss common policy issues, affirm shared values and commit to concerted actions at the national and regional level to address continuing and new challenges faced in the Americas."
US President Bill Clinton created the 1st summit in 1994. It was held in Miami Florida.
The 7th Summit of the Americas will be hosted by Panama in Panama City. It officially goes from April 10-12th, but there are a number of adjunct events that occur from April 9-15th.
This year's Summit will be the 1st at which all 35 countries in the Western Hemisphere will attend.
There will be even more people attending the Summit's adjunct meetings, for instance today's business forum. US President Obama will attend that as well as former US President Bill Clinton, 2nd richest man in the world Carlos Slim from Mexico, senior officials from Coca Cola, Copa Airlines, Walmart, and many others.
To find out more about the Summits of the Americas and if they really matter, go to this site about the Summits.
Panama City's International film festival is also opening today.
Click for more about Panama 's film festival.
A busy time in Panama City.
Worth being there for the film festival.
But if you aren't going to that, I'd avoid Panama City right now.
Want to visit a quieter place, learn more about our beach town, Puerto Armuelles, Panama.
AA Meetings Are Growing In Panama. You will find one to go to, if you are looking for one..To some that are overtly vulgar, (and hilarious): ….
Well, there should be an apt expression of what life is like for semi-problem drinkers, or even moderate drinkers, from mainstream north american society, when they suddenly find themselves retired, living in a relaxed, tropical culture, with no schedule, no work, enough money to do pretty much whatever they want, and lots of time to drink.
Surely some AA sage has said something like:
“If you don’t have a drinking problem yet, just wait until you retire to Panama.”
Many find, whether they retire in the US, Canada, or Panama, the transition from working life, which was hopefully meaningful, and satisfying, as well as being very busy, to a life of ease and comfort, with no fixed schedule, and very possibly a little boredom, can be a tough one.
Added to this abrupt structural change to the status quo, a move to Panama means that one will be living in a society with a much higher tolerance of excessive drinking, for public drunkenness. And for what we would consider socially unacceptable behavior while under the influence of alcohol. No one would look twice if you whistle at a cute girl passing on a bicycle.
In short, primarily for men, it is not really frowned upon to drink pretty hard every day.
While any day of the week is an acceptable day to drink, Sundays are really a day that is dedicated to drinking. Panamain men drink hard either at a family picnic, a softball game, a fishing trip, or just hanging out on the patio with friends.
In short, drinking, and drinking to excess is accepted in Panama.
Unfortunately, you will run into more than the occasional expat who appears to have chosen drinking as his “second career”. Ex-pat drinkers have favorite beer cozies in Panama the way dog mushers have favorite mittens in Alaska.
Drinking apparatus can be like “tools of the trade” here.
In spite of this widespread acceptance of heavy drinking, or perhaps because of it, there is a well developed, and growing AA community in Panama.
If you are familiar with AA from your personal experience in a major north american city, obviously, you will find that the choice of meeting groups and times is somewhat limited. However, due to the large number of expat retirees in Panama, very likely, the number of meetings will grow quickly.
In fact this website, mentions several in Boquete as well as one in Volcan.
We know of a few AA members from north america who live in Puerto Armuelles.
So far, there is not an English speaking meeting in Puerto.
One of the AA members drives to Boquete to a meeting there, saying that they prefer it to the meeting in David.
There is a Spanish-speaking meeting in Puerto Armuelles. It is next to the Boy Scout office downtown. So far, we have no other information about it.
Alcoholics Anonymous is alive and well in Panama.
If you are looking for a meeting, you will certainly be able to meet other grateful alcoholics, and to share the practical, and spiritual program with them.
If you know about the meetings in Chiriqui, please comment below.
That info would be of interest to those in Puerto Armuelles.
Thank You.
We Took The Metro From the Iglesia de Carmen station. You can see the church (Iglesia) in this photoYou can see what the station looks like from the street in the photo to the left.
It was clean, cool, easy, and enjoyable.
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A metro employee helped us figure out how to get money on our Rapi>Pass card for the metro
The Rapi>Pass card is a 3 in one public transportation card.
You use it in Panama City for
The card itself costs $2 and afterwards you recharge it with money and tap it to enter a bus or metro system. You can recharge it at many locations, including each metro station.
You can add money to your card using the machine seen in one of the photos below. Then you tap it at turnstile in order to both enter or exit each station.
I have information on where the metro goes after the photos below.
In a small world moment, when exiting at the Albrook station I ran into someone from Puerto Armuelles. She didn't know how to use the card to exit and I helped her.
We spoke Spanish to each other for awhile and then realized we were both English speakers. She is originally from England. Her name is Jackie, or Miss Jackie, as many people call her since she worked for years at the Las Palmas school in Puerto Armuelles. I had heard of her, but never met her before.
She was on her way to England and taking her grand daughter with her. It was a fun meeting someone from Puerto like that.
Panama plans to have 4 metro lines. Right now it just has 1, Line 1.
The map of line 1 is on the left, and in the slideshow above.
Currently, Line 1 runs from Albrook Bus Terminal to Los Andes Commercial Center. In the future it will be extended from Los Andes to San Isidro.
Line 1 is 13.7km long with 12 stations, including seven underground stations and five elevated stations.
Line 2 will also be built in two phases. The first phase will go from San Migulieto to La Dorba and Phase 2 will include the route from Albrook to San Migulieto.
Line 3 will be 21km long, running from Albrook to La Chorrera. It will pass through a new bridge constructed on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.
Line 4 will run from Albrook to Rana de Oro.
Panama City is growing by leaps and bounds. It is becoming both nicer and bigger.
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If you are looking for a slower paced small town, you many want to check out our town of Puerto Armuelles.
Puerto Armuelles is the only true beach town in Panama.
Find out more about Puerto Armuelles here.
Source:
Railway-Technology.com
Its not drinking, but connecting with others that leads to happinessHowever, to find true happiness in a sunny, warm, relaxing environment requires the exact same skill set that is required to be happy while shoveling snow in Toronto in January, or sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic in L.A. during rush hour.
Here in Panama, you will find countless examples of this fact.
In short, the people who were happy and content in their lives in the north, are the same ones who tend to find happiness and peace here in Panama.
This is not meant to dash the hopes of those who are looking forward to a positive up-tic in their well-being, by quitting the rat race, letting go of their emotionally, or physically punishing work life, and moving south to practice a slower, simpler way of life.
Believe me, there are definite benefits of moving to the tropics.
But, the old adage “wherever you go…there you are” clearly applies to retirement in the tropics.
If you were the kind of person who got into fits of "road rage” on your way to work in the morning, every time some “idiot” on the cell phone cut you off, then you will certainly find something to get upset about in Panama.
Most likely, that tense, angry disposition will find an easy target in the glacial bureaucracy in Panama, or the “relaxed” punctuality of your domestic worker. Rather than “flipping off” some absent-minded motorist in rush hour traffic, you might find yourself muttering under your breath about the “inconsideration, or ignorance of ‘these people’ here in Panama.
There is plenty to get upset about here, if you are looking to get upset.
The secret to true happiness in Paradise is having a willingness to let go of old mental habits.
If you are angry, you need to let that go. If you are selfish, let that go too.
One of the greatest benefits of life in the tropics, and in a slow-paced culture such as in Panama, is that one has so much more time. This means that there is a lot more time to practice the healthy life habits that nurture a happy mental state.
If you are in a happy mental state, you are more likely to practice acts of kindness, and to smile at the people you meet. These acts will serve to reinforce your happy, peaceful state of mind. Thus, the happiness that you feel in each moment can build on the happiness of the moment before. "Brick-by-brick", you can create a happy life.
One of the surest ways to feel happy is by doing something nice for someone else. Ex-pats, upon moving to Panama, will notice that with the drop in their living costs, they are, in essence, elevated from the middle class that they once occupied in the north, to that of the “elite” here in Panama.
Now, some might see this as an opportunity to buy more “stuff”. You could own a bigger house, buy boats and cars. You could eat more, or drink more. However, by this time in our lives, hopefully, most of us have already figured out that having more “stuff” isn’t going to bring us any real happiness (Unless, of course, one was barely getting by, or really over-extended, during one’s work life).
In effect, a move to Panama, is a lot like winning the lottery. You are suddenly richer, with more free time on your hands, and you are completely free of your old routine.
Numerous studies of lottery winners show, overwhelmingly, that lottery winners, six months after winning that huge payout, are actually “less happy” than they were before they won. They have everything material that they want, but they still don’t have that elusive prize; They don’t have happiness. In fact, studies show that the only lottery winners who consistently end up happier than they were before, are those who give their winnings away to someone else.
So, if coming to Panama can be equated to winning the lottery, and if “giving it all away” is the surest way to be a happy lottery winner, how can we be happy "lottery winners” in Panama?
I would suggest that we use our new-found "wealth" and influence to be of maximum benefit to other people in our new community in Panama.
We might figure out a way to help those around us.
There are those who move to Panama, to take advantage of the ignorance of Panamanians regarding the economics of the world “outside”. B ut, nothing will lead more certainly to unhappiness, than to come to Panama and to take advantage of the local people. You will see ex-pats who buy the homes of Panamanians, without any regard to where these people are going to live after they sell. You will see ex-pats who have Panamanian employees, working for the same wages for 10 years ago. These types actually get upset at other expats who pay their employees a living wage. This kind of behavior will certainly not lead to happiness. In fact, it will most likely lead to unhappiness.
Why is it that sociologists’ studies always show that woman are much happier than men? Its because most women are much more involved in both the family, and in the community. In short, they have more meaningful relationships.
For expats, particularly men, moving to Panama, we have to work very hard to replace those social connections that we formed at work, and in the community, with relationships of equal value.
Try to help someone else to be happy. This is the best way to be happy yourself.
Can you be happy in Panama?
Take our "Should you move to Panama" Quiz
Official Poster Of The 4th IFF Panama. The image was chosen to invite us to "see beyond what we are used to seeing."It sounds like fun. I wish I could go. But I have other obligations in Puerto that week.
The 2015 IFF Panama will show more than 60 films from around the world.
Films that have won awards at prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Toronto, Sundance and San Sebastian.
The Festival has one award. Audience award for best 1st time director.
The line up looks good.
There are a few films that are in English as well as other non-Spanish languages.
To get a pdf of the program guide, go here.
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At the same time, Panama City is also hosting the Summit of the Americas.
US President Barack Obama and 34 other heads of state will be there, so security will be tight.
This means from April 9 - 12th, Panama City will be a traffic snarl due to many road closures. The closures will occur near the Altlapa Convention Center, as well as near Calle 50, Panama Viejo, and Corredor Sur.
Of course, this means the metro will also be more crowded, but at least it will be moving.
Click to read my post on using Panama City's Metro.
Prices are $4.50 to $50 depending upon event and location
Mastercard or cash purchases only.
10% discount if you buy with a master card
- For more ticket info, go here.
To find out the what, where, and whens, go here.
Panama is fully embracing the film industry.
It has come a long way.
Panama even has a film commissioner, Arianne Benedetti. She is a film industry director too.
Ms. Benedetti actively markets to international production companies.
She tries to entice them to come make films in Panama. Given all the dramatically different settings only a short difference apart must make it an easy sell.
I hope to make it to the Festival next year.
If you go, please comment on how it was.
Thanks.
March 4, 2015
Puerto Armuelles Hospital Is Near The Town CenterTotal cost: 50 cents.
Until last month, we haven't needed to go to the hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
Last month, February 2015, I went twice to Puerto Armuelles' small regional hospital (Dionisio Arrocha).
The first visit was for a minor dog bite .
Getting bit was my fault.
I absent-mindedly walked through a neighbor’s yard out near the beach and I startled her dogs. They enthusiastically protected their territory.
I wished I had done my usual of hollering out a greeting, wait to be invited in, before entering someone’s property - esp someone who has a owns 5 free-roaming dogs.
My injury was slight, really just one puncture wound of any consequence.
But my tetanus shot was well out of date, so I decided to go to the hospital to have the wound cleaned up, and to get a tetanus shot.
It was a Sunday, so there were very few patients with medical issues covered by Social Security system. Those folks visit the hospital during the work week.
I signed in at the emergency room.
I was admitted in about fifteen minutes.
I would say that I was in and out of the hospital in 45 minutes to an hour.
The bite wound healed quickly, and I am fine.
I was charged 50 cents.
The same amount we were charged for our daughter’s emergency room visit 3-4 years ago.
Last week, I finally decided to go get x-rays of an ankle sprain that I suffered about eight months ago,.
It has been very slow in healing fully.
I had visited an orthopedist in David the week before. He thought that there was nothing indicating a bone break, but he suggested that a comparative x-ray of both ankles could show the relative gap in a couple of small ankle bones, and might give a clue as to the extent of the ankle sprain.
The doctor explained that starting with an x-ray, one might avoid the necessity of the far more costly MRI exam.
I went to our local regional hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
I was directed to the x-ray lab. I was pleased to find that the woman who was on duty at the time was my tenant, in a house that we own in San Vicente.
There was no line, so she led me immediately into the x-ray room, took X-rays of both right and left ankles. She said that it would be a couple hours before the doctor would be available to read the xray results. It was close to dinner time, so I didn’t call until the following day.
I went back to the hospital, where the doctor explained my x-ray images to me.
No breaks, just what appeared to be the bone joint separation that is considered “normal” in a sprained ankle.
My tenant, the x-ray tech, gave me a DVD of my X-rays, in case I wanted to take them to another doctor (the results are also available online for any doctor in Panama with access to the social security hospital web site).
When I asked the tech how much I owed, she responded that their was “no charge”.
She said that I was a great land lord (she and her family pay no rent; They are merely taking care of a property for us).
She didn’t want to charge me. I said that I really wanted to pay.
I could afford to pay the $20 or $30 that X-rays cost, and I didn’t feel comfortable taking advantage of the social security system that was designed to keep costs down for poor Panamanian medical patients. The tech, Ana, said that it was too late.
If I paid at that point, it would get her into trouble. So I got me X-rays for free.
I told her that I would make a donation to the hospital, which I intend to do.
So, these are two recent experiences at our local hospital in Puerto Armuelles.
Actually, I was forced to do something with the quiz.
As many of you let me know, since the move to the new URL, the quiz stopped working.
It is a long story, but I could not make the program work anymore.
Since I had to recreate it, I decided to improve and revise it.
It is not radically changed. I hope it is improved.
Please let me know what you think of the changes.
Click here to take the improved, Should I Live In Panama Quiz.
Thanks.
View from table at Las Juanas restaurant in Puerto
Now it is triple that number.
I am only talking about restaurants that serve dinner.
Puerto has never lacked for places to eat for breakfast and lunch.
That is changing fast.
If you are a long time Puerto Armuelles resident like us, that is music to your ears.
We don't go out to eat often, but it refreshing to have options when you do.
It seems like it going hand in hand with the dramatic increase in new foreigners that we have been seeing in town.
And if that means more good restaurants I am all for it!
Construction is Underway
February 15, 2015
As you drive around town, you will notice parallel cuts in the road surface.
These cuts represent the location of the new, high volume sewer line that will be installed beneath the roadway. It will send effluent that is clogging the old system, out to a new treatment plant about a mile south of town, between Rio Corotu and Rio Guanabano.
There are also half a dozen pumping stations in deep bunkers at various locations along the roadways. Large scale motors will pump sewage originating in town, out to the new treatment plant.
The original sewer system was built by Chiquita Banana. Some sections of the old cast iron sewer/galvanized steel water system are 50 - 70 years old, or more. The Chiquita system was of excellent quality and it has held up years longer than its design lifespan.
However, complete lack of maintenance by the local municipality, coupled with damage by several earthquakes, have taken its toll on the system.
Right now there must be about a dozen places where raw residential sewage flows freely from “last resort” pvc tubes onto the beaches, instead of out to the treatment plant.
To an equal, but less stinky degree, broken water mains gush freely, or spray, where they have been wrapped in a “bandage” of cut bicycle tire tube.
The work on the Puerto Armuelles water/sewer system should take the better part of 18 months to complete. The Puerto Armuelles Project is part of a national project to upgrade sanitary services. The system is being constructed by IDAAN (Instituto de Acueductos y Acantarillados).
A $100 million dollar loan from the CAF (Inter-American Development Bank) will help to fund projects in Chiriqui, Veraguas, Bocas del Toro, and Panama provinces. Total cost of the projects is estimated at $126 million.
This project is good news will be a relief to many residents. Although local residents have been amazingly patient about these repairs, I'm sure they will be happy not to have the smell of sewage filling the air.
Things are moving on all levels in Puerto Armuelles these days.
