Meditation Rocks and the sounds of silence….the surf, the wind and the birds

……..we are preparing to leave this country of approximately four million people.   We have enjoyed our stay, saw some fabulous sights, met super people, ate great food, saw  unbelievable flowers and totally enjoyed several great hikes!   What we  enjoyed the most was the weather,  the fabulous beaches and I must admit the food was so much better than we expected…..especially the fresh fish!  It hasn’t rained, other than a few sprinkles, in a month which meant you could plan your day of activity without worrying about the weather.  That meant every day we were either hiking/walking/swimming/beach combing and enjoying it to the max.   Planning was necessary only because you had to get out early in the a.m. or suffer the consequences…..extremely red face and very wet shirts.   One of the things we enjoyed the least was the driving and it is worth mentioning only because it is scary and Jim has acclimatized but Marilyn and I still rumble.   When we arrived in Panama City Kathleen sent us an article about driving in Panama, it’s unpredictability and the importance  of having tranquilizers in the glove compartment……..not far from the truth!  In summary all I can say is that the driver has to be 100% present all the time……..as well as all the passengers!   You never know when someone will change lanes without warning, cut you off or slam on their brakes for some reason for which there is no explanation.    There seems to be no rules and of course,  as foreigners,  we have rules of the road which seem to make no sense to Panamanians………so arriving at your destination  alive and well is no small feat.  We have one more trip to make and that’s to the airport so we are hopeful!  The other interesting thing to note is that cashing an American $50 or $100 bill is not straightforward.    On several occasions we have had to show our passports, sign a register  while the clerk gets the manager who scrutinizes the bill to ensure it’s not counterfeit……..apparently corruption is still alive and well in Panama! And they don’t like visa/master card so bills it is…….under the watchful eye of management.   The people of Panama, however, have been wonderful for the most part although there’s always a few bad apples much like in our own country……..not you, or us, of course!  Our last few days have been in Coronado Bay which is basically a beach resort where there are many Canadians and Americans.  Easter, however, is a big holiday in Panama and all of a sudden over the past few days the traffic has quadrupled and the place is full of Panamanians who have escaped the city and have come to the beach to meet friends and family for the holidays…….it’s been interesting to watch and see the locals really enjoy themselves as well as seeing the adolescents acting like adolescents from  other parts of the world.  What that basically means is they are drinking and making out on the beach listening to their music and oblivious to the old folks such as us……or their own parents who seem to be keeping an eye on them in the distance.  We’re headed out of here today and looking forward to our return, although not looking forward to the snow!   It’s been a great trip first with Dawn and Yves followed by a few days with them and Marilyn, and for the past two weeks just ourselves and Marilyn.  As good as it’s been we have all agreed that it’s not a place we would be quick to come back to although we would recommend it to those who are looking to get away from winter, enjoy some fabulous weather, good food and great people.   As always it’s wonderful to look forward to going home to family, friends and a piece of the earth that cannot be beaten for its beauty.   See YA soon and Happy Easter!

Natural Beach Art

Marilyn enjoying the day

Panama Buddha

As the sun goes down…..we’re ready to leave

Andrea’s friends who live and work in Panama…but going home soon..Sam and Brent

View from the deck

Jim’s last swim

Panama sunset