Ojo de Agua, Panama

Panamanian Chicken Hawk!

One of the beauty of tropical beaches is you never know what may wash up on them. Unfortunately during the start of the rainy season, many years, it’s a lot of garbage. But at times, beautiful pieces of hardwood timber wash up. Not to long ago I was lucky enough to pick up one of these great pieces of timber off the beach, throw it in the back of my car, drive it to Ojo de Agua, clean it up, and make a living room table out of it.

Any beach comber would consider it a great find. A large piece of Cedro Espino, or Spiny Cedar, these are the native trees with the large spines on the trunk and branches. I have lots of young ones planted around the property.

Dexter helped me load the log into the back of the pathfinder to get her to the property and then came up with the idea for the frame using wood scraps from around the job site.

The large furniture piece took a number of days to plane, sand and seal. After all the work, the table turned out beautiful and is a nice addition to the home.

I do not generally post articles that others have written. Occasionally I or my good friend that created my website will post something about Panama that has come out in an international publication, but it’s rare. I really should do more of it because now more than ever there’s a lot of good press about Panama. I am making an exception this time because something I read on ExpatExchange caught my eye. I am a member of ExpatExchange, a forum for Expat’s or those interested in becoming one that is segregated into different countries so people can create topics, ask questions and exchange information. I receive emails as people discuss topics, I almost never reply because I do not know how to using my Blackberry and am to busy doing other things once I am online with my Mac. But, I enjoy reading the banter between those that are here in Panama and those that are potential expats back in there home country investigating “their move” to Panama.
On ExpatExchange one guy, 802Mark, always has good information and he never sugar coats it, which I really like. Recently he was responding to a post and really articulated what it is like living here in Panama. I have had many very similar experiences as he mentions in his comment. I took the liberty to correct some of the grammar only so it would read more clearly, since it is a forum, I don’t think he was to worried about it. It’s really worth the read. I hope you do not mind 802Mark.

Enjoy!

“…It boils down to this. Do you love it when your sitting out and it’s spring weather and you have nothing that you have to do? Outside of what you want to do.

Do you love eating new foods and learning and seeing things that you have never seen? That’s what it boils down to, not the cost. You guys want something new in your life, so go for it and grab it or you could just stay home to what your use to your whole life. Panama changes people, many times for the better. It makes you say oh well, ok sure, tomorrow is fine, and not care if they don’t show up. It forces you to get off your ass and do things you never dreamed of. It pushes you to just take that extra step because you hear running water and you can’t wait to see it.

Want me to tell you how the people are here? Today my good friends Tom and whats her name, oh well doesn’t matter, hehehe, they took a hike up the mountain and got lost and ended up in someones yard. The people came out and not only showed them where they needed to go, but gave them fruit and water and told them they could sleep in their home if needed… WHAT?? YOU MUST BE KIDDING… well no I’m not. Someone posted they could live in the U.S. in some places cheaper then here… well maybe so, but show me that in the U.S.

Panama is a wonderful woman, she can be loving, she can be a mother and yes sometimes she can be a bitch, but in the long run she will force you to see a side of yourself that you never dreamed was there. You ever took a dug out up a river not sure where it was going and when you hit shore were surrounded by little kids all smiles and wanting to just touch your lilly white skin because it is something new to them? Sit with them and eat fresh seafood they just caught and drink from a coconut and watch as the sun dances on the water? Or maybe see so many stars at night that it reminds you of just how small we all really are? Does being with these people make you feel better when you do return to your a/c homes and makes you thank GOD for the things he his given you? If not don’t come here… because Panama will force you to look inside yourself and feel things you never knew were in you…”

Bocas was so much fun during the shoot of Pucha’s 2012 calendar that she decided to return to show her appreciation and have her calendar premier party at Bocas Bambu Beach Restaurant and Bar. The restaurant is owned by the same folks that own the Limbo by the Sea Hotel, one of the sponsor’s of her 2012 calendar and where we stayed during the photo shoot and during the few nights we were on the island for the party.
It was a great time. A local reggae band jammed out old school reggae tunes, a Argentinean guy fire danced and a local Isla Bastimentos duo danced island style caribbean salsa. The place was packed.
I made a quick video of the festivities, I hope you enjoy.

There is no job as monotonous as painting. First coat of primer, then second coat, then first coat of paint, then second coat, rolling, brushing, trim… jeez when does it end! Okay I cant lie, I only painted about ten percent of the house, Dexter was a little faster then me and he painted about fifteen percent before we threw in the paint rag. I had to bring in professionals. Two brothers referred by Uri Valdez, the dependable electrician, came in to finish up and they did a hell of a job. Clean, fast, mess free and had their own brushes. Hired! In a couple weeks they knocked it out. The house is shining like a new diamond! Sasha Cole, a professional designer friend, helped me pick out the exterior colors, thanks Sasha, the house is looking great.

A few months back while spending a sunday afternoon at our local beach, Playa Venao, Pucha and I were interviewed by an american couple, Brian and Leela Gill, working on a trailer for a television series about expat’s relocating to foreign lands such as Panama.

If it were not for Pucha they probably would have not been interested in me, I do not have much star power, unlike my girl.

You can watch the video trailer for the upcoming television series with a short section of our interview below.

They recently returned for a more in-depth interview for the Panama show. They interviewed Pucha at her house and store in Pedasi, me at the project in Ojo de Agua and all of us together at the beach. This time I think they got some better shots of us surfing. It will be interesting to see what the final show looks like.

Here are some photos of me from a few weeks back taken by a friend named Fidel. Fidel takes amazing professional water shots here in Panama. Check out his site.
Fidel Surf Photography
The one photo with the wave peeling in the distance with the palm tree is one I took from an afternoon session at a reef break in the Pedasi area. The quality is nothing compared to Fidel’s but I had to throw it in.

My lovely lady has opened her on store here in Pedasi, it’s called Pucha’s. Pucha’s rents bikes, surfboards and snorkels, sells clothing by Hurley and carries organic cosmetic and bath products from Burt’s Bees and Alba Hawaii. The only store with in 25 miles with organic products. Wow, Pedasi is really changing. Maybe one day Pedasi will have more than one kind of fresh vegetable at a time in a market. That would be amazing. I digress. Anyways, she also has a ton of different Pucha memorabilia, it sells like hot cakes. In case you do not know, Panamanians love Pucha. Almost as much as I do. I am really proud of her. The store is located on the main road next to the gas station as you come in to town on the left. When you come to Pedasi remember to stop by and pick up some Puchadise.

While walking around, coming or going from the project, or running errands, I can not help myself from snapping photos of random points of beauty, or at least things at that moment that I think look beautiful. And of course, since I am trying to sell gorgeous ocean view land located in Panama and always in need of new material for my website ranking, these aforementioned photos end up on this blog. Whether it’s my neighbor’s tractor bailing hay for his livestock to chew on at the end of the dry season, photos of near-by churches or the sun shining through a cloud, if I think it’s beautiful it’s my duty to share. So, enjoy the sharing.

La Casa Verde

A good friend of mine from back home in Pensacola took a side trip to visit me here and catch some waves with him and his family. I don’t think the kids were ready to leave back to their vacation house in the wave rich area of Santa Catalina, Panama. Above is a link to his website. Take a look if anyone is thinking about taking a trip to Catalina, they rent the house and have it for sale. The house is perfectly located for access to town and of course the point. Below are some photos of me on my twin fin fish and of his daughter riding her first wave at Venao.