Ojo de Agua, Panama

After a couple of weeks of the worst rains this year, I know I have probably said that at least once this year, it appears dry season is around the corner. There is nothing more enjoyable than working a short time and having to stop and cover everything from the wet weather, three to four times a day. Sarcasm.
Although the weather was not helpful, we did manage to finish the floor and start on the post and beams for the house. Soon we will be starting on the roof and hopefully by the middle to end of December we will have a roof to work under. The house is really starting to take form, I can now easily visualize the design coming to life.
Below are photos of the weeks work. I had to throw in some photos of the new table saw I purchased as a fine example of one of the quirks of doing business here in Panama. I ordered the saw from a hardware store in Chitre, the only one that had a table saw, or at least said they could have one for me by monday morning. This was on friday afternoon, impressive statement here in Latin America. They could send the saw from another of their stores located in Colon, on the Caribbean coast, about a eight hour drive, on the other side of Panama City from the Azuero. Monday morning while working I get a call from the hardware store, “the saw has arrived and it will be delivered in the afternoon at the work site.” Sounds great. Then they ask me if I want them to put it together or would I like to do it. Now at this point I think about where I am (third world) and how many times I have bought tools off the shelve here in Panama, tools that were put together by employees of the store. Must of the time the display product is the only one they have at the store and it takes weeks to order one out of the box. I buy the display and the seller can’t find the manual, instructions, box, nothing, and once said tool is brought home to be used it is missing something or some screw is stripped or something is wrong and I have to fabricate/invent missing or damaged part for tool to work properly. Bosch Miter Saw as latest example. Anyways, so I am thinking, how hard can a table saw be to put together, I will take my chances, “send it in the box and do not open it, don’t touch a thing” I say. It arrived in the box and only took a few hours to put together. Every part was there, nothing was missing. Works great. Awesome!

Charlie

Here is another group of photos taken the other day of a beautiful sunset here in Panama. These pictures were all captured from the bar at El Sitio at Playa Venao located just a few minutes drive from Ojo de Agua.
Enjoy,
Charlie

Here are some photos from one of the parcels here in Ojo de Agua during a recent sunset. A beautiful evening.

Well, after a few weeks off waiting for lumber, we are back to work. The treated lumber imported from Canada finally arrived and we have been working on the tongue and grooved flooring this week. It is looking good. We are pre-drilling at an angle back into the tongue of the two-by-eight boards and nailing a four inch small head nail into the floor joists. We would have used a four inch finish nail, but we are in Panama and fasteners are not easy to find here. It took a entire day driving to multiple hardware stores, in three different towns, to find the nail we are using on the floor. Of course the weather has not been cooperating, it has been raining at around lunch time everyday but, we are making headway. We have finished nearly half the floor.
Also, Dexter (my builder friend) and I have been camping on site to save time, energy and gas money. It has been really enjoyable sleeping on the land, listening to the coyotes and the surf rumbling in the dark distance night and waking up to the sound of the howler monkeys in the morning.
What a life!
Back to work.

My buddy Dexter Witt, a quality builder, is helping me at the project in Ojo de Agua. Here are some photos of his craftsmanship.
Charlie

http://dexwittcarpentry.wordpress.com/

The sunsets here in Panama are incredible sometimes, unbelievable colors. Recently they have been spectacular.
I took some photos to share.
Enjoy.

One of the species of trees that we planted several years ago that has really been producing fruit are the tropical cherry trees, Malpighia punicifolia L. (I believe this is correct name). They reportedly provide 5x the Vitamin C of a typical orange. We planted many of them throughout the project. They are called cereza here which translates to cherry, but they do not taste anything like the cherries us gringos are accustomed to back home, they are not as sweet and have a different taste. They have many small soft pits, so chewing on them will not break a molar. Also, the birds really like them, so I eat them as often as I can before they get to them. The fruit seems like it would be great for making jelly. Here are some photos from one of the trees that recently had hundred’s of cherries. I don’t think it is possible to overdose on Vitamin C or I would have on the day I took these pictures, I ate about fifty of these in just a few minutes. No Scurvy for me. Yummy!

Finally!

We have electrical power in Ojo de Agua Panama.

After nearly two years of negotiating, waiting, and hearing “any day now” the power is finally connected here at the property. “Just have patience and a sense of humor and you will be fine living and doing business here”, these are the must valued words of advice about Panama I have ever heard from anyone. Having the electricity connected to our development is a prime example of needing patience and a sense of humor.

I signed an agreement to have the installation finished in two months, it took almost a year. I was told by the electric utility provider that power would be connected any day now, it took nearly a year. Electrical contractors, contracted by the utility company, would come and inspect the work of the electrical contractor I had hired for the installation and say make this or that change. Requested changes would be made. A different sub-contractor would come to re-inspect and say make these changes. Changes would be made. A different sub-contractor would show-up and say make different changes. On and on and on for nearly two years. Why not say make all required changes the first time? Why not send the same contractor out to the property for inspections?

It took so many months between the final inspection and connection that the tree branches nearest to the power lines had de be pruned again because they had re-grown to close to the wires. “Patience and a sense of humor” got me through.

Finally, the lights are on.

Sorry for the delayed update folks. Construction has been nearly stopped the past two weeks as I wait on lumber.
The imported Canadian lumber I have been waiting on to continue building has finally arrived in the port at the Panama Canal. As I write this it is on it’s way aboard a container to be delivered in David, Chiriqui, Panama. The next few days are holidays here so it may be the end of the week or first of next week before I send my neighbor’s cattle truck up to David to make the pick-up. It is amazing to me that I live in a tropical nation and my cheapest, least labor-al route to build a post and beam house is to import from “el norte.” Granted, I could spend more money on beautiful tropical hardwoods cut down from some 100+ year old trees, helping to de-forest pristine untouched jungle. Once I get the wood, it needs to dry for six months to a year, because there are no kilns in Panama, then I have to mill it. It is easier importing wood from the north that is dried, treated and milled.
Anyways, I digress, check out some of my other posts, posted today as well, about what I have been up to.
Charlie