I have decided to call the new project we are working on near Pedasi the Super Campsite. Once the entire structure is completed I am sure it will be the envy of any person that has ever spent time in a tent way out in the woods. The locals are calling it a rancho because of the palm thatched roof, but once it is finished it will only resemble a local rancho from a far distance. With closer inspection one will recognize the fine details and modern luxuries the Super Camp will possess.
Windmill water system, solar powered electrical system, finely crafted hardwood furnishings, imported lighting and bath fixtures, imported African safari tent, modern kitchen and bath, structural construction from three different incredibly beautiful Panamanian hardwoods, imported pressure treated Canadian lumber and recycled lumber originally imported from the states during canal zone construction all combine to set this rancho apart from anything in the Los Santos Province and possibly the Republic of Panama.
I will admit, at first I was a little apprehensive with some of the techniques required for the building process. The architects vision and design left us with only one option for construction, we had to break some of the basic rules of carpentry. But, as the job moves along and the camp slowly grows out of the ex-cattle ranch grazing pasture I can now say, “this is looking really cool” and I am proud to be a part of the construction of this truly unique structure.
Although it can be a bit difficult working with local hardwoods that have sufficiently dried, the beauty of the finished product is worth the trouble. Look at some of the close up photos of the beautiful deep dark Balsamo posts. Also, check out the photos of the drill bits we have gone through. The bits start to smoke and sometimes break or bend after only a few holes have been drilled. The only thing that will enter the wood with ease are square drive screws made and imported from the states. Gotta love American quality. The wood is so hard it took a month to find a sawmill that would dare mill it. Every other local sawmill owner confidently said sure they could do it, a couple of boards were milled and the call came in to come and get our wood, it’s to hard! Finally, a guy with a massive carbide tipped table saw blade came to the rescue and milled it for us, of course it was not cheap. I think word got around the country-side that some gringos had really hard wood that had to be milled at any and all cost. The ranch administrator that helps us track down materials and laborers most have put 100′s of kilometers on the company truck trying to find the right sawmill.
This job was originally thought to be finished with-in a few months. I know the clients must be let down. But, as all things go in Panama and anyone from the modern world will learn with time and experience here in the interior of the country, whether dealing with local utility companies, so-called professionals, private businesses, government authorities, whatever, estimate your best most well calculated time frame judgement call, then double it, go ahead and double it one more time and then maybe you might be close to a realistic time frame. Building here in Los Santos is nothing like building in the states. Here there is no Home Depot, no Lowes, no local hardware store that consistently has the latest materials and products consistently maintained in-stock or on order and arriving soon. No, no, no, no not here. Even the most reputable stores almost never have what you need. The sub-contractors almost never show up when they say, almost never have their own transportation, almost never have all the tools their job requires, hence you have to supply it, and almost always buy inferior cheaper materials, even after specifying price does not matter, “just buy the good stuff for crying out loud.”
Anyways, I am rambling. My point or points are, that there are a million things in this country that can eat up time and money, that even after experience, it is hard to fathom the amount of time that can be lost for unforeseen circumstances here in Panama. Plus, there are few carpenters here, if it is not cement, it’s hard to find someone that can do it. And if it is an architecturally complex design, forget it. There are few to none that can figure it out and make it look nice. Do not get me wrong, there are quality builders, carpenters and sub’s here, but the good ones are so busy that they do not want to talk to you and are usually tied up with their own projects, with owners that realize their value and pay them enough not to let them go.
Although I have somewhat, only temporarily, abandoned my construction project in Ojo de Agua, it is worth it to be helping Dex on this project, his ingenuity, high energy and creativity are amazing and it is good to be learning from him, especially on such a interesting build. Ojo de Agua Panama is not going anywhere, plenty of work awaits me there and as the trees and plants continue to grow and transform the once bare over grazed deforested cattle land back into a beautiful fruit and hardwood producing forest, it just becomes more and more beautiful and valuable and more of a joy to work on.