05/15/2008

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05/15/2008

Matt's other project is a renovation of a hotel in Casco Antiguo, one of the old cities of Panama. It's going to take a lot of work, but much less so than several of the buildings which are nothing but exterior walls. The preservation authority requires that the exterior walls be kept, but we saw one building where the walls were so degraded that they had to start from scratch and rebuild the entire building using the old style of architecture. While leaving the area we got stuck in a ditch filled with water but were able to lift the car out so it could back up. Panama, still a country of extremes.

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Keith
05/15/2008

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Keith
05/15/2008

We were very impressed that the Rey supermarket in Coronado was so modern and well stocked. Out of place in what is supposed to be a 2nd world country (whatever that means anymore).

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Keith
05/15/2008, Coronado, Panama

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Keith
05/15/2008, Coronodo, Panama

Much of this trip has been spent researching and viewing properties. Yesterday we hired a car to take a closer look at a 170 acre property near this popular beach town. While there we ate fresh ripe mangoes right off the trees and then washed up in the creek which forms a border of the land.

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Keith
05/14/2008, Near Coiba, Panama

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Keith
05/14/2008, Near Coiba, Panama

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05/14/2008, Near Coiba, Panama

and her adopted dog.

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Keith
05/14/2008

Mark left yesterday early in the morning. This photo was taken the day before after we returned from several days traveling to this surf camp town in the middle of the jungle. Along the way we looked at lots of real estate projects. This place appears to be booming economically in spite of the slowdown in the United States. It is exciting to see. I am presently staying with Matt at the home of a real estate agent from Germany named Albert. Matt is going to be staying here a lot more as an on-site developer and Albert has offered one of his extra rooms. Among our adventures yesterday was going to the air conditioning store to buy a new window unit for Matt's room. Air conditioning is next to a necessity here. It is certainly possible to get used to the steamy tropical weather. Most houses out of the city don't even have glass windows. They use ornate bricks which allow the breeze to come in. But these are people who grew up here and are used to that. It's easy for a newcomer to break out in an almost uncontrollable sweat in Panama in certain situations. When that happens, air conditioning is the best cure. It also feels very nice to come into the air conditioning from the outside. Considering how sticky it is here, I am thinking more about sailing north during the summer. But October and November are supposed to be the rainiest months of the year here so it may just be that down south it is like this. One day at a time for now. I got to skype with Jenn last night and she showed me the dogs while I spoke with the whole family over free video link from Panama to Tucson. Amazing. And this blog, sent out to the corners of the earth.

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