Revisiting Tucson

It's been 15 years since I last saw these spectacular mountains in Tucson, but they still impress me as much as the first time.  Didn't realize the intensity of my sentiments for the Sonoran Desert until returning this morning. 

   

One can't help but feel close to God when standing in the midst of His handiwork,  be it the volcanos in Chiriqui or the Catalinas in Tucson.  Spending a few days here before heading on to New Mexico.   

Below are photos taken at Gila Bend en route to Tucson.

Athanasiou--New Panama City deli is a Must !

Open only about a week, this internationally franchised Greek Deli is a trip to heaven for chocolate and pastry lovers.  Also available are deli meats, breads, olive oil and assorted other items.  Customer traffic was quite busy for such a short opening period, but once inside there's no wondering why.  Can't wait to go back!

Groovin' on a Sunday Afternoon

Was introduced to this idyllic spot by some Panamanian friends who are set on presuading me to relocate to Veraquas, somewhere in the vicinity of Santiago.  This spot is just outside Santiago, and is a popular local swimming hole. Water source is the Santa Maria river.  Water was a little cooler than the beach currents, but  very refreshing on a sweltering Santiago afternoon.

After a pleasant afternoon swim, what could be better than an impromptu barbecue?  The backyard of a friend's partially-developed lot worked just fine.  Cement blocks, a piece of fencing, and all set...

Festival of Sweets and a Kiss from the Candidate

Greetings from San Francisco de la Montaña...I'm in Santiago visiting a friend.  We took a side trip to the picturesque town of San Francisco, which boasts a beautiful, old church and many quaint, colonial style buildings and homes.  The town is holding it's annual Festival del Dulce, and the offerings really tested my resistance to temptation.   Have to say I did reasonably well.  Bought a sample of raspadura de coco, which was very good, but gave up my usual sweetened coffee and a fruit juice to atone for it.   

I enjoyed the event, which not only included pastries, typical Panamanian food, and tamales, but also hosted a cultural event and art exhibition. Instead of Boquete's ear-splitting disco music broadcasting out as far as the suburbs, several Panamanian short-story authors occupied the stage and read their works to a respectful and spellbound crowd.  I was impressed with the five selections I stayed to hear.  One story, about a dying mother experienced from a child's perspective, was especially memorable for being skillfully told, poignant, and uplifting at the same time.   

Juan Carlos Varela, 2014 Presidential Candidate for the Panameñista Party, was also present,  interviewing for the national television station.  He was shaking hands, and kissing babies and old ladies.  Yours truly received a warm hug and buss on the cheek which I won't quickly forget.  He's been my favorite from the beginning, even though I can't vote.  Can't say that the majority of expats are in his camp, but thankfully those expats who are opposed to him aren't able to vote, either.  I definitely like him, but my friend remains undecided at this time. 

 

Below are photos of the other highlighted festival activities.

Today's TVN Interview with MiBus Representative

The Metro Bus drivers forced to abort a work stoppage determined illegal by Panama's  Minister of Labor, received $150 in bonuses instead of their promised monthly salary increases. Thirty dollars of this $150 award was based on individual merit and good driving record.   These drivers currently are paid $580 per month, and had hoped to achieve a salary increase to $800 per month.

This morning, the general manager for MiBus, Miguel Cardona, was interviewed on TVN Canal 2.   He adeptly navigated around the direct questions posed by the interviewer and skillfully painted the rosiest picture of both the corporate enterprise and the current status of  collaborative negotiations forced upon the dissenting faction. He claimed that the administration and labor had been in negotiations for 12 days and the company was earnestly working at addressing labor complaints.  He mentioned the opportunity bus drivers will have in the future to form a cooperative, receive health and life insurance,  enjoy better education for their children, have access to scholarships, enjoy "game rooms", etc. and mentioned all these were benefits that needed to be figured into an employee's salary.  He stated the package being worked on cost the company two million dollars and is designed "specifically for the benefit of the workers".

Panama's public transit system was implemented two years ago, and TVN's interviewer pointed out that the conditions the company was to have met for 2013 have not been reached.   Mr. Cardona defended the company's position by stating that the projections are good and that with any project of this magnitude, Panama's being one of the world's largest in proportion to the size of the city,  is behind due to unforeseen obstacles along the way,  however the project is still moving along and remains uncompleted.  The interviewer stressed the company was behind by a year, which Mr. Cardona acknowledged.

Approximately $300 million dollars have already been assigned for the project, some 180 million of which comes from foreign investment, and the company is working to attract additional investment from a Swiss bank,  presently evaluating the circumstances.  Twelve hundred buses have been calculated for the project.  Currently around 900 are available and somewhere between 800 and 900 are actually in operation.

Update on Strike Situation

(photo by TVN noticias)

Inocente Guerra, representative for the bus drivers of Metro Bus announced yesterday that the operators' strike would proceed as planned at midnight on 1/31/13 because neither the company nor the government responded to their demands for increased salaries, additional vehicles, and other conditions.  

In the afternoon of Wednesday, 1/30/13, however, Roberto Henriquez, minister of the Presidency, sent out a Twitter notification that the Minister of Labor declared illegal the request for salary increase and /or subsequent work stoppage. The message also indicated the government would guarantee the operation of the bus system. 

At midnight, Thursday morning, the bus drivers carried through on the threat and blocked the entrance and exit of the bus depot to prevent the vehicles from being taken out and put into circulation.  At 3:50 am, the protestors were met by the tactical squad of the National Police, who threw tear gas and arrested six people.  

At some point in the melee, 30 buses were vandalized and the spokesman for MiBus reports damages to the tune of  90 thousand dollars for broken glass, sabotaged electromechanical equipment and destruction of ignition keys.

Today the bus system is in normal operation and some 840 buses are circulating.

ADDENDUM:  According to newcasts this evening, the public transport system is not in normal operation. There were long waits and lines in many sectors of the city.  The changeover from the private, colorful, plentiful, somewhat dangerous Diablos Rojos to the conventional national bus system has been fraught with disappointment and complaints from the average, bus riding Panamanian citizen.  Complaints center around long waits from an insufficient quantity of vehicles and infrequent buses on busy routes.  Apparently MiBus,  the foreign company providing Metro Service in Panama City,  has failed to comply with promises made to the drivers to increase their salaries to $ 800 per month.  One man on the street complained that foreign companies come into Panama, seize all the government contracts, and then "do whatever they want" to the Panamanian public and workers.   Judging from the destruction carried out in the last 24 hours, the matter hasn't been amicably settled and may rear it's ugly head again. 

Metro Bus Drivers Threaten to Strike

Per the evening news on 1/26/13 via TVN2:

The bus drivers for Metro Bus in Panama City met today at a national assembly and threatened an indefinite work stoppage if they didn’t receive a response from the board of directors of Mi Bus, the enterprise that administrates Metro Bus, Panama’s new public transportation system. 

The drivers announced that a response was demanded by 9 pm on Wednesday Jan 30^th, and if a salary increase wasn’t granted to all bus drivers, there would be a work stoppage effective  12:01 am Thursday, Jan 31^st. 

Discussions also ensued regarding the possibility of the bus drivers’ union joining SUNTRACS, the Sindicato Unico de Trabajadores de la Construccion y Similares. 

This pending strike would arrive only days before Panama's Carnival celebrations scheduled for the week of Feb 9th thru 13th.  

Strike One More for Panama...

Can you see the brown bumpy thing in the center of these photos?  That's an africanized bee colony that just moved in a few hours ago.  The tree is about 15-20 feet from my front door and I had no idea they were there until my neighbor called and alerted me.  My Panamanian neighbors are my biggest blessing since arriving in Panama. 

Imagine what a homeowner would go through getting an africanized bee colony removed from their home in the states... 

For me, it just involved closing the front door, dialing 103, and speaking to the Boquete Fire Department.  Within 20 minutes there was an inspector at my gate who assessed the situation, advised me to stay inside, and said a team would arrive at 6:30 pm to take care of the situation.  The team waits until nightfall, because the bees are much calmer then, having settled in for the day.  

This is about the fourth time I've had a bee colony in my yard.  I've had wasps twice.    I always feel bad about having them eradicated, because they're never aggressive toward me and seem to enjoy the yard.  (I have several citrus trees and they seem partial to citrus.)  But the ugly truth is the firemen will come with protective suits and burn them all in their sleep. These bees can be extremely dangerous to animals and people if provoked, so unfortunately can't be allowed to remain.  My cats aren't happy about being relegated to the indoors for several hours. 

There is no charge for the bee eradication service, nor for the assessment and control return visit. 

One More Reason I Love Panama

When I bought my small Panamanian house,  it was a diamond in the rough.  Poco a poco, over the years, I've made upgrades.  As a result, my house has more idiosyncracies than I do.  I know them well and have adapted accordingly. 

Late this Saturday afternoon, however, I walked into 4 inches of stagnant water in the laundry area and a pool of added drainage in the back yard.  My 150 gallon reserve water tank was overflowing at a steady, rapid rate.  But as fast as it ran out, new water was coming into the tank.  When I attempted to adjust the flotation valve, the whole thing fell apart in my hands and a tiny screw, bolt, and pin fell to the bottom of the tank.  That caused the water input to accelerate exponentially and I stood there, like the little boy with his finger in the dike, screaming repeatedly for my neighbor.  Turns out the water valve I previously shut off in my haste wasn't the main water valve.   My neighbor managed to stop the hemorrhaging, and I was able to use my plump-raisin-like finger to call a technician.   His first words to me upon arrival were, "You're lucky.  I had my keys in my hand and was out the door.  If you'd called two seconds later...."

To make a long story short,  3.5 hrs later, when it was pitch black outside, he finally took leave of me and my situation.   It appears that the multiple small plumbing upgrades I've done over the years have created a PVC labyrinth that may someday require a directional map. He added more valves, and my home's circulation now resembles the tubing you'd find hooked to a crashing ICU patient.   But I'm getting off point. 

It took this young man, who was only inches away from going home to eat,  3.5 hours and a fair amount of physical labor to get to the bottom of the problem.  After digging up my yard to trace the water loops,  plus test driving every gadget in my kitchen to retrieve the tiny screw at the bottom of my tank while I stood over him with a purse flashlight,  he sat patiently with me and explained repeatedly why the fiasco happened in the first place.  Then he politely ate my lackluster cooking so I wouldn't feel bad about keeping him from his weekend plans.  The charge for the service call and parts---$21.40.  And he'll be back on Monday to check and make sure all is working as it should. 

Things are so much more personable here and people don't leave you stranded when you're up against a complex situation.  Perhaps that's still prevalent in parts of the USA, but I found it extremely rare in the concrete jungle where I came from.

Projected Earnings from Feria Could Reach $8,000,000.

Panama's national television network is claiming that the Flowers and Coffee Festival has already received 66,000 visitors.   Up to 130,000 visitors are anticipated.  According to Reynaldo Serracin, president of the Festival Board,  Boquete businesses are slated to benefit to the tune of eight million dollars.  He specifically mentioned transportation and hostels being among others.  Nevertheless, vendors are reporting slower than average sales this year.

Every year around Feria time the expat community braces for the event and complains bitterly about the noise and disruption to routine.  I have often wished I had a dollar for every negative comment or complaint voiced by my fellow americans.  My income would rival that of the projected 8 million.  One specific expat businessmen [of a local tile company] told me they shut down during the Feria because keeping open is a waste of time and money.  "The only business that does well during the Feria is El Sabroson," he lamented. 

Whether this is true or not, the fact remains that the Feria is steeped in Panama tradition and revered by locals and cityfolk alike.  Panamanian friends have told me of an unpopular coup attempt years back, by wealthy expats, to purchase the fairgrounds in order to control activities and abolish the Feria.  Though unsuccessful, the mere attempt created enough resentment amongst the locals to last a few lifetimes.   Will we never learn?

Flowers and Coffee Festival Time

The Feria de Flores y Cafe returned on Jan 10th,  and ends this weekend.  TVN 2 is broadcasting from the fairgrounds tonight,  so the music has already started--- almost 8 hours before the usual midnight swell.  Took a stroll through the fair today and snapped photos while there was a lull in the activities.  Enjoyed the very informative coffee exhibit. 

My neighbor grows, harvests and processes her own beans. Wondering if I should try growing some for my own personal use.   My attempts with passion fruit, pineapple, guava, and naranjilla have been successful.    Maybe I'm up for a new challenge.

 





Navidad en Panama

Sharing a you tube link to a song and video about Christmas in Panama.   Some of the photos are repetitive, but if you hang in until the end you'll see some additional ones that are well-worth the wait.  Hope you enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3lDNUdCQbA&feature=player_embedded

It's Feeling a lot like Christmas

After several days of absolutely perfect weather, we're beginning to experience what's typical for the season....cool to colder temperatures and fierce winds, as previously mentioned.  Yesterday was a stay-at-home day, but today things have mellowed out a bit and the winds have turned intermittent. 

Yesterday morning, a friend was awakened at 5 o'clock to the sound of a falling plantain tree.  Being her take-charge self, she immediately "rescued" it with a shovel and machete while still in her nightgown accessorized with a pair of flowered  'gumboots'.  How do I know this?  I saw her Facebook page, of course.   It came to mind because I just perused the yard and found a banana tree that is threatening to do the same.  Tried propping it up with some posts, and will hail the gardener next time he returns.

The garden check also yielded a thrilled discovery of the blossom below.  They've been few and far between, making cultivation of the plants a big disappointment.  Not ready to give up just yet, though.  But next year I will plan things much differently and fertilize a lot.  I now know they need a lot of nitrogen and cross-pollination.   Out of 3 sites with humongous vines, I think I've reaped 4 fruits total.   Sigh.....At least it wasn't a total failure.

 

Planning to spend the 24th and 25th with friends in private gatherings.  There's usually a Christmas parade in downtown Boquete on the evening of the 24th.  Will try to snap some photos to post, although it usually doesn't get started until after dark and the photos don't always turn out well.  Should the attempt be unsuccessful, I would still like to extend warm wishes and holiday joy to everyone.  We've survived the end of the world predictions, so perhaps we can make this a benchmark year and see a turn around in the human spirit, pointing us all in a more compassionate and enlightened direction for centuries to come.   Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.