Panama's Metro is Marching Along

Things are on schedule for the February 2014 inauguration of the first Central American light rail system, to be situated in Panama City.  The initial railway trains arrived recently from Spain, and there was plenty of fan fare regarding the occasion, celebrated June 11th with a presidential visit.  Below are some photos snapped and sent to me by a friend who was in attendance in Panama City.

The following photo was dowloaded from the Metro's official website.  The first thought to cross my mind upon viewing it was, "all that wasted space".  The trams are pretty, no doubt about it, but hailing from San Francisco and knowing how crowded the BART trains get at rush hour, I can't help but wonder why the seats weren't arranged more in bus-like fashion, allowing for double or triple the conveyor capacity.  One of the reasons the Metro is so needed is because of the traffic jams and shortage of buses to move the working population from point to point. Perhaps the wagon in the photo is just for show. According to government PR regarding the Metro, each car supposedly accommodates 200 people, and each train, 600 people.  There are four doors and six windows per car.  Unless the seating changes, though, seems most of the 200 people will be standing, and packed in like sardines.  

Contrast the above photo of the Metro car interior with San Francisco's BART train interiors for the bay area (below). Hopefully there will be a means to expand the seating for Panama City's residents.  The need is certainly there.  The first line to be completed is the Albrook route. 

SF BART car interiors

Harvest time

It never ceases to amaze me how much harvest one can achieve from even a small, poorly planned plot of dirt.  While out "gathering" today, my tiny backyard yielded about 100 bananas, 6 lbs of maracuya, 10 plantains, 5 chayote squash, 25 sweet green peppers, 6 bitter oranges, 8 juice oranges, and a handful of limes.  Had to give away about 30 bananas from the last batch, because they all ripen at once and I can't possibly eat or use all of them at once.  This newest batch is even larger. These particular bananas are gourmet.  They're only about 7 inches long, but are very thick.  They have the greatest texture (doubt it's low-calorie) and are bursting with flavor.  But there I go, bragging about my garden again. 

We've had several days of rain, and it's going to start again in another hour or so, but the morning sun and warmth  has been very welcome.  We definitely need the rain, so no complaints there, either.    

Not a lot going on in the old pueblo at this time.  Some expat bingo activities in Palmira which I chose to forego,  and the usual drinking at Amigos or Mike's.  Instead I'm working on a few translations, studying Spanish, and chatting with the neighbors while waiting for my papayas to ripen.  Retirement can sometimes be a huge challenge...

Below is a maracuya plant, with a fruit peeking out amongst the leaves.

And one of my kitties trying to figure out how to pull it down.

Finally! The rains are back...

Never thought I'd wish for rain in Boquete, but there's been a severe water shortage this year and Panama City has entered energy crisis mode on a few occasions.  Businesses and schools closed down, shop hours were shortened, and air conditioning was rationed in the warmer areas.   This week holds the promise of heavy electrical and rain storms, according to the national weather and news.    Took advantage of the overcast skies and cooler weather to work in the garden, transplanting numerous rose bushes and plotting areas for new fruit and vegetable plants.   

Hoping things don't pan out as they did back in November 2008 when the Caldera river flooded and wiped out two bridges plus several business establishments and a few homes.   That year, people keep reminding me,  summer was unseasonably dry like now, and then winter came back with a sudden vengeance around August or so.   At least, with the new boulder reinforcements along the river banks in town, the bridges and businesses are probably safe.   

We need the rain at this time and so I welcome it.    Here's a photo of my latest blooming orchid,  enjoying the customary dampness of Boquete.   I never grow tired of looking at them.  

Friday Night Fun at Amigos

Stopped in at Amigos to enjoy some live music with a few friends.  Was pleasantly surprised by the Adam Reach Band, which was really cooking this evening.  They were slotted to play from 7 pm until 10 pm, but   continued to entertain us until a quarter to midnight.  Another surprise was an impromptu performance by a visiting recording artist from Canada,  Jacelyn Holmes, who sang a few of her own songs accompanied by the Panamanian band members [who had never previously heard them].  Ms. Holmes has quite the stage presence and as the night wore on, the musicians really clicked.  They were playing more  for themselves than the audience, and the result was absolutely delightful.  

I've made a few attempts to upload a cell phone video of the jam session, but it just isn't working.  So I've added the link below, which will take you to a site where you can hear a sampling of  those songs which  Ms. Holmes sang for us.

http://www.reverbnation.com/jacelynholmes

It was a truly enjoyable evening---the kind you tell your friends about, and one of those that happen often in Boquete.  But as is also the case, it was an improvisational one that can't be pre-arranged for out of town guests, or recaptured for those that missed it....

Boquete Flowers

Boquete's high altitude and cooler climate discourage the growth of many tropical flowers found in Panama's lowlands and in warmer-climated Costa Rica.  It's been a trial and error process learning which flowers will flourish in my yard and which ones won't make it.  Orchids, of course, thrive in Boquete.  Any reasonably prudent gardener can achieve success with them here.  Roses and anthuriums also do fairly well.  So do lillies.   But the flower most characteristic of Boquete, in my humble opinion, is the hibiscus.  Put any old stick or cutting of a hibiscus in the ground here, and it will reward you quickly with sturdy bushes and a myriad of delicate blossoms.  One can see the wide variety of colors, textures, and petal formations for this genus on any short walk through Boquete neighborhoods.  Below are a few photos I shot recently while working in the yard or running around town.  

Lillies 

Excursion to Gamez Island

Today was Labor Day in Panama.   What better way to spend the last day of a 3-day weekend than at a secluded beach on an uninhabited island in the Chiriqui Gulf?  Thanks to the efforts of Antonio Singh and Lideres en Tourismo,  five of us enjoyed a relaxing, refreshing, stress-free day in the sand and warm surf of an absolutely perfect location. Plans are now in the works to make this a monthly event, while the future also holds promise of a trip to Coiba Island in Veraquas.  It's a rough life, but someone has to live it.

Coffee Tour at Cafe Ruiz

Having heard that the Cafe Ruiz coffee tour in Boquete was one of the most complete and informative, a friend and I chose to spend a half-day  learning what we could about growing, processing, and enjoying locally grown arabica coffees, including the world renown and highly sought Geisha beans.  Our guide, Carlos, was very knowledgeable and informative regarding all aspects of the industry.  He taught us how to recognize varied tastes and smells in ground and brewed coffee, plus dispelled a few myths regarding caffeine content and roasting process.  At Cafe Ruiz, a coffee bean goes through sixteen different steps from the time it is picked until it is packaged for purchase. Because I cannot remember them all, I can only encourage those interested to go on their own guided tour. 

Did you know:

That espresso and french roast coffees are less caffeinated than latin or european roasts?

That the stronger the flavor, the more burnt beans are processed in coffee? 

That the darker the roast, the less caffeine per cup of coffee? 

That many ground coffee mixtures contain fillers such as corn, stems and twigs?

That european roast coffee has a citrus-flavored undertone?

That Geisha coffee originally comes from Ethiopia?

You can learn this and much more during a coffee tour with Cafe Ruiz.  It's a great way to spend a spare afternoon in Boquete!  Below is a link to get you started.

http://www.caferuiz-boquete.com

Easter Services in Boquete

After an ashamedly long absence from worship services, I returned for Easter Sunday service.  I was surprised by the size of the crowd in attendance, and chagrined to realize I only recognized perhaps 4 or 5 faces in the entire lot.  Granted, some attendees were possibly tourists or first time visitors to Boquete, however it also was very apparent that the expat community has grown exponentially and many younger families are now moving into the area.   The congregation was pleasantly blessed with a Children's Program skit regarding the crucifixion and resurrection. Something that couldn't have happened a few years ago, as there were few children in the area then.  There is also the promise of a choir group in the works.  All this has been happening over the last 10 months or so.  

In addition to these services, I've learned there is a small fellowship forming in Volcancito, and there has been a long-standing English mass in the Catholic church in the center of town with a few expat participants.

Orchid Expo Off to a Slow Start

What used to be known as the Feria de las Orchideas, in Boquete,  has been renamed the Orchid Expo.  This year it's running from March 22nd to March 31st.  Regardless of what it's being called, we're five days into it and the fairgrounds almost resemble a ghost town.  This has been the most meager exhibition I've observed in seven years.  Today as I strolled through the grounds,  I did see a few vendors unpacking large boxes, and some carpenters installing temporary kiosks, but there were practically no plants or flowers to be had.   We still have one weekend to go, and it's still possible the expo will evolve and  close out with a larger impact.  There was almost no publicity regarding the event this year, and I can't help but wonder if better PR could help.

I spent about 30 minutes in the Orchid Salon and snapped these photos of winning plant entries.  

Bromeliads    

Orchids