Pay Attention to Panama

So much going on in the world it amazes me how much world attention is always on this little country. There are so many things going right, and people are generally happy and content. Even here on WordPress, the interest of regular Panama is widespread. Thank you all for taking a look now and then. I love to share what I’ve found.  

 And I really like the WordPress feature that shows where you all are. Pretty neat.  

 
All over the world, and thank you my friends. And don’t forget, Panama still loves visitors, and we do too!  I love this place!  

   

Playa Venao, Panama sunset

 

Bridge Monkeys

On the drive from Agua Buena to Las Tablas there is always a good chance to see monkeys along the way 

And what a delight to see baby howlers up close. Today there were 10 total howlers on the bridge. Careful though, they’re not too road smart.  

   
This guy always does great dead pan comedy. And below we saw more on Via Tonosi earlier in the trip. We live near three troops that we hear and see practically every day.  

 Just hanging out, and showing off a little. I love this place!

Iguanas y iguanas

A friend started this with some small iguana pics, thinking they were Panama bigs. But here in the Azuero they are really fat.  

 And a continous food source to the locals. These beasts are huge, beatiful, and tasty. 

 

Quick Trip to the City

Family travel day getting 2 off to the airport. Five hour drive each way and  one night at the Country Inn Amador. This is a great spot right on the canal With walking and sight-seeing. Here is a night of the city from another spot by AJ light & amp.  Beautiful 

 El Niño, lots of wind and weird weather this year, and very dry, dry season. 

Panama Private Reserve

Panama has so much to offer and then you find even a little extra. A childhood friend of my wife has a 70 hectare private nature preserve and it is the bomb! If you ever want something really special, check this out. Cerro Hoya Panama is worth a look and a grand adventure.  

   
  

The tale of two seasons

  
Panama has two seasons. Winter and Summer. It’s always 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but from the middle of may to the middle of December it is tropically rainy. It is green and growing, and rains enough to grow rice in the mountains. And one day the rain stops. And not another drop for 6 months. It turns very dry and resembles late summer in the mountain west plains.  

 It’s a grand feeling when the rains return, and equally as welcome when they go away again.  

    
    
 What’s really remarkable is the wild fruit, the mango, marañon,guava, and more start to bear fruit at the end of the dry season. Very hardy trees. I love this place!

Panama Bambú

I have enough bamboo to build a castle, but I think we’ll start with some furniture pieces.  

 Ninin and Ojer came out this morning to help me stock up on wood. Really great friends and lots of free wood. And beautiful! 

 After cutting 10 pieces by hand, Ojer showed up with the moto cierra and we knocked it out in a couple hours. I love this place! 

 I definitely have work to do!

Panama Tambor (Drum)

Seems like everyone in rural Panama has an artisan skill, and I am on my way to being one of them. Ojer is teaching me the art of drum making. These things are so cool and have great sound.   

 Wood from a local tree, leathern top from a local cow!  Beautiful!  
 

And now there are two. I love this place! 

 

Homegrown Rice

This is one of the most fantastic things about living in Panama. Hand cultivated rice is all around the Los Santos Province and our neighborhood. 

 And in my opinion Panama has some of the most excellent rice anywhere.  

 Here is a commercial rice field.  

 And here is some hand cut rice from my neighbors back yard. They will store it like this through the year, and take only what they need for the month to the piladora to remove the husk. It stores very nicely this way. Just keep it dry. I love this place!