Home again, home again, riga-jig-jig

Emerald Villa - my new home

For the 47th time in my life, I have moved to a new home. Still as exciting as the first time I moved. Photos are all of places within 1/2 KM (500 M) of my house - so happy to be able to walk to most anything I need. I wish the us would let down its zoning laws so this kind of community could happen.

Travel from Panama City , which everyone here just calls “Panama”, to my new home in Changuinola was Mostly uneventful. I left the Albrook terminal at 5am so I could arrive in Chang at a decent hour. We passed over the iconic Americas Bridge in the dark, but the lights of the moving ships were the mark that the Canal is a 24/7 operation. Nothing stops the flow of commerce.

Mexican place just up the block

There were the usual stops to pick up passengers, but only at designated bus stops – no side of the road stuff. Of course, the bus line enlarged its profits by stopping at a company owned restaurant for food/bano break. Entertainment was provided by two impish young boys, who seemed fascinated with the young ladies sleeping in the seat behind them. I could barely tear them away to play duck from the camera with me.

Walk to laundromat - 250 M

The most intrusive part of the trip was a police stop by the National Police. They swarmed on the bus demanding papers and inspecting all hand luggage. A team with dogs inspected the luggage below. Apparently the dogs got a hit and the commander came in with a baggage check to find who the corrupt party was. It turned out to be a sweet little old lady, which was sadly comic. Comic because they actually thought she might be some nefarious person and made her unpack her entire bag in the drizzle. Sad because she got back on the bus crying and clearly upset. After all the useless fuss, the commander came in and reminded us that this was all for our protection – to “keep us safe”. I sincerely hope that the US does not come to the point where citizens are randomly stopped and searched in the name of “keeping us safe”. Though it seems we may be headed that way.

I may try this salon - maybe not
the women don't look too happy

Lumber and hardware within 300 M of home -
I'm in Heaven

By the time it was light, we came to the million dollar beach condos around Coronado – a towering reminder of what happens when the environment is sacrificed on the altar of developers. I love seeing the monster wind turbines further up the coast. This location has worked so well that another is in the planning stages.

Thanks to a speedy bus driver, we got into David, Panama's second largest city, early. The bus route from David to Changuinola was in high demand as usual. As soon as one bus was packed and loaded, another pulled in the begin boarding. In addition to making good business for the bus owners, leaving the ternimal over-full means very few stops for the bus.

My seat-mate was a local farmer who told me that they were having the best year ever. He grows rice and has some cattle. The only problem is the appearance of fire ants – as big as half your little finger – so he says. He claims the ants killed a small calf and as soon as the harvest is over the farmers will have a “war of fire” with the ants. I hope they win.

Gotta love a great produce stand in walking distnce

The drive up through the mountain pine forests is refreshing for me. The AC goes off and that evergreen scent is thick in the cool air. After that, we passed over the big USAID dam, which is quite full due to all the recent rain. The dam not only provides power to the Bocas area, but made easy access to a rich oil field that is shipped via pipeline to the “dirty little pirate town” of Chiriqui Grande and loaded onto tankers.

Bank with ATM at 500 M
this life is just too easy

The rains have also caused significant erosion to the road – bed. Good drainage is another one of those things we Americans just take for granted. Our drainage (hundred year floods excepted) is so good that we rarely even think about it. Again, many thanks to those wonderful engineers who designed the drainage system and the construction workers who built it. Thanks to them, our roads are safer and last longer.

After a delicious BBQ chicken dinner at the restaurant next door, I fell marvelously asleep in my new home and awoke ready to explore the new 'hood.