Bonnie

Is there a parade on Sunday, too?

It is within Valle Escondido. Ask at the guard gate when you enter, and they will direct you.

I realize that you were being light hearted, Keith, but I can't even manage a smile about this anymore. Sorry.

On the good side, workers were on site at the Panamonte Bridge on this Sunday morning. It's showing signs of imminent completion, which will make a huge difference for those of us living in Palo Alto and Jaramillo.

1 hour ago, Keith Woolford said:

Just for fun, here's a look at a few other construction projects that missed the deadline.

The Sagrada Familia Basilica - Barcelona, Spain

Easily one of the world's most drawn-out modern construction projects. Construction of the still uncompleted gothic and art nouveau–style church commenced in 1882 with Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi taking over its design in 1883.  When he passed away in 1926, less than a quarter of the project was complete (Gaudi once said this was partially because of his client "not being in much of a hurry").

 

Sydney Opera House; Sydney, Australia

Bad weather and other unforeseen woes slowed construction almost immediately. Then, in 1966, a clash between Utzon and Australia's new government led to the architect's resignation. He vacated the country with his family and left behind an incomplete shell. A team of new architects eventually completed the opera house and it officially opened in 1973, albeit 10 years after its initial completion date and at a cost of $102 million—more than 14 times the original budget.

 

The Big Dig - Boston, MA

By the time of the CA/T's completion in December 2007 (surpassing its initial completion date by nine years), it had become America's most expensive highway project, costing $14.6 billion—$22 billion including interest.

San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge; California

The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake set into motion the construction of a new self-anchored suspension bridge, one that would eventually surpass its initial $1.1 billion budget by more than $5 billion and take five years longer to build than planned. After work on the 2047-foot span began in 2002, welding issues, political battles over its design, and the failure of dozens of bolts connecting portions of the bridge deck to concrete columns plagued its construction. Finally, the Bay Bridge's new eastern span opened for traffic on Sept. 3, 2013.

 

Second Avenue Subway; New York

New York City's Second Avenue Subway has been a bane in Gotham's side since 1929, when the idea for a rapid-transit line beneath Second Avenue first came to fruition. Often referred to as the line that time forgot, it has incurred a series of starts and stops—mostly due to low funds and construction issues, such as the delayed delivery of a tunnel-boring machine—for nearly a century.

Respectfully, Keith, I don't think any of these monumental projects legitimately can be compared to the Boquete water/sewer project.

Come live on the north or east side of town, and I'd be willing to bet that your point of view would change.

5 hours ago, Uncle Doug said:

So, we have a completion date of late November and a completion date of March of next year.   I think I am probably safe in assuming that this won't be done anytime BEFORE March of next year.

I think we’ll see Calle Central completed in time for the holiday festivities. Everything else? Who knows? The pressure will be off from the merchants.

From the article on Via Argentina: " The group insists that it is not opposed to restorations and repairs on the road and public services, but to the way it has been done." My point exactly.

One question: are there no built-in penalties for contracts that exceed their promised time of completion? This is a real motivator, in my opinion. Had there been threatened penalties associated with this project, I doubt we would had to wait for a visit from President Varela and a near revolt by downtown merchants to get this project moving.

I don’t disagree, Keith. I’m thankful for the project itself. My beef is how haphazardly it has been handled over the past few years. I don’t perceive there having been much planning from one day to the next, resulting in way too many delays, inconveniences, and potholed roads. Those of us living north of town got and are getting the worst of it because it’s impossible to avoid downtown to get anywhere. And now we have the holiday season upon us that will exacerbate the traffic problems.

I am doing my very best to be upbeat about this. It's difficult, however, when every day, for so long a period of time, it is a struggle to get to town and through town. I have to say, however, that it looks like they finally are working at full steam. I feel so sorry for Boquete businesses.

Heartwarming story, but it also should serve as a warning to the authorities of what could happen to people, particularly children, when sewer covers are missing.

I've seen reports of 4.8 to 5.8. I wonder when we can expect the final verdict.

Paintings on my walls were hanging crooked this morning.

We just had a significant, prolonged shaking here in Palo Alto. (Sunday, Oct. 21, 8:30 p.m.)

Parking along both sides of the roads doesn't help. The road behind the police station, for example, has become all but impassable because of cars parked on both sides, not to mention the big buses that park on the corner. The latter, the buses, also obscure visibility of cars coming over the bridge, whose drivers need to see to the south before turning either direction or going straight. This is dangerous. I've had a couple of close calls because I couldn't see traffic coming from that direction because a bus was parked at the corner.

Alison, the less physically fit of us would find it impossible to park in car parks on the edge of town and walk several blocks into town and return laden with groceries or other packages. Too, many of us walk as little as possible downtown to decrease the risk of falling because of the treacherous sidewalks and streets. So, although it would help, I don't think car parks alone are the solution.

I wonder what the situation is with the vacant property next to Romero. It would be great if it could be turned into a parking lot by either Romero or the municipality.

What a wonderful idea! 

Is anyone making a turkey or turkeys?

1 hour ago, Keith Woolford said:

The official communication and translation is posted above.

Sorry, Keith. Somehow, I didn’t see it—probably because the thread has become so long that individual posts can get lost.

Is the River Road safe to drive, given all the rain lately?

My hose is not on municipal water, by the way, but on the Palo Alto water system, which has never been a problem in the 12 years I’ve been here. Also, my water is treated with filters and UV light. However, I regularly eat at restaurants that are on municipal water.

I recently spent three days in Hospital Chiriqui with acute gastroenteritis. When I asked my doctor what likely caused it, he suggested the municipal water in Boquete. This sounds like I wasn’t the first person to show up from Boquete with the problem.

So, do you now take the main road or the river road to get in and out of town?

Uh oh. I didn’t know she was still around promoting Panamá.

In all likelihood she would receive no punishment anyway. Remember when an employee caused the demise of REAL Boquete, the original recycling organization,

 by stealing substantial amounts of REAL money? It’s my understanding that she never was even arrested.

Sorry, Bud. I know it’s Boquete Community Group but mixed it up with Boquete News (which, in turn, I often confuse with News Boquete.)

I have no idea what this means.

I find it very hard to share anything from Facebook, but try this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/boquetecommunity/permalink/2041736432555187/

15 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Judging by the comments on that page, it seems that many people, including Panamanians, are confused about the role of the Police here and their limitations.

For example, the Mayor is not in charge of the Police. Also, they are not the entity that does criminal investigations.

 

Okay. In the case of my home robbery about two months ago, the Police came to the house to take a statement. I then went to both the Personeria and the Corregidora to file a denuncia. It was the police who had the perp's photo on their phone, but you seem to be suggesting that by law they do no investigation. Presumably, this is done by the DOJ. This is exactly what everyone is confused about. Also, if the police don't investigate crime, what else is left for them to do?