Siempre Soluciones

I was walking with friends in town today and we found a cedula lying in the street.  I emailed Rodny on where to return it to, either the Policia Nacional station or the Tribunal Electoral office but I haven't heard back from him.

Any suggestions?

14 minutes ago, Brundageba said:

Good for dirt  but I doubt it makes it 100%...wow.  Many many years ago Bill and I lived up in the mountains of southern Colombia .  We had a hand pump that connected to a pipe from a spring by the house.  We were living way above civilization  and at 8000 ft.   Water from that spring was clear as a bell.....and...just LOADED with Giardia and E Histolytica.  My husband who weighs 165 was weighing below 130.  Diarrhea and vomiting .  Me?  I was more paranoid and drank boiled water.  Treatment was Flagyl...Metronidazole.   You could buy it at any local grocery store.  They sold it in strips off a big wheel like those candy dots you got on a strip of paper when we were kids.  All the indians who lived around us were perpetually sick and took that med like candy.   Spring water from the top of a mountain at 8000 ft.....totally contaminated. 

You wrote:

"I was more paranoid and drank boiled water."

I sure hope you let the water cool down first!

That's exactly what the doctor prescribed for me yesterday, Flagyl, Metronidazol AKA Metronidazole, 500 mg.  I'm back to normal in just under 24 hours.

12 hours ago, Brundageba said:

Looking at various twitter images of tap water from various parts of Chiriqui, water has been coming out of the pipes dirty from numerous locations.   (I assume from various municipal water sources. )  BUT consider the amount of rain and swollen rivers which fills underground water sources.   I am wondering if that as well would impact well water sources and be overwhelming for any purification system. Merely thinking out load.

Here's a photo of what people were doing in a rural part of Panama a few years back.  Very rudimentary. 

19 hours ago, Brundageba said:

What was the medicine they were giving?    What did they say was the origin of this seeming pandemic Boquete gastroenteritis that drew them here?   

They were giving away numerous antibiotics namely Eskapar.

Sorry, I did not ask about the origin of this pandemic.  In my case I'm guessing that it was municipal water due to all the ongoing recent work.  Without boil water notices I just drank it as I normally would.  Moving forward, to be on the safe side, I will no longer drink municipal water until some time after all the work has been completed.

1 hour ago, Moderator_02 said:

This sounds like something that MINSA should be publicly sponsoring and advertising. If anyone participates in this session, feedback would be appreciated.

I attended this morning.  I arrived at 8:20 AM and they greeted me as their first "customer."  Present was an English speaking doctor from David who was very thorough.   I explained to them that I had a mild case of diarrhea that the antibiotic that I've taken in the past (Eskapar) didn't seem to resolve it this time.  They prescribed me two medicines one of which they had on hand which I refused to allow them to keep to provide for the less fortunate, I'll go to the pharmacy and purchase them.  They had one gallon jugs of bottled water they offered me but once again I refused.

The doctor gave me their Whatsapp number to followup and stated that they visit Boquete often and to feel free to contact them.

Overall it was perhaps the best encounter I've ever had with a medical professional and it was free!

37 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

It's also pretty obvious from reading comments here, and on other social media, that there's certainly a lot of disdain by some extranjeros of the local population, the services they provide, and the decisions they make.

You're 100% correct Keith, some people make the assumption that Panama will be like their homeland or any other place.

1 hour ago, Lilly said:

I am a newcomer to this forum, but I felt the need to respond. I lived in Chiriqui for more than ten years. I have been back in the US for two years. I've lived in other countries and traveled the world extensively. Like Bonnie, above, I never saw much of a change over the years. I found the Panamanians to be duplicit, mostly indifferent and sometimes hostile. Perhaps because I came to expect rude behavior early on, it was a self perpetuating thing. For the record, I do speak Spanish, and I lived in David in a regular Panamanian neighborhood. Later I moved 'up' (literally and figuratively) to Boquete.

Many attribute it to a 'lack of service mentality'. And this certainly impacts people who dine out or frequent the economy. But I honestly felt less resentment and coldness when I lived in the Middle East. And, again, having spent so much of my life in other cultures, I am well acquainted with adjusting to them. It was not about my protected little white hiney being all over sensitive.

Back in the USA, I am blown away. The politeness of my fellow citizens is an incredible change for me. Reverse culture shock. "After you." "No, please, after you." I live in a moderately large city and I can leave things like bikes and gas cans and hoses just right outside--there for the picking. Days go by without hearing someone blow a horn. I renewed my driver's license and people at the DMV smiled at me. They went out of their way to make it easy.

I am that one who calls a spade a spade. I spent a decade in Panama being told by one and all that it was all 'cultural'. I call horse pucky. Bureaucracy is one thing. I have spent hours and hours of my life elsewhere on this planet sipping tea and waiting. But there was tea. And idle conversation. And lots of smiles.

In Panama, the delight I could read as I was sent hither and yon for yet another piece of 'proof' was astounding. The times I was simply told something, however incorrect, just to get me out of the way are beyond counting. Exchanging a bed spread at Conway's took an army of supervisors. I became accustomed to fetching my own condiments, to chasing the joven for a glass of water and tissue paper for napkins in all but the priciest of restaurants. Perhaps I define a culture in a far different way than most, but stubbornness and willful ignorance are a sad thing to have to 'accept' because that's just the way it is. 

And so I left. So, y'all don't even have to go there. I gave it a good try. Spent the time and saw the breathtaking beauty. Made some friends I will keep. I could even envision living there again, only with no illusions.

Lilly,

The poor service in Panama used to irritate me until I realized that it keeps the cost of living low.  If you want good service go to Costa Rica and pay a lot more.  Costa Rica has ten times the tourism than Panama.

1 hour ago, Sharon Benzil said:

Dottie,

My husband and I recently opened Google voice accounts and Google voice supplies a US phone number. We then assigned those numbers to our accounts so when we need the verification texts (like you needed with PayPal), we receive them through the app on our devices. Perhaps this can work for you in the future. 

I use Google Voice for that exact purpose but it's not supported by some entities namely the IRS.  They require a cell phone number on a major carrier, not the throw away burner phones you purchase at Walmart.

And they do not support Skype numbers either.

44 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

lol, to you and who else, Dottie?  I've never seen a turkey burger here or anywhere else, although I'm sure they exist..

El Rey in David has always had turkey burgers and I've seen them at Pricesmart too.

3 hours ago, Dottie Atwater said:

Thank you! Can you tell me the approximate area where it is located in Super Baru? (Before when I said I had bought prepared horseradish that had no taste, it was at Super Baru, not Romero.)

I live in Volcan, so the next time I'm in David, I'll get the wasabi. Yeaaaa!

 

It's located in what is commonly referred to as the "Gringo" isle.  It's the isle with wood shelves versus the traditional putty color painted steel shelves.  Their isles run East to West parallel to the PanAmerican highway.  This isle begins in between where the cash registers end on the North side and the location of the bakery and traverses to the deli counter on the other end of the store.  The isle is bisected in the middle by another isle and the wasabi is on a shelf chest high in the Asian food section which is located in the West most part of the Eastern section of the bisected isle on the southern side.  It's amongst other Asian items such as rice wine vinegar, sushi rice, sushi paper (nori), etc.

1 hour ago, Keith Woolford said:

Wasabi ..at least it’s easy to pronounce in Spanish.

Yes, and I'm sure the word is spoken quicker in Spanish than in Japanese!

I heard a rumor a month or so ago that the Baru Restaurant & Bar was under new ownership.  Walking by today it appears they've erected a new sign by their bulletin board with the name:

"Bamboo Restaurant & Bar"

The old pole mounted sign is still in place.  They've posted a new menu on their bulletin board with the new name with what appears to be the same fare but no prices.

24 minutes ago, Dottie Atwater said:

Does anyone know where to find wasabi (or even dried horseradish powder)? I love the taste and "kick" in cocktail sauce.

A long time ago, I bought a jar of horseradish (not creamed) at Romero in David, and it didn't have any taste at all. Maybe it was old. The wasabi or dried horseradish seems to be the best option for making my own cocktail sauce.

Thanks!

Super Baru in David has this brand of powdered wasabi in a smaller 1 ounce can I believe for $3.95.  They also have the small 1.5 ounce tubes of wasabi paste of the same brand for $4.21.

One would think that the Super Baru in Boquete would stock it too.

Their menu looks great!

Does this restaurant have off street parking?

7 minutes ago, Uncle Doug said:

The outage was really widespread last night and included David according to at least one report.  Everybody seemed to get restored around 2 this morning, except for Volcancito.  It's frustrating, but, hey, it lowers the monthly electric bill.

You wrote:

"it lowers the monthly electric bill."

I love it!  I can see the ad campaign now.....

Naturgy..... Doing our best to save you money!

US recalls ambassadors over recognition of China

Washington seeks consultations over moves to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan

Jude Webber in Mexico City September 7, 2018

The US has recalled the heads of its missions to the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama for consultations over decisions by governments in those countries to break diplomatic relations with Taiwan and switch to China instead.

The state department said the US ambassadors to the Dominican Republic and El Salvador and the chargé d’affaires in Panama had been summoned back to Washington for talks, even though the US itself recognises Beijing.

“Our three chiefs of mission will meet with US government leaders to discuss ways in which the United States can support strong, independent, democratic institutions and economies throughout Central America and the Caribbean,” a spokeswoman said.

Panama set the ball rolling in the region in June last year when it severed ties with Taiwan in favour of China. The Dominican Republic followed suit in May this year and El Salvador made the switch last month. Taiwan now has formal diplomatic ties with just 17 countries.

In the most recent country to switch sides, El Salvador, the decision raised widespread suspicions that the move was in part electorally motivated, said Johnny Wright, an opposition legislator. Aid from socialist ally Venezuela has dried up and “official sources in Taiwan have claimed that the government of El Salvador sought financing for the [February 2019 presidential election] campaign”, he said.

El Salvador’s switch came after its government “repeatedly demanded large amounts of funds from Taiwan” for a port development that had “tremendous debt risks for both Taiwan and El Salvador”, Taiwan’s foreign minister Joseph Wu said in August. China denied the claims.

In Mexico, there has been speculation that China could be interested in investing in infrastructure projects to be launched by president-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who takes office on December 1. He is planning a trans-isthmus rail route and a train from Cancún to the Maya temple Palenque, both of which have been seen as potential targets for Chinese investment.

The move comes amid a broader push by Beijing to increase pressure on Taiwan since the Democratic Progressive party led by Tsai Ing-wen replaced the more China-friendly Kuomintang in 2016. Beijing has frozen official communication with Taipei, increased military activity near Taiwan-controlled territory and has worked to block the island’s officials from international forums since the new government came to power.

After China was admitted to the United Nations in 1971, most countries switched recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. But the two sides have competed for allies — typically through financial measures — and Taipei’s remaining partners are mostly small countries in the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.

A group of bipartisan US senators this week introduced new legislation aimed at supporting diplomatic recognition and strengthening unofficial ties with Taiwan, in another sign of American unease with China’s burgeoning international influence.

The law would authorise the state department to downgrade US relations with any government that takes adverse actions against Taiwan, including suspending foreign aid and military spending. It was introduced by Republican senators Marco Rubio and Cory Gardner and Democratic senators Ed Markey and Bob Menendez.

“China’s insidious agenda to isolate Taiwan cannot go unanswered,” Mr Rubio said.

Additional reporting by Edward White in Taipei

7 minutes ago, TwoSailors said:

It will be open when the tram to the top of Baru is completed along with the new hi-speed train from Panama city. ?

Which will all connect to the tunnel from Boquete to Bocas del Toro.

4 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Proper prior planning prevents poor performance

You are correct.  I was invited to invest in the project but I saw numerous problems and declined.

25 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

What's going on with the Faro?

The builder is getting hit with unexpected excess construction charges from Union Fenosa, Gasfenosa, Naturgy, whatever, transformers and such, expenses he nor his investors planned on.

He can have a third party perform the entire task however he would have to allow the third party to drive it to obtain the revisado unless you could get the revisado folks to photograph the car where it's currently located.  As for renewing early, the revisado must be dated the month of the registration renewal.

39 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

The developer or business operator doesn't have jurisdiction over the highway.

Jurisdiction?

37 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Please provide reliable background references for these statements  ...or are they just opinions stated like facts?

It's urban planning and access management 101 that you learn in engineering or business school.

Marcelyn,

You wrote:

"Still question why PriceSmart does not have a traffic light for turning to their store?"

Because they cost about $15,000 for the study and equipment and many government bodies, local, provincial, or federal, do not include requirements for infrastructure improvements when approving commercial permits.  That amount of money is a drop in the bucket for Pricesmart but unfortunately greed has a higher priority than safety.