There is a Baptist church in Dolega named El Faro. 

Different kind of symbolism than guiding ships off the rocks, however.

A "guiding light" has lots of themes.

A side benefit if the beacon is bright enough would be help to the pilots find DAV.

I think during feria the park would do very well, the tower would be a great view for foto ops.

Two of the best things about mercado:

Practicing Spanish, and negotiating a price.

It is sometimes a great way to make friends and save money. Bigger purchases usually get a better break on pricing so if you go with a friend and buy double the amount, it is a deal. If you go with a Panamanian friend, you can guarantee a price between Panamanian prices and Expat prices.  Win, win, win.

Thank you!

Thanks to Bud and Marcelyn for providing the podcast format, and thanks to Dan for taking the time to do it.

The view of the changes occurring with each administration change should be required reading (listening) for anyone considering being an expat in Panama. One point I would offer is that much of the difficulty in getting anything done is related to the ability to communicate. Arguing in Panamanian can produce results. "Si pero" is one of the most often heard phases in Panama. 

One of the reasons that Panama is afloat with lawyers is the plethora of executive decrees that follow every election.  As the last 6 elections have shown, the political party changes with each election so the winner takes it upon himself to undo the work of the previous occupant of the Palace.

Good luck to Dan in Colombia.

jim

3 hours ago, Roger B said:

Interesting.  This article probes.... that I need to know more about my own country.  There are some places that I didnt know they existed.   

 

 

Hola Roger,

Might be an occasion to toast a birthday boy?  I am trying to remember if this is the correct month for a grandson? Four or five?  Not that having a beer needs a reason.

jim

Any chance any of them will see jail time? If they don't get the adult leaders, it is just a photo op until the laws on minors changes.

Finally, something outside of Panama City for infrastructure improvements.  So in 2 years, no more black water in the streets?  That would be an achievement worth seeing.

12 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Grupo SUEZ from France is involved in the $74.5 million dollar, 5 year plan to improve the sewer system in David which is currently underway.

http://laestrella.com.pa/economia/grupo-suez-construira-alcantarillados-david/23974513

Is this a new plan or something connected to the project started in Panama City.  Maybe a packaged deal for better pricing? 

I quit reading the La Estrella when I learned on another website that it was a tabloid publication appealing to emotion, not intellect. This reads like real news.

Perhaps David will get some attention once Panama City completes its modernization. 

https://www.suez.com/en/News/Press-Releases/SUEZ-strengthens-its-development-in-Central-America-winning-a-contract-for-the-extension-of-Panama-city

I did some searching for water improvements and found this 6 year old article. I don't know the current status or success.

Quote

Martinelli to earmark US$18mn for potable water system

By Haley Moncrief
Tuesday, September 6, 2011

 

 

 

 

---

 

Panama's President Ricardo Martinelli plans to earmark two credits worth US$18mn for improvements to state-run water utility Idaan's potable water system.

https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/waterandwaste/martinelli-to-earmark-us18mn-for-potable-water-system

9 hours ago, Keith Woolford said:

Mosquitos* breed in any standing water. It's been my personal experience that they're attracted to blood.

* alternative spelling

Actually, mosquitoes are partial to CO2 and skin odor.

Quote

Researchers discovered a receptor that mosquitoes use to detect both carbon dioxide and skin odor, and they identified compounds that interact with the receptor. The findings may help guide strategies to control mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit.

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-mosquitoes-detect-people

The study found 2 compounds useful in combating mosquitoes, one to mask their receptors making humans stealthy, and one that attracts them into traps.

3 minutes ago, BD said:

Black water is defined as the discharge from a toilet according to many dictionaries.

Am I the only one seeing a correlation between this topic and the ZIKA problem with this other posting?

 

Yes. Gray water is dish or clothes washers, etc. RV campers are familiar with the difference but that is in the US. Gray water in many homes in Chiriquí gets dumped on the ground, it does not go into a septic system.

9 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Of course there are Ministry of Health inspectors, Marie. Some people just like to spout mythology.

Restaurants can't open or stay open without possessing up-to-date permits from MINSA.

Also, commercial establishments and residences are required to have a separate grease trap.

 

I am assuming those grease traps are next to the mandatory cash registers which are next to the cash drawers that contain the actual cash? More mythology?

13 minutes ago, Bonnie said:

The David streets have had inadequate drainage for as long as I can remember. During heavy rains even nine or ten years ago they flooded badly, up to a foot or more. As you say, David is growing. I don't know why the government hasn't seen fit to improve its infrastructure. As inconvenient as it has been, I am glad Boquete is improving its sewer system downtown. There were areas that already were smelling bad.

Me too, Bonnie.  It is possible to build drainage for the rainy season downpours; we rarely saw flooded streets in the Canal Zone but one look at the California style aqueducts explained it.  The danger there was keeping the kids out when the rains started as runoff was sudden and violent.

But, the canal zone was built to plan, I doubt most of the cities had that advantage. Certainly Panama City, Colón, etc. never got built that way. Several projects during Martinelli's term were addressing connection of sewer/waste water lines for treatment in Panama City.  David suffers from not being in Panama province, the money never reaches here. I am still not clear what Boquete's water treatment project is going to provide. Most of what I have read is that the main goal is to clean up the Caldera for the tourist appearance.  Addressing the hundreds of septic systems throughout the district does not appear to be part of the plan?  I could be wrong; not the first time.

It is even worse downtown due to the eateries tossing all that cooking oil down the drains. Many places do not have P traps in the plumbing or if they did, they removed them because they clogged.  No Board of Health visits ever.  David's population is expanding faster than the infrastructure can handle.

1 hour ago, Bonnie said:

Thanks, Bud and Jim. I hadn't made myself clear. What I was trying to do was post the actual text of the news story. I just cut and pasted. I felt sure that there would be something special you had to do here, but I was wrong.

Ah, OK.  This platform is one of the most difficult to navigate, at least for me.

2 hours ago, Bonnie said:

I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but this doesn't work for me. I click on the chain icon and then copy a URL into one or both categories, but nothing produces an active link. Help! I'm trying to post the following: https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2017/07/08/us-held-to-1-1-tie-by-panama-in-gold-cup-opener/103530938/

The link here worked perfectly for me, Bonnie. Android tablet, haven't tried it on a desktop.

2 hours ago, Bonnie said:

There are many more than 15 Canadian expats here. But even if there were only 15, there's no good reason to leave them out when addressing expat issues.

True enough, Bonnie, but I don't believe that Chuck was trying to be all inclusive with his posting. The variety of nationalities in Panama is nearly endless. I thought the entire posting was silly.

Maybe Mr. Bolotin was just referencing US expats as they are probably the largest percentage of expats in Chiriquí?

The membership here lists about 15 expats who claim Canada as their place of origin.  That would make their percentage very low.

1 hour ago, Keith Woolford said:

One of the peeves, and it is just a peeve, that I have with Mr.Bolotin is an attitude that's reflected in his question, which is the inference that expatriates in Chiriqui are only from the U.S.

What if the expat is a naturalized US citizen from Panama?  Would they be considered a True American or a True Panamanian?  And, what would be their status while they lived in the US?

The combinations are endless.

3 minutes ago, WryAwry said:

Just loving life while lamenting loss, and praying for rain! (i'm starting to feel like James Taylor. The EARLY J.T.! We've seen the first part, it's time for the second part!!)

 

Wishing all continuing ease and grace,

 

Dav

Dav, give us some views on Mexico. The word on the streets is that you have some good stories.

jim

The Americas are two continents: North, and South. This is from the 7 continent model that I learned when the Earth was still cooling.  Therefore, Panama is in North America. 

On 7/4/2017 at 11:01 AM, Bud said:

On my very first arrival in Panama a long, long time ago, as I got into the taxi at Tocumen for the ride to my hotel the taxi driver started the conversation with a question. I will never forget that dialogue; it was an important and cathartic learning experience, more like a sense of increased awareness and sensitivity.

His question was: "Are you (referring to me) an American?" To which I of course answered "yes". He responded with "So am I," with a good deal of pride in his voice. He was not trying to be condescending. That was an important lesson for me -- that everyone from the north, central, and south regions of the "New World" are in fact Americans (Américanos to the Spanish speaking parts of the Americas).

My life experiences are that few US citizens think that way.

While this is technically true, almost no one except a US citizen would identify himself as "an American". I have yet to hear a Mexican or Salvadoran, etc. use the term. Panamanians refer to us from the US as norteamericano. 

A better question would be was he a true American before leaving his country of residence? We have all heard the stories of those who left for one political reason or another, who were dissatisfied with the system. Perhaps there are expats who don't wish to be true Americans.  The true test is the same question the agent asks when applying for US citizenship, "would you fight to defend the US"?

I have always wondered why Panama Pacifico (Howard AFB) was never used to its potential after the zone was turned over to Panama? Albrook was converted for civilian use quickly with little problem. Pacifico was built to military standards i.e. overbuilt, and Boeing 737s and A320 operate from there now.

Perhaps when the Metro line reaches that area, more commercial flights could begin using the airport and connections to Chiriqui would be less hassle than now.

jim

My guess for the success of green energy is that as long as the production of mains level voltages is the target goal, the project will fail. Almost all the devices used today can operate with far less than 100 volts. Think about all the things that you plug into the wall that immediately convert the mains to some lower voltage. If wind and solar were packaged for resident sized use, much of the load on mains power could be reduced.

In my shop, I use solar to charge battery powered (cordless) tools. The tool itself is the storage device and it is always ready for use. The same goes for charging cellphones and other electronic devices. Appliances like refrigerators, etc. still need mains power intermittently but even those have battery-powered equivalents. 

Solar and wind are a good combination since one or both are usually active.