Bud

The name of Sr Carrizo's book mentioned above is Al Fin del Camino (translates as At the End of the Road).

Both language versions of the book are available as a free download from Bob's website. Here is the link: www.bobgrubic.com.

Recently my wife and I hosted a small gathering in our home with a couple from the USA, Bob and Alicia Grubic. The primary reason for the gathering was to be a discussion about some mutual hobby activities, and of course with the usual social chatter, etc. I first met Bob several years ago through a mutual friend.

Bob and Alicia have a link with Boquete in that Alicia's father is retired and living in Alto Boquete. They were here visiting with her father, and asked if it was okay to bring him for the gathering at our house. Of course, we confirmed.

Here were the five of us in our living room. I had the strangest feeling come over me that I was in the presence of greatness. Alicia's father talked little, but listened intently. It was only toward the end of our afternoon gathering that we learned a bit more about her father.

It turns out that he is a retired Panamanian doctor (OB/GYN) who is 93 years old and in good health. His name is Herminio Carrizo. His wife passed away many years ago, and so he lives alone now, but with regular oversight by qualified caregivers. Sr Carrizo has written many articles and just last year wrote a short book reflecting his views on life, the role that his religious beliefs play in his life, and some thoughts about what is important. That book was, of course, written in Spanish, but has been translated into English, by Alicia, who is a translator in the state court system where they live in the US.

I was very humbled shortly before their departure from our home, bordering on being embarrassed at paying more attention to the intended topic rather than spending more time listening to Sr Garrizo. He was just so gracious and unassuming. I should have paid more attention to my instincts than what I did. Here was someone who had accomplished so much in his life, cared for the welfare of so many women, and who has seen and experienced so much here in Panama. And all I could do was shake his hand and give him a big -- but gentle -- hug. He had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. If only I could achieve one-tenth of what he has achieved in his life then I would have every right to be proud of myself. My actions on that day said I was not off to a good start.

I learned a big lesson from that gathering, a lesson I hope never to forget.

We have two Internet service providers at our home. My configuration choice is to use CableOnda as primary and MobilNet as backup. I've been pretty happy with both service providers, and am comforted to have access redundancy because "stuff" happens. When the primary access has a problem it is nice, sometimes critical, to be able to keep business matters moving forward (including administration of this website) with the backup service filling in. And more often than not when we are watching NetFliix in the evenings I have to manually switch the gateway router to MobilNet because CableOnda just can't handle the bandwidth needs.

I recently received an email from MobilNet that their company has been bought by CableOnda. I had no hint such a change was in the offing. Right now the transition has not been completed, and so I have no experience with MobilNet under CableOnda management. Time will tell. However, to my way of thinking redundancy isn't fully achieved if the same management is over both service providers. Granted that the underlying technologies are different (broadband cable distribution with shared bandwidth versus microwave radio links to dedicated access receivers), but soon the same management policies and procedures will begin to show their faces. Billing appears to be the first department that is being integrated, which is not a surprise to me.

I am now considering the advisability of and options for replacing one of the two. Planet Telecom is looking more interesting and attractive as the alternative. And then I have decide which service to drop. That won't be easy.

It is amazing how Internet dependent we have become. Change marches on.

I seem to recall that the photo shown is of a meteor event captured in a Russian city (in the spring of 2014?). Not absolutely sure, though.

Oops, just now saw the sign on the right of the image that says "Panama". Shows you how much my opinion counts.

I want to add my comments about this "open discussion" by Chalo. It was fascinating to me to sit there in the small audience at the library yesterday and listen to Chalo and his son, David. At times it was bordering on spiritual. I thought the interaction was priceless and felt that the third floor room should have been packed full. But alas. Maybe it was because few people knew of the event.

1 hour ago, Penny said:

I looked at the big plaque in the BCP lobby a couple of weeks ago. It has the names of 60 or so expats who started the BCP theater 10+ years ago. These were all people who were deeply involved in the community here and we thought we'd all be here until they carried us out.

The truth is that at least 60% or more of those folks who were entrenched in our community are no longer here. Most left voluntarily for health or family reasons. A few died. But the percentage of folks no longer here is staggering.

As for me, I came in 2003 and can't think of any reason I would leave . . . as well as having no other place to go.

Every time I come down the hill from Alto Boquete and see the beautiful little village of Boquete below, it truly is a magical moment.

Those of us still here are just hoping the new people will adopt this community as their own and take over some of the ex-pat institutions like BCP, the spay-neuter clinic, etc as we're all getting old and tired.

Penny,

Thanks for the nostalgic moment this morning. As you know, we have had some "difficult events here", and so began a search for a different roosting place. But alas, as you say, there is "...no other place to go."

On the positive side, I especially agree with your words:

Quote

Every time I come down the hill from Alto Boquete and see the beautiful little village of Boquete below, it truly is a magical moment.

I comment to Marcelyn almost every time that we enter the valley and curve around the pine trees. It is a beautiful sight. And it is home. I guess I am part of the 40%, as my name is on that plaque at BCP and I am still here.

Bud

23 minutes ago, Marcelyn said:

 

This structure is a fiasco right in the middle of downtown Boquete. Wish someone would push the resolve button.

My version of your reply would have been: "Wish someone would push the dissolve button."

52 minutes ago, Ken and Becky said:

Thanks!! It's the office upstairs at the Municipo...right?

I believe all paperwork related to placas in Boquete is taken care of in the treasurer's office, which is downstairs, facing the square, at the northernmost corner of the building.

You made my afternoon. Life is to be enjoyed. I have a smile on my face now. Thanks.

42 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

42 minutes ago, Keith Woolford said:

Panama Roasters?

Panama Roasters?

Yupper. That was the name. Thanks for the moment of nostalgia.

Keith,

Thanks for the updated information. While we were in town just a few minutes ago for errands, we drove by the auto place across from Banco Nacional. We quickly concluded that the information provided earlier today (while I was renewing our plates) was not correct, probably misunderstood on my part. And so we drove straight through the intersection and checked out the auto place across from Plaza Los Establos. Yupper, there was the "revisado" sign and I asked a guy there and he confirmed that they do the revisados. Next year it will be a bit less painful than our two trips to David. Wish I had known this 72 hours earlier.

Thanks. From your description, I know exactly where it is located. Will give it a try in the near future.

That building is where I had my first lunch (it was a sandwich place back then) when I was new to Boquete. That was November of 2001. Wow, does time fly when you're having fun.

43 minutes ago, TwoSailors said:

Good to know. Thanks.

Parmigiano Ristorante has great thin crust pizza and killer Gnocchi!!

I have never heard of that restaurant. Can you give a location?

And, if the right woman catches you with the wrong woman, then you are 'completely finished.'

(Just having some fun here. )

Doug,

You might want to attend the meeting tomorrow at BCP at 10:30AM, Tuesday, November 17th.

Rodny Direct is the topic and Rodny will be there, we presume with Mark and others. Listen and ask your question. Should be a straightforward response, not only from the stage but from the audience as well.

14 minutes ago, Siempre Soluciones said:

Ambreen's Linkedin page:

https://in.linkedin.com/in/ ambreen-shaikh-4a990b84

Personally speaking, I find this suspect. There is no hint of anything even vaguely related to IT in that LinkedIn entry.

I find it interesting that this topic has not caused more interest and activity. Hmmmm.....

Doug, our story is similar to Bonnie's except that we use Panagas. Those are the two propane gas suppliers in Panama. Efrain Bruña (in Boquete) at 720-1423 is the dealer representative for Panagas.

Please don't ask me for a recommendation as to which to use. I've been with Panagas for a very long time. From what I hear, both Tropigas and Panagas have their proponents and opponents, but my take is that they are essentially equal in service, cost, competence, and friendliness.

We find (for our home of two full time adults and part time workers) that a 100# tank lasts about three months. Refills are just a phone call away, and typically are completed within a couple of days, depending on their schedule and workload. The workers do the swap-out of the tanks. They only accept cash, so have between $60.00 and $80.00, (current pricing range) depending on the cost at the time of delivery. When I first was here, the cost was a bit over $30.00. Oh well.

I can't recall any of the details about setting up our "account". There is no account number, or even an account. They just know who we are and where we live.

You will actually buy the two tanks in the beginning. They are continuously swapped out at each refill. The change over from an empty tank to the full tank -- something you do -- takes only about 15 seconds, and involves changing one "rocker valve" (my terminology) between the two tanks, which will be standing next to each other. The swap-out of the tanks typically takes about 10 minutes.

Thanks Penny. This is not very encouraging news. I've been "in the queue" for two years and not much progress. I do not wish to renounce, but simply have two passports for security reasons. We travel in some parts of the world where a US passport is an invitation to problems, or actual prohibition against entry.

We are aware of only one now former US citizen having gotten their Panama n-cedula and passport. That person is in Panama City.

I know several people who are "in the queue" to get their citizenship and ultimately a passport here in Panama. The story remains consistent: done the interview, the medical stuff, all the paperwork, paid the fees, taken and passed the test, but the last step is still in limbo. Some have been in the queue for as much as three years.

Does anyone know the real story about how long it takes to complete this process of getting citizenship? Or what the stumbling block(s) might be?

Referring to this entire thread: Interesting insight and wisdom.

It appears that Brundageba has been here longer than most. And I know Bonnie has been. Dave and Erin as well. I am in year 14 and counting.

Concur with JoJo.

More about the big meeting last Tuesday at BCP Theater from an attendee:

http://panamaadvisoryinternationalgroup.com/blog/news-from-panama/boquete-community-events/

I'm your newest and bestest friend. Period. To heck with everyone else. 

I'm your newest and bestest friend. Period. To heck with everyone else.  (In case you missed it the first time.)

Bubba

Sunset,

You ask a good question. The fact that you ask it tells me that you are much better prepared than most newcomers who arrive with only the images of sugarplums that were planted in their heads by information resources selling real estate, propaganda of living on the cheap, etc.

I totally agree with the replies given by both Don Ray and Keith.

Be especially mindful of the healthcare aspects of life in Chiriqui. I presume that you are a senior citizen or soon will be, which means healthcare challenges tend to become more frequent and slightly more complicated as a senior. One has to be here for quite a while (in my case since 2001) before beginning to absorb that there is no blood bank here, that making an appointment with most doctors (but not all) means that is the time that one arrives in the waiting room to hope for availability of the doctor (no guarantees here), that much of what is sold as healthcare insurance here is inadequate during times of trauma (heart attack, car accident, etc.), that diagnostic equipment may not be the latest and greatest model or that you wonder about when the last calibration was, or that blood work done by different labs on the same day may have radically different numbers, etc., etc.

I am not trying to paint a bleak picture here. Just keep your eyes open and an inquiring mind at the ready and you can get through it. And as Keith says, it sounds like you are well ahead of most newcomers. When asked, I recommend that someone considering moving here have at least six months experience here, three or four in the rainy season and two or three in the dry season before making a decision. I say that because one then begins to appreciate power outages (e.g., late yesterday for several hours), the cost and time required of shipping goods to Panama, that there is no mail delivery (actually for me that is a positive), concerns about quality of water, concerns about availability of water (luckily not so much in the area where I live), and so forth. This is our home and we have learned to deal with these things.

I will close with a tip, it is "TIP" -- This Is Panama.