Upcoming Visit

A fellow Gemini.  I had to respond.

My husband and I live in Boquete.  He didn't hestitate to retire, he lept into it.  We retired six months before he turned 62 and toured Latin America for 4 months.  We went to five countries and spent 21 days in each and then 6 weeks in Chile (it's a long country!)

When in January are you coming is the key to this.  The Boquete Flower and Coffee show is in January and we'll get 100,000 in a 9 day period.  So I already know that the hotels and hostels in town are reporting that they are full.  There will also be folks camping out all over the hills.  And the hotels in David will be full too.  We are only a 45 minute ride from David, which honestly in a car seems more like 30 minutes now because of the new road.

David can be a big place but driving there is not much fun.  Heck, driving in Panama period isn't a lot of fun.  The roads, the other drivers, the cars that drive faster than they should, and the hundreds of taxi's weaving around, its not for the faint of heart.  So walk around or taxi around David.  And you don't need one in Boquete either.  It's not that big a town. But if you want a car rental the best place is with Bill (he's an expat from FL) at Boquete Value Motors.  The best price in the area.  Half of what you will get from the airport or in Boquete.  And if you rent from him he will pick you up at the airport.

If you want to hire someone to drive you around, which we did when we got here, I do know someone so let me know.  We hired him for the day, he drove us all over the place, and I mean all over and then we stayed here a few extra days on our own and really learned about Boquete.  We did David on our own. 

We also had a tour guide in Pedasi and then we did the rest of the Azuero Peninsula on our own.  Loved Las Tablas.

We did go to Coronado.  To me, it's over priced.  All those highrise and gated condos they are building have priced it out of rage for locals and just made the cost too high.  We don't live in a gated community. We are renting from a local. My husband does speak Spanish and I'm trying to learn it.  There are places here to learn, and people willing to teach it so don't let that stop you.

Pacific Beach area?  Do you mean Bocas?  Most people do. It's nice. It's very Caribbean however, not Panamanian.  It's when you hit the mainland around Almirante that you see Panamanians again (Nagobe Indians).  There are a couple of interesting tours to do there but if you want to see what its like to live here in Panama you most likely want to meet with locals and find out.  You can do all the tourist stuff for when you live here and have an extra day or two to toodle around.

If you have any specific questions let me know. 

Best,

Florence

Well good morning fellow Gemini and thank you for the quick response.

Sunday morning here in the Pacific Northwest and a bit of sun peeking through the clouds after endless days of rain but it is warm ,47F just to give you a chuckle of "warm".  But for those who participate, the ski-hills are loaded with snow. So let me outa here !!

As far as travel, have spent a great deal of time in Australia and visited much of the south Pacific.  Time now for something different, a country that is affordable and accepting of foreigners.

Hence - on my way to Panama the first week of January and my daughter will accompany me. She too is adventurous and looking forward to the visit.

Hopefully the 100,000 visitors are later in the month but hotels, air reservations have been in place for months now.

2 days in PC then fly to Bocas for 2 more and then I have to arrange a shuttle to David for the next 2 days.  Your suggestion of hire someone to drive us around David  is an excellent one and I will take you up on that for sure.  I believe Pedasi will be too far away to visit on the trip but it does intrique me. In total agreement of your remarks regarding Coronado.  Not for me, no gates , no  human cluster thanks.

Speaking of Spanish, I have chatted by e-mail with Habla Ya and they are great and very helpful with information regarding Panama. My translate app on the iphone will say what I have in mind if really needed.

In regards to the Pacific side of the country. We will have seen the Caribbean whilst in Bocas so would like to go south of David and see where people visit in that area. Looking at the map there doesn't appear to be anything close.

Florence, thank you so much for your time and I do hope we can converse again soon.

Saludos,
Mick

Hi Mick,

The Flower and Coffee festival is actually the 10-20th of Janaury so you should be okay. 

Okay so you want to see Boca Chica or La Barqueta.  The driver I know also takes people there.  Very nice beach's.  Not too terribly far past David.

BTW - where you perhaps talking about Whistler?  That's my husbands favorite ski resort.  In fact when the time comes (hopefully not for another 40 years) that is where he wants his ashes scattered, on Whistler.  Are you a skier or a snowboarder?

When you are ready ask about daily life here in Panama.  Or perhaps when you come to Boquete we can meet up for coffee or something. 

Best,

Florence

G'day Flo;

Perhaps one day I will be able to partake of the Flower and Coffee festival. Sounds interesting.

Well I must meet up with your driver for sure. Will tour Boquete and the beach areas you describe and perhaps we can discuss details off forum.  Many thanks for the suggestion, that is exactly what I was looking for.

Whistler is not too far from me and it is quick via the new Sea to Sky Highway. I am much closer to Grouse Mountain and Mt. Seymour but do not get involved with skiing or snowboarding. Getting to far along in years and would not want to break anything.  I get my kicks - private flying and for exercise you will find me in the hangar on rainy days(which we get a lot of )  cleaning and waxing the plane  or fine weekends ,gardening in the back yard.  I also work from home full time 5 days a week.

There will be heaps of questions about life in Panama and we would love to get together with you folks over coffee or dinner and btw it would be just great to know we can touch base with someone already in your area of the country when we arrive.

Tiene un gran dia,
Mick

Emailing you directly.  Let me know if you don't get it!

Hola Mick

We have been here in David for a month, just moved/retired here. We are having a wonderful time and it has exceeded our expectations. Of course we don't know as much as someone who has lived here for a while, but you are welcome to email me. We'd be happy to share what we know so far.

I have taken Spanish lessons with Habla Ya on line for maybe 6 months now and highly recommend them. They are very professional and have helped me enormously!

Kris

Hola Kris,

Nice to hear from you and the upbeat comments
So great that you are enjoying David and your decision to be there.
Habla Ya was instrumental in assisting me with shuttle service and you are right,   they are excellent to deal with.
Perhaps we can connect during my short visit to David and the holiday I am so looking forward to.

Tiene un gran dia,
Mick