30 December 2008

Living Expenses in Panama


We moved out of the United States because of our love to explore a different culture. Lately though it became obvious the cost of living in the United States was too expensive. We still have a house in the U.S. and are renting it. Since living in Boquete, Panama we have met other expats who have moved here for the same reason or some say are just fed up with the States or then those who want to explore and start a new beginning. We wanted to live in a town with a lifestyle that would suit our needs and could enjoy, it had to have good weather, efficient but not costly medical care and where our dollar would go a long way and be able to live in comfort. In the U.S., expenses are continually rising and when living on a budget it can be a gruesome living experience. We opted not to live that way. Therefore, we moved to Panama with our two cats, some of our cherishable belongings, had them shipped by sea. It took a year of planning to set-up our move.

Our first trip to Panama in July, (time flies when you’re having fun) we stayed in Panama City for four days and in Boquete four days. It was definitely hot and humid, in PC but I loved it nonetheless. After resting in our hotel room, we asked the receptionist where we could go for dinner close by. I insisted on a typical Panamanian restaurant. She pointed to one at the end the block from the hotel, named Manolo. We were very pleased with the authentic Panamanian food. I had Corvina (Sea Bass) cooked to perfection and very fresh, Lane had the Langostinos which were huge prawn a plate full delicious as well. We split a half pitcher of good tasting Sangria and dessert all for about $30.00, breakfast at Manolo was $6.00 for two. I liked the fact that everything is fresh. Liquid eggs are not served for breakfast here, REAL eggs are served. I have always enjoyed scrambled eggs for breakfast but in the states, it is impossible to order fresh scrambled eggs the majority of restaurants serve only the liquid eggs.

In Boquete, our favorite breakfast place is Central Park. Ha, ha!! I know. It has aproximately three tables inside this tiny restaurant and about four to five tables outside.

Some restaurants offer a Especial del Dia "Special of the Day" for $2.75 or $3.75 for that price you get your choice of beef stew, pork chop, chicken or fish, a vegetable or salad, rice, potato, or patacones and your beverage. Such a deal!
For dinner in Boquete you can spend anywhere from $6.00 to $50.00 for two. At our favorite French restaurant we spend $25.00 $30.00 for dinner, which sometimes may include a $12.00 3-course meal, beverage is extra.

This pizza was enough for the two of us the cost was $6.00. Made by an Italian chef owner who cooks the pizza in a wood fire oven in David, Panama.

We rent a large 2-bedroom condominium; it has 2.5 bathrooms, living room, and kitchen. Our two gas tanks are large and cost around $60.00 every month and a half to two months we need to purchase one. Electricity has been $60.00 a month when we run the dehumidifier, but prior to that, it was around $42.00 a month. I totaled up our utility bills including internet and phone service just now it comes out to about $178.68. Our Cable, landline phone service and internet back in the U.S. cost as much or more. By the way, an air conditioner is not a necessity in Boquete.

Our high-speed internet service and landline and cell phone service is $67.00. We paid $38.00 for two cell phones at $19.00 each and pay an additional $2.00 cell charges monthly. You do not need internet if you have a laptop. There are internet cafes, coffee shops, and restaurants that have Wi-Fi.

Our medical preventive care plan from Hospital Chiriquí is a monthly $86.00 for the two of us. We paid for six months up front. A visit to our doctor is about $10.00. If one has, an emergency and we have had a few, the local clinic in town, which by the way is a very clean clinic charging $7.00 to $20.00, a visit. The doctors have provided very good care, are very attentive and they speak English as well. As for the pharmacies, we have purchased from Hospital Chiriquí they charge much less then other pharmacies when we show our “jubilado” or pencionado card. Our Pensionado is in process. More on the Pensionado program later. Medical health care is much less here than in the U.S.

One can rent a nicely furnished two bedroom, one bathroom house starting at $400.00; the property owner pays for the water.

Panama is known for its heavy use of pesticides. We opted to purchase organic produce from Boquete Organics. We place our order with Chris weekly, he then goes to the organic fincas (farms) collecting and filling all the orders. At Whole Foods in the states, the expense was ridicules’ and mind you, we would not purchase a whole lot. The price we pay here is half cost in the U.S. Groceries are less if you buy Panamanian food products or slightly higher for European and more expensive for U.S. food products. This a picture of the organic produce we purchase from Boquete Organics.

A fish Monger comes to town once or twice a week selling the freshest fish from Sea Bass to other fish, shrimp etc. He sells fish from on the back of his truck. The fish always look fresh so the other day I bought three Corvinas (White Sea Bass) for $5.00, three avocados for $1.25 from the Mercado Central. I cooked up the three fish that evening, prepared guacamole, baked up some tortilla chips, drank a good bottle of wine that a friend brought. All I can say what a splendid and delicious dinner it turned out to be!

If you have, any further questions regarding the cost living in Boquete fill free to comment.

25 December 2008

Xmas Eve..What a Partay!




How has the holiday season been here so far? Different to say the least. Both of our families live in the states and we have enjoyed very memorable Christmas' in the past. This is our first year away, however, our holiday season is replaced with pleasant and wonderful new experiences here in Boquete.

The other evening the Mayor had the Annual Xmas Parade it started on our street, beginning at 7 pm. The police sirens were blaring marking the start of the parade. There were a number of BIG Mac trucks decked out with strings of lights and covered with decorations, children were dressed in cute costumes and holiday hats. The "Amigos de Animales" ("Friends of the Animals") joined in the parade as well, and the Mayor, his wife, and Santa were on one of the huge trucks. Many of the indigenous people the Ngobe-Bugle came walking down from the hillsides to town where the festivities were taking place.
The Ngobe-Bugle women always wear brightly color dresses and begin wearing them as teens. The male Ngobe-Bugle wears the usual shirt and pant. The population of this indigenous group is approximately 200,000 living mostly in the Provinces of Chiriquí, Veraguas, and Bocas del Toro. They are the largest indigenous group in Panama. Before the Spaniards arrived, there were a dozen indigenous tribes now only seven remain. The most well known group is the Kuna who inhabit the Archipielago de San Blas and run their native lands as a comarca (autonomous region). Then there are the Embera and Wounaan inhabiting the jungle of the eastern Panama Province and the Darien. The Naso group inhabit mainland Bocas del Toro, the other two groups are the Bokota who inhabit Bocas del Toro Province and the Bribri, who are found both in Costa Rica and in Panama along the Talamanca reserve. Well that’s my lesson for the day.

Back to celebrating, we attended an Art Gallery opening where we met up with friends and met new people as well. Then proceeded to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, the food we ordered was extremely awful. The worst we have had in Panama. We won’t be going back there again.

On Christmas Eve we had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Boquete it is Art Café La Crepe, it is French owned by Jean Marie and his wife Danielle. The menu was a traditional French Xmas Eve feast. Jean Marie and Danielle brought back some wonderful goodies from their trip to France in October. The dinner party was by invitation only. Our evening started with a glass of Champagne followed by the most delicious Duck Fois Gras (from France) served with a pear compote and gelee made with Vieux Xeres and a glass of Vin Doux Naturel de Gascogne wine. The entrée was turkey stuffed with chestnuts from Ardeche or Dinde Farcie Aux Chataignes d’Ardeche. We stuffed ourselves and after dinner the dancing partay started and did not stop. Of course I had to dance. Some were still dancing when we left. A truly great time had by all.

Here are picture's of Chef Jean Marie, his restaurant, and friends dancing the night away!










Time To Reflect About...


It is time of the year when some of us reflect about change. It could be about one's lifestyle, the future, or just to contemplate about living in the. Mine is to start the New Year or end the year with a new blog template. I have added a few new items such as; other blogs sites to view and some of my fav books.

I just viewed "Grand Torino" on the computer. It was entertaining. Clint Eastwood is such a great actor and a fav of mine. As usual; it was one of his "make my day" movie. I won’t give away the plot.

As some of you know, we do not have a TV. Why? It is an expense we do not need or want at this time. Lane and I watched just too much television while in the states. Now that we are living in this beautiful country, I do not want to be cooped up being hooked on a TV show. Been there done that and am bored with it. Someone a century ago said "Religion is the opium of the masses", it was Karl Marx; well I think if he were alive today he would say, "Television is the opium of the masses." Now do not get me wrong the tube is wonderful for watching the news, a favorite movie. Instead we read, catching up on the news from our computers, as well as setting up my blog and writing in it, downloading photos, and editing them.

They grow them BIG!

Here is a photo of a huge spider. It must have been four inches in diameter. We saw a moth in our condominium some weeks ago it had a wing span of 4 to 5 inches. Both harmless. I have included other pics as well.

Everyone have a Wonderful and Merry Holiday!

20 December 2008

Boquete Weather


Well if there is nothing else to speak or write about there is always the weather. Right? It is true!! Those who live in Chicago will understand. Living in Boquete is no different. The weather is amusing if not surprising. One wonders about the weather daily. You get up in morning look at the sky, " Hum - are we gonna have nice weather today?" One has to understand why it is the way that it is. Here is a brief description as to how the weather pattern works in this area of Panama.
During the dry season, the northern winds can carry some moisture over the mountain range from the Caribbean Sea into the northern part of the Boquete District.

Since the Boquete District is on the leeward side of the mountains relative to the Caribbean cloud systems, the moisture that gets pushed over from the Caribbean side usually comes in the form of a mist or light rain that is locally called the “bajareque.” It is a fine but very wet mist. Because of this dry season moisture, the northern part of the Boquete District and the Province of Bocas del Toro get more constant rains and are classified as Am tropical climates (short dry) rather than Aw (with wet and dry seasons) climates. Average of 136 inches a year.

This mist looks like tiny floating pollen. Very delicate one can barely see it. It is said women in Boquete look younger because of this moisture. If one moves here and stays here for a period of time they will began looking youthful again. Well if I look 20 years younger by next year you will know why!

The name Boquete in Spanish means a "hole" or an "opening." Originally this area was called "El Boquete" meaning the hole or opening to the valley.

The Boquete district includes the countries tallest mountain, Volcan Baru an inactive volcano which is 11400 feet high (3475 meters) and home to tropical rainforests. People from all over the world drive up as far as they can or hike all the way up to the Volcan Baru. They do an overnight (no hotel) in sleeping bags or whatever. The attraction is watching the sunset on the Pacific Ocean and waking up the sunrise on the Carribean. Hey! The best of both worlds. I hear it is breathing taking and have seen videos - it is.


The city of Bajo Boquete (Lower Boquete) in the Subdistrict of Bajo Boquete sits in a bowl like valley surrounded by Volcan Baru to the west it is 3281 to 7218 feet high. This is where Lane and I live in the 3000+ part. The area of Boquete covers 189 square miles (484 square kilometers) and has a lot of topographical variation in terrain and elevation.

Well getting back to today it was a beautiful and the cloud formations just as gorgeous.

I have included some pics of Boquete. The first is overlooking the town of Boquete, the cream building with clay tiles is where we live in one of the three condos.




























































18 December 2008

Chicago Lakefront vs Boquete, Panama



Today I am sooo glad to back in Boquete! Just returned from the Midwest, stayed out/around the Chicagoland area as we say there. It was freezing cold! Burrr 10 Degrees or about -12.2 Celsius to say the least. We lived there over forty years, don't how we did it, had jobs that's why. Duh!! Even though I had a wonderful time, I love and miss my daughter, granddaughter, son-in-law, other family members and friends - it is still feels great to be back! Wish they were here.

It is my second day back and it is beautiful here. It is a gorgeously sunny day the sky is blue somewhat windy but I'll take warm breezy to biting, bitter cold weather any day.

I love this town because of it's quiet nature, the beautiful mounds of rolling green hills, flowers and the people who live here - very down to earth. Whether the masses are extranjeros/expats or locals it's a friendly town.




I do have an adjustment to make about jobs that do not get done on time. Listening to "Oh, the job will be done today at such and such time", than "sorry the job will ready tomorrow at such and such time", and then "yes the job will be ready today" but not at the time you were told. Oh well - I just have to learn to grin and bare it cause that's all I can do! Mind you this will take some getting use to and patience on my part, which am finding hard to do. Remembering to take three deep breaths, and say "this too will pass", will be my New Year's Resolution. Now if I can only remember to do it!

All things aside it is a beautiful place to live. Here are some pics to show why we chose Boquete.