Roca Milagro

Roca Milagro - Living in Paradise

2011-08-02T10:42:00.002-06:00

Today we are launching “Living in Paradise”, Roca Milagro’s new newsletter. In this monthly publication we will be featuring news about our Roca Milagro development near Rovira Arriba and we will also tell you what there is to see and do elsewhere in Chiriqui Province and other parts of Panama. We will be sharing great Panamanian recipes and other interesting content that we hope you will enjoy.

If you have already signed up for email updates, you will receive the newsletter in your inbox. If you have not signed up yet, what are you waiting for? Sign up now, at www.rocamilagro.com

A Christmas Wish . . .

2010-12-20T11:54:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us at Roca Milagro:

Banking in Panama

2010-06-01T12:08:00.001-06:00

Is Panama a safe place to bank and do business? Watch the video we made and judge for yourself:

Banking in Panama

New site plan concept drawing for Roca Milagro

2010-03-26T08:31:00.003-06:00

My friend John Cornacchia and his staff at Globacorp have produced a great conceptual design for our Roca Milagro development. It will help us all understand what the project might look like when complete, how large the lots are and how everything relates to the green areas, the river and the streams.

If you would like a high resolution PDF file to see the details of the site plan better, please email me and I will send you a copy.

Thanks, Nick! Good work.

2010-02-02T14:23:00.001-06:00

Here is a cute Roca Milagro video, prepared by Nich van der Velde, a new intern at my companies:

Roca Milagro

Twinkle, twinkle, little star . . .

2009-08-01T18:37:00.003-06:00

Ever wonder what the night sky looks like from our Roca Milagro development in Panama? A good friend of mine is an avid amateur astronomer and Dave, if you're curious, below is a link that will show you what I was talking about in our recent conversation. The skies are pitch black at night. There is very little ambient light from anywhere. If you set up your telescope, this is what you'll see:

The Night Sky From Roca Milagro

Roca Milagro Update - July 2009

2009-07-10T08:57:00.014-06:00

Hello, friends of Roca Milagro:

This is a pictorial update with photographs taken by one of my partners at Roca Milagro, Philip Schlesinger. He toured Roca Milagro last weekend and took hundreds of photographs. I will share a very few of them with you here.

The first photo is of Miguel Bernard. He has been our official translator in Panama since we started our project. Here he is standing on one of the ubiquitous rocks at Roca Milagro. Phase one of road construction is nearly complete and there are still piles of rocks and soil everywhere. Once the roads are all in everything will be tidied up. The rocks are a beautiful and desired part of our landscape, but we will 'help' mother nature a bit by repositioning rocks to where they will look most pleasing and also use them to build various site features like benches, barbecues, etc.

Below, Miguel is touring an area of Roca Milagro where the roads have been cut but where the cunetas (concrete channels alongside the road used to direct rainfall) are not yet in. Miguel, and Melissa, the client who is with him, are looking towards a ravine at the edge of our property through which the Rio David flows. Melissa is exploring building a spa at Roca Milagro.

The next photo is of the Rio David as it flows through the ravine. Melissa takes a break and contemplates the beauty of her surroundings.

Our orange trees (all 400 of them) and a number of other tropical fruit trees reside in the grove shown below. Eventually there will be picnic areas with stone barbecues and benches and other features here. This, along with all of our other 'green' areas, will be open to all Roca Milagro residents. Want an orange (or a dozen) and a pineapple for breakfast? Help yourself.

Until construction of homes begins, we are allowing our workers to graze their horses on our land. It helps keep the grass under control a little. Most grounds-keeping is done by a couple of fine lads named Jonathan and Prospero. Although we supply them with weed-whackers and other more modern implements, their tool of choice is still a machete.

Below is the view from the nature trail that we have cut into the hillside down towards the Rio David. The trail runs through an area of pristine rain forest that is part of Roca Milagro and although we will make the trails user-friendly and safe, we intend to keep everything as much as possible in its most natural state.

In the shade of the tree canopy overhead, the Rio David looks mysterious, almost like something out of a National Geographic rain forest documentary.

The photograph below shows an area where the phase one road is done, complete with the cunetas alongside the road edge. In phase two, the roads will get a layer of capa base, a fine gravel, and then a coating of 'double seal.'

For more information, please feel free to contact me or our sales director, Philip Schlesinger.

Thanks,

Sieg Pedde

Email: spedde@rocamilgro.com

Philip James Schlesinger, MBA Panama Direct: 507-6-480-0881

Sales Director USA Toll Free: 888-PHILIPJ

Email: sales@philipjamesrealty.com

Roca Milagro Website

More rock work at Roca Milagro . . .

2009-05-27T13:23:00.003-06:00

The planters around our entrada at Roca Milagro are finally complete. Now what remains is to landscape the area around the planters, fill them with topsoil, plant some shrubs and flowers, and finally enjoy the view.

I'm like a little kid with a new toy every time something new is done at our development site. The problem is that there are so many things to do that it seems to take forever. I'm not the world's most patient guy, so I am always waiting, waiting, waiting.

The wait is always worth it, thank goodness!

Please sign up for our email updates by clicking the icon below and visit our website.

Roca Milagro Website

Checking out Panama

2009-05-20T07:04:00.009-06:00

Anyone contemplating a permanent move to Panama (or anywhere else, for that matter) must be aware that leaving friends and family behind is not for everyone. It can be tough to end up somewhere where you know no-one and to basically start a completely new life.

Yet, many people do just that. There are many reasons to uproot and move away from everything you have known for your entire life. For some people, getting away from the typically cold winters in much of North America is reason enough. For others, being able to afford a much higher quality retirement than would be possible 'at home' is the reason. Other people simply want to hedge their bets, to put down roots somewhere other than their home country in case of social upheaval or economic trauma.

Whatever the reason for a move, it is always a good idea to do some research before committing to life in a new country. Panama is a safe, secure, beautiful and friendly country. Thousand of individuals who have moved there will attest to that. A good way to get a feel for how these individuals fare in Panama is to join internet groups and to read stories about them and by them.

My purpose with this email is to mention a couple of internet sites that will be helpful and informative. The town of Boquete is about a 30 minute drive from Roca Milagro and there are many expats living in Boquete and David (a larger city, also about 30 minutes from Roca Milagro in another direction) and in areas in between. Many of these individuals belong to an internet group at http://boquete.ning.com. Visit the site, join as a free member, make 'friends' with others in the community and learn. Ask questions, communicate with others, look at photographs submitted by members, find out what life in the area is really like.

The map below shows the relative positions of the places mentioned above:

(Click map to enlarge)

Another interesting site is Boquete Bajareque Times. This is a local newspaper with articles in both Spanish and English. It will also give you a lot of interesting information about the area.

If you would like to see a detailed weather analysis and forecast at any time for the Rovira Arriba area (Roca Milagro is just a short distance outside the village), see this site: Accuweather Rovira Arriba.

Actually, it's greener on OUR side of the fence!

2009-05-14T12:08:00.003-06:00

(Click image to enlarge)

It's May. It is beginning to rain more in Panama. I like the rainy season. Often, all it means is that there is a downpour for a while and then the sun comes out and everything smells fresh and is bathed in sunlight again. Sometimes, it is overcast all day but is still warm and pleasant. If you are past the age when you like to splash barefoot in mud puddles, what do you do when it rains? You go shopping. You meet friends in a restaurant or bar. You stretch out in a hammock with a good book. You stare off into the distance and reflect on your past and future and thank your lucky stars for what you have.

I may be 63 years old myself, but I am just a big kid at heart. If you join my partners and me at Roca Milagro one day, you may just see me walking around in the pouring rain with a silly grin on my face. I may even be barefoot, you never know. Life is too short not to enjoy and to experience the simple, everyday things that often go unnoticed during our more stressful career years.

The view in the photo at the top of this post is from one of my personal lots at Roca Milagro and yes, it was taken during a previous rainy season. Isn't it wonderful how green everything is? The view in this photo is towards Volcan Baru but views in all directions are beautiful, from every single building lot in the development.

We're selling building lots now, folks, and prices are still low as we finish off our roads and services. Take advantage of the low prices. Want to live a perfect life, and like me to pretend you're a kid again? Join us. You'll be glad you did.

Please sign up for our email updates below or visit our website.

Roca Milagro Website

A Sales Pitch for Roca Milagro

2009-05-12T10:48:00.008-06:00

Retirement in Panama:
Is it for you?

Yes, I think it is for you and I'll tell you why.

World economies are crashing around us, just as many of us are reaching retirement age. With our investments decimated and with the prospect of living on a lower fixed income after retirement, how will we be able to maintain a reasonable lifestyle? Have we been working hard all of our lives in expectation of a comfortable and enjoyable retirement just to discover that it has all been a dream and nothing more?

For some of us, the question is even more critical: How will we be able to pay the bills? Will we be able to retire at all? Will we have to seek some menial employment just to pay the bills? And now, with jobs disappearing everywhere, will we be able to work anywhere at all, even flipping hamburgers or pumping gas?

Maybe. Or maybe not. Even menial jobs are disappearing at an alarming rate.

What if there were a place where we could live economically and not have to worry about making ends meet? What if this place was safe, stable, affordable and beautiful? And what if it was warm year-round and you would never have to worry about paying a heating bill again? What if you could build a beautiful home for a fraction of what it would cost where you live? And what if property taxes were very low, or if you build a new home were forgiven completely by the Panamanian government for 15 - 20 years?

What if there were already many Canadians, Americans and Europeans living there?

Where is this magical place? It's the Republic of Panama.

Panama is a beautiful country. Google 'Panama' and you will find hundreds of pages of information on Panama and everything in it. Google 'pensionado Panama' and read about all the wonderful benefits that come with the pensionado program. No matter where you live in Panama, there will be advantages galore. But we want you to live with us and that is the point of this letter to you.

And who are we? We are a group of Canadian, American and Panamanian investors. We are developing a beautiful community in the mountains of Panama, near Boquete, David and the Costa Rican border. All of our partners own building lots in the development and we would like you to join us as our neighbours. Our development is called Roca Milagro.

You can check out our beautiful development and read all about us at our website and and I will give you its link in a just a moment. First, I just want to add that we are now selling building lots at low introductory prices and they are going fast. When infrastructure is complete, prices will go up dramatically. The time to act is now.

Before you go on to the website, please sign up for our email update list by clicking the graphic at the bottom of this post. No-one will call or annoy you. Your email address will not be sold to anyone else. You will simply be put on our own email list from which you will get periodic updates about Roca Milagro. That's it. If you ever wish to stop getting our updates, send us an email and they will stop. We are not pushy people and respect your right to privacy.

And, one more thing . . . we are real people. We will be living at Roca Milagro with you. We have invested our own money. We don't owe anything to anyone. There are no banks holding mortgages on our land and on our future. Why are we telling you this? Because we feel it is important to stand apart from some unscrupulous developers out there who once they have your money forget all about you.

Come on . . . join us. We look forward to sharing our first drink with you at Roca Milagro. Will that be on your patio or mine?

Thanks for checking us out!

Roca Milagro Website

Sieg Pedde, President
Roca Milagro Residential Community
Rovira Arriba (near Boquete)
Republic of Panama

Home is where the heart is.

2009-05-06T13:08:00.002-06:00

(Click photo to enlarge)

"Home is where the heart is." Or is it: "Home is where the hearth is"? I guess either would make sense. So would: "Home is wherever I hang my hat."

Home is whatever you want it to be. We all have fantasies about where we would love to live and what our ideal lifestyle might be. Some of us have simple wishes. Others of us have aspirations that would shame Donald Trump or the late Aaron Spelling, both of whom known for their extravagant lifestyles.

I wonder what the story is about the home in the photograph above, taken a few kilometers outside of Boquete, Panama. The place is abandoned or perhaps had never been completed in the first place. The setting is beautiful, the home looks like it might have been a beautiful place to live. It was once someone's dream, now it is more likely someone's nightmare.

My personal dreams are simpler. I don't need a huge house. I want a comfortable home. I want it to be clean and orderly. I want enough room for a few guitars and other musical paraphernalia, some good books, and a few comfortable places to sit. Besides that, the atmosphere and the company are what really count.

I have a number of building lots at Roca Milagro. I want to build a nice, comfortable home on one of them to stay in whenever I am in Panama. It won't likely be the largest home in the community or the one with the most 'presence.' But it will be mine and I will enjoy it. I hope there will be friends and neighbours around with whom I can discuss philosphy and politics and religion and the general human trend towards self-destruction. Maybe there will be someone with whom I can 'jam,' playing (as my Canadian jam-partner puts it) music that is older than we are.

I am looking forward to getting a horse and to riding in and around our development. Maybe there will be other riders in the community who will join me. Sunshine, fresh air, beautiful scenery -- what more could one possibly want?

One thing for sure: My home will need one of these:

I think home is where the Gitane is.

Let's get stoned.

2009-05-01T13:17:00.002-06:00

(Click on photo to enlarge)

I never did get the hippie 'thing.' You know, "Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out," or "Drop acid, not bombs." I always preferred to know what was going on around me and quite often to watch with bemusement while people used horticulture or chemistry to try to help them find meaning in an often baffling world.

So no, getting stoned never appealed to me. I do like stones, though. I even liked the early Rolling Stones. I like rocks too. And rock 'n roll music. And rock walls.

And there, dear reader, is finally the point of it all: rock walls. And rock planters. Along with the several kilometers of rock walls already there when we bought the property on which we are developing Roca Milagro, we are several adding kilometers more. Right now, we are building rock planters around the main gate at Roca Milagro. And then, many of our residents will build rock walls around their individual building lots. Rocks, rocks, everywhere.

And when we are all done building things with rocks at Roca Milagro, there will still be hundreds of thousands of rocks left over. I like them. They add character to the site and are just one of the things that attracted me to this property.

And so, my friends, I say: "Rock on!"

Sign up for Roca Milagro email updates . . .

2009-04-28T09:18:00.008-06:00

My artist friend Perry D'elia has come up with the nifty banner shown above. We will be using it and some variants thereof as clickable links to sign up for our Roca Milagro email updates.

Try it: click on the banner and sign up now! Don't worry, no-one is going to harrass you or sell your information or do anything nasty like that. We will just send you occasional emails about our Roca Milagro project. That's it. No pressure. And no salesman will call.

I promise.

Making Friends in Panama

2009-04-22T12:56:00.000-06:00

(Click on image to enlarge)

Even the horse in the picture shown above knows that sometimes having a good friend or two is a good idea. We all need friends on occasion. Getting to know new people in a new country might seem difficult, but in Panama it is really quite easy. Walk around for a bit in Panama City or Boquete or David and you will run into individuals who hail from Canada and the United States, and increasingly from Europe. They will be just as happy to see you as you are to see them. And the Panamanian people are friendly, open and hospitable.

Then there are the social networking groups that will help you meet new friends. Sign up at http://boquete.ning.com and check out the profiles of interesting individuals there. One new friend of mine on that network is Lynnie English. She took the photograph displayed at the top of this post and kindly gave me permission to use it here.

I love that photograph. Where but in Panama could see such a sight?

Thanks, Lynnie!

"What will I do?"

2009-04-20T07:49:00.006-06:00

Some Roca Milagro partners enjoying a patio breakfast at 'Olga's' in Boquete

One question I hear about moving to Panama and to our Roca Milagro development near Rovira Arriba specifically is: "What will I do?" Some people are apprehensive about being stranded in a foreign country without a lot of stimulating activities available to them.

It is a good question.

I usually begin my response by asking a question of them: "What do you do now?"

Mine is not a silly question. Most of us spend our lives in our homes or yards. We putter, watch TV, read, surf the internet, work in the garden, engage in hobbies. Occasionally, we go shopping or to a movie or out to eat.

That is what you will do in Panama if you move there. Most of the time you will spend at home and in your yard. And, unlike in much of North America or Europe, you will be able to spend time outdoors year-round, even in the rainy season. Many Panamanian homes have covered patios and one pleasure I always enjoy is sipping a coffee on a covered patio while it is pouring rain just a couple of meters away. Some dramatic thunder is a bonus.

If you do want to go shopping, depending on what you need, both Boquete and David are nearby. And, some great restaurants, featuring prices that are dramatically below what you would expect to pay for comparative meals where you live, are available in Boquete and David as well.

What if you would like to hang out with some other Americans or Canadians? You can't avoid them, they are everywhere in the area. I have met many of them and am impressed. Remember, these people, like you, have a spirit of adventure and curiosity about the world a round them. Chances are, you will make many new friends, if you are the sociable type. If you want to live like a hermit, you can do that too. It's up to you.

There is a new service, at www.boquetecalendar.com that will help you get an idea of what there is to do in Boquete and surroundings. It's a new service and the calendar isn't exactly brim-full of activities just yet, but check it from time to rime to get an idea of what is happening both in the community at large and among the expats resident in the area.

Above all, remember that in between hiking, horseback riding, white-water rafting, deep-sea fishing, swimming, snorkeling, sight-seeing, bird-watching, eco-tours, and all the other things you might wish to do in Panama, you will need some time to sit down and relax. We would love to have you join us at Roca Milagro. Maybe we'll share a drink and discuss philosophy or religion or politics or just how lucky we are to be sharing time in this beautiful community.

Please sign up here for Roca Milagro Email Updates

What is a Cuneta?

2009-04-16T07:51:00.007-06:00

Click Photo to Enlarge

It rains a lot in Panama. Where does all the rain go?

I remember driving towards the city of David during one visit to Panama when the skies opened and the deluge was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Cars pulled off the road because it was impossible to see. Rivers of water were everywhere; every dip in the road was a mini-lake. Then, suddenly the rain stopped and the sun was out. Shortly, the roads were dry. Water accumulations disappeared. Everything was back to normal.

A Cuneta is a concrete trough that runs along the side of a road. They are everywhere in Panama. In North America, we have underground storm sewers. Here, rain water runs along roads and other surfaces towards strategically placed grates which lead to underground pipes which then guide the water to holding ponds or into rivers or whatever is deemed safe and convenient. In many areas of Panama, cunetas channel the water in much the same way. The photograph at the top of this post shows workers building cunetas at our Roca Milagro development near Rovira Arriba.

The photograph below shows incomplete cunetas running along the orange grove in our development. Eventually, cunetas will run along both sides of every road in our development. Can you imagine how much cement it takes to do this over miles of our internal roads?

Click photo to enlarge

We are fortunate at Roca Milagro to have a number of safe areas into which to channel rain water. There are two streams on our property, so some of the waters flowing through the cunetas will be directed into the streams. At one end of our property is the Rio David. Water at that end of the development will be channeled into it. There is a steep drop down to the Rio David and our intent is to create an enclosed concrete channel that will contain and direct the water and to cover it with steps leading down to the river below. The Rio David is a significant river and the water will be channeled so as to mimic the natural drainage of our land before we began development. We want everything to be as ecologically friendly and natural as is possible.

Please sign up here for Roca Milagro Email Updates

Welcome to Rovira Arriba

2009-04-14T10:21:00.004-06:00

Click to Enlarge

Roca Milagro is situated just a short 3 kilometer or so jaunt down the road from a sleepy Panamanian village called Rovira Arriba. When we purchased the land on which our development is located, in 2006, the last 1/12 kilometers was a pretty bumpy ride. Potholes were everywhere. Rocks jutted out of the road. Driving was slow and dusty.

We didn't like that. So, what did we do? Did we lobby local authorities to fix the road because we were going to be spending millions developing a big, beautiful development in the area?

No, we didn't. We contacted the local authorities and asked for permission to upgrade the road ourselves, at our expense. All we asked was that when we completed the first part of the improvement, which was to bring in over 250 loads of fill, build up the road bed, grade it all smooth and then compact it, that they take the next step and seal the surface to protect it and to keep the dust down. Below is a photograph taken while we were keeping our part of the bargain.

Click to Enlarge

We're still waiting. One must be patient in Panama. In the meantime, we're not letting anything hold up our own progress at Roca Milagro. After all, when the Panamanian authorities finally keep their promise to us, we want to make sure we will have kept our promises to ourselves and to our partners and customers.

Do we get brownie points for setting a good example?

Roca Milagro Layout

2009-04-12T10:00:00.001-06:00

(Click image to enlarge)

If you are a Google Earth fan, as I am, you have probably used the software to visit every home you have ever lived in (or as close as you could get) and every place you plan to visit in the future. I thought it would be interesting to see our Roca Milagro site from above, as shown in the image used here, and to superimpose on it some of the features on our property available to future residents.

If you want to check it out yourself on Google Earth, the co-ordinates to Roca Milagro are:

Latitude: 8°37'5.41"N

Longitude: 82°28'43.84"W

For a satellite view of Roca Milagro via Google Maps, please use this link: Roca Milagro.

Happy traveling!

Outside Looking In.

2009-04-10T10:31:00.000-06:00

Click on photograph to enlarge

Do you know what it's like when you get so close to something that you miss the 'big picture' significance or total beauty of it all? When I was in Panama in February, my friend and partner Wilf and I took a walk along the service road that runs along one border of our Roca Milagro property. I wanted to get a feel for what it would be like when Roca Milagro is populated with people and someone wants to go for a hike or a ride towards the town of Dolega, where the service road ends, miles away. The photograph above is one I snapped looking in at our development from outside the rock wall that separates us from the service road. The mountain in the background is the famed Volcan Baru.

I enjoyed the tranquility of it all, but couldn't help wondering what it will all look like when the roads and services are complete and people start building homes. We're getting closer every day.

I can't wait!

The new Roca Milagro website is live!!!

2009-04-09T09:00:00.000-06:00

I am happy to announce that the new Roca Milagro website is live. Finally! I had delayed launching the site until I thought we had something truly great to show you and I think we have achieved that. The way we have set up the website will allow us to add content as things develop, as construction eventually begins on homes, as we landscape more of the property and so on.

One of the things I like about the new site is that there are slideshows in a number of places with photographs illustrating whatever that page is trying to communicate to you. For example, we try to provide helpful information about Panama generally, with accompanying photographs. We also try to show the various stages of development at Roca Milagro, also with many illustrative photographs displayed in slideshows.

Drop in at www.rocamilagro.com. Tour our website to get an idea of what the physical Roca Milagro development site is like.

Enjoy! And don't forget to leave your name at our Contact Us page to be put on an email update list. As it says on that page:

Contacting us will place your name and information in our email list but there will be no pressure, no harassment, and no nonsense from us. We are a very relaxed group and we respect everyone's right not to be annoyed. We will not share your information with other organizations and your privacy will be respected. We will simply send occasional updates or news about Roca Milagro. You will not be hassled, ever.

See? We don't like pushy people either.

Let's go for a ride

2009-04-08T07:09:00.003-06:00

Click on photograph to enlarge

Today is April 8, 2009. It snowed here in London, Ontario, again, as it did yesterday. It didn't snow enough to create any real problems but isn't it time for some nice weather, even here in the frozen north?

It's not snowing in Panama. When I describe Canadian winters to my friends in Panama, they don't appear to be too interested in gaining any first hand experience with snow and ice and slush and slippery roads and shoveling snow. I don't blame them.

One of my Panamanian friends sent me the photograph above. It shows the service road that runs along our Roca Milagro property and all the way to the town of Dolega. There is no vehicular traffic on the road, it is there for local ranchers to move their cattle from one place to another or for hikers and horseback riders to enjoy. On the other side of the rock wall, which runs the entire length of our property, is Roca Milagro.

I wish I were there today. I would love to mount up and go for a ride.

Huh?

2009-04-01T08:02:00.000-06:00

Yes, I know that I have been absent for a while. After returning from my trip to Panama in February, I have been working hard to catch up on so many things, many related to the Roca Milagro project and some not. A clone or two would come in handy right now.

As I was walking a round the Roca Milagro site during my visit, I couldn't help but chuckle at the fire hydrants that were being placed along the roads throughout the development, all in accordance with Panamanian building codes and whatnot, ready to help douse any fires that might dare to invade. Why did the sight tickle my funny bone?

I will be happy to tell you.

What is there on the site that is going to burn? Panamanian home construction is almost universally concrete block or cement or stone or some other really hard, non-combustible stuff. The roofs are almost always made of clay tile or steel.

Maybe I'm missing something. I wonder how much all of those hydrants and their installation have cost us. I wonder if any one of them will ever be turned on.

Your patio or mine?

2009-01-14T08:00:00.000-06:00

At the beginning of February, I will be heading to Panama again for two weeks. I can't wait. Global warming has forgotten to include Ontario, Canada, it its game plan, and as a result we are freezing our buns off here. We have had a ridiculous amount of snow, unusually cold temperatures, and there is, so far at least, no let-up. At least in Panama I'll be warm for a couple of weeks.

I am discovering, in booking flights and hotels and car rentals, that everyone is a little friendlier and a little more flexible with pricing and making deals. Businesses are hurting, folks, and they are beginning to realize that their customer is truly their most valuable asset. They are beginning, at least in a small way, to act accordingly.

In my Canadian office, every time I have a meeting with one or more of my management staff, I sense some level of worry among other staff members. I reassure everyone that we are a solid company, are in good shape financially, and that no-one is going to lose their job, but people are nervous. Jobs are scarce. I am grateful that we don't have to worry too much about the financial mess out there but I sure wouldn't ever want to become complacent.

There appears to be widespread hope (even in Canada) that somehow President Obama will use his superpowers and superior intellect to solve the worlds' problems. Don't count on it. A mess is a mess and will stay a mess until someone cleans it up. Throwing more money at problems will only delay the inevitable and nothing will be solved. Obama is smart, but he isn't necessarily wise. There is a big difference. Part of wisdom is being able to recognize what hasn't worked and to do away with it, or at least not repeat it. Wisdom often means acting not on expedience, but on the knowledge that it takes time and effort to build anything useful and lasting. Obama has no experience, has never done anything even remotely useful, and is surrounding himself with many 'more-of-the-same' type of politicians and advisers. And no, McCain wouldn't have done any better.

What to do? Move to Panama, friends. Live economically, relax, let the world go by and enjoy yourself. And. . . I can even help you with a place to live, at our Roca Milagro project. You can enjoy our community of freedom lovers and watch from afar as much of the world as we have known it collapses around us. One of my partner's wondered once if our project might not be sort of a Galt's Gulch. She might be on to something, especially in light of what is happening around the world.

So, will we share a drink together on your patio or mine?

Merry Christmas, 2008

2008-12-19T07:57:00.000-06:00

Dear friends:

I don’t claim to be a religious person but have to admit that the secularization of Christmas and the marginalization of Christians generally is troubling to me. Christians are oft portrayed as intolerant, closed-minded and, dare I say it, stupid. Having grown up in a Christian home and having seen first-hand how my parents and others in our church community deported themselves, compared to many in the larger community, I can say that in my experience I have found Christians to be mostly tolerant, forgiving and inclusive of those shunned by others. Whatever my personal feelings might be, I don’t want the celebration to be styled as ‘Xmas’ or any other aberration. It will always be ‘Christmas’ to me.

So . . . I am not including the tropical Santa photograph above as a sop to secularism. Nor am I excluding a religious graphic as an anti-Christian statement. I just thought the image to be an interesting juxtaposition of Santa, with his North Pole attire, against a backdrop of tropical shrubbery.

I took the photograph above in Panama City during one of my many trips to the Republic of Panama over the last several years. The setting tickled my fancy and I couldn’t resist taking the photograph to show my friends back home in Canada.

We are living in an increasingly troubling world. Our economies are broken, our governments are trampling our rights and voters are delusional about what politicians and bureaucrats can do to provide remedy. We are in for an interesting ride in the next several years. The world will be quite different from what it was when we were all growing up. With the exception of the gadgetry that we all enjoy today, most of the changes that we will experience, even here in North America, will not be positive.

I know that this Christmas missive from me might seem a bit strange with its subtext of doom and gloom, but it is not my intention to frighten anyone or to promote any sense of hopelessness. I believe that the indomitable human spirit that has seen the world and the human race through so many crises in the past will be triumphant once again, and that during troubled times we should just do the best we can and be thankful for what we have, most especially friends and families.

From me and my family, to you and your family, I would like to express my heartfelt wish for a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May good health and good sense be with you always.

Sieg Pedde
Christmas, 2008

Catching Up

2008-09-19T07:54:00.001-06:00

I haven't been around much lately, have I? I've been busy dealing with the minutiae of our Panama Roca Milagro project and other fun stuff. The photograph above shows construction of the wooden cap that will adorn the main entrance way at Roca Milagro. Most of the main roads in the project are cut now and we are preparing the cul-de-sacs that the contractor left until last to complete. We are waiting for a permit to transport and use a huge rock crusher to produce gravel for our internal roads. And it is raining, more and more, as we enter the worst of the rainy season. That slows work down considerably.

It is getting colder here in Ontario and the days are getting shorter. Soon, I will be getting weird looks as I continue to wear the short-sleeved shirts and sandals over bare feet that I favour until my feet turn to icicles. I refuse to give in. I want my summer, dammit, even if I have to try to delude myself that it is still warm outside. I have been attending meetings recently with a financial adviser friend of mine who is suggesting to his clients that they invest in building lots in our project. Each time I show up, he glances down to make sure I am wearing shoes and socks. Don't worry, my friend, I won't embarrass you. But as soon as I leave those meetings, it's back to my usual, more comfortable, and more unusual attire.

What's happening out there in the financial markets and in the economies of the world? Things are falling apart. I have been writing for years about the excesses of our governments and about the foolishness of those investors who assume that there will always be a greater fool to buy their overpriced homes and stocks and other investments. There are interesting times ahead, folks. Strap yourselves in for a bumpy ride.

I'm ready. That doesn't mean, however, that I will enjoy the experience as things fall apart around us.

We're human beings. We never appear to learn from the past. It's a pity.

Another one of life's great puzzles . . .

2008-08-01T07:51:00.000-06:00

Cattle eat grass, right? Or maybe the occasional leaf or other vegetable matter, or perhaps some prepared feed designed to fatten them up. But have you ever seen a cow eat a survey stake made of PVC plastic piping? Not I.

The cow above is chewing on one of those survey stakes. So were many of its friends and neighbours in the herd. We had let some cattle on our Panama land to keep the grass down during road construction but the exercise, instead of netting us some extra cash in grazing fees, lost us a chunk of cash. Yep, we have to pay a surveyor to replace all of those stakes at the corners of each building lot and along the roads. The damn cows even ate lot markers, little plastic signs telling us the number of each surveyed building lot. So, the cattle had to go. I wonder if they got indigestion.

We have all heard the 'grass is greener' cliche, but these stakes weren't even on the other side of the fence, nor were they green.

Maybe cows really are as stupid as the many jokes about them make them out to be.

Serendipity

2008-07-29T07:49:00.000-06:00

The word "serendipity" arose more than once on my recent trip to Panama. The two partners who travelled with me and I were struck by how some things just sort of fell together for us. It was a welcome change from the usual frustrations I face while trying to do business in a country where the people are lovely, the climate and scenery are beautiful, but customer service and any sense of business responsibility are almost non-existent.

I have been trying to find trees to plant at our development for about 18 months, perhaps longer. I have written emails and made telephone calls. My Spanish speaking friend and associate has done the same. Many calls, many emails. Promises of help were made by the occasional person we contacted but after each promise no further information or help was forthcoming. Now, finally, after all this time, we have found our trees. There is a large, government operated tree nursery about an hour's drive from our development. Yippee!

Not only have we found our trees, we have found a local man in Boquete who is going to work with us to plant the trees. He is also going to help us build a greenhouse and site nursery on our property and to make walking trails around our site, especially in what we call the jungle area down by the river that runs alongside much of our property. He is a graduate of an American university, really knows his stuff, and will be a great help to us. We met him serendipitously, by accident. He owns the hotel where we stayed on this trip.

See? To me this illustrates the fact that it never pays to give up hope. Eventually, just what you need will pop up from just around the corner. Of course it might happen after you are already dead or have spent yourself into bankruptcy while seeking a solution, but the answer is out there somewhere. All you need to do is to look for it, to recognize it, and be ready when it arrives.

Wearing rose-coloured glasses might help too.

A Short Story

2008-07-28T07:46:00.003-06:00

Larry, Curly and Moe went to Panama. Oops, wrong Three Stooges. OK, Herb, Wilf and Sieg went to Panama. There was much buffoonery, but surprisingly some actual business was transacted. Then Kent arrived. Hilarity abounded. Sides ached. Many good meals were eaten and a bottle of wine or two were consumed.

Soon the trip was over. Goodbyes were said. Everyone went home. The end.

There was, of course, much more. But you are going to have to check back in coming days to find out what really happened.

Another Milestone

2008-07-25T07:44:00.000-06:00

It's my birthday today. Age 63, if you must know. Don't tell anyone.

I'm still in Boquete, Panama and staying at the Villa Marita, a charming place owned by a man named Rodrigo and operated by his charming daughter Ana. Two of my partners, Herb and Wilf are here with me.

Wilf asked Ana yesterday if she would jump out of a giant taco in celebration of my birthday. She giggled at the bizarre image that suggestion must have created in her mind, but declined. Wilf has a great sense of humour but, frankly, I think Ana has more sense. She and her father have been perfect hosts.

I am rested, psyched about all of the great things we have accomplished on this trip, and am sad to be leaving Panama again so soon. By Sunday night I will be back home. I miss my family, but Panama does hold a special place in my heart and it is always diffcult to leave here.

Pictures and details when I get back to Canada and get caught up again.

Up, Up and Away

2008-07-11T07:41:00.000-06:00

Like Superman in the old black and white TV days, I will be "up, up and away" to Panama this weekend. It's business, mostly, and maybe a little fun too, if I can spare the time.

The graphic above shows the layout of our Roca Milagro development near Rovira Arriba in Panama. It has been a little over two years since we bought the property. Now, road construction is underway at the site and things are moving ahead nicely. Hurrah!

I used to own a Superman belt buckle when I was much younger. It helped hold up my jeans for years. It's not that I have ever seen myself as superhuman, it was more a reminder to me that in order to move ahead and accomplish anything in life one generally has to expend superhuman effort. Do nothing, gain nothing. Do a bit, gain a bit. Do a lot, gain a lot. I have always believed that.

It helps to have people around you that you can depend on, individuals who have skills and talents you personally don't possess. I have been fortunate in that respect. I am grateful. Super-grateful.

I had a chat with my son a few days ago. I explained to him that I have this huge 'to-do' list and that one of my greatest fears is that I won't be able to do all of the things I want to do, visit all the places I wish to, experience all of the pleasures that I would like. Getting older, to use the common vernacular, sucks. Never having done anything interesting or exciting or even crazy (to some observers) would, I suspect, suck more. I have done a lot, travelled a lot, experienced a lot. I have stubbed my toes and bumped my head many times. That is how we learn. Life, as they say, is not a rehearsal. We have one chance at it and then we die. Happy thought, isn't it?

I'm not planning on departing this earth anytime soon.

I am looking forward to seeing our project, seeing some of my partners again, and meeting some new people while I am in Panama. Maybe I'll have time to go riding, if I can find someone who will lend or rent me a horse. That would be nice.

Unlike Superman, I can't fly. I can still walk, but riding is more fun. Excuse me while I add finding a horse to ride in Panama to my to-do list.

Pecking for Fun and Profit

2008-07-09T07:39:00.000-06:00

I was standing at my kitchen window a few days ago, watching as a finch repeatedly pecked away at a floor mat my wife had left on the deck to dry. The bird was trying, without much success, to pry away a few fibers with which to build or line its nest. Picking up blades of grass or other detritus suitable to its intentions would have been much easier but the allure of clean, white threads made the bird willing to work so much harder.

We humans are like that, aren't we? When we are motivated by desire for something we really want, we are willing to work ever so hard and long to get it.

Or at least that is the way it used to be.

I think that these days we are so much into instant gratification that we want everything right now. Usually, the only way for many of us to get something right now is to borrow money or make a promise to trade something of equal value in the future. Our perception then tells us that the scales are no longer balanced; we have want we want now but we are paying for the thing well into the future and are usually paying interest for the privilege of instant gratification.

I prefer to buy what I can afford, pay for it and forget about it. The resultant peace of mind makes the wait worth it.

This weekend, I am off to Panama again. I'll be gone two weeks. There is a lot happening on our Roca Milagro project and I can't wait to see the physical changes since I was there last, in February. Two of my Canadian friends and partners are coming along and a good time will be had by all.

I am in discussions with friends and associates to form an investment syndicate some time in September or October with the express intent of investing in Panama and other Central and South American countries. Most of what we propose to do will be land banking but we may also be interested in purchasing hospitality businesses or residential rental properties. I don't know yet what the buy-in will be to participate in our syndicate, probably $50,000 or so with ongoing monthly contributions yet to be determined. If there is any interest in this beyond the core group of investors we already have, we will consider extending the opportunity to participate to others.

I hope to take a lot of photographs while in Panama and will post what I can when I can.

2008-06-23T07:38:00.000-06:00

I get to meet some interesting people in my travels and projects. One such person is Miguel Bernard. That's him in the photograph displayed above, playing King of the Hill on one of the many rocks in our Roca Milagro development. Miguel lives in the Boquete area of Chiriqui province in Panama and our company uses his services extensively as interpretor and facilitator. That is one side of Miguel.

Another side of Miguel is what he does to help underprivileged kids in the Boquete area. He heads an organization called Panama United Foundation which exists to allow sponsorship of children with help to pay for expenses associated with going to school: tuition, books, uniforms, etc. A PDF brochure is avilable here.

I support Miguels's efforts, both in principle and financially. If you have some cash to spare and an interest in helping kids better themselves, I encourage you to donate to the Panama United Foundation. Every dollar helps.

Another Tardy Post

2008-06-03T07:35:00.001-06:00

The photograph above shows the progress being made on the 'entrada' at our Roca Milagro development in Rovira Arriba, Republic of Panama. The view is from inside the development and looking towards the road coming from Rovira Arriba. Rains are slowing progress on road building and other infrastructure development on the site, but my partners in the area are working valiantly to cope and to make us all proud.

We will be selling building lots soon. If anyone is interested in looking at a very basic temporary brochure describing Roca Milagro, you can find one here in PDF format. Better and more comprehensive information will be coming soon and our website at www.rocmilagro.com will be completely revamped by July sometime. If you, or someone you know, is interested in building a vacation or retirement home in the mountains of Panama, near the Costa Rican border, or if you simply want to invest in a building lot or two to hold on to for a while, check us out. We are a group of industrious and freedom-loving Canadians, Americans and Panamanians and we would love to be joined by others who want to own their own slice of heaven. How about some of you from other parts of our ever-shrinking world? Join us!

Pay It Forward

2008-05-09T07:30:00.001-06:00

(click on image to enlarge)

The rainy season is coming in Panama and at our Roca Milagro development there is frantic activity to get things done before the annual deluge. In the top photograph, the entrada takes shape, and in the lower picture a worker works inside one of the columns making up the entrada. The insides of the columns will be filled with rubble and then capped with poured concrete, formed into planters.

Developing a project of this size can be daunting, frustrating, sometimes infuriating, but ultimately, we all hope, satisfying and rewarding. I am lucky to have a wonderful group of partners who are supportive and helpful. Thank you all -- you know who you are!

I don't like the passage of time because at my age it simply marks the inexorable march towards oblivion, but when this project is complete I will be happy to walk through all 108 acres of it and revel in what a group of dedicated individuals can accomplish. We still have a long way to go, but we are making significant progress, finally.

I was thinking back today to the days of my early teenage years and remembered a particular classmate who was shunned by others because his family was very poor, he always wore the same clothes, rarely bathed, and was cruelly called "Doodlebugs" by everyone. I was probably the only one who ever talked to him at length and who tried to treat him like a human being. I will always remember the gratitude in his eyes. I won't mention his real name here, but I learned a lot from him. I learned that my parents were right when they told me that a kind word, an act of compassion, a supportive gesture can go a long way. I try to act that way still, even though sometimes I really don't feel like it. I am particularly grateful that people around me are generally kind and supportive of me and projects I direct, including this one. It makes my life and my job much easier.

In that spirit, let's all 'pay it forward,' and extend kindness wherever and whenever we can. It will help make the world a better place, and folks -- the world needs a lot of help.

Have a great weekend.

More Roca Milagro

2008-05-07T07:27:00.001-06:00

(click photos to enlarge)

Construction methods in Panama seem primitive compared to what I am used to in Canada. The finished product, whether house or warehouse, usually looks just fine, but the steps getting there are certainly not what I am used to. In the top photo, a workman constructs one of the pillars that will become part of the entrance gate to our Roca Milagro site. The structure will be massive, with a 20 X 20 foot space to drive vehicles as large as cement trucks through and will be surrounded with our ubiquitous rock walls containing shrubs and flowers. It will be topped with an elegant wooden cap made of Nispero, a strong and durable wood harvested in Panama.

The bottom photo shows a road bed taking shape inside the development, heading into the site towards the Rio David and spectacular views of Volcan Baru. The cloud cover in the photograph obscures the views but is in itself very pretty.

We are considering building a pyramid on our site of the variety common to Central and South America, but of course much smaller, say 10 X 10 meters at the base and with about the same height. There would be an observation deck at the top. If anyone knows anything about such structures that might be helpful to us, please let me know.

Rocky Roads

2008-05-06T07:26:00.000-06:00

(Click photo to enlarge)

Finally, after waiting and waiting and waiting and lots of frustration, we have the actual permits in hand to begin infrastructure development at our Roca Milagro development in Panama. Unlike many developments in the region that seem to be selling hype and hope in an attempt to raise enough capital to pay for everything, we have no debt and have enough funds on hand to do most of what we want to do. We have paid for the actual property, all the work we have done to date and we still have enough money in the bank to pay for the equipment and materials and labour we will need to finish building over three kilometers of roads, bridges over our streams, drainage culverts, and to lay pipes and conduits for our water and electrical supply. Now, all we need is to get the work done. Had we received permits in a timely fashion, we could have been finished with all that by now and would be selling lots. As it is, we're running a little behind.

Oh well.

I could be selling many more shares and partnerships in the development now. It wasn't like that at the beginning. I always find it strange that some people get 'the vision' of an enterprise before anything is even begun and others wait until much later, sometimes having to pay much more to participate and missing out on the really big profits that early participants enjoy. As it is, we have been able to put together an excellent group of investors. There is a very strong individualist, capitalist, libertarian contingent, with a few token more moderate individuals who somehow still get along with the more radical among us. Who would have thought, thirty or forty years ago, that individualists would be considered radical? What is the world coming to?

We have a crew of men working full time on building yet more rock walls to complement the several kilometers of walls that already exist on the site. Why? Well, we like the look. And we have to do something with all the hundreds of thousands of rocks that are strewn all over the landscape. And as we grade the road surfaces as seen in the second photograph above, the machines dig up yet more rocks. This may turn out to be one of those never-ending projects because it seems as though we will never run out of rocks. Oh well. As long as we don't run out of money. I guess that won't happen, but at some time we may run out of patience.

Over the coming weeks I hope to make more frequent appearances here and hope to get back to reading some of my favourite blogger friends as well. I miss that.

I'm Back in Canada (Boo Hoo)

2008-03-05T07:17:00.001-06:00

I'm back in Canada, just in time to experience yet another snow storm. Nuts. And apparently there is another one brewing somewhere out there and will be heading this way soon.

As usual, I had a great time in Panama. I met two partners in our Roca Milagro project that I had never met before. I am very particular about with whom I do business, and was pleased to find that the gentlemen in question are as good a fit into our organization as I had hoped. They are nice to spend time with as well. I personally screen and approve everyone who comes on board as a shareholder and in the case of these two men had to rely on telephone and email exchanges to make my judgment.

It appears that we have no more shares to sell in our company. Several existing shareholders, after visiting our site, decided our project was such a good opportunity that they decided to buy up the few remaining shares. We have a really great bunch. Most of us had meals together every day. I haven't laughed so much in years.

There were disappointments too. Things sometimes move at a snail's pace in Panama. Although we managed to improve the road between Rovira Arriba and our development site on time, the approvals we are waiting for to begin road construction inside the development itself hadn't arrived by the time I left Panama. We have graders and bulldozers and dump trucks and rollers and who-knows-what-else waiting, but we can't make a move without that final stamp of approval. We are now told that it should be forthcoming this week. Let's hope.

The trip was too short. I didn't accomplish everything that I had hoped to, so I guess that means that I will be heading back soon, unless I can delegate some of the chores to my partners already living in Panama. Should I? Or should I simply hop on a plane again at the earliest opportunity and take care of things myself? Hmmmmm, let me think . . .

Hellos and Goodbyes

2008-02-26T07:13:00.002-06:00

We had a picnic/barbecue at our Roca Milagro development site on Saturday. The Staff family, relatives of the man from whom we bought the property and who is now one of our partners, came from as far away as Panama City, a 6-hour drive from our location. Tables were set up in the orange grove, in the shade of a huge mango tree, and we ate (and ate and ate) delicious Panamanian food and the usual North American barbecue fare of hotdogs and hamburgers for those who were so inclined.

A couple of local Panamanian politicians attended, as did neighbours of our property, suppliers and assorted friends.

It was an emotional event for the Staff family. Parties and celebrations have been held on the property for decades. Now the property belongs to a development corporation and these events will have to be held elsewhere, right? No. Not on my watch. My partners and I have welcomed the Staff family to continue using the orange grove for their family events as long as they want to.

My partners and I owe a lot to the Staff family. From the very beginning, they have welcomed us into their homes. They have helped us in so many ways and I will always be grateful. Carmen, Monica, and all of the aunts and cousins and friends who worked so hard to create this memorable barbecue for the Roca Milagro corporation, thank you so much. When we build our own homes on the site, you will be as welcome there as we have been in yours.

The little gentleman shown in the photo at the top of this post is Jorge Staff, one-year-old son of Monica and grandson of Otto “Nacho” Staff. The photo below is of Alisson Staff, a granddaughter of Nacho. She is one of nine finalists of thousands of competitors in Canto Comigo, a Panamanian contest similar to American Idol. Good luck, Alisson!

I will have much more to write about Panama when I get back to Canada. Right now, time is at a premium.

Stuff is Happening

2008-02-21T07:11:00.000-06:00

Even in Panama things happen. Eventually.

Two-hundred-and-some-odd truckloads of 'tosca', a gravel and sand mix, have been dumped on the road between Rovira Arriba and our Roca Milagro site. The photograph above shows a grader spreading it out over the one and a half kilometer distance. It will then be compacted and will be our contribution to the Rovira Arriba and Rovira Abajo communities. Aren't we nice? It will, of course, also mean that those who buy lots from us won't be breaking axles on the former ruts and potholes.

The gate/entranceway area has been graded. Because there are already massive stone walls everywhere on the property, we want to stay consistent with that theme. Stone masons are now building similar walls at the approach to where the entranceway to the community will be. That process is shown in the photograph above.

Off to Panama Again

2008-02-15T07:07:00.002-06:00

I haven't quite fallen from the face of the earth, but I have been very busy. Sunday morning, it's off to Panama for nearly two weeks, and I have been preparing for the trip.

My partner Phil tells me that the road we are improving between Rovira Arriba and our Roca Milagro site is coming along nicely. There are, if I remember correctly, over 250 truckloads of gravel involved, considerable grading and rolling, and when it is all done it will be a very nice road indeed. It is our gift to the community and an assurance that our property owners won't face a bumpy drive. Grading equipment is on our site as well, and crews are grading the front gate area and taking out sections of the massive stone walls where necessary to allow the planned interior roads to pass through.

Barbecue supplies and drinks have been purchased for the big party we're having on the site on the 23rd, and I'm looking forward to meeting friends, neighbours, suppliers, and of course our own shareholders there.

I will be taking lots of photographs and hope, when I return, to have a bit more time for blogging. In the meantime, I am going to be enjoying some sunshine and warm weather.

Dreaming of Panama

2008-02-01T07:01:00.000-06:00

It's Friday afternoon. I'm taking a break. Although I have been working away maniacally for days, the piles of paper on my desk don't appear to be shrinking. On the 17th of February I'm off to Panama again and I am both preparing everything I need to have ready for my meetings there and trying to get ahead of chores and projects that require attention here in Canada. For a few short minutes, I have had enough. I am going to write a few words and I am going to read some of my blogroll.

This Panama trip is going to be a big event for our Roca Milagro project. It will be the first time that we will have most of our shareholders together in the same place. I have carefully screened everyone who has come on board and I am pleased with the quality of individuals we have involved with this project. We have Americans, Canadians and Panamanians as shareholders. We will have meetings, dinners out, more meetings and a big party. One of my partners is preparing a feast on our land, to which all shareholders, locals in the area, local government dignitaries, suppliers and sundry friends are invited. It will be a blast. We will have a barbecue, with lots to eat and drink, in the orange grove on our property. Among the 400 orange trees, there is shade from the tropical sun and there are soft breezes to keep us cool. We will all get to know each other and relax.

Here in Canada, it's snowing again. I dream of lush green fields, pretty flowers, warm weather, sunshine, and a cold drink.

Come join me.

Summer's Gone Again

2007-08-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

I'm afraid I have been neglecting my blogging. Bad, bad, me. I still try to read the posts of others on my blogroll but have been unable to do much posting myself. Soon, I will post again. Right now, I'm trying get caught up.

Next week, I will be doing a presentation at our local college. A class at the school has been assigned to do a mock advertising/marketing program for one of my companies and I am curious to see what they come up with.

Our Roca Milagro project in Panama is coming along, and we're getting ever closer to being able to drop bulldozer blades and start grading roads on the site. Our target is to be able to do this in late December or early January. That's if the bureaucrats and innumerable holidays don't get in the way of us making further headway. It seems like every second day is a holiday there, in Panama.

It's getting colder here in Ontario. The days are getting shorter. To me, at this time of year, everything takes on a sense of urgency, as if somehow the colder weather and the decreased sunlight has to be compensated for with increased productivity. I know, it doesn't make sense to me either.

And so it goes. Next week will come the official start of fall. I may shed a tear or two at that time. Would you care to join me and we can cry into our beer together?

Roca Milagro Update

2007-08-07T06:58:00.000-06:00

haven't written about our Roca Milagro development in Panama for a while, and I know that some people curious about the project visit here to see what is happening there, so here is a quick update:

After the three-ring-circus of dealing with our Panamanian lawyers and various bureaucracies, we finally have a complete application for development that will be submitted in a couple of days. We now have more money than we need and are, in fact, considering adding several interested parties as new shareholders, beyond our original intentions, and using the increased capital to build all of our infrastructure at once, instead of in two phases. Once we have our official approvals in place, there will be a mad rush to build several kilometers of roads, provide electrical service, extend water pipes to each home, implement satellite facilities for television and internet, and so on. Even in Panama, this all costs a lot of money.

Among our shareholders we now have an engineer who manages the physical part of the project, a contractor who will be our 'preferred' builder of homes on the lots we will have for sale, a Canadian lawyer who will ensure that our systems and contracts meet international standards, and several accomplished businessmen. Then there is me. I am the lucky one who gets to interact with everyone, co-ordinate things, and pull out whatever little hair I have left when the inevitable delays and frustrations arise. It's a good thing that I have lots of experience with business, and that I am not as impatient as I was in my younger days.

Over the coming months, I will be working to put up a more professional website for our project, so that it will be easier to update as things happen. I have a particular interest in getting some drawings done of our proposed front gate at Roca Milagro and perhaps some other items as well. If anyone out there is (or knows of) a good artist, someone who can do architectural 3D renderings that look 'real' and inviting, and is willing to work for peanuts, let me know. The drawings will become part of our brochures and will be on our website, so the artist will be famous. Sort of. But definitely not rich.

I haven't had much time for blogging recently, but the words are piling up in my head and I will have to let them out before my head explodes. Hopefully that will be soon. I would hate to be on a waiting list for brain surgery in Canada.

It's a strange world, but oh so much fun!

2007-08-01T06:55:00.000-06:00

I was reading a travel blog this morning and was reminded of several adventures of mine as I read of the blogger's travels through Central and South America. Traveling in places where you don't know the local customs and don't speak the national language can result in some interesting and occasionally embarrassing moments.

On my very first trip to Panama, I was approaching Panama City in my rental car, returning after wandering around the country for ten days or so. I had no hotel reservation or even any real idea of where I might wish to spend the night. I knew that I didn't want to drive too far into the city at night, so I decided to pull over into any flea bag hotel that looked like it had a vacancy. I would figure out where to go and what to do in the morning, after a good night's sleep. I noticed a very small Hotel sign from the highway, decided to take a chance and pulled into the parking lot. The parking lot was empty.

I got out of my car, walked to the front desk, and asked, in English, if they had a room available. The woman behind the desk spoke no English at all, so I handed her my passport, a credit card, and made motions as if signing a register. She pulled out a form, I signed my name, and then details concluded, she led me up to the room I had been assigned. She left, and I lifted my suitcase to the bed to unpack clothes for the next day.

I decided to turn on the television. Maybe I might pick up a word or two of Spanish while listening to the news or watching some sitcom. It was an old TV, the kind that had a push-pull button for the off-on switch and a round dial-like knob to change channels. I pulled the switch to turn on the TV and proceeded to unpack.

I have lived a full life and not much surprises me. I heard sounds coming from the TV that sounded like two extremely energetic people having a very good time, so I turned towards the television to watch. Sure enough, there was a hard-core movie playing. I like sex as much as the next guy, but the action in this movie was so improbable, and the actors so far from anyone's embodiments of those vaunted 'beautiful people,' that I moved to change the channel. The next channel offered much of the same fare. The participants weren't any more attractive than those on the previous channel. I turned the knob again and again, but all that was available on the TV was those two channels featuring hard-core porn.

Weird. Panama City is a cosmopolitan, sophisticated place. They have cable and satellite TV available everywhere. So, why only porn on TV?

I looked around the room. The lamps on the nightstands looked like they might have been someone's idea of brothel-chic. I walked into the washroom and noticed that the wrappers on the soap bars had little red hearts on them. It finally dawned on me that I had registered in a tryst hotel, the sort of place where you take your lover or mistress for some carnal exercise and where no-one asks any embarrassing questions or cares what you do.

I figured that if the proprietors of the hotel didn't care what I did, I might as well do something completely atypical for the place, something no-one else had ever done before or was likely to do in the future.

What did I do? I unpacked my stuff, turned out the lights, and had a good night's sleep. Alone.

What did you think I was going to do?

Taking 'it' with you, sort of . . .

2007-07-04T06:46:00.001-06:00

One of the reasons people are flocking to Panama is for an affordable retirement. With prices quite low compared to what we are used to in North America and Europe, it is easier to maintain a comfortable lifestyle as we prepare to ride off into that final sunset. I know we can't take 'it' with us when we go on to the next world, whatever 'it' means to each of us, but for those of us who prefer a saddle over riding bareback, perhaps we might be allowed to saddle our apocalyptic mount with one of the Panamanian saddles pictured above. I asked the proprietor of the saddlery the price of the saddles shown and he said $105.00. That can't be right, can it? I had him repeat the sum for me, and I'm sure that's what he said. How much are similar saddles where you live? They are at least five times that amount here in Ontario, I think.

Of course, I would rather saddle up a horse of flesh and blood, rather than a phantom steed assigned to take me to my just reward, so I would look to purchase a suitable mount in Panama. One of the horses shown here, near Cerro Punta, would likely serve my purpose just fine.

While riding my horse in the warm Panamanian sun, I might have need of some cool refreshment. How about an ice cream cone for 25 cents, as advertised on the sign above? Sounds good to me. My friends in Boquete were complaining that ice cream cones had gone up from 25 cents to 35 cents at one of the local hangouts. What a shame!

A dollar goes a long way in Panama. The line forms over there.

The Circle of Life

2007-07-03T06:43:00.001-06:00

While we are waiting for approvals to begin the building of roads and utilities on our Roca Milagro project in Rovira Arriba, Panama, we are allowing a local farmer to graze cattle on our land. One of the cows had passed away when we toured the property last week and the vultures were already gathering for a feast.

Life is like that. It stops for nothing and no-one. When something has outlived its usefulness, it decays and dies and makes room for something new. That includes us, the human beings who populate our planet. As much as I would like to think that I am going to live forever, I know it just isn't going to happen. At least, I hope, when I go I won't be vulture food.

I am trying valiantly to catch up with all of the things I need to do after my trip to Panama and will get back to some more regular posting soon.

In the meantime, I am supercharged with energy and goodwill and rarin' to go. The trip was great. While I was very busy with lawyers, accountants and other functionaries, the time was very relaxing too.

Enjoy every day. That is my motto, or at least one of them. Make the vultures wait. They, or the nasty little critters that will be chewing away at our remains when we go, will get their turn soon enough.

Reflections on Panama

2007-06-29T17:45:00.000-06:00

I'm back in Canada. I missed my wife and son while I was in Panama, and knew I had lots to catch up on when I got back from my latest trip there, but part of me didn't want to leave. I envy my partner Phil and his wife, who now live in Panama and get to experience the relative tranquility and beauty every day.

The two Canadian friends I took with me on this trip loved the country and our Roca Milagro project so much that they have decided to join us not only in our venture but to build a home in our development eventually and perhaps retire there some day. Who can blame them? Not I.

Many people have this idea that Panama is a backward place with grinding poverty, poor infrastructure, political instability and lots of risk for investors. In fact, while there is poverty there in relative terms, the people are happy, relaxed, friendly and open. Much of the country is pretty much like parts of California or the American south, and was so, long before swarms of gringos arrived at the start of the current economic boom. The picture displayed above was taken near Cerro Punta and, I think, illustrates my point.

What is happening in Panama is truly amazing. The entire country is a beehive of activity. Billions of dollars are puring into the country and those dollars are being spent on projects of every description. The increased tax revenues to the Panamanian government allow for dramatic improvements to infrastructure. In the Boquete area, near our development, there is zero unemployment. Everyone who wants to work is working. Panamanians are industrious and quite entrepreneurial, so this generation is going to benefit significantly. The next generation will benefit beyond what we can imagine. All this while other Central and South American countries are moving backwards. The difference is entirely due to the infusion of capital because of the welcome given to capitalists and their money.

One of the things I like in Panama is that everyone is treated the same. There is no racial tension. Blacks and whites and Hispanics and orientals all mix and live together and treat each other with respect. I'm sure that if Martians or Vulcans showed up in Panama some day, they would get a few curious glances for a day or two, then become part of the general milieu in no time.

I will post more as I get caught up a bit, and will also try to catch up on posts written by all my blogger friends while I was off in paradise.

Tidbits from Panama

2007-06-23T17:39:00.002-06:00

I've been having a frustrating time here in Boquete, without internet service much of the time due to some unknown problem. I don't have much time for a serious post right now, but maybe have a moment for a couple of little stories:

We stopped at a little Italian restaurant last night to check it out. I guess, more properly, it was a Panamanian restaurant, serving their version of Italian food. While we were standing at the front door checking out their menus, a bird flew into the open door, landed in an electric light fixture, and set itself on fire. The little place probably really could have used our dollars, but the smell of burning bird pretty much killed our appetite. I guess it killed the bird too.

My friends who joined me on this trip have decided to become shareholders in our Roca Milagro project. The male half of the couple is a rather fastidious, particular gentleman when it comes to construction methods and finishes, so I nearly fell over with shock when he mentioned to me that perhaps all that was important in a laid-back and beautiful place like this, was that the doors to your home closed properly so the family goat couldn't get into the house. He had seen a goat grazing in the yard next to the restaurant we had just left.

I think he likes Panama and everything he has seen here. So does his wife. She is already planning how she might put her lawyerly skills to work somehow, and how to decorate her home when it is built on our site eventually.

I think my friend has it about right. Sometimes we expect far too much from our lives and everything around us. Perhaps all that is really important is that the doors close properly so that the goat doesn't get in.

More posts when I am able . . .

Counting down . . .

2007-06-16T17:32:00.001-06:00

I'm sitting in my room at a Quality Inn Suites hotel near Lester Pearson Airport in Toronto. Tomorrow, I will meet up with the friends who are accompanying me to Panama, and by tomorrow evening we will be in Panama City. I travel quite a bit, but I always marvel at how small our world has become, and how quickly we can travel just about anywhere on our globe.

Earth is a tiny little place. With a circumference of only 25,000 miles, it is less than a speck in the universe. Yet, it is where we live. The earth supports us, if we help it along a little bit, and we can (or could, if there were fewer despots and politicians in the world) live a wonderful life. It takes some effort, some planning, some sacrifice, some patience, and sometimes even some heartache, but life can be good. One thing I have never been able to understand is the whining and complaining that I hear from people who should be happy to be alive during the most dynamic and interesting time in human history.

I remember listening to my parents describe the lives they lived in Poland, Siberia and Germany. Their lives were brutally difficult, but I never heard them complain about anything. Even after their arrival in Canada, life was hard, but they sucked it up and did what they had to do to raise their kids and prepare for their retirement. Their children, my sister and brother and I, learned from their example that when faced with life's problems, one took them by the horns and wrestled them to the ground.

Panama is starting its path towards better lives for all of its citizens. It has yet to make the mistakes that we see in so many of the 'developed' countries, namely punitive taxes, over regulation, and out of control deficit spending. The people in Panama seem content and appear to be enjoying the adventure. I have met a number of individuals who have left Canada or the United States to make a new life in Panama. They too seem happy. They enjoy the beauty of the country, the low cost of living, and being part of something wonderful. I have also met a couple of people in Panama who should have stayed home. Nothing is good enough for them, nothing meets their expectations, everything was better at home. Why didn't they stay home?

Whiners are polluters. They poison themselves and they affect everyone around them. I don't like complainers at home in Canada, and don't like them in Panama either.

Maybe I'll be lucky and won't meet any on this trip.

What is it about Panama?

2007-05-11T17:25:00.000-06:00

It is no secret that I love Panama and that I am involved in a residential development called Roca Milagro, in the mountains near Rovira Arriba in the province of Chiriqui. Have you ever wondered what it is that is driving many thousands of North Americans and Europeans to invest and live in that beautiful country? Courtesy of International Living magazine, have a look at the video below:

Video provided by International Living

Make a Joyful Noise!

2006-12-20T17:20:00.000-06:00

Christmas is a time for celebration in Panama: big, noisy, joyous celebration. Last Saturday night, I roamed the streets of Boquete as thousands of celebrants gathered to watch a parade, eat delicacies from the carts of street vendors, and throw firecrackers. Yes, fireworks appear to be an integral part of Christmas in Panama. Panamanians must all have read the passage in the bible (in Psalms 98:4, I looked it up) where it says: "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."

On the day before the parade, one of the female attendants at the inn where I was staying, beckoned me over to look at something she was taking out of a small box. Several bright red and very tiny components of what I took to be a Santa's elf costume appeared, and she held them up for me to admire. I am very scientifically-minded, and in the interest of being able to report to you, dear reader, the absolute unvarnished truth about everything on which I report, with every detail just as accurate as it can possibly be, I suggested to her that she don the costume and that I photograph her in it. I was curious to see if the tiny bits of cloth would actually cover all of her interesting bits. She giggled, and informed me that the costume was actually for her daughter. Drat! Another scientific opportunity lost.

Dressing up in costumes and marching in parades is as big in Panama now as it was in the U.S. and Canada back in the 1950's and 1960's. Many of you might be far too young to have experienced life in that era, so I will tell you that it was a time of parades, marching bands and baton twirlers -- things considered archaic and uncool by many of our jaded and disconnected youth. If you miss that noise and excitement, off with you to Panama where they will hold a parade at the slightest excuse.

Things in Panama are simpler in many ways. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, we all need to uncomplicate our lives just a little.

Let's all raise a glass to the simpler things in life!

A House in Panama

2006-12-19T17:15:00.002-06:00

I'm back, safe and sound, in good old Ontario, Canada. I had a rather hectic week in Panama, dealing with various business matters, but it was fun, overall. It would have been nice to have had a little more time to enjoy the sights and do some more exploring, but that will have to wait until next trip.

I bought a house while in Panama. I haven't told my wife yet, though. I'm a bit worried about how to break the news to her. According to her, I once bought a 17-unit apartment complex without warning her in advance, and I am therefore understandably nervous about repeating the error of not preparing her for such a large investment. The complex I bought years ago was in a town called Bothwell, Ontario, but my wife always called it 'Botswana.' Do you sense that somehow she wasn't overly fond of the investment I had made?

My new house in Panama didn't cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. It cost considerably less. I purchased it from a nice Panamanian man who, with his entire family in attendance, was selling it and other similar constructions along the road that leads from David to Boquete. Yes, it's a bird house. What did you think?

Over the years, my wife has learned to deal with my acquisitions. She is by now quite used to my meanderings, with both feet and mind, and trusts my judgments and instincts. Thank goodness for that! A guy like me could drive a less understanding woman to drink, or worse.

When I eventually build my real house at our Roca Milagro property in years ahead, the little bird house shown above will be placed strategically somewhere, where I can always see it. It will remind me of my Panamanian trip at Christmas time, 2006.

Dreaming Big

2006-12-13T17:06:00.002-06:00

Two little birds were our breakfast guests this morning. My partner and I ate on the patio of a local restaurant called ‘Olga’s,’ after the owner, by everyone in Boquete. Although there is a sign out front with the actual name of the establishment, I’m sure no-one actually knows what it says. Olga, or one of her helpers, puts out some fresh fruit for our little feathered friends every morning, and these two birds were among several who came to feast.

Boquete is changing at a dizzying pace. New buildings are going up everywhere. New residential developments are being planned, our Roca Milagro project among them. Many of the locals dream of making that one big property sale, and then having a pile of money to live on. This, after likely having eked out a subsistence lifestyle for decades, or possibly even through multiple generations of the same family. Everyone has big dreams.

That’s OK. Everyone should have big dreams. What if no-one dreamed big? We wouldn’t have cars, airplanes, space travel, computers and cell phones. And we wouldn’t be able to play Super Mario on our personal video game console. Of course, some think that we would be better off without all these things. Not me. I could do without video games, but I like the rest of the things that we all get to take for granted, all because a bunch of someones dreamed big.

My father, born in 1904 in Poland, ploughed fields with horses, rode to town in a horse-drawn buggy, and basically lived through the age of the automobile, the airplane, the jet, the rocket, the advent of computers and much more. To him, the changes in lifestyle that we all take for granted were astounding. We all get pretty blase about these things, don‘t we? Perhaps, in our own future, we will also see dramatic changes that will appear as strange and new to us as many of the things I mentioned did to my father.

In my father’s youth, it was a really big deal to travel twenty kilometres by horse and buggy to shop in a larger town. Today, I think nothing of hopping on a plane to Panama to take care of business. I wonder what he would think of all this. He died before I started this latest adventure of mine. Maybe he would simply think that I was being foolish, and that I should stay closer to home. But that wouldn’t be as much fun. Dream big, remember? And we have to enjoy ourselves, because one day it will be too late for anything but regrets. And then, someday, even regrets won’t be an issue. Dead brain cells don’t think. Nothing will matter.

I’m meeting a lot of people here who are chasing their dreams. Some dream of doing what I’m doing, or something similar. Some have other dreams. We’re all different, and that is how it should be. One man I met today wants to move here, live on $2,000 per month, and work in an orphanage. That’s his big dream. He worked as an energy trader in the United States, made a caboodle of money, now he wants to change his lifestyle completely. Maybe the fact that he is going through a divorce has something to do with it. Or, maybe, he really has had a lifetime dream of helping orphans. Who knows? That would definitely qualify as a big dream, in my books. What could possibly be of more value than helping little kids without parents get a proper head start on life? Not much!

Let’s all dream big. The world will be a better place for it.

Christmas Season in Panama

2006-12-12T17:00:00.000-06:00

It's weird. I'm sitting on a patio at the Boquete Garden Inn, typing away on my laptop. It is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit this evening, I am wearing sandals and a short-sleeved shirt. Right in front of me is a beautifully decorated Christmas Tree. At home, that usually means that I would only be sitting on the patio if I were insane. Not so here, or at least I still think I am relatively sane. In the picture above, the toucan you see is actually the wallpaper image on my laptop.

I could get used to this.

I was at the local supermarket in Boquete earlier today and they were selling Christmas trees, just as they would in colder climes. Stores have Christmas decorations and, although I haven't heard any yet, I imagine that radio stations are playing at least some Christmas music.

Everywhere I look, there are beautiful flowers in full bloom. The rainy season is over and now, with even more sunshine than usual, plants are celebrating by creating beauty for us to enjoy. Hallelujah.

More of 'Why Panama?'

2006-11-29T16:55:00.001-06:00

I write posts about Panama often. I love the place, as regular readers know, and one day I will have a part-time residence there, in our Roca Milagro development in Rovira Arriba, near Boquete.

What is the attraction of Panama? I've never written a long, detailed analysis as to why anyone with a spirit of adventure should at least explore the place, after all there are numerous websites and blogs out there that already do that job admirably.

One of the things I like about the country is its diversity. It is a third-world country in some ways, especially when you are far off the beaten track and you see how the people live who have not yet been affected by the economic boom in the more populated parts of the country. When you are in Panama City, it is a bustling, modern city with every amenity you can imagine -- great restaurants, hotels, interesting things to see and do.

One of Panama's most appealing features is the exuberance of its people. To outsiders, it seems that the locals will use any excuse for a parade or celebration. There is always something going on: loud, colourful and joyous. It is infectious. Life should be a celebration and there is much to celebrate in Panama.

Back to Panama soon . . .

2006-11-28T16:50:00.001-06:00

I'm preparing for my fourth trip to Panama since November of last year. I'll be leaving on December 11th and will be gone for eight days. Things are moving ahead with our Roca Milagro residential project in Rovira Arriba, in the mountains of Panama near Boquete. We have the first draft of our building lot and street layout ready, and are preparing to move ahead with all of the studies necessary to get approval to begin construction of roads, water and electricity and other infrastructure, hopefully by mid-2007.

Beginning a project like this has been quite an education for me. Someday, when things are steaming along full-tilt, and all of the start-up frustrations are out of the way, I might write about it. For now, just let me say that my oft-stated requirement that for me to get involved in any investment, it has to be fun, is being mocked on occasion. What keeps me going is the stunning beauty of the development site, my commitment to my partners and investors, and the general appeal of Panama as a place both economically and politically stable. What are a few small frustrations along the way? Look at the photograph of our site above, and imagine extinct volcano Volcan Baru in the background, and the sound of the Rio David as it rushes along one side of the property. Imagine yourself riding or walking along the trails, through the lush green areas we plan to set aside, all among beautiful homes designed for tropical living. That is the image I keep in mind to keep me motivated.

I'm looking forward to my trip. Panama is such a beautiful place. One of my partners, our project engineer, has already moved into a temporary home in Boquete with his wife, until he can build their dream home on our site. I have met other people in the area, both native Panamanians and some who have moved to the area from Canada or the United States. Everyone is friendly and relaxed. It is quite a change from our hectic and sometimes frantic lifestyle at home.

For now, though, back to real life and a cluttered desk.

Why Panama?

2006-09-20T16:45:00.000-06:00

I have met and spoken with many North American expats while in Panama. I'm a curious guy, and one of the questions I often asked was why they were there. The answers weren't all that surprising to me.

A guy waiting to get at his safety deposit box, in my Panamanian bank, told me he retired to Panama at age 58 because he could. He could never, he said, do that in the United States. Was he happy with his decision? Yes.

There are a lot of people like him, younger than 65, living on peanuts (actually oranges and bananas and mangoes and pineapple and great Panamanian beef) and having fun. They no longer have to pay exorbitant rents, extortive property taxes, and heating and other utility costs.

Some people are there because they like the ecology and the diversity of flora and fauna. Nowhere in the country are you ever more than a couple of hours from either the Pacific Ocean or the Caribbean Sea, or both. Pristine jungle areas are available for exploration. Scuba diving and snorkelling is available everywhere. Got a boat? Anchors aweigh!

How about the political climate? Pretty darn stable, and the Panamanian government is probably much less likely to step on more of your rights than the bandits at home, wherever that might be. The economy? Booming along at 6% or 7% annual growth.

Is the economy likely to keep growing? According to a market research expert I met at breakfast at the Hotel El Panama, yes. He was in the country doing research for an international insurance company. His recommendation? Jump in. Above average growth is expected in Panama for at least five, and more likely ten, more years according to his research.

Worried about currency depreciation? You should be. It is increasingly an international world, and currencies fluctuate in value against each other all the time. What will happen if the Panamanian currency declines? After all, devaluation and hyperinflation are all too common in Central and South America. The Panamanian currency will indeed fall against the Euro and the Yen and the Deutschmark and other strong currencies, but only because it is pegged one-to-one with the American dollar which I think is doomed. That's what you carry in your jeans, in Panama -- greenbacks. What you get back in change is usually a combination of American coins and their Panamanian equivalents. They are interchangeable. The advantage of all this is that if you get an American pension or other American income, it is always going to get you by in Panama even if it is worthless against other currencies.

I am not planning on moving to Panama full time myself. I have too much going on in Canada and would have too many things to unwind. I will, however, invest there, have a second home there for when I visit, and have friends there.

Panama is worth a look and not only because you might buy a building lot from our Roca Milagro project. It's worth a look simply because it is beautiful, friendly, cheap and accessible, much like an ideal date or mate.

What's this guy babbling about today?

2006-09-19T16:39:00.000-06:00

I just finished a sandwich at my desk. Made it myself. Whole wheat bread, Havarti cheese, slathered with Dijon mustard. Only a man could dream up something like that, right?

Our individual preferences when it comes to food and drink say much about ourselves. While in Panama, I like to try local dishes, or at least local variants or interpretations of things that might be available at home. I don't want my meals to be 'just like' what I am used to. If I want a McBurger, I'll wait until I get home.

I had some great meals in Panama, often sea bass prepared in various ways. At The Bistro, in Boquete, I ate one of the best filet mignon steaks I have ever tasted, anywhere. Cost: $9.95.

The evening before I left Panama City to fly back home to Canada, after not having eaten for nearly 48 hours because of a bout of something that caused my body to be somewhat hostile to food (or even the thought of it,) I had a delicious meal too. What was it? A Mr. Sub vegetarian submarine sandwich, including some extra jalapeno peppers. Comfort food.

There are foods that I won't eat. Oysters, lobster, crab, clams, octopus, eel, frog, escargot, are all on my "are you kidding!?" list. Why? I get the creeps just looking at these things. Why would I eat them?

Irrational? Perhaps, but so what?

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, I will eat just about anything. Even Brussels Sprouts and Broccoli. I love the textures of fruits and vegetables almost as much as the taste. I love biting into some fruit with which I have had no prior experience, just to experience for the first time its unique flavour and texture.

It is like that with people too. I like meeting people for the first time. I have no expectations, just curiosity. I like to be pleasantly surprised, and often am. Sometimes I'm not.

Like food stuffs, people are unique. They each have their own flavour and texture when you take your first 'bite' of them. Stop blushing, please! I'm not speaking here about some deliciously decadent and intimate oral adventure. Nor am I promoting cannibalism. I'm engaging in analogy, so bear with me.

Some people are sweet and airy and fluffy and nothing else. No solidity, no substance, no satisfaction. They provide momentary diversion and not much else.

Some people are sweet to the taste, until you sink in your teeth to savour the experience, and recoil in horror to the bitterness inside. Never met one of these delightful creatures? Look me up. I'll introduce you.

Some people are a bit sour or perhaps salty on the surface, but are solid and fortifying inside. If you get past the first taste, you will ultimately be fortified and satisfied.

Some people are savoury on the surface, and have a satisfying, complementary interior. They are pleasant to be with, interesting to interact with, and make great friends or spouses or partners.

I was reminded of all of this as I spent time in Panama. I met many people there, as I usually do. My main purposes on this particular trip were to take care of the legal 'closing' of the real estate for our project and to meet with potential investors. When not occupied with these pursuits, I also met people at the hotels I stayed in, restaurants I ate in, at the bank I use, and so on. Everyone I met could reasonably be slotted into one of the categories enumerated above.

The fact that these people are in Panama, even if only momentarily in some cases, naturally has no bearing on anything. People live everywhere, not just in Panama. But people world-wide tend to have the same general characteristics.

So, what were my impressions of the people I met for the first time? Generally, positive. Some, delightful. One or two, with whom I would normally avoid contact. About average, wouldn't you think?

This all begs the question, of course, of what they might think of me. Does it matter? Do I care?

Yes and no. I am trying to teach my son that he should not live his life in a way designed solely to ensure that he is liked by his peers. He should live his life based on values: honesty, integrity, reliability, responsibility, compassion, and so on. People will judge him on what he is, and will still like him or not based on their individual prejudices. They might not like him because his hair is the wrong colour, or because he wears blue shirts, but they will tend to respect him and trust him because of his behaviour and values. That is what matters.

I try to live my life the same way. I don't care much if I am liked, although it is obviously not a bad thing. I do care that I am respected, and trusted to behave responsibly and ethically.

That's what this guy is babbling about today.

Reflections

2006-09-17T16:35:00.001-06:00

I don't like it. I'm still not quite in top form, after having battled some sort of bug for a couple of days, and instead of enjoying the chaos of Panama City, I'm sitting in the Hotel El Panama's 'business center,' reading my email and writing a blog post. I really would have preferred to be up and about by now, and to have done my internet stuff later.

I'm an analytical sort of guy. I am fascinated by the 'whys' and 'wherefores' of life. Being flat on one's back, without the energy to do much except think, gives one pretty much an ideal environment for reflection.

So, what occupied my mind during that time?

Well, a lot of things. Like: Am I nuts? What am I doing? I'm developing land in Panama? Why? I don't need this. Sure, I'm an adrenaline junkie with a strong creative drive, but why aren't I developing something smaller and closer to home?

Good questions, all. And there are good, completely satisfactory answers to all of them. It is just that when part of the human mechanism is out of tune, the rest of the system falters too. It's a good thing that people don't often make decisions when they are out of sorts, or nothing would ever get done.

I don't mean to suggest that I spend a lot of time agonizing about things, whether I'm sick or healthy. No, I make decisions and stick to them. That is my nature. I deal with things, make things work. I just find it odd that a momentary weakness, caused by an ill-mannered and unwelcome bug that chooses to violate my body for a day or two, would have even the slightest effect on my resolve and my purpose. We really are fragile creatures, aren't we?

I suddenly have this powerful need, now, to read the news. What is going on around the globe? Who is blaming whom for what, and how many innocent people have been killed because of it? How are the stock markets doing? What are the latest prices of gold and silver bullion on the spot market? Which world politician has made the most idiotic statement since I last checked? Are Tom and Katie still married? Actually, forget that last question. I really don't give a hoot.

Well, I'm pretty much back to my ornery, curmudgeonly, atavistic self. So here is what I have to say to the world:

"Bring it on, Buster! I'm back in fighting form. Don't even think of tangling with me."

I guess I really do feel better!

Mañana

2006-09-14T16:32:00.000-06:00

Today was lawyer day. Our Panamanian lawyer is in David, which is about 30 miles or so from Boquete. David is a smaller version of Panama City: horns blaring, traffic noises everywhere, cars and trucks scurrying hither and yon.

Signs proclaiming street names are not in abundant supply, anywhere in Panama. When looking for an address for the first time, you ask someone. Even if you speak and understand no Spanish, people are very helpful. They point, they draw circles or other shapes with their hands, and you eventually get to where you wish to be.

Or, you flag down a cab. For a dollar or two, the cabbie will lead you to your destination. One dollar goes a long way in Panama.

Phil and Temy and I had lunch in a grand old hotel in David and chatted. We spoke of things that are, and of things that will be. We all get along well, and I am grateful for that. It will make a huge difference in the execution of our plans, if we all interact as friends, as well as partners.

Tomorrow, we will be meeting a bunch of potential investors at 'Olga's,' for breakfast. Fortified with her delicious cooking, we will all drive to Rovira Arriba, to look at our Roca Milagro project. We will share cool drinks in the shade of the orange grove on our property, and we will enjoy ourselves. Interesting people, in an exotic setting, in a beautiful country -- what could be better? We will have fun.

It is difficult, sometimes, for me to leave Panama. By Sunday, I have to be back in Panama City for my flight home. I do look forward to seeing my wife and son again, and to finding out how my son his doing at high school. Still, this is a difficult place to leave behind. I console myself with the knowledge that we have accomplished so much, in such a short time, and that there will be many more trips to Panama in the future.

For now, I am here, and I am enjoying myself. I'll worry about other things tomorrow, or the next day, or next week, or...

Mañana.

Boquete Again

2006-09-11T16:30:00.002-06:00

I'm in Boquete, Republic of Panama. My partners, Phil and Temy, and I arrived early in the evening. The temperature here in the highlands is considerably cooler than it is in the coastal regions. It is a welcome change.

Temy is off staying with his relatives. Phil and I went to dinner together, in one of Boquete`s charming restaurants. The bar area was packed with American expats. We`re both bone tired, so we stopped in at a variety store for some snacks, then headed to our usual abode while in this area, the Boquete Garden Inn. At the variety store, I bought two packages of local ground coffee, totalling about 680 grams (Panamanian coffee is excellent,) two packages of local cookies, a large Snickers bar, and two cans of fruit juice. Total cost: $5.29. Translation: it doesn`t cost much to live here.

Tomorrow, we`re off to look at our land, chat with the surveyor, and hopefully meet some people who are interested in investing with us, or in purchasing building lots at Roca Milagro. It should be a fun day.

A few moments ago, I chatted with my wife and son back in Canada. My son made me promise to bake him homemade waffles "until they come out my ears," so of course I agreed. As my wife and son appear well, and everything seems as it should be, I am going to cut this short and get some sleep.

More in the coming days.

Trees

2006-09-08T14:14:00.002-06:00

Roca Milagro Residential Community site - Rovira Arriba, Panama

I have made my lists and checked them twice. I have printed out reports, maps, projections. I have packed my laptop. I have located and packed my passport. I have a supply of U.S. dollars. I am ready to head off to Panama again, to deal with my Roca Milagro project.

I feel guilty, though. Yes, it's a business trip, with a very hectic schedule. But I am leaving a house full of unpacked boxes for my wife and son to deal with, while I entertain clients and investors in Panama. Yes, I know, life isn't fair. I will have to make up for it all somehow, when I get back.

I am taking my laptop and my digital camera. Maybe, if I can organize my time well enough, I will get time to take some photographs and write some blog posts. I hope so.

My family and I made our last visit to our old home yesterday. There were lumps in throats and tears in eyes. Nearly fourteen years in one place. A long time. Lots of good memories, and even some not so good memories. All together, it was a slice of a sometimes too eventful life.

As it got darker outside, we strolled around the property and I remembered planting some of the trees that were now twenty or more feet tall. The Chestnut Tree, I transplanted from my parents' yard, something to remember them by. The Larch Tree, I planted because my mother often spoke of the Larches beside the river in Poland, where she grew up. The Tulip Tree found a home with me because I loved its large glossy leaves, and its tulip-shaped blossoms in the spring. It is a Carolinian tree, and I was afraid at first that our climate might be too cold for it. No problem. All the evergreens around the perimeter of the property protected it and it flourished. It will be 90 - 100 feet high one day. The Linden trees were reminders of my family's' time in Germany, where Lindens abound. The varieties of Locust trees were planted because I loved the thin, feathery leaves and the speckled shade they provided. The Dawn Redwood was planted because I thought a tree that would tower over 100 feet high would be just the thing, in one corner of the yard. I am going to miss those trees. They grew up with my son. They grew older with me.

Now I have a featureless back yard. No trees, no shrubs, no flowers. No room for more than perhaps a single tree and a few shrubs. Less work, though. More time for living.

And living is what I hope to do, for a long, long time. I want to enjoy my family, my work, my life.

And I will... all of those things. Occasionally, though, I think I just might drive back to our old home, cruise around the block, admire the natural beauty of it all, and remember.

Good memories.

In the meantime, there are lots of trees on our property in Panama, and I will enjoy those.

Roca Milagro is Born.

2006-06-30T14:10:00.001-06:00

No more Stonehedge Estates. After much discussion among the partners, we have decided on a Spanish name for our residential community in the mountains of Panama. It will now be called Roca Milagro. That's Rock Miracle, in English.

Anyone interested in seeing photographs of the site, near Rovira Arriba and Boquete, can follow this link. There is nothing man-made there yet, just raw beauty. Actually, all of the rock walls are man-made, but they look so natural we'll pretend that when Volcan Baru spewed forth the individual rocks, they were somehow miraculously assembled by nature into the structures that wander throughout the Roca Milagro site.

We are a long way from starting on building infrastructure. We need to complete developing a site plan and to get official approvals, etc., but we are making progress. My good friend Perry D'Elia designed the new Roca Milagro logo. I love it. He does good work. If anyone out there needs a good designer/artist for any advertising or marketing project, let me know. I'll put you in touch with him.

It has been a crazy week here. I am looking forward to settling down for a long weekend, spending some time with my family, and maybe taking a short road trip or two. It is good to unwind, and a change of scenery is sometimes all it takes to get out of the go-go-go mode into a healthier, more relaxed attitude.

I would like to wish everyone a great Canada Day weekend, and for our American friends, a great July 4th celebration.

Enjoy the sun, the company of friends and family, and be safe out there.

Holy Cow, Batman

2006-05-23T14:06:00.000-06:00

Can it be? Is it time to go home already? I miss my wife and son and look forward to seeing them, but I don’t really want to leave Panama, at least not yet.

After breakfast this morning, it’s off on the Trans-Panama highway again, back to Panama City. We’ll spend the night there and then fly home on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, I’ll be back at my desk in Canada.

This has been a fruitful and rewarding trip, and we have all had a lot of fun. I hope to be back here in the Boquete and Rovira Arriba area again soon, possibly before the end of the year. By then, my partners and I hope to be in ownership of our proposed Stonehedge Estates, and doing the bureaucratic boogie while trying to get official approvals on a site plan for the property.

The psychedelic cow in the picture can be seen at the Villa Marta garden in Boquete. It is a private garden that is a ‘must see’ in Boquete.

A Door to Nowhere?

2006-05-22T14:00:00.001-06:00

I’ve been there. You, if you are in the habit of being honest with yourself, have likely been there too. Perhaps we have scurried past each other while there, each in so much of a hurry that we missed the chance to get to know each other.

Where, you ask, is the ‘there’ of which I speak?

John Lennon visited the place, at least in his mind: he was a nowhere man in a nowhere land.

Nowhere. No, not nowhere in the sense that the place doesn’t exist, more so in the sense that it is a real place which itself does not lead anywhere else. It is a dead end, a dream gone bad, perhaps a failed
relationship, a meaningless job or a bad business deal.

Yes, I’ve been there. It is not a place I plan to visit again.

I am not one to second-guess myself. If I make a bad choice, a bad deal, make a wrong turn in any way, I never berate myself. If our lives are broken, if our finances are crumbling, if our relationships sour, it is up to us to remedy the problem. We can lick our wounds if we must, but please let us do so quietly. Let’s not impose our problems on others, they already have enough of their own.

I plan to embark on this new voyage of becoming a land developer in the mountains of Panama. I will have at least two partners, perhaps more, but I will be president of the corporation, in overall charge of the project. My partner Phil, the engineer, will take care of all the things I have no clue about. Roads will have to be built. Electric power will have to be available at every lot line, as will be potable water. Phil is capable, has had lots of experience in such things, and will do a great job. Another partner will be Temy, a native Panamanian and the current owner of the land. He now lives in Virginia, but will be moving back here soon. He will be a tremendous help with local authorities, labourers, and suppliers.

There are several other potential partners but we have yet to get a firm commitment from them. Whatever happens, if necessary, Phil and Temy and I will go it alone. There is still some due diligence to be done, but so far things look good.

The land that we propose to develop is spectacular. It has great views, ravines, a river, a stream, stone walls everywhere, beautiful trees, and has been cared for lovingly. There is an orange grove with 400 fruit-bearing trees, dozens of pineapple plants, plantains, mangoes, some fruit I can’t remember the name of and a garden area with vegetables. We hope to make that entire area a communal ‘green space’ and make all these things available to anyone who builds a home in our community. We want to do so many things that our ideas have run ahead of realities like how we are going to pay for everything we propose to do without first having sold a bunch of building lots to raise some operating capital. We can’t sell lots until we have an approved site plan. We can’t get a site plan approved until we submit the plan to Panamanian authorities. Thank goodness, one of the partners is a Panamanian. That should help, I think.

We’ll manage. As long as nothing pops out of the woodwork that would shock me sufficiently to drop the deal and go away, we’ll make things work. It will be probably at least a year before we can start selling lots, but I’m an optimistic sort of guy. Maybe I’ll start buying lottery tickets to give us more working capital. Do you think that might work?

I don’t want this project to be like the gate leading to nowhere, shown in the photograph above, and don’t think it will be. Serendipity, or providence, or something, has been at work leading to the circumstances described here. It all seems almost too good to be true.

No, I think this is all leading somewhere, somewhere good, not nowhere.

I asked the surveyor today, after trekking through the property again, if he thought we were crazy.

He didn’t think so.

I hope he’s right.

We're Here -- Rovira Arriba and Boquete

2006-05-21T13:57:00.000-06:00

Well, here I am in Boquete. In Panama City, my partner Phil and his wife Susan and I rented a Toyota Land Cruiser, and we drove to Boquete on Thursday. It is a nice trip of seven hours or so, even allowing for a leisurely lunch along the way. I drove, and took it nice and easy, not wanting to have to deal with a Transito policeman again, as I had on my last trip here in November.

I drove at a very moderate speed of 100k/h (about 60 mph,) and was one of the slower vehicles on the road. The official speed limit is 80 k/h. My good intentions didn’t help much. As we passed the half-way mark or so of our journey, a Transito parked on the other side of the highway flagged me down. He told me that I had been travelling at 115 k/h and asked to see my drivers licence. He motioned for me to walk to his car (no witnesses that way) and made as if to start writing me a ticket. This would cost me $100.00, he said, if I paid the fine in Panama City. I told him I wanted to pay right now, and asked him how much it would take to make the situation go away. $20.00, he said, the same as the Transito had charged me on my last trip. I told him that there was no way on earth I was going to give him $20.00, but I would settle for $10.00. He agreed, admonished me to stop speeding (wink, wink) and waved me on. I laughed and drove on. It was still a better deal than what I would have had to pay, had I been stopped by the uniformed bandits in Ontario, Canada.

We all got a good nights sleep at the lovely Boquete Garden Inn, and on Friday morning we headed off to Rovira Arriba to inspect the property we want to buy, to meet with the owner, talk some business, and make some decisions.

It is impossible to describe the property and do it any justice. There are stone walls everywhere. In one direction, Volcan Baru looms in the distance, much of its bulk obscured by clouds. The Rio David’s rushing waters can be heard where it delineates one border of the property. Elsewhere on the land, a stream bubbles away. In one area, a spring gurgles its welcome. Everything is green and fresh. Birds sing. The whole situation is somehow almost silly. It is hard to imagine that something so pretty exists in the first place, and that over many decades owners of the land have worked to preserve its natural beauty. The stone walls don’t seem at all out of place. There is an organic feel to everything. The walls meander everywhere. Few run in a straight line. They weren’t built to hold anything in, building them was simply an expedient way to use up some of the rocks on the land. Where did all the rocks come from in the first place? Volcan Baru. Up until 800 years ago or so, it was an active volcano and every now and again it would spew lava everywhere. The result? Rocks. Lots of rocks.

We walked and walked and walked. 108 acres. As I walked, I schemed. Could we actually pull this off? Could we attract retirees and others who want to live in a mountain paradise here, to Rovira Arriba in Panama, and compete against all of the other developers who are chasing their money?

Why not? Over the course of the day, I think we have come up with a workable plan. A surveyor accompanied us on our tour of the property and the first step will be to get him to lay out a proposed site plan for us, based on our ideas of what we think the place should look like.

Then, we'll see what to do next.

A Volcan Baru Welcome?

2006-05-16T13:56:00.002-06:00

I'm off to Toronto tonight. After a good night's sleep, Continental Airlines will take me to Houston, where I will meet my American partner and his wife for the final leg of the trip to Panama City, in the Republic of Panama. The current owner of the land on which we hope to build our Stonehedge Estates residential community, will meet us in Rovira Arriba on Friday. If all goes well, he will join us in our corporate partnership, and the lengthy process of seeking official blessings from appropriate authorities will begin. I wish we could just skip that last step and simply do what we want.

Life isn't like that, though. Wherever there is a government, there are delays. There are unnecessary procedures to follow. There are reams of paperwork to fill out and submit. There is work for politicians, bureaucrats , lawyers and accountants. There is aggravation for people who want to get things done, quickly and efficiently, without fuss.

We'll deal with it. You may hear me grumble, though, from time to time.

Volcan Baru, the inactive volcano that is visible from the Rovira Arriba and Boquete areas, may be grumbling too. It must have heard that I am coming to visit. There has been no volcanic activity from Volcan Baru for over 800 years, but there is some concern that it might become active again. Considerable earthquake activity has been reported in the area recently. Nothing serious, folks. Feeling the earth shake under your feet on occasion is a lot cheaper than seeking thrills and excitement at your local Six Flags theme park. And Volcan Baru, I hope, will keep on snoozing.

The whole Stonehedge Estates project is by no means a sure thing yet. There are a million things that could still get in the way of making it happen. Hopefully, by the time I get back after the 8-day trip, I'll have a better idea.

We'll see. Either way, it will be a break from the everyday humdrum, and I will enjoy the experience. I'll take lots of pictures. I'll post some to this blog, both during the trip and after I get back.

Back to Panama

2006-05-04T13:40:00.001-06:00

When I was in Boquete, Panama last November, I met and had a brief conversation with an engineer and his wife from Colorado. Over breakfast on our hotel's patio, we got to know each other a bit and chatted about business opportunities in Panama. I haven't seen my new friends since, but have spoken to Phil on the telephone and have communicated with him by email.

On May 17th, I'm off to Panama again. The first leg of the trip is to Houston, where I will meet up with my engineer friend and his wife and a number of other American investors. From there, we will all fly to Panama City, spend the night, then drive to the mountain paradise of Boquete on the following day.

We will be inspecting a property that Phil found on his last trip to Panama. It is about 20 miles from Boquete, at an elevation of about 2,300 feet. Inactive volcano 'Volcan Baru' is but one of the beautiful vistas from the site and Rio David runs along much of one side of the property. If we all agree that the place is perfect for our purposes, we will complete the conditional offer to purchase that I have already made to the owner of the property.

We propose to develop what Phil has dubbed 'Stonehedge Estates.' From the picture at the top of this post, you will see where he got that name. The stone hedges meander around the property and will become part of the landscaping when we subdivide the larger 108 acre parcel into numerous residential building lots.

Why are we doing this? Phil and his wife were going to move to Panama anyway. Phil, wearing his engineering hat, will be onsite to oversee the project. I love Panama, especially the Boquete area, and think that the country has booming future prospects. It makes sense for me to invest there. Each investor in the project will get a parcel of land as part of the 'deal,' and may build a vacation or retirement home there if they wish.

Will this all come to pass? I hope so. What could go wrong? Not much, I hope. Still, the most important part of any enterprise is the people involved, and how they interact and co-operate. If we are all satisfied that we can get along and work together, Stonehedge Estates will become a reality.

Here's hoping... I'll keep you posted.

Happy Easter

2006-04-13T13:37:00.001-06:00

Happy Easter to all my friends in Cyberia. If you, as I probably will, go for a family drive this weekend, please be careful. With so many people on the highways, and the corresponding increased chance of mishap, I want you all to be safe.

In my trip to Panama last November, one thing I noticed as I roamed around the country in my little rented SUV, was the number of roadside markers similar to the one shown in the accompanying picture. They were everywhere, and I can only presume that wherever there was a marker like this, someone died in a traffic accident. I saw dozens of the crosses or little stone cairns on the roads I travelled. Each roadside memorial marked someone's lost son or daughter, father or mother, brother or sister. Let's not become statistics. Our families need us, and we them.

Enjoy your families and be safe.

Hi, my name is Sieg. Do you want to buy some property together?

2006-03-31T13:34:00.000-06:00

I went to an auction sale yesterday. There were three lots of land for sale, configured in an L-shape, two in front and one behind one of the front lots, facing onto a side street. I had previously made an offer for one of the front lots, but it had been refused because the vendor was worried about selling the back lot if the front lots were already sold.

The property owner had instructed the auctioneer to sell all three lots, all or none. Two bidders were present who were interested in all three lots as a unit. When they finished deciding who was willing to pay how much, there was, as there always is, one clear winner. All this had been done very casually, via a discussion with the auctioneer. There weren't enough bidders present to go through the usual 'going, going, gone' routines.

I still wanted the one front lot. Another bidder wanted the other front lot. I asked him if he was willing to pay 'x' for the lot he wanted, if I would pay the same amount for the lot I was interested in. We would then split the cost of the third lot. The total would be a price that was slightly higher than the current highest bid. He agreed. Now, the bids totalled a bit more than the other bidder had committed to, and he had to decide whether to risk battling us, perhaps ending up paying much more than what he wanted to. He folded. We got what we wanted. What he didn't know, was that I would have dropped out at any higher price because, although I would have the one lot I wanted, I would also have a half interest in a lot I really had no use for. That meant that I had to keep the price low.

The guy with whom I will share ownership of the one lot is someone I have never met before. We got to know each other after the sale, over some coffee at the Tim Hortons two blocks away from the property. He is a nice guy and we will get along just fine. Isn't it weird how things work out?

The jointly-owned lot will be put up for sale.

The gentleman with whom I am trying to put together a residential equestrian community in Panama is from Colorado. I met him on a hotel patio, in Boquete, Panama. We chatted for fifteen minutes or less, and decided to go into business together. I haven't seen him since. We speak on the phone or email each other.

I am an 'old school' businessman. My word is my bond. My handshake is as good as a bunch of words carved in granite and witnessed by John Hancock. I only like to do business with people who can be trusted that way. There are fewer of those every year. It's a shame.

I salute everyone out there who is true to his or her word. Teach your children and grandchildren to be like you. We need more people like that in the world.

Productive Use of Human Resources in Panama

2005-12-01T13:30:00.000-06:00

My recent trip to Panama got me thinking about a lot of things, including the possibility of starting a business there. My opinion is that there are so many opportunities in that country that any businessman with some drive and ambition would have to be incompetent not to succeed there -- if the right type of business is chosen.

That, of course, is the trick, isn't it, to find a business that has affordable and useful products or services and a market large enough to sustain growth and continuity. There are businesses that we, as North Americans, might see as desirable in Panama, but that Panamanians themselves might have little or no use for at the moment.

As I drove through the country I marveled at the ineffective use of human resources throughout much of the country. Manual labour is cheap in Panama, so men do much of what could be done by machine. Many men are on the government payroll doing menial work, perhaps because it is better to have them working at something and collecting a paycheque, than sitting around at home grousing. If I remember correctly, the unemployment rate in Panama is somewhere between 9 - 10%, which really isn't all that bad given how little industrialization there is in the country.

As I drove west from Panama City, I noticed that there were work gangs, with scores of men using gasoline-powered weed whackers, to clear the median and the roadsides of waist-high grass and weeds. As I got further and further away from the city, the workers used at first scythes and then ultimately machetes to do the clearing. Can you imagine working for eight or more hours in the tropical sun using a machete to cut weeds? I can imagine myself doing it, but I would have to be pretty desperate.

And that is it, isn't it? Panamanians are no different than we are. They want to work towards a better life for themselves and their families and will willingly do back-breaking labour to do so.

The reality is, of course, that one man, driving a tractor equipped with a shoulder mower, can cut 50 miles of roadside or more per day, perhaps 25 miles in one direction, then 25 miles back. Perhaps 50 or 100 men would lose their jobs though, for every tractor used for that purpose.

Would that be a bad thing? I certainly wouldn't want anyone to lose their livelihood, so how about using the labour of these men more effectively, doing something much more useful than trimming roadside vegetation.

And what might that be, you ask?

Fixing potholes.

Panama is pothole hell. Even the main highway has stretches where dodging potholes must occupy your full attention while driving. And how about secondary roads? Some are bad. Really, really bad. All those men working with machetes could be put to work in road crews, with shovels and asphalt, instead. That would mean a big improvement in road conditions.

The roads are so bad in some areas that it is truly dangerous to drive on them. I found that the best way to traverse these roads was to take position behind one of the ubiquitous private buses that run routes between towns and villages and simply do what they do. They drive the routes daily and know every pothole. Zig, zag, to and fro, drive on the right, drive on the left, drive on the shoulder. It matters not how, just get to where you want to go. And get there with yourself and your vehicle intact.

Yes, potholes are a problem in Panama.

Watch out!

Their Stories About Why They're There

2005-11-25T13:27:00.001-06:00

I am so tired of seeing the words 'their,' 'there' and 'they're' misused that I thought I would put all three in the title of this post. That way, anyone who might chance on this blog could at least see that each of the homonyms is spelled differently and might also deduce from the example that each has a different meaning.

Besides the purpose stated above, the title of this post refers to the reasons people I met in Panama had either settled there already or were exploring that possibility for the future. The reasons below were given to me either in response to my direct question or I was able to form a conclusion from conversations that left little room for doubt in my mind.

To find a safe, warm and affordable place to retire.
To seek investment opportunities, mostly in real estate.
To get away from bad marriages or relationships while hoping for better luck in a place where more traditional male/female roles still existed.
To escape increasing state control over the individual in their home country.

Consider the quote below from Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged:"

"The only power any government has is to crack down on crime and criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, then one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens. What's there in that for anyone. But just pass the kinds of law that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of lawbreakers - and then you can cash in on their guilt."

Doesn't Rand's quote remind us of how things have been becoming in Canada and the United States? Is Panama any better? I am unfamiliar with the power of the state in that country. I just imagine that the level of bureaucracy has not yet advanced to the point it is in North America. But it will, eventually. It always does. In the meantime, though, there might be a few years where people can feel relatively free.

Maybe.

I have no intention to cut and run myself. Yes, Canada is cold in the winter. Yes, it is far too socialist for my taste. Still, Canada has been good to me and I will be here for a long, long time.

Cattle Ranching in Panama

2005-11-25T13:22:00.000-06:00

The first picture above is one of my favourites from my Panama trip. Riders like the one shown here are everywhere in Panama, herding cattle from one grazing spot to another, often along busy highways.

I came upon this herd suddenly, without time to get out and compose that perfect shot. As a result, I like the photograph even better than I otherwise might have. The additional perspective provided by the rearview mirror adds interest to the composition.

The herd was one of only a handful I saw in Panama that wasn't of the Brahman breed. Countless Brahman herds, with thousands of animals, dot the lanscape of Panama. I'm not sure why the Brahman breed is so popular. They are certainly interesting animals to look at, as you can see from the white animal in the second photograph.

Steak, anyone?

The Future of Panama

2005-11-23T12:55:00.000-06:00

The future of any country lies with its children. Panama will be in good hands. I have been to many towns and villages in Panama and my impressions are positive.

I realize that my very short nine day stay in the country is hardly enough to make any sort of definitive statement. I can only say that the children I’ve seen and interacted with were open, friendly, well-behaved and with none of the attitude that is so much in evidence in Canada and the United States.

I roamed the slum areas of Panama City and saw no gangs of disenchanted youth out looking for trouble. Instead, I saw kids dressed in school uniforms on their way to or from classes or chatting and laughing in small groups after school. Older, obviously unemployed young men and women, congregated in their own favourite places, but were never rowdy or disrespectful when I was around. I never felt anything but completely safe.

In rural areas, I saw many children, during school hours, either with their parents who were doing some sort of menial work or, as in the case of the young cowboys pictured here, performing their own jobs. I don’t know what the laws are in Panama about attendance at school. The two boys above on horseback were moving a herd of cattle along a stretch of the main Panamanian highway. They were delighted to be photographed and put an extra bit of swagger into their duties. The couldn’t have been more than thirteen or fourteen years old, about the age of my son, and it was late morning on a school day.

The two young boys in the other picture were standing on a bridge watching some grown-ups herd cattle. When they continued to walk down the highway, I asked if I could photograph them and they were happy to comply. They beamed, ear to ear, when I showed them the photographs.

Reality Sets In

2005-11-23T11:59:00.001-06:00

I'm back in Canada. I left warm weather and sunshine and returned to the first winter storm of the year in Southern Ontario. The top picture was taken on Tuesday, in Panama City and the bottom picture was taken on my way in to work this morning.

What's wrong with me?

Sightseeing near Panama City, Panama

2005-11-22T11:55:00.001-06:00

After my adventure with the Panamanian police earlier today, I drove out of the city a bit to the Miafiore locks on the Panama Canal. It was fascinating to watch a ship drop as the locks opened and allowed the water to escape. I had seen the process before, in the Welland Canal locks, near Port Colborne, Ontario, but this was on a much grander scale.

I was part of a substantial crowd watching the process from the fourth floor observation deck of the visitors centre. As we watched, a television cameraman and a female reporter arrived to tape a segment for some TV show. Suddenly, the men on the observation deck were unaware of what was happening in the locks below.

I wonder what kind of show the reporter works for.

Beauty and the Beast in Panama City, Panama

2005-11-22T11:51:00.001-06:00

I’m back in Panama City. I’m flying back to Toronto tomorrow, will pick up my car at the hotel where I left it and then drive about two hours to get home. It’s going to be a long day.

As far as my stay in Panama is concerned, it went by very quickly. I feel as though I just got here. I’m definitely coming back to visit.

Panama has had its ups and downs over the years but I think that the trend is for continued improvement. As more dollars and Euros pour into the country, infrastructure will continue to improve. Roads will get better. Maybe there will even be a budget for road signs, something Panama could use more of. It is not too late to invest in Panama. It is harder to find bargains, but with some effort they can still be found.

Panama has had a reputation for corruption over the years. It is not alone, of course. Most developing countries have bureaucrats, functionaries and policemen on the take. Panama, though, appears to take the matter seriously enough to have billboards equating corruption with starving children. I suspect that what they are trying to say is that if the country has a reputation of being a backwater banana republic where you never know who to trust, foreign cash inflow will decrease and the people in the country living in poverty will suffer.

That is, of course, absolutely correct. Investors want to know what they are up against. Trying to figure out who needs to be paid off to get anything done slows things down. It adds unpredictability. It costs not only the amount of the actual bribes but the opportunity cost of the lost time and inactive assets, etc., while waiting for something to get done. It think Panama is already ahead of many other countries in recognizing corruption as a problem and trying to do something about it.

They aren’t quite there yet, though. They need to try a little harder.

Panama has a confusing array of police forces. In Panama City, there are policemen who look like soldiers, dressed in olive drab fatigues. They appear to be the ‘National Police.’ There are others who have more traditional police uniforms and I believe them to be Panama City police. On the highways, everywhere in the country, are policemen in brown uniforms with orange vests marked ‘Transito.’ They, as their name suggests, appear to be traffic cops.

Yesterday, during the long drive from Boquete to Panama City, I knowingly and deliberately broke the law. I was driving along the main Panamanian highway that links one end of the country to the other, when I came up behind a big, shiny, brand new SUV. Although the speed limit was 80 kph (about 50 mph,) the driver of the SUV was travelling at about 40 kph (25 mph.) There was no traffic coming from the other direction. I wanted to pass, but there was a double yellow line. I couldn’t imagine why there was a double yellow line on that stretch of road, because it was perfectly flat and straight. I figured that it might have had something to do with the road work that was being done along some parts of the highway. I followed behind the SUV, expecting the driver to pull over somewhere, but he or she just kept on driving along at the same slow speed. More and more cars queued up behind me, so finally, in exasperation, I pulled out and passed the SUV. About a mile further down the road, a Transito stepped from where he was standing beside the road and flagged me over.

I pulled over and rolled down the window. The Transito came over to my car. He didn’t ask me for any identification. He reached out to shake hands. He told me that there was no passing on that stretch of road and indicated by writing on an imaginary notepad that he could be writing me a ticket. I nodded, fearing the worst. He took out a pen, wrote $20 on his palm, and put his hand out, palm up, through the car window. I figured a $20 bribe was better than paying an official ticket, so I slipped him a twenty. He asked me for the map he saw on my seat and showed me where he lived. Then he shook my hand again, waved me on and I left.

That was my first bribe, ever. I laughed to myself about it, because although the cop was a rascal, he was a charming rascal. As I got further and further away from the incident and had time to think how things had unfolded, I realized that the policeman couldn’t possibly have seen me pass the slow-moving SUV. He would have been too far away.

Hmmm. Do you think the SUV driver and the policeman might have a little scam going? Then, I got pissed off. I don’t like being taken, whether by charming rascal or asshole, it doesn’t matter. Leave me alone.

That is the sort of mood I was in when I awoke very early this morning. I drove to old Panama to photograph some of the ancient colonial buildings and ruins there. After seeing so many beautiful sights and friendly people, I was positively mellow.

That mellow feeling was, sadly, not to last. I had just taken a series of photographs when three National Police pulled their vehicle over to where I was parked and told me that I was in a ‘Red Zone’ and that it was illegal to park there. I looked over to see if there was some indication that there was no parking. Nope. No red paint. No signs indicating that there was no parking, in English, Swahili or even Spanish. There were other cars parked in front of and behind my car. There is no way I was going to pay another bribe. I just listened to the policeman rant and looked impassively at him. After a few sentences, he would stop, look at me and expect me to say or do something. I just looked him in the eye and said or did absolutely nothing. The situation was getting quite uncomfortable. The guy either had to arrest me and face the possibility of my telling the whole story to his superiors or he could leave me alone. He shook his head in disgust, beckoned to his two fellow officers and they all climbed into their police vehicle and left.

I walked towards my car to drive to another part of the city. I heard someone call out and turned to see what was going on. In the few seconds it had taken for me to turn and walk towards my car, three Panama City police got out of their car and beckoned me to them. I walked over. The oldest of the three policemen asked for something I didn’t understand, so I pulled out my drivers licence. The policeman glanced at it and told his companions that I was from Canada. He then kept on repeating two words to me in English, interspersed with many sentences of Spanish. The two English words were: “Very dangerous.” I had been photographing in the old parts of Panama City for hours, even in the slum areas, and the most danger I experienced was an occasional curious look from people who wondered what the crazy gringo was up to.

I am sure that these policemen also wanted me to contribute to their personal retirement fund. Sorry, guys, no deal. I did the same as before. I stood and looked at them. I didn’t do anything that might appear threatening, but also didn't do anything to indicate I would comply and play along with their game. After about five minutes of this standoff, the lead officer handed me my licence back and walked away. He was perceptively angry. His two younger partners had looked away every time I tried to make eye contact with them. They were embarrassed.

They should be embarrassed. It is a good thing that they were embarrassed. It shows that the younger policemen understand that soliciting bribes is wrong. Maybe in a few years this despicable process will stop. Let’s hope so.

I photographed the lovely littler girl in the accompanying picture just around the corner from where the policemen harassed me. I had asked the girl’s mother for permission to take the photograph. She was thrilled when I showed it to her on my camera’s display screen

An Adventure in Boquete, Panama

2005-11-20T11:48:00.001-06:00

I went on a ‘Tree Trek’ canopy tour today. What is that? Well, here in Boquete it means that a group of excitement seekers (crazy people) and five guides drive for about forty minutes up a steep mountain. Then they all hike another ten or so minutes to the first platform situated on the side of a mountain. There, the guides strap you into a nylon harness, hook you up to a thingamajig that allows you to roll at break-neck speeds down steel cables strung between treetops, then push you off from the platform and hope that you will arrive alive at the platform at the other end of the cable. On one hand, you wear a special leather ‘brake pad’ that you pull down against the cable to slow down.

The system is really quite sophisticated, with safety measures galore and competent and knowledgeable guides. It is also an absolute blast. I hadn’t had so much fun in years.

The Boquete Tree Trek brochure says that the 11 cables that make up the complete tour extend to a total length of 3 kilometres between the anchoring trees and are from 30 to 60 metres (100 to 200 feet) above ground. How’s that for a thrill? How fast do you go? Think Meatloaf. Remember that guy, the one who sang “Like a Bat out of Hell?” That’s how fast.

One of the guides was kind enough to take the photograph above. Yep, that’s me. I had to have proof of what I had done so that my wife and son would believe me. If I look inelegant in the photograph, remember that I’m sixty years old. You have to make allowances for us geezers, you know. For those of you who know about such things and would point out that one of my hands should have been on the harness, you’re right of course. At the time the photograph was taken, I was following the instruction that when your velocity approaches the speed of light, you should place your harness hand over your brake hand and pull down with all your might, so you don’t end up knocking all the people who went before you off the platform when you arrive there.

The Tree Trek is a ‘must do’ item if you are in Boquete. If I can do it, so can you. Here is their website so you can read more about it.

I met some great people on the trek. There was a couple from New Smyrna Beach, Florida and a group of three from San Diego, California. All were young enough to be my kids. We all had a lot of fun and I would definitely relive the experience again.

After a nice lunch with the couple from Florida, I ran into Reinhold again. We chatted some more. He sure gets around. Fascinating chap. Then, I drove for miles around the Boquete area to enjoy the natural beauty everywhere. Eventually, I pulled into the parking area of a local real estate developer to check what time his office opens tomorrow. He happened to be in the office with a client of his, so he invited me in and we all talked for a while. The client came to Panama prepared to spend a million dollars or more. He feels that there is still lots of room for capital appreciation in the real estate market here. I think the market in this area is a bit on the frothy side, but I will check out some listings tomorrow to see what is available.

I can’t express enough how nice the Panamanians are and how beautiful the country is. I can see why so many people are drawn here to retire or invest.

More from Boquete, Panama

2005-11-19T11:40:00.000-06:00

I am sweltering here in Boquete, even though the area is touted as having almost perfect temperatures of 65 - 72 degrees Fahrenheit year round. I don’t know what the temperature is tonight, but I am soaked to the skin. It is noticeably cooler than in the Tonosi area though, so maybe I just feel hot because of the very high humidity.

I went for a walk several times tonight, covering most of downtown Boquete. The place was hopping with Panamanians out for a good time. I saw a few obvious visitors from outside Panama, but not many. I ran into Reinhold yet again and he told me that there was a hangout about five kilometres out of town where the expats hang out. I couldn’t be bothered heading out there. I am more interested in the local flavour. I see plenty of North Americans at home.

I did run into one gent at my hotel who told me that he was originally from Vancouver but lived in Utah for the last fifteen years. He is visiting Boquete to see if it might be a good place to live. His first impression: He doesn't think so.

I think Boquete would be a perfectly acceptable place to live, but not necessarily a good place to invest at the moment. Real estate values have spiked because of all the hype about Boquete and I think the market for upscale homes, or even average homes geared to gringos, is overpriced. Prices are not much cheaper than they are in London, Ontario. Of course, they have the perfect temperature here, no heat or air conditioning costs to pay and just about everything except for the real estate is inexpensive. I'm sure the prices will continue to surge upwards here, but if I wanted to invest in a real estate market bubble, I could just as easily do so at home.

I'm still going to look, though. Maybe I can find a finca (farm) in the area for a reasonable price and sit on it for a few years. Local taxes are low, so there isn't much in the way of ongoing costs to hold a land investment. Of course, there is the opportunity cost, whatever you could have earned had you invested the money elsewhere.

We'll see.

If you are a young man, looking to come to Panama to make your fortune and perhaps find a gorgeous Latina while you're here, this may also not be the place to be. There is no shortage of beautiful Latin women here, but the ratio is not what it is in the lowlands. I may be a happily married man, but I'm not dead. My eyes still work. My brain still processes data reasonably well. I believe that the area between Panama City and the Azuero Peninsula is the place to find that dream Latina.

I know my wife will forgive me for saying this because, after all, I am merely giving advice, not planning a defection myself. Let me put this all into a context any red-blooded American male can understand: If you like Salma Hayek, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz or Paz Vega, come to Panama. You will see facsimiles of these beauties in dress shops, in offices, chatting with their friends in public squares, in fact just about everywhere. Now, are you ready for the really good news? You will find their even more beautiful sisters, the ones who adore gringos, right beside them.

Of course that is just my humble take on the subject. I could be wrong.

And that’s it for this time... Good night.

Boquete, Panama

2005-11-18T11:20:00.001-06:00

Well, here I am in Boquete. Time is going by way too quickly. I drove from Tonasi, about seven hours with frequent stops. This is a beautiful and lively little place with lots of gringos around. Reinhold, the guy I mentioned in an earlier post, was walking up the street in front of my hotel just after I checked in. We chatted and later had coffee together.

Many Canadian and Americans have bought land here. I will be looking around myself, although I am not sure that I want to buy a second property in Panama. Still, it is very pretty... hmmm.

I took quite a view pictures on the drive. The one in this post is of a howler monkey baby and its mother. They were sunning themselves on a bridge over a valley and I was lucky enough to get several closeup snaps. They live in the treetops, which in this case just happened to be the same height as the bridge, so they enjoyed some sun, then swung away into the canopy again. There are howler monkeys in the forest near where I bought my piece of land, but the pictures I took of them were from so far away it is hard to recognize them as what they are.

As you may have deduced, I made several posts today because I finally have high speed internet access. After today, it may be several days again.

There will be more to come, when I can. I am having a blast. This is a great place to visit.

Tonosi, Panama

2005-11-17T11:14:00.001-06:00

Tonight, I am staying in a very nice little hotel, the Pension Boamy in Tonosi. Cost: $19.80 per night. The roads are generally good all the way down from Pedasi, except for the last 35 kilometres or so. Watch out for those potholes! The scenery is spectacular. There are mountains and valleys everywhere, and everything is lush and green after the rainy season.

The land Eduardo showed me this morning is definitely interesting. Several parcels he showed me are far too large for what I want. There is one parcel I like of about 35 Hectares, fronting directly onto the Pacific Ocean. Eduardo is going to follow up for me and we’ll see if it is affordable. I will have to wait until I get back to Canada to hear from him by email. Getting to the land was a treat. The last bit of the road was basically just a dirt track, muddy from all the rain. The little SUV I rented chugged right through a foot or so of muck without complaint. Great little car.

Dinner in my hotel tonight: $2.25, some type of charred fish and a bunch of fried discs, seemingly made of corn. I strolled through the town several times, apparently the only gringo for miles. No problems at all. Most people gave me a curious glance, then went back to whatever they were doing. Kids are everywhere on the streets, unsupervised. None were rowdy or impolite. They chatted or played quietly. There seems to be no fear of deviants preying on children here.

For someone tired of the treadmill, seeking a quiet, uncomplicated and affordable life, Panama seems to be pretty close to perfect.

Pedasi, Panama

2005-11-16T11:10:00.002-06:00

I’m in Pedasi, Panama tonight. At least I think I am. It’s hard to tell which town you are in sometimes because of a paucity of road signs. It doesn’t matter. I am mellow. I am staying in a $14.00 room tonight. I spent the last several hours speaking with a chap named Reinhold from New York City. He renovates old industrial spaces into lofts for Yuppies. I also met a couple from London, England who came to Panama because it was the only place they hadn’t been in Central and South America. Delightful people, all.

The Panamanian people are delightful too. They are very friendly, open and accommodating. I chatted with an old woman who runs a bakery across the street from the little hotel where I am staying in Pedasi and who just happens to speak a bit of English. I mentioned to her that I am looking for some Pacific Coast property to invest in and in moments she was on the telephone, inviting a friend over to talk to me about land investments. Shortly after, he arrived. She translated for us. Tomorrow, Eduardo will show me at least three properties he knows of in the area. It should be interesting because neither of us will have a clue what the other is saying.

I wonder what the national bird of Panama is. Let’s look it up. Hmmm, "Aguila Arpa" (Harpy Eagle ). Interesting. I thought it might be the Black Vulture, because there are so many of them in Panama. They are everywhere. Why? Road pizza. There is carrion galore. Dogs, cats, animals unknown and sometimes garbage. The birds aren’t fussy.

There are many dogs in Panama and they all seem to run around loose. I think that a few years ago, one male toured the country and had girlfriends everywhere, because nearly all the dogs I’ve seen look much alike.

The drive to here from Panama City was fun. Lots of little towns, and beautiful scenery. I stopped numerous times to stretch my legs and look around. Every thing is cheap. I went into a little grocery store, bought a banana, a pint of orange juice, a bottle of Panamanian beer and a package of 20 or so cookies. Cost: $1.15. I love bargains.

What a View - Near Tonosi, Panama

2005-11-15T11:16:00.000-06:00

I spent most of the day today looking at smaller parcels of land, not far from Tonosi. The owner, an expat American, is subdividing 1,100 acres of his land, providing rudimentary road access to each lot, and water and hydro to the lot line. I picked a one Hectare sized plot on a mountainside, and it will be graded to provide a flat ‘pad‘ to build on. I won’t mention the price, but it was reasonable.

At the bottom of the mountain, is the Pacific Ocean. The view is spectacular and the ocean breezes cool down the otherwise hot and muggy atmosphere. I don’t know if I will personally ever build on the plot, I’m not yet ready to get off the treadmill and maybe never will be. We’ll see.

On our way to look at the land, the owner stopped in at the local police station to report that someone had stolen two barrels of diesel fuel from a remote part of his land, value about $250.00. Two policemen came with us to the site, investigated the crime scene, followed some footprints and the marks where the barrels had been rolled down a hill to the ocean, took notes about a fishing boat that was in the area and got all muddy in the process. Total time expenditure on their part, about four hours. The owner of the property bought us all lunch in a little fishing village nearby on the way back to the police station.

Now, try to imagine that sort of attention from the police in your area.

I am staying again in the same hotel as yesterday. Tomorrow, as soon as I can, will be heading first to David and then to Boquete. That means probably eight or so hours on the road.

Panama City, Panama

2005-11-15T10:26:00.000-06:00

I am in Panama City, Panama, spending my second night at the Country Inn & Suites right at the famous Panama Canal. The Bridge of the Americas is practically in the back yard of the hotel. It's a nice place to stay, if you're ever down this way. Great staff too. It's not for those party animals who are looking for active night life nearby, but it is ideal for anti-social fossils like me.

Tomorrow, it's off to points west. Not sure how far I will get, but it doesn't matter. Everything is so lush and beautiful here, it's a pleasure to look at the scenery and take it easy.

I thought that everyone in Panama City would speak English as well as Spanish. Not so. I asked directions several times when I arrived yesterday and while everyone I spoke to was very pleasant and tried to help, I was more confused afterwards than beforehand. I finally approached a group of young people chatting outside a store and they were a big help. Turned out that two women in the group work as translators in an international call centre here and their English is excellent. They both happened to be on holidays and were kind enough to take me on a tour of Panama City today. I'm sure I saw much more of the city with their help than I might have on my own.

If you are a timid driver, don't drive in Panama. No-one obeys any rules of the road. Stop signs, lane change and turn protocols are all ignored. When there is an opening in traffic, whoever moves first and has the strongest nerve wins. I love it. I haven't had this much fun driving since I drove at 170 kph on the Autobahn from Frankfurt to Cologne in Germany. That is as fast as my little rented car would go. Real cars passed me as if I was standing still, even at that speed.

I'm having a blast. Panama is a great place to visit. I like it.

Off to Panama

2005-11-11T10:20:00.002-06:00

This weekend I will be off to Toronto. Monday morning, I will catch an early flight to Tocumen Airport, near Panama City, Panama. I think I'm all ready to go. My laptop's browser bookmarks and email address book are updated. My passport is packed. Naturally, I couldn't imagine heading off to Panama without listening to 'Panama' by Van Halen, so I did that this morning. Yes, I know it's silly and that one doesn't have anything to do with the other. I don't care.

The Panama weather forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms. This time of year, that sort of weather is to be expected and is part of the tropical experience. Can't have rain forests without rain, right? I'm going to have a blast, rain or shine. Along with the coastal areas bordering the Pacific on one side and the Caribbean on the other, I plan to visit some inland areas as well. Boquete is one inland town I plan to visit. They have what must be the coolest weather page on the internet.

Over the 10 days that I will be in Panama, I hope to write a blog post or two, if I have internet access anywhere. I will also write about at least some of my experiences, good or bad, when I return. I have rented a Daihatsu Terios for my adventures. I have no experience with Daihatsu, so I hope it is a dependable vehicle. I will be driving many miles along both coasts of Panama, looking for that elusive perfect property to invest in. Whether I am successful in finding something or not, remains to be seen. It will be an exciting experience, regardless. I hope to do some trekking in the Panamanian jungles as well. It would be a shame to visit there and not see the more remote areas and at least some of the exotic birds and other wildlife there.

I'll be back soon.

Counting Down

2005-10-19T09:58:00.001-06:00

In just under four weeks, I'll be off to Panama for ten days. I'm looking forward to the trip and the freedom to roam at will, all by myself, in search of investment property. I doubt that I will find anything suitable in such a short time, but it sure will be fun trying.

The internet is invaluable for the planning of any trip, whether for business or pleasure, especially if it is to someplace you have never been. Everything you might wish to know is available, from the personal experiences of past visitors to the area, to maps and other useful resources. Booking hotels, flights and car rentals over the internet is also fast and easy.

One thing I have learned in my travels is that when visiting other cultures they tend to do things the way they have always been done. Often, that means not nearly as quickly as we North Americans might like. That can be very frustrating. Still, in another country we are guests and shouldn't expect things to be just like they are at home. When in Rome...

Being an entrepreneur all of my working life, I tend to see opportunities everywhere. Wherever I have travelled in the past, I have seen ways to do some things better, quicker, more reliably. The problem is that many attempts to improve things can fail, especially if there is no genuine need for the improved version of the service or product you are selling. If time is not something that is valued in a culture, simply doing something quicker than the competition, for example, might not be enough of an inducement to get customers to switch their loyalties.

Still, there are some business practices that I think should be universal. Email should be answered immediately, even if the answer is basically that the problem can't be dealt with right away but will be resolved by Thursday. That way, the customer will know that someone is aware of the problem, that a plan is in place to deal with it, and that by Thursday further information and hopefully a solution will be at hand.

I am already finding that real estate agencies I have approached in Panama have (and I'm being charitable in saying this) very informal attitudes towards developing relationships with potential clients. Information is sparse and a long time coming. Also, the people at Dollar Rent A Car, where I have reserved a vehicle for the time I am in Panama, refuse to answer emails at all. I was overcharged on my reservation and even after having pointed this out twice in emails to them, I have yet to hear back from anyone. By the time I get to the point where I have to make a telephone call to settle the matter, I am going to be really pissed. Can businesses really afford to treat customers like this? This is not a problem unique to Panama, of course. Increasingly, due to poor training of employees in some companies, this is also a problem in Canada and the United States.

Much of the reading I have done about the real estate market in Panama tells me that it is chaotic, disorganized, inconsistent and worse. Agents don't interact with each other, there is no organized MLS system and properties are sometimes misrepresented and often overpriced. Sounds like fun.

I enjoy new experiences and am really looking forward to this one.