Letters from Panama

Pictures of Boquete, Panama

2012-09-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Since pictures are worth a thousand words, maybe it would be better to take a break from all the words to post some pictures for you of the Boquete, Panama scenery. Keep in mind, if the pictures look spectacular, seeing it live is even more so. We'll try, in vain, to do the area justice. Please enjoy.

Bajo Boquete view from the Kotowa coffee shop.

Bird of Paradise in Paradise.

A Boquete neighborhood

Mount Jaramillo from a backyard in Alto Boquete

A mountain waterfall seen driving from the road

The mountains around Boquete

Mount Baru, the highest point in Panama, on a clear day one can see both Oceans from this Volcano.

Housing in Panama what to expect

2012-08-29T18:30:00.000-07:00

A View Of Bajo Boquete

Regardless of what we do to make money for ourselves, or how much luxury we have or don't have we all need the same basics everyday. That being housing and food. Those two things can come in a variety of styles and price ranges and of course, areas to fulfill those needs on our planet. In this post we will discuss how we can meet those needs in Chiriqui Panama. As you will see, my posts are going to focus on the course I have followed to Panama, only because I could go on forever about all the different possibilities

there are for each of our likes, dislikes, budgets, etc., etc. That being said, please use my experience as a sample for your own formula.

The Chiriqui province in northern Panama, or should I say western, has really attracted many expats mostly due to the scenery, climate and quaint atmosphere it projects. Boquete, is on the radar of most "bests places to retire" lists, normally number 2 or 3. Shopping is done in David, the third largest city of Panama. In David you will find PriceSmart, a surprising replica of Sam's Club or Costco in the USA. There is also some nice dining, the theater is very comfortable, and all the usual attractions of being in a City, David (pronounced Da-veed) has it. I was fairly surprised how common English is spoken in David among waiters, hotel staff, car rental staff and others, if you only have a very basic knowledge of Spanish you should still be able to communicate fairly well in David. David is also known as the hottest place in Panama, or so I have been told. Being from Arizona I am fairly familiar with extreme heat, and the temperature I felt in David on several visits, didn't qualify as 'extreme heat' in my book. However, it is humid, as all of Panama is and if are your in David long enough without A/C relief you will feel it. Someone from a position closer to one of Earth's poles might suggest I wasn't there during the warmest season, however, Panama being so near the equator doesn't change in temperature highs more than say ten degrees all year. Some expats I have met will claim it gets above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit during the "summer" in Panama which is December to April. The summer in Panama is a tad bit warmer and a tad less humid. I am only relating what I have experienced myself each one will have their own thoughts on what is extreme. One thing that is universal is David and all the lower locations in Panama are definitely less comfortable than the higher communities of Volcan and Boquete. Arguably the only seasons Panama has is rain or no rain, sunny or cloudy. Even the sun sets at 6:30 p.m., give or take 5 minutes, all year. This can be attractive to personalities like myself who enjoy consistency in daily life.
Boquete and Volcan have a climate attractive to most North Americans and Europeans. Neither heating nor cooling are used in either place. Mornings usually have a little chill to the air and afternoons, when it is not raining it can be warm. Overnight lows are pretty close to 60 degrees fahrenheit and daytime highs in the mid 80's. It's easy to see why the region has earned the distinction of the 'eternal spring'. The mountain views of Boquete, which means bucket, are outstanding. Boquete sits in a hole of sorts with mountains surrounding the downtown. It has all the ingredients to make it a perfect tourist town, which is what you have here in Boquete. A consistent flow of North Americans/Europeans mix with the local Panamanian population. There are several tourist adventure offices in the town where one can pursue excursions like zip lining or river rafting to bird watching or touring coffee farms to name a few. One online statistic says there are some 7,000 Americans living in the Boquete area as of 2010. That may sound high, until you consider how many places to live in or around Boquete there actually are. Retirees and expats can live in downtown, Bajo Boquete, or in the suburbs known as Alto Boquete. Mountain communities of Jaramillo, or Volcancito. Down the hill towards David about 20 minutes on the way to Caldera mountains area there are more communities catering to North American housing. With all this attention of course housing costs are higher around Boquete than much less discovered areas of Panama.

Panamanian House In Volcon

American House In Boquete

Before discussing prices we need to mention there are basically two different types of housing in Panama. Panamanian housing and American style houses. Usually both are made from concrete and pretty much all flooring in Panama is tile, for good reasons. The biggest difference is in the plumbing. American houses will have hot and cold water throughout the house, with a hot water tank or tankless water heater, whereas Panamanian style housing will have only cold water and a device in the shower for heating water, sometimes called a suicide shower. I've included a picture and you don't have to be an electrical engineer to understand the nickname.

Suicide Shower head

Another difference being space. Panamanian life is much simpler than what many of us are used to, hence one of the attractions to Panama. That being said, a by product of this lifestyle is smaller living areas. I've lived in RV's that have had bigger kitchens than many Panamanian houses. If a bedroom has a closet it will be about the size of an RV closet as well and the bedroom will be proportionate. As a matter of fact you can say the same for the whole house. The roof will be corrugated metal and may even have a space between the walls and the roof, allowing insects and bugs easy access, although not true with all Panamanian houses. Yards are normally well kept and the Panamanian locals appreciate the beauty of their country and know how to take advantage of it with great little porches, balconies and attractive yards. A house of this style, basic Panamanian can cost as little to rent as $200 a month for a 2 bedroom 1 bath but it does require searching and asking to find that.
American style houses will be pricier. They do come with hot water throughout the house, larger rooms, kitchens, closets and a higher price. Where many Panamanian houses may have 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, American houses will nearly always have 2 bathrooms and at least 2 bedrooms. Expect to pay $700 to $900 in the Boquete area for an affordable American built house. If you are interested in luxury living, that is completely possible in Boquete and prices will reflect that also. The Boquete Country Club and Villa Escondido developments have housing to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes starting at about $1,300.00 per month for 2 bedroom 2 bath condos and from there the sky is the limit. Keep in mind however, a golf course the envy of any in the world, indoor swimming pools, Jacuzzi, restaurants, and other amenities. Boquete can and does meet any and all budgets.
It is almost always better to rent first in Boquete, there are several reasons for this. This will be the subject of my next post.
Sincerely, Mark

An Affordable Visit to Panama

2012-08-15T10:43:00.001-07:00

The first thing to contemplate about moving to Panama is to schedule a visit. I know the first things that comes to mind is how to protect your finances, health, and your safety. This will be the purpose of this post.
One of the best things about choosing Panama for a trip is the low cost of getting to Panama. As an example, one person can fly round trip from Fort Lauderdale to Panama City for about $200.00. Now that's cheap for international travel! Of course at that price your not going to get many frills. Actually, you will need to book select dates through Spirit Airlines, you can do this through Spirit Airlines website. The downside of this route is you will pay extra for bags, luggage will need to be under forty pounds, the seats seem a little closer than normal, unless you splurge and purchase the larger front seats for about fifty dollars extra each way. Anything you want to eat or drink will be charged, including water. The flights into Panama City leave Fort Lauderdale at about 11:30 p.m. and land at about 2:00 a.m. Going back to Fort Lauderdale you will leave about 3:00 a.m. and arrive in Florida at about 5:00, which can be advantageous for catching a connecting flight. All said and done Spirit Airlines will get you there for, normally, less than half the cost of almost any other airline.
Once in Panama you will either want to get a hotel and catch up on sleep or begin your travel to whatever part of Panama you have your sights set on. Now at three a.m., first of all you are quite safe at Tucomen airport, and you can get a taxi to a downtown hotel for about $25. That may sound high until you see how far a distance it is to get downtown. It's a good 20 minute ride even at that hour, easily. For the sake of simplicity I will take you to the hotel I prefer and the safest, most affordable way out of Panama City. In the near future we can discuss the sights and safety of being in Panama City.
Before leaving for Panama City the best thing to do is to book a room at Costa Inn. You can contact me

View From the rooftop of Costa Inn.

for the phone number and best way to do that or you can search the internet to get their contact information. A room will cost about $66 or as high as $77. I know that sounds high, 'this is Panama we are talking about right?' Right, however, Panama City Hotels are as or more expensive than New York City hotels. Costa Inn is actually a good value, air conditioned rooms, and free breakfast. Not only this but a big deal is, they will pick you up at the airport for that price and take you to Albrook for a bus or plane onto your final destination. You will save an easy $50.00 for that benefit alone, throw in breakfast and it's like staying in the room for free.
Today's post can get you from Florida to Panama City in a very cost effective and safe manner. If your like me your going to want more details on specifics, like how to get through customs at the airport, or where
do I get my luggage and meet a taxi? Please contact me. You may be the type of person who will take this much information and work out the details yourself. Either way I hope you find this post informative. 'Till next time.
Sincerely,
Mark

Moving to Panama

2012-08-14T10:02:00.001-07:00

Hello all you who have an interest to living in a foreign country, such as Panama.

Really, I suspect we all share some of the same desires in life. A little adventurous, a desire to see "what's outside the box" from what we have known most of our life. Maybe family oriented people, who want to provide more than just a place to call home,

but an education of a lifetime, before those precious years slip away and our children have formed their own life. Discovering the beauty of a simpler way of life. Of course there is the "advertised" attraction of making our dollar go further and having a few more comforts than in our home country, however, if that is our sole motivation we may want to seriously consider some things I will post later.

Whatever it is that brings us together we all had or have the same questions, the what, where, when, why and how of making a pivotal life decision for a new beginning in Panama. The nternet is a treasure trove of valuable information, for many, myself included, it has even made this decision a possibility. This is the reason I hope you will find these posts valuable. All my research on the internet was priceless to my decision, but, each experience will have some differences. My aim is to try to fill in those areas that I found out on my own and add to the information that held the best value.

Please feel free to ask to your hearts desires, any and all, please, subscribe to my posts for periodic tidbits, my blog will be a success if your decision to follow through with a visit or move to Panama is safe, prudent and a wise use of your resources.

Sincerely,

Mark