Scroll down to see all pictures FAREWELL 2009, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010
First of all I can’t believe its 2010- geez!! 2-0-1-0 … sounds like science fiction! Well, here we are and glad to be here!
2009 was a year of transitions for Al and me. We started out aboard Carina in Rio Dulce, Guatemala, our home since 2005. January began with a bang on the rio with music and fireworks for the New Year’s Eve Party. Then Mario’s Marina hosted a huge party that raised funds for Eco Rio, a local non-profit group that promotes ecologically sound tourism in Rio Dulce and Lago Izabal. It was fun to be a part of it and contribute music as the Sweet River Band.
In February we made a bold move in Carina, half a mile up river to Catamaran Marina! So close, yet so far psychologically and emotionally! Financial considerations prompted the move, but we also felt we really needed a change of scenery and personnel! We’re very glad we made the move and feel very much at home at Catamaran.
We made a trip to Mexico in February, for renewing our visas. Chiapas is one of our favorite places, so we hopped on a bus and headed for Tapachula. On to Comitán, we were there during an art festival at the park. Then we had a few days in San Cristobal de las Casas, with it's cool climate and warm people. Since we had never been to El Salvador, and we were out and about, we went there next, visiting the town of Suchitoto. Unfortunately, Al didn’t enjoy the town as much as I did, due to a stomach bug. Back in Guatemala, we ended the trip with a stop in Antigua- such a beautiful and fun place.
March and April were quiet months aboard Carina. I messed around with my keyboard working on some original songs, with the help of our friend Hal. On the 9th we had a dock party for Al’s birthday and I performed some of my songs for our neighbors at the marina. They still like us, so I guess I did okay! The biggest event was a shindig at Mario’s on the 24th, saying “hasta luego” to Hal. He sold his boat, Griffin, to go home to Texas and we sent him off in style. Mike and I played as the Sweet River Band for the last time that day.
Meantime, we got word from our Panamanian attorney that our visas had been approved, so off to Panama we go! We tucked in Carina and flew to Panama City on May 6. Things moved quickly at first- within three weeks we had obtained our visas and our driver’s licenses, relocated to David, rented a house in Los Algarrobos, bought basic furniture and moved in to our new (temporary) home! Our next priority was to buy a car, which we did on a determined trip to Panama City. We love our 2001 Hyundai Galloper, but it sure gave us a world of grief for about three months… just about everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. But that’s all behind us now!
In June and July we focused on getting to know David and Chiriquí province. Our friends and realtors, Eduardo and Michael, showed us houses, and continue to do so, but our “dream home” has not yet materialized. We settled in to our rental house in Los Algarrobos, but it never felt like home- too big!!! Between getting the car fixed and decorating we stayed busy. And we opened our Panamanian bank account, a big deal for our fiscal peace of mind.
We moved at the end of August, a little closer to David. Eduardo showed us a smaller rental house and we moved in after painting the interior. Not only did the move cut our rent almost in half, our little bit of furniture fills the house and it feels like home! And I can satisfy my urge to dig in the dirt, plant flowers and herbs. We took care of our corporal needs during this time, as well. We saw eye doctors for new glasses, dentists for new crowns, and doctors for new pills! Understand that Al and I had put off seeking eye and dental attention in Guatemala, knowing that it would be more accessible and affordable here in Panama. We now have basic medical insurance through the local hospital.
In September we drove to Almirante to visit our wonderful friends, Mary and Carl, in Bocas del Toro. It was a fun and much needed visit. Despite all the day to day concerns keeping us occupied, I was lonely, and impatient. I wanted a social life, friends, places to go and things to do with other people, like the cruising community we left behind in Rio Dulce. I was also feeling somewhat lost, without a direction or purpose. I definitely need a “vocation” to give meaning to my life, and I tend to become depressed without one. So Mary and I cried on each others’ shoulders a little and helped each other get over it! Al and I attend monthly meetings of a group called “Gringos in David” and we are now making some progress toward a social life, I’m happy to say. We’ve re-connected with fellow Rio Dulce cruisers Randy and Mary Ellen (Wanda Jean), who live in Boquete, and Steve and Debra (Argo), who live in Bocas. I’ve become acquainted with our neighbors here, so we are becoming part of the community in Las Colinas de Santa Cruz.
All this time, Carina has been safe, but unattended in Rio Dulce. We needed to make a trip back to Guatemala to check on her, and we wanted to drive there, so we could bring some of our belongings back with us (like my keyboard). We did not feel comfortable driving through Honduras, due to the very unstable and dangerous political situation there. So we didn’t. But it weighed on us and stressed us, reading the news every day and waiting to see if the situation would change so that we could make the trip. We seemed to make a decision and then change our minds every day! Sometimes it’s possible to know too much…
October passed without a blink at Halloween. But we did see Dracula - the orchid that is! We visited Finca Dracula, an orchid farm near Cerro Punta with a dazzling variety of these unusual plants. I started attending a free Spanish conversation class on Saturdays in Boquete, which is good for me. When November arrived I was determined not to let Thanksgiving go by unnoticed. I planned dinner and invited our cruising friends but they all had other plans. Our first Thanksgiving in Panama was shared with our Panamanian friends, Eduardo, his wife Lissy, and their two daughters, Natalia and Isabel. It meant a lot to me to host a party at our house, despite the awful heat! And the home-made pecan pies were delicious!Panamanians celebrate several Independence Days in November with huge parades and fireworks. We attended the Flag Day Parade on the 4th, along with hundreds of others!
Once we decided we were not going to drive to Guatemala until next year, I made plans to fly there for a visit. It was easier for one of us to go, and one to stay, so I got to go! I was gone about ten days and was relieved to find Carina in fairly good shape. All her major systems still work, the engine runs, and she got a much needed cleaning. Of course the best thing about being back in Rio Dulce was seeing so many friends. Guatemala is such a beautiful, wonderful place, and it felt good to be back on the boat, on the water, at the marina. But I had to get back home to Al for Christmas!
Randy and Mary Ellen invited us to their house for Christmas dinner, along with Steve and Debra and another couple. What a gorgeous day it was- sunny, clear and warm. The following Monday, Mary Ellen, Steve and Debra returned the favor by coming to “Casa Carina” for lunch. Then Mary and her neighbor, Sharon, were in David to shop, so they came over for a visit and we all went to dinner together. It was the first time, after all these months, that we ventured out at night!!! A milestone, for sure, even if we never do it again!
So as 2010 begins we are thankful for all we have. Our health is stable and good services are close by and affordable. We spend more than we’d like, but our finances are sound, we have no debt, and we can afford to live comfortably. We have a nice home, a decent car, and all we need. I feel at ease here, I know my way around, I’m comfortable with Chiricanos and can communicate effectively. There’s no doubt that life here is easier than in Rio Dulce. Living in a house with a hot shower a few feet away, hopping in the car to drive to an air conditioned, modern grocery store, reliable cable TV and high speed internet… we are spoiled! (Landlubbers will have no idea what I’m talking about…) But there is nothing like living on the water, seeing the stars from the deck, the peacefulness and fresh air.
Welcome to 2010- we embrace it!!! My motto for 2010 is “Just Do It!” After several months of wait and see, indecision, and inactivity, I’m ready to get busy! I’m starting a beginner’s Spanish class , and becoming involved in real estate by helping Eduardo with advertising and showing his properties. Al and I are making plans for 2010 that include that long awaited trip back to Guatemala, and a visit to Nicaragua. We have friends we can call or visit anytime. We’re still looking for our dream home, and we plan to sell Carina. It looks like 2010 will be a transitional year as well.
|
