Al and I returned to Panamá in May 2009 upon receiving word from our attorney that our Pensionado visas had been approved. This means we have legal residency in Panamá, so we can stay as long as we like without having to renew a tourism visa. It also means we receive all the benefits granted to retirees in Panamá, which are significant. After obtaining our visas and drivers’ licenses, we left Panama City and headed to Chiriquí province.

David is the capital of Chiriquí, and we stayed in a hotel there for several days until we rented a house. We moved into our unfurnished rental house in Los Algarrobos on May 25. The house is located in the community of El Tucán (like the bird, toucan), a short but adequate distance off the highway, and about five miles north of David. We have been settling in, getting to know the neighbors and the area, as well as basically furnishing the house.

Chiriquí is beautiful - lush and green, with every type of topography from beaches to mountains. Just a few miles north of David the elevation gradually increases and the temperature gradually drops. Most of the province is farm or pasture land, or rural countryside. I guess that’s why we like it so much. Here are some photos of our temporary home in Chiriquí. Our permanent home, Carina, is in her slip at Catamaran Marina in Rio Dulce, Guatemala. We’ll be returning there sometime later this year.

In the meantime, we are exploring Chiriquí.

Our home in El Tucan, Los Algarrobos, Chiriqui Zoom	We are renting the house from a local family Zoom	Looking down the street from our house Zoom
Al and our Hyundai Galloper- giddy-up! Zoom	Lin and the flower bed out front Zoom	Come on in, or, Pase adelante! Zoom
A few shots of the kitchen... Zoom	the most important room in the house! Zoom	It sure is big compared to Carina! Zoom
We're managing to fill it up. Zoom	The view of the volcano from up the street. Zoom	This is cattle and cowboy country. Zoom
Down the road from our house... Zoom	and across the street our neighbor has a horse. Zoom	Looking back at our house from the next street over... Zoom
I loved seeing the horse everyday, but they've moved it now. Zoom	Still plenty of cattle nearby. Zoom	Vendors sell fresh fish along the highway about 30 minutes from where we live. Zoom
It is worth the trip to buy red snapper and shrimp... Zoom	for a very reasonable price- $1.40 per lb. for whole snapper. Zoom	We've taken some drives in the countryside... Zoom
on back roads to learn our way around. Zoom	Awesome! Zoom	A turquiose browed mot-mot. Zoom
The highway to Volcan Baru... Zoom	near Potrerillos, a short drive from our house. Zoom	On the way to Boquete... Zoom
where we visited our friend Randy of s/v Wanda Jean. Zoom	It's no mystery that this place is so popular. Zoom	We had lunch at a lovely riverside restaurant in the cool mountain air. Zoom
And it wasn't even raining! Zoom	Randy and his wife Mary Ellen have built a lovely home... Zoom	with a welcoming driveway... Zoom
and a beautiful view, despite the clouds! Zoom	Our journey continues in search of our dream home... Zoom