Monday, April 9, 2012
COSTA RICA AND PANAMA AGAIN
LAST MARCH 2011 A FELLOW TEACHER, AN AMERICAN, I HAD MET IN THAILAND, AND I REUNITED IN SAN JOSE COSTA RICA. I NEEDED SOME SERIOUS DENTAL WORK DONE AND I HAD FOUND AN EXCELLENT DENTIST IN COSTA RICA. IN BETWEEN DENTAL APPOINTMENTS WE MANAGED TO FIT IN A TRIP TO SOUTHERN NICARAGUA AND THE COLONIAL CITY OF GRANADA. WE WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED AT ITS GRACIOUS OLD HOMES, MANY NOW HOTELS AND EXPAT RESIDENCES. LAKE OMETEPE, AND A NIGHT ON ITS ISLAND, WERE VERY PRIMITIVE IN CONTRAST.THEN BACK TO SAN JOSE, AND ON TO NORTHERN PANAMA. SAW MY OLD CANADIAN FRIEND, DAVID, I MET IN SAN JOSE IN 2009. WE SPENT SEVERAL RELAXING DAYS IN MY FAVORITE TOWN OF BOQUETE.
THIS YEAR I HAD TO RETURN TO SAN JOSE TO COMPLETE THE DENTAL WORK. MY LONG TIME FRIEND, MIREA AND I, CELEBRATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSERY OF OUR FRIENDSHIP, BY MEETING IN COSTA RICA FOR HER 2 WEEK VACATION. WE WENT ON A TOUR OF TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. IT WAS IN THE STEAMY CARIBBEAN PART OF NORTHERN COSTA RICA. WE HAD GUIDES ALL THE WAY DUE TO CROCODILES, MANY SNAKES, AND OTHER POISONOUS CRITTERS ALL AROUND. AFTER A FEW DAYS REST IN SAN JOSE AND ANOTHER DENTAL APPOINTMENT WE HEADED TO SANTA ELENA AND MONTEVERDE PARKS. THESE WERE TRUE JUNGLES, BUT WE COULD TRAVEL BY ROADS, INSTEAD OF THE WATERWAY ONLY TRAVEL IN TORTUGUERO. THE VARIETY OF BIRD LIFE IN BOTH PARKS WAS AMAZING. THE MALE QUETZAL, MY LIFELONG DREAM TO SEE IN THE WILD, I NARROWLY MISSED. SEEING A CLOSE COUSIN NOT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH.
AFTER MIREA LEFT SAN JOSE, AND WE HAD A REALLY ENJOYABLE TIME TOGETHER, I WENT ON TO BOQUETE PANAMA. MY OLD FRIEND DAVID HAD A NICE RENTAL HOME IN THE BOQUETE FOOTHILLS. HE INVITED ME TO STAY WITH HIM AND I TOOK OVER HIS SPARE BEDROOM FOR 8 DAYS. WE HAD A GREAT VISIT. I MET SOME OF HIS EXPAT AND PANAMANIAN FRIENDS. MY TRIP THERE WAS VERY RELAXING. THAT WAS THE GOAL AS WELL AS TO CHECK OUT THE RENTAL SITUATION THERE.I ALSO WANTED TO CONNECT WITH SOME HELPFUL PEOPLE FOR A POSSIBLE WINTER STAY THERE IN THE FUTURE. I MANAGED ALL THAT AND WITH THE HELP OF A FEW VERY LONG TIME RESIDENTS, FELT VERY SUPPORTED IN MY EFFORTS. I FEEL I NOW CAN RETURN AND GET THE HELP I MAY NEED TO GET A RENTAL WITH EASE,WELL PRICED ETC. THE EXPAT COMMUNITY THERE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE LOCALS NEEDS, HAVE A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM AMONG THEMSELVES, AND MANY ACTIVITIES THEY DO REGULARLY THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO ME. SO THAT, COMBINED WITH IDEAL WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE U.S. WINTER, IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ME.I LOVE THE STATES IN MANY WAYS. NORTHERN PANAMA MEETS MANY NEEDS THE U.S. DOES NOT. THE LOWER COST OF LIVING IS ALSO A REAL INCENTIVE FOR POSSIBLY BEING A SNOWBIRD THERE IN THE WINTER. WE SHALL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. I CERTAINLY FIND NO OTHER PLACE I RELAX AS FULLY OR FEEL AS CREATIVE--BOTH REAL INCENTIVES.
THIS YEAR I HAD TO RETURN TO SAN JOSE TO COMPLETE THE DENTAL WORK. MY LONG TIME FRIEND, MIREA AND I, CELEBRATED THE 50TH ANNIVERSERY OF OUR FRIENDSHIP, BY MEETING IN COSTA RICA FOR HER 2 WEEK VACATION. WE WENT ON A TOUR OF TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. IT WAS IN THE STEAMY CARIBBEAN PART OF NORTHERN COSTA RICA. WE HAD GUIDES ALL THE WAY DUE TO CROCODILES, MANY SNAKES, AND OTHER POISONOUS CRITTERS ALL AROUND. AFTER A FEW DAYS REST IN SAN JOSE AND ANOTHER DENTAL APPOINTMENT WE HEADED TO SANTA ELENA AND MONTEVERDE PARKS. THESE WERE TRUE JUNGLES, BUT WE COULD TRAVEL BY ROADS, INSTEAD OF THE WATERWAY ONLY TRAVEL IN TORTUGUERO. THE VARIETY OF BIRD LIFE IN BOTH PARKS WAS AMAZING. THE MALE QUETZAL, MY LIFELONG DREAM TO SEE IN THE WILD, I NARROWLY MISSED. SEEING A CLOSE COUSIN NOT QUITE GOOD ENOUGH.
AFTER MIREA LEFT SAN JOSE, AND WE HAD A REALLY ENJOYABLE TIME TOGETHER, I WENT ON TO BOQUETE PANAMA. MY OLD FRIEND DAVID HAD A NICE RENTAL HOME IN THE BOQUETE FOOTHILLS. HE INVITED ME TO STAY WITH HIM AND I TOOK OVER HIS SPARE BEDROOM FOR 8 DAYS. WE HAD A GREAT VISIT. I MET SOME OF HIS EXPAT AND PANAMANIAN FRIENDS. MY TRIP THERE WAS VERY RELAXING. THAT WAS THE GOAL AS WELL AS TO CHECK OUT THE RENTAL SITUATION THERE.I ALSO WANTED TO CONNECT WITH SOME HELPFUL PEOPLE FOR A POSSIBLE WINTER STAY THERE IN THE FUTURE. I MANAGED ALL THAT AND WITH THE HELP OF A FEW VERY LONG TIME RESIDENTS, FELT VERY SUPPORTED IN MY EFFORTS. I FEEL I NOW CAN RETURN AND GET THE HELP I MAY NEED TO GET A RENTAL WITH EASE,WELL PRICED ETC. THE EXPAT COMMUNITY THERE IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE LOCALS NEEDS, HAVE A STRONG SUPPORT SYSTEM AMONG THEMSELVES, AND MANY ACTIVITIES THEY DO REGULARLY THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO ME. SO THAT, COMBINED WITH IDEAL WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING THE U.S. WINTER, IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ME.I LOVE THE STATES IN MANY WAYS. NORTHERN PANAMA MEETS MANY NEEDS THE U.S. DOES NOT. THE LOWER COST OF LIVING IS ALSO A REAL INCENTIVE FOR POSSIBLY BEING A SNOWBIRD THERE IN THE WINTER. WE SHALL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. I CERTAINLY FIND NO OTHER PLACE I RELAX AS FULLY OR FEEL AS CREATIVE--BOTH REAL INCENTIVES.
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