Simple Life

I keep thinking about the Trash? story I published a week or so ago and its negativity.  That hurts. I don’t intend to be negative or to leave a bad impression about Panama City, Panama.  It is a wonderful place.  I’d recommend a visit here to anyone.  Panamanians are friendly and helpful. Panama has cities, two oceans, beaches and mountains.  It is truly a sight to see, there is plenty to do and so much to learn.   I simply cannot however get over the fact that with so much money here why isn’t something being done too address poverty and the trash.  And that’s all will say about that. Except that, glory be!  As Stan I did our exercise walk along the Cinta Costeria this morning, tide was out.  Groups of people were on the coastline picking up trash!!  It was a huge clean-up endeavor.  Had we any idea of this event, Stan and I would have been out there too!  We think it was sponsored by the American, Canadian and British Embassies along with a recycling organization called Leaf Sinc.  How encouraging!!  They collected enough bags of trash to fill a large dumpster.  I will investigate embassy websites to learn if any more of these events are scheduled between now and the time we leave Panama. We’d love to help!

While we thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Boquete and Bocas del Tora, Stan and I are quite happy to be back “home” in our little apartemente. It looks out over the Bay of Panama.  Having a water view is such a pleasure—it matters very little if the body of water is a lake, river or ocean or even a pool or koi pond.   Seeing water every day is good for the soul!  Stan found this apartment for us because he knew I hoped to see water every day while we are in Panama.  He likes it too.  I think I’ve mentioned that Stan loves to keep watch over the fleet in the bay.  It’s in his blood.  From our windows, the ships on the horizon intrigue him.  They patiently sit waiting their turn to pass from the Pacific to the Atlantic through the canal.  Stan derives great satisfaction in counting and announcing the number of the ships in que to enter the canal in the morning.  He checks the count again in the night.   It frustrates him that a ship’s movement cannot be detected.  At one hour there might be 15 ships on the horizon and the next hour only eleven then later, only three.  For people who have lived land-locked most of our lives, watching activities on the ocean is very engaging.   

Our life here is like playing house.  We cook, shop here, we do laundry, we exercise, we practice Spanish via DuoLingo every day, we meet people, go to church and I write.  We streamed the Georgia vs Alabama game and popped popcorn last night.  The popcorn was an old fashioned crazy-good treat but the game? Bum game!

 It is very satisfying just living this simple life here.  Tomorrow evening however will be a special treat for us.  Family, well almost kin, from Georgia/North Carolina are coming!  Valerie, our friend from Solidary Sandy Springs who like others there, is like family.  We have deep affection and admiration for her.  Valerie’s sister, her sister’s friend and Valerie’s mom are coming to Panama today.  We have been in touch and will have dinner with them tomorrow night in Casco Viejo, the old town.  We cannot wait!!  I told Valerie are most anxious to meet them but wish she’d be coming along too.

One more item for this blurb.  I finished my fourth Pilates class today!  I love it and wish I had found this fantastic form of building strength many years ago.  I’m still learning to perform the exercises correctly but I can tell I’m beginning to improve a little.  I came home after class today wound completely up!  I was excited, simply wired from having fun learning something completely new to me and getting a good workout at the same time.  If you’ve not tried Pilates, I encourage you to give it a chance. 

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