Mind-boggling struggles, contrasts and landscapes:

For the last hour I have been struggling to get permission to write this post on our blog. I still don't understand what the issue was but it feels like Google is always creating steps I have to figure out before I can gain access and accomplish what I so desire. Finally after trying a number of strategies I was able to maneuver my way through their obstacle fields and here I am writing. Emotionally it is very aggravating to go through these things. Okay, enough of that.

So, a couple of days ago we completed our stay at the Panama City Hilton. Three grueling days of one speaker after another. We were trying to take in as much as we could. Mostly good speakers talking about their favorite places to live or visit in this country along with the necessary bureaucratic procedures to establish a residency here. There's one type of residency in Panama that is particularly beneficial for retirees, its called the Pensionado and provides all kinds of benefits, lesser fees for a variety of services and goods etc. We're mostly interested in the various locales that sound interesting and not settling down and living here, at least at this point.  We have a list of places we would like to visit. Of course, each of the speakers has their favorite place and its hard to sift through that. During the conference there was some fun and what they call "adult beverages." Yes, outside companies sponsored social hours with free drinks so those were nice opportunities to talk with other participants and exhibitors.

We had already decided where we wanted to spend some time after the conference, a small town of about 3000 inhabitants named Pedasi. We hired a driver, Miguel to drive us there yesterday. We left Panama City traffic behind at 10AM, Miguel arrived early and we left the traffic of the city behind, quickly. Yes, he is a good driver, and fast. It was a good chance to practice our Spanish while he practiced his English.It turns out he is a policia at night. The roads were good, at least on par with the USA in most places.

Our destination was reached at 2:30 in the afternoon. The town is almost at the end of the road and is way out on a Peninsula that is very dry and hot this time of the year but still humid. The nearby terrain is hilly and as brown as can be. The difference between Panama City and being here in Pedasi is truly mind-boggling. Our spacious AirB&B is surrounded by jungle vegetation, green and beautiful while the major early morning sounds come from a myriad of roosters, hens and dogs. With good air conditioning and overhead fans we are quite comfortable. There are beautiful beaches just a seven minute drive from here that we will explore soon, more about that next time.

One last thing: This town has no street names or house numbers. We drove around with our rattle trap car we rented, trying to find our place. Without the assistance of the owner of the house who lives up in Seattle via e-mail etc. we might have never found it. But we did.

Stan the Man and Katherine the Great

  

 

 

 Mind-boggling New Location

 More travels, mind-boggling travels:

Yes, we are actually in Panama. Arriving here wasn't a piece of cake as they say but it was worth it. Left Tri-Cities (Pasco) on a late afternoon flight, that was about 5:30PM; arrived at Seattle at 6:30PM. Waited around for our next flight that took off on the way to Atlanta, Georgia about 10:30PM. Flew over night and arrived in Atlanta at 5:50 AM. I slept maybe an hour on that flight. Then on to Panama City without a lot of sleep. I must admit I was tired and sleepy from the many sleepy hours on the flight. By the time we arrived and began the trek to our hotel with others bound for the same conference we were headed to at the magnificent Hilton in downtown Panama City. 

Now we have been here for two days, attempting to overcome our travel fatigue while also attending many presentations focused on the good things about Panama and how and why we should live there. There are some reasons we shouldn't large birds circling, they look like the vultures we see all the time in Arizona but then we got to our room on the 23rd floor and the next morning for the first time we could look down  at them during the morning and see them from above. What a shame, they are so beautiful and glide so easily. I wish I could do the same, but seeing them from above is a  treat. Okay, there is so much more going on but I will be sharing on this blog again soon. Stay, tuned? 

Stan the Man 

 Mind Boggling Stuff

Number one mind-boggling is Katherine joining me on this blog. It's great to have her join with me even after she was a little resistant, saying she was no writer. My thought is that if you write, you are a writer, so she now is a writer. I have and will continue to appreciate her input and participation. She has a different perspective than me that is invaluable.

Number two mind-boggling is what Katherine brought up in her last post: Connections. I had many connections in Green Valley and Tucson that I don't want to lose and that I value. I don't know yet where we will end up but I will want to have easy access to those Southern Arizona communities because of my ties there. The Scribblers, writers group, the two exceptional writers at Canyon View are all people that are special to me and that I am missing already.

Number three mind-boggling is our current location we are staying at Katherine's brother's home. Earlier a family reunion took place. I have never really felt at ease, accepted by her family but this time it feels different. Maybe they changed or more likely I changed. Perhaps I am more accepting and more myself, this probably happens as we get older and it makes for better relationships, or as Katherine says, "connections," doesn't it?

One final mind-boggling thought. It's cold up here in the North, I lived here in Kennewick twice during my career. I didn't think it was so cold but after 10 years in Southern Arizona it certainly feels cold. I don't seem to ever get warm but, of course, I don't have the correct coat  and gloves that would be a bit of protection. This is the so-called Banana Belt of Washington State but its still winter. In the distance, jutting up 2500 feet from the flat landscape is Rattlesnake Mt. This morning it was white with new snow. The temperature hasn't been above the 50s since we've been here. I know, it's not below zero like Minnesota and places like that but it feels downright cold to us. I'm not sure I could live here again.

On to Panama, heat and humidity in two days. Sounds good to me. 

Stan the Man 

 

 Connections and Re-Connections

In our mind-boggling migrations from Green Valley, this time in a northerly direction, we leave behind good friends, including mi tres amigas. Whether by serendipity or divine intervention, these three ladies have become dear friends.  It all started with volunteer opportunities and weekly visits and morphed into friendships that will last a lifetime. Despite distance, these ladies and I still connect through texts, emails, snail mail and phone calls. And it's more than just a technological connections, it is the heart strings that are connected too.

We have felt that with our reconnection face to face with family here in Washington.  We have been far-flung for years and yet our gatherings are joyful and heartfelt.  We leave other friends here and there behind as well, and over many years continue to stay connected, looking forward to meeting up again to share and exchange the adventures and lives each of us is living. 

This week our migration will be to the south as we fly to Panama City, a new country I've never visited.  What mind-boggling connections and adventures await us... 

Till next time, 

Katherine 

 

 

More Mind-boggling Travels 

Our travels continue. Staying at the Sure-Stay Hotel on Van Buren in Phoenix for the free parking and shuttle to the airport. Order in Italian for dinner, a brief nap and up at 2AM, getting on the shuttle at 3AM. We were going early for our 6:15 flight to Seattle because of the problems with TSA staffing, the news said there were 3 to 4 hour waits to get through security. Of course when we arrived at the airport there was no wait, got through immediately but prior to that we had to ride the train and walk a mile because of remodeling at the airport. By the time we got to our gate we still had nearly two hours before boarding. That will be the last time I get up at 2AM, at least I hope.

After a 3.5 hour flight we arrived safely in Seattle where we would catch our flight to our destination at the Pasco, WA airport which is just across the Columbia River from our true destination, the home of Katherine's brother John and his wife in Kennewick. Katherine was born in this town which has probably tripled its size or more since she lived there. I also had lived here twice during my career. Also present upon our arrival was Katherine's other brother Dave and his wife and cousin Mike and his wife and another cousin Jan. Quite a family reunion!

Lots of catching up, conversation, sharing of memories has followed for the last couple of days. Great people and wonderful sharing. We are staying here for a few days before our big international trip to Panama. We are looking forward to that adventure but will continue to enjoy each other here until our departure.

Stan the Man 

 

  

 

 

 

More Mind-Bogglings

We are still living or at least visiting the city of Phoenix just off Indian School Road. Lots of traffic but we are far enough away from that main drag so we hear very little except the loud motorcycles that pass mostly at night. We were lucky enough to find a Sprouts grocery store within walking distance so that's convenient. In the same strip mall is a restaurant called the the Angry Crab. Initially I wasn't interested in eating there (I'm allergic to crab) but we decided to try it for lunch. What a feast. Most customers get crab by the pound, dumped on their table and are equipped with gloves and bibs. We didn't go that route, simply had an appetizer of shrimp, calamari and hush puppies followed by deep fried fish. Even that was a feast. I couldn't believe how much I ate which didn't look like near as much as the others were eating. It was delicious. Certainly a mind-boggling kind of place but I don't think I will return.

Another day we went to the Phoenix Zoo, I didn't even know there was one here. Large desert terrain for many animals but it was difficult to imagine a giraffe or a hippo living in that patch of desert. The most colorful were the parrots, I've always wanted one but settled for a painting. The temperature was in the 80s so many of the captured animals were in whatever spot of shade they could find and were napping, not much activity. Most of the activity came from the thousands of young humans that were there, nice to see youngsters running around. It was not cheap, I think the entrance fee was a mind-boggling $40 for an adult but Katherine asked about a senior rate and we got $10 off but with the lunch of chicken we had I guess the final spent was about $100. Too much for what we saw.

We now have three more days before we are out of here, a place I don't think I will remember with fondness. Next to the Tri-Cities in Washington State and a week later we fly to Panama. It will be good to arrive on foreign territory and to experience a different culture.

Stan the Man 

 

 

More Mind-boggling Change 

Yes, we continue to move on, as of last night we are in Phoenix, Arizona. It could be a culture shock but of course we have been here before so we were kind of ready for it. In fact we lived here for awhile quite a few years ago but since we left this city has grown from the 7th largest city in the U.S. to the 5th largest with a population of 1,673,164. Now that sounds big until you compare it to New York City where we also lived for a few years. NYC now has over 8 million inhabitants. But try comparing it to the last place we were, where we spent three weeks, Sonoita which has a population of 803. Each place has it's own culture, its own strengths and its own problems. 

Currently we have 10 days in Phoenix to see what its like living here, of course 10 days will only allow us to scratch the surface. We were planning on being here to meet up with Todd, my son and his wife Joy. They were going to be in Phoenix for major league baseball spring training, they're big fans of the Seattle Mariners. Unfortunately, their plans changed so they aren't here. However, we will be having a mini reunion with other family and friends.

I'm sure you can imagine the process of not knowing a huge city but yet needing to get somewhere specific. The traffic is terrible and it either crawls or accelerates to the point that its scary. We did find our apartment with little trouble. Another well equipped Air B&B with just about everything we need. I don't think we have lived in an apartment before. Without Katherine and her GPS we could have been lost for some time. We are in the area that is known as South Biltmore, hopefully we will get a chance to visit the Biltmore Resort and Spa.  

Until Next Time,

Stan the Man