Visit from friends, updated.

First night with the whole crew at Zanzi!


I had several visitors about a month ago. Tanya, Tony, Tim, Angie, and Annie...aka, The T'N'As. I am still waiting for pictures from them because I didn't bother to take any. Annie and I went for a hike on the Pipeline trail, and then we met up with everyone else who came in three separate groups. Everyone stayed at Villa Verde. Annie, Angie, Joy, and I went to Yoga, and then met up with everyone else at my favorite little hole-in-the-wall Tica bar. That night, we hung out at the hostal, drinking rum and Samson.

Tony, Jorge 24, and Angie at the ol' hostel. Where's the rum..where's the money..where's Jorge???


Everyone pretty much split after a night to go to Bocas del Toro. I had some work to take care of, but then I met them there. We did the usual, barhopping and eating. The next day, we went on a boat tour to go snorkeling, saw sloths, and just hung out having a great time. Annie brought a bottle of Tonala which we shared in honor of our friend John. I stayed two nights in a danky motel room while all the others stayed in a noisy hostal. That last night, we partied true Wisconsin style with a touch of AZ...it was great to see a great group of friends on my new turf!

Annie, Tanya, and Angie in Bocas.


Warning sign at Barco Hundido.


These poor tourists had no idea what we were all cheering at them about.



A few days later, I received a message from Angie that she had injured her back and was forced to scrap plans to go to Comarca Kuna Yala. Instead, she wanted to explore the Pacific side closer to me. I was recently able to jailbreak and unlock my iPhone (thanks Mom!) and so I could justify leaving as long as I had near constant email access for work. I met Angie in David, and we drove to Playa Barqueta. After seeing what was there for accommodations, we decided to go somewhere nicer. We went to Boca Brava hotel which I had stayed at before. The owners are super cool, and upgraded us to a bunk room with private bath, TV, and A/C after I helped him fix a toilet. We went hiking, saw a bunch of Howler Monkeys, and swam. The next day, we went on a boat trip to an island (again, I had done this tour before). The 16-y/0 boat driver dropped us off on the beautiful white-sand island. Seeing that I had a machete, he proceeding to climb a palm tree 50 feet high which had all of us nervous. It was really hot and he was sweating profusely. Me and another guy were already discussing an emergency evac plan if the boy were to get hurt. But, he made it all the way up after half an hour, and knocked down half a dozen green coconuts which we hacked open, drank the water, and ate. There were some really nice travelers in our group that we snorkeled with. The water was a little cloudy, but we saw a Dog-faced Puffer fish, fully inflated the size of a basketball. While swimming, I felt a stinging sensation on my arms, chest, stomach, and hands. At the time, it wasn't too bad. We swam for a few hours more, ate lunch, and headed back. That night, we had a nice dinner and hung out with Benson and Christine who we met on the tour. That night, the stinging I had felt in the water had turned into intense burning/itching. I later learned from pics on the net that I had been stung by a Man-o-war. Benedryl and Hydracortisone cream helped a little. The next day, I decided to extend my time with Angie and explore somewhere new. We went to Las Lajas about an hour and a half from David. We spent a great deal of time trying to find reasonable accommodations which proved to be difficult. Prices were high, and the rooms were kind of nasty (my standards were higher than Angie's, who has traveled all over SE Asia on a shoestring budget). We finally found an off-beach hotel/restaurant that was reasonable...don't remember the name, but the owner's name was Pauly. He was an excellent host and I would stay there again ($30/night w/AC and private bath). The beach was just OK...I am amazed at how little the locals seem to care about littering. After a long, early-morning run on the beach, I dropped Angie off at the bus stop the next morning and headed home.

Sunset at Las Lajas.


Back in Boquete, I have been busy listing several properties, more exclusives contracts now than before. I attended a neighborhood watch meeting (if you could call it that...it was more like a neighborhood watch-how-much-I-can-drink-and-eat event :) I met some neighbors who have been here for awhile, mostly retirees. I feel I have reached the "tipping point" where now enough people know who I am and referrals are starting to flow. I can now grow the business organically more than trying to force myself into the market. Inquiries from potential clients have been picking up in line with the high season. I just helped a buyer find an amazing new home which feels good. They are so excited to be here, and to begin a new chapter in their lives. It's all fun, and even on the frustrating days...I am glad to be here.

Oh, GO PACKERS!!! How fun to watch them win while in a foreign country!