Once again it is time to leave Panama.  I spent the last day packing up and discovered once again I have way too much to bring back.  I just cannot resist the Indian crafts and all the deals down on the cheap street, not to mention all the pounds - and yes I do mean pounds- of sea glass I have picked up to make jewelry with.
Being this is so heavy I cannot waste the weight in my checked luggage so it is placed in my carry on back pack - does the phrase "oh my aching back" ever apply here! 
And once again I am traveling on the 3 AM flight out of the city, and once again I swear I will NEVER do that again no matter how cheap it is.  When you travel at that time your day is so strange, I tried to nap in the afternoon but that did not happen.  I had one last dinner on the roof with Goldie and Mary as I watched the sun set and the ships pass thru the canal.  I have found that there terrace is one of my favorite places- so beautiful, so relaxing and so wonderful to be with good friends. 
I had arranged a driver again and he was to arrive at midnight- at 11:15 I get a call asking which building I am in as he is outside???? Yes I was packed but had wanted that one last look thru, a brush of my teeth and times for goodbyes in a good way.  I told him I needed a few minutes and would call.  Now I am running around trying to say goodbye and finding myself in tears and unable to talk as I closed the door one final time - or so I thought.  Goldie escorted me to the street and it was then I discovered that I had ran out of minutes on my phone and could not call and of course Goldie did not have his so run back up stairs and yell at Mary to call the driver- oh nothing is ever easy at times.
By the time I got back down stairs though he had seen my luggage and was waiting as he was just down the block.
The good thing about traveling in the city that late at night is that there is no traffic and the trip went quickly and all too soon I was at the airport and waiting in line to check in - the driver had set my luggage up towards the front and I was to just collect it when it was time to check in.  Luckily there was a nice couple who spoke English behind me and we had struck up a conversation when it suddenly hit me I did not have my bag with my computers in it!!!! Panic but then I knew it had to be with my driver and I did have his number but no phone minutes. This was no time to be proud so asked if could use their phone and would gladly pay them. They did not have one but his sister did who had brought them to the airport and they let me use their - I called and the driver said no it was not there but I said please go check it is in a  black bag and would be on the floor of the front seat and sure enough it was - I begged him to bring it back out to me which he was none too happy about but he did and arrived just as I reached the check in counter, and of course my luggage was overweight and I had to move things around. But then out to the car and grab my bag and thank him - oh and it did cost me another $20 for him to return.
Now it was time to settle in for the 3 hours - go thru all the security - and when you are in an airport  waiting at that time there are no store open to speak of and no places to eat so it is boring.
I am returning to the states but going to Atlanta to spend time with Dustin and his family. It is a great stop over and so much fun to see the grandkids.  But before that I once again "lost" a bag by leaving one on the plane at my stop in Ft Lauderdale and remembered it on the walkway out of the plane - I did discover that you CANNOT turn around and go back to the doors but I met the stewardess about that time with my bag in her hand.  Now it was time to get thru immigration and customs.  Back to the good old USA. Time to start living like an American, going to the Walmarts, driving a car and dealing with the fast paced life.  And once again I have left a little of me back in Panama.  Will I return?  I can only let fate decide that but I am sure if it is not for an extended stay it will be to visit my friends. 
I thank all of you who kept up with my writings and who worried about me during the Indian problems ( although there really was no need) It is nice to know that my experiences are of interest to you all.  So for now I say until next time - whenever that will be.

Time to return

As the days passed I tried to soak in more and more of the character of the city.  Hot - dirty - beautiful - fast paced- the list goes on and all seem to be conflicts of one another.  I walked and wondered how a city so full of beauty could also at the turn of a corner be so full of filth and poverty.  This time I had a much longer time to really see and feel how the city really was.  I found that the people are not as friendly in the city as in Boquete but is that so different than here?  I found them a lot less tolerant of my limited Spanish speaking abilities and less apt to laugh with me in my attempts. 
I thought I could walk and be anonymous or so I thought until the day that I was walking the street and heard a "hey lady" and turned to find a police man gesturing for me to come to his truck.  I looked it over saw that there were others on the street and crossed over to see what he wanted.  He asked if I was American and where I was staying then proceeded to tell me that "I have watched you- and you should no longer walk on the beach - no longer walk the streets - do not carry my camera." Creepy right?  I continued on home and could hardly wait to tell Goldie and Mary. 
I did not think anything more of it until the next morning while I was walking the beach and sure enough I looked up and standing by the buildings was the same cop.  This went on for several days and I started to get a little creeped out.  But finally it ended and I was once again "safe" to walk the beach and streets.  I am not sure if I felt safer or not with my guardian but it was different.
There also was the guy who was working construction right on the alley way that I used to access the beach.  The first day when he came down and spoke to me I did a quick check to make sure that there was other people around.  Being there was I had a short "Spanglish" conversation with him.  So each day I received and gave a morning Hola to him and his working companions.  I started to feel safer as he knew about how long I would be gone etc and I would see him watching for me.  Once again I had my own guardian angel looking over me.  I am sure that when I left he looked for me for several days!!!
It is different when you are totally alone and no one is waiting for your return as it was when I was house sitting while Goldie and Mary were gone.  I was aware that my situation was totally different then it had ever been before and that I needed to be more conscious of those around me.  I did have to walk Ouigi at night and that was a little unsettling but the neighborhood even though they did not know me did know Ouigi!!!.
One morning I left the apartment while the cleaning lady was there. Mary had said that it was no problem to leave her alone and to just tell her to lock the door and put the keys in the drawer in the entry- so I did.  Not thinking I did not take an extra set of keys with me forgetting that I had to unlock the door on the street and did not realize it until I went to let myself in while carrying bags of groceries.  There I am standing out side my door and no way in.  No problem I will just buzz the other apartments, explain who I am and they will buzz me in- Not a single person was home.  The doorman was no where to be seen. It is hot and humid and I am starting to panic just slightly when I idea hit me.  I remembered that Mary had mentioned that  the realty office on the corner had sold several of the units. It was a light bulb moment go ask if they had a key - easy right??  Once again using my best Spanish I tried to explain my dilemma only to find that the lady understood nothing I was saying- but luck was with me when out of another office came someone who did speak it.  I explained and she seemed a bit uncertain until I finally said all I need is for you to get me in the outside door that I had access to a key to actually get me into the condo. she looked thru several drawers and much to my relief she found a key.  I was saved and needless to say I NEVER left the place again with out a key!!!! A lesson learned the hard way.

Day to day life in the City

I now settled in for my 2 weeks in Panama City.  Life settled into a routine. I learned that because of the excessive heat and humidity that I would go out in the morning and be back in the air conditioning by noon.  Each morning I walked the beach picking up sea glass, shells and pottery pieces.  But I always carried my camera.  There are areas under homes that homeless people would make into sleeping areas while the tide is out. They lay down pieces of cardboard and covered up with anything they can find.  I watched one man settle in and make his "nest" .  He took great care in making sure that everything was just right even going so far as to line up his shoes side by side before laying down.  He went to sleep ocean breezes blowing and dreaming of life that existed outside poverty.
On other days I watched men working out - having the solitude yet beauty of their own personal beach for that day.  Ooccasionally I was joined by other "tourists" picking up those special pieces of sea glass to take home as treasures.  Even though walked in the morning by the time I had spent walking to the end of the beach and back I was drenched in sweat and ready for the coolness of the apartment.  I did learn that returning and then taking a shower did no good - I had to take the time to let my body cool down completely of the sweat just continued to come out of me.  I would drink lots of water and relax for at least an hour then get cleaned up.
In the afternoon I would walk the streets learning about each corner and alleyway.  Living in Casco Viejo I found that many streets had their own feel.  There was the poverty of alleys where they pulled benches out on to the sidewalks and even the streets to find what breezes did blow thru.  The one street seemed to have all the musicians that all came to life after 5.  The  shops varied from one of a kind artwork to the usual tourist items.  Restaurants were fancy gourmet fare to street side vendors making breakfast sandwiches, snow cones and even children selling pieces of candy.
I loved the iron work in the doors, windows and railings, most old and some new but reproduced to look old.  Casco is going under renovations it has become the new "hot spot"  for renovations- which  means taking old shells of buildings and making homes and businesses.  Even the streets are being replaced which will be great in the long run but causes constant traffic problems, many streets closed as renovations take place causing even more traffic problems, remember the streets are barely the width of one car, and most are one way. Which also means that car horns are constantly blowing, trucks are rumbling down the streets, you have back ground noise of jack hammers and large equipment.  What it really means is that I could not wait until evening when once again the peace and quiet surrounded me. By late afternoon it was back to the rooftop for the gentle ocean  breezes and the calm. 
One evening was a special treat as the night sky was lit up with fireworks as part of Carnival. Other nights was the background music of various outdoor restaurants, but always the beauty of the city skyline and the quiet of the canal.

 -