Rainy Day

Tuesday, March 1
Our objective was to head out to the waterfalls before the Montana group returned to Panama City for their early return home. Tausha's husband and kids missed her and Nico was certainly not going to leave her to her own devices to make her way back. The other two need continual adult supervision. A break in the clouds was just a tease before another rain. The Montanans wanted to eat but Sentha at Tierra Libre decided that she'd rather play cards and drink, so no food was available. She referred them to another restaurant but the operators decided Tuesday was a good day for heavy drinking so they were not open. Cafe Delight is regularly closed on Tuesday. I walked them over to the only restaurant in town that was open and we all had massive portions of beef, rice, beans and cole slaw for the princely sum of $2.50.

We went down to the corner store where people stocked up on all variety of knives. 24” Machetes $3.25, perfectly serviceable stainless steel switch blades $4.50 and a survival knife. “Unscrew the cap you'll find a compass, fishing line, hooks and matches.” They did so “How did you know?” I said “They're all the same.” I walked them over to the bus stop and we bid each other goodbye.

The occasional breaks of sunshine attempted to lure me out but the sudden showers prompted me to stay and catch on my notes and play a few games with my hosts while Bee meandered about town. In the evening Mike returned followed by Ed.

Ed is a builder of luxury homes from Austin, Texas who had not built a house in three years due to the US economy and has relocated to Santa Fe. He packed up his essential items including an excavator into a half container, rented a house from Mike and set up shop. His wife and kids are still back in Texas but will be joining him after the end of the school year.
John showed up. John is in his mid fifties and formerly built swimming pools in Sacramento, California. He has acquired a large amount of land on the outskirts of town and is in the process of developing homesites on which Ed will build houses.

A Canadian couple showed up and inquired about a place to eat. We told them that we were eating at Tierra Libre and suggested that they do the same. They joined us. Then they wanted to know how they could contact their hotel in Bocas to confirm their reservation. Ed handed them his cell phone and they confirmed their booking. Next they wanted to know where to stay. I showed them my private room, which was huge with a very comfortable bed. The Hostel was designed as an office building. A single room is the size of two standard hotel rooms in the US.
We returned to conversing and the Canadians dominated the conversation. We were unable to get a word in edgewise. Ed moved inside to take his dinner in peace. John and I joined him. Mike joined us leaving Bee to deal with the irritating Canucks. After the Canucks left, I went outside and joined Bee. We borrowed a machete from Marnix and I showed her how to sharpen it. We were preparing for a trip to Guabal and a hike in the Jungle.

Bee told me about being born in Korea, growing up in Miami, moving to Japan, back to Korea and now New York. She speaks Korean, English, Spanish and Japanese. She translates books from Korean to English and can work anywhere in the world where there is an internet connection.