March 17, 2026

It’s been a few days since I wrote anything about my trip. It’s been a serene, content, beautiful few days. The ocean sounds relax me -and I hear the waves all day and all night long. I thank God for this opportunity. I have met several people -solo and couples- who come to Panama to spend one to four months, a year, a lifetime here. Hearing their stories validates that we all want the same thing - peace and joy. More reason to follow-up with my thought about doing this once a year for at least a month.

There are still some things I find disconcerting: no stop signs or traffic lights (or very few in Panama City); the weaving, fast moving motorcyclists; the deep potholes that I have to look out for whenever I get off the Pan American Hwy; the numerous street dogs seen walking on the beach or standing in the middle of the street or coming up to you while sitting in a restaurant; the numerous chickens crossing the road waiting to become road kill. But then, there are the many, many beautiful things: the sunrise, the sunset, the warm weather, the wildlife ( I saw a family of howler monkeys playing in the trees in a rainforest park that is on the outskirts of Panama City); the miles and miles of shoreline; the beautiful Panamanian people who are soooo friendly as well as the many Americans and Canadians I have met.

This past week, I visited the Metropolitan Park (where I saw the monkeys and was hoping I would see sloth but I didn’t) and I visited Casco Viejo - old Panama City where Colonial-era landmarks include the twin-towered Metropolitan Cathedral and the waterfront Palacio de las Garzas presidential home. Here, local shops sell traditional handicrafts and there are numerous cafes, restaurants, and squares . I also walked on the beach, 4 miles round trip, several times. My walks took me to the mountainside and to the mouth of the Chame River which empties into the Pacific Ocean. Pelicans sit in treetops and rest here. This morning I saw some kind of slithery animal with a long tail ( not an iguana but not a snake, either) slide from a sandbar into the water. At that point, I decided to get up from the stoop I was resting on and walk back to my condo. I’ve also attended karaoke and St Paddy’s Day party that was held at my condo. I met a very nice group of ladies at Karaoke Night. One teaches line dancing and I went to her class today.

Tomorrow, I will travel into the city again to visit Monkey Island and the Sloth Sanctuary. Until then…Read more