Several readers have asked me how easy it's been to adjust to Panama's climate after living for over two decades in Florida. Climate is an important consideration in finding an overseas location you're comfortable in as an expat. So did living in Florida prepare me for living in Panama? The reality is -- not so much. Both are hot and humid, but there are some important differences. Here are my thoughts -- keeping in mind I'm living in the lowlands on the Azueros Peninsula. Once you get up in …
World Class Surf and Mountain Scenery on Panama’s Azuero Peninsula [video]
Last week we took a road trip south from Las Tablas, down through Pedasi and past Playa Venao, along the eastern coast of Panama's Azuero Peninsula. I love the mountains, and I also like the ocean. The Azuero gives me both. No matter where you are on the peninsula, you're within sight of one or the other -- and sometimes both. I hope you enjoy this video. …
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Las Tablas, Panama [video]
Las Tablas is a bustling little town. It's busiest when temperatures are coolest -- in the early morning, around lunchtime, and then in the evening after dark. (Here in the tropics, we don't have the lengthened summer evenings and the short, short winter days that North Americans are used to.) It's located on Panama's Azuero Peninsula, near the east coast. The nearest beach is about six miles away. A few days ago I grabbed my camera and went into town to shoot some video. It was mid-afternoon …
A Day at the Beach — Playa Uverito, Panama [video]
When we decided to move to Panama, we liked the idea of being close to both beaches and mountains. Last Saturday we spent the afternoon at Playa Uverito. That's the beach most folks from Las Tablas use on a regular basis. Only about six miles out of town over a brand-new, top-notch road, it's easy to get to. Like other Panama beaches (at least the ones I've seen), the sand is dark. Not black sand, but definitely not white either. Plenty of houses line the beach as well as a half dozen …
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Losing a Dog in Las Tablas, Panama
Less than two weeks. That's how long we had our dogs with us in Panama before potential disaster struck. Recently I wrote about our ordeals in moving our three small dogs with us to Panama. As I explained, it wasn't so much the paperwork, although you have to carefully dot all your I's and cross all your T's. It was the logistics that caused us to ultimately hire a professional pet mover to help. The dogs arrived, they started settling into their new home, and all was well. Until the …
Getting Around in Panama Without a Car
Two buses, four cabs, $12. Yesterday my husband and I went to Chitre, about 30 miles north of where we're living, to shop for things we can't find here in Las Tablas. We took two buses and four cabs, and the total bill came to about $12. When we decided to relocate to Panama, we also decided to do it without our own set of wheels. (My husband's bicycle doesn't count!) So we're gaining great experience with Panama's system of public transportation, and it's surprisingly good. There are buses …
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