Destination Panama

Every morning in the city I get up and take our dog Sakura for a walk. We head out early because of the heat that builds around 10 am. We walk around the residential area of Paitilla which is located next to the ocean but because of the high rises there are only a couple of places you can make it to the shore. We head to the shore after a walk along a shady boulevard and then through an elegant little seaside park.

The Shore/Cove:

polluted, but doesn´t smell, no one will step in the water-on the positive side they are cleaning the bay due to a huge project which I am told is about 25% complete;

a tiny cove where fishermen come at night in their pangas (small boats) to drop anchor and sleep;

located beside an exclusive social and business club ($40,000 to join);

has an old breakwater we walk along to spot fish and seabirds.

I love walking along the breakwater because one early morning I saw a huge manta ray jump out of the water and seem to fly for a bit over it, then dive elegantly right back in. So every day now I stroll along looking for more sealife and watch the tides. Today there were pelicans fishing just off the end.

Sakura and I usually meet lots of other dogs and their owners (from US, Britain, Israel, Panama…) or maids at that time of day. She tries to stop and meet all of them. Mostly purebreeds of one kind or another. Not too many really large dogs because Paitilla is an area of 90% condo high rises.

Today was cool, about 26 degrees Fahrenheit, the weather is finally beginning to change I think. Strangely enough, there were not too many walkers out. Maybe because it is Monday…. Even the lady with her cart at the corner of Plaza Paitilla Hotel was not there selling her fried empanadas and fruit drinks. Lots of people intent on getting to work though, traffic on the main avenue (Ave. Balboa) nearby was jammed. Ave. Balboa is famous for its traffic jams and is now worse because they are widening it and making a bypass plus a green area between the bypass and main avenue. Once that is complete it should be a very nice area. A new place to walk!

We got back to our apartment, Sakura overjoyed to get to her water bowl, and me because our maid Olga had arrived!