Author Topic: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.  (Read 3246 times)

Wetstuff

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My wife was born/raised in the Canal Zone and goes back every few years.  We went down about 20yrs ago - me thinking 'business and pleasure could mix'   ...but nothing made in the Azeuro Peninsula (SW/Pacific side) seemed easily marketable; nothing made of any quality.  But, the place was beautiful - more like central CA than jungle.  That was then.  I have aged-out from making a retirement move; I was born a little too soon, but this is a surf spot I have watched for years. It was a backwater bay with few amenities back then. It has come alive as has the rest of Panama. (my wife prefers Boquete - coffee country)

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Jim

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Zooport

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #1 on: May 04, 2018, 08:54:16 AM »
So have you moved there, or are you just thinking about it?

You married so much better than I did.  Your wife wants to move to surfing paradise to retire...mine wants to move to Charlotte.  @#$%^$
« Last Edit: May 04, 2018, 08:59:51 AM by Zooport »
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Wetstuff

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2018, 07:53:50 AM »
Zoo....  You already moved, no?   I can't - I turn 75 in a few weeks and am finally closing my business after 40yrs.  I have both commercial property and 25ac in the country that needs my attention.  I'll keep the building in town to have somewhere for my 'projects'. (I want to make a few products that don't require 'hand-holding'.)  Home is too comfortable, like an old shoe, to simply give up but is a real load for old people.  I'm not old in my mind or actions, but I am hunting for a spine surgeon - all my wrangling of railroad ties and other grunt work over the ages has taken a toll.

Panama is, from my perspective, better than CR (although the last time I was in CR was 20yrs ago) ...they are advancing very rapidly, all the improvements in Panama City are radiating out to the country with roads/airports/etc. There are hookups with US medical facilities like Hopkins in Panama City and a quality hospital in David. They are even getting serious about 'land records' and other details that we consider normal/expected. Still, for 'old people' with Medicare, the USA is the place to be.

Here's is another view and more new construction in this beautiful bay, Venao.



Like autonomous cars, I was born a little too early to take advantage of them.

Jim
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PonoBill

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2018, 08:09:11 AM »
Nonsense. If you're still moving and doing the things you love, barring disease, you have plenty of years to deal with. I'm certainly not going to narrow my horizons voluntarily because I'm getting older. I figure I might have 15 good, five decent, and five crappy years left. Maybe more. Might is the operant word, but I plan (what little planning I do) for the better case, not the worst, and not the best.

And autonomous cars are probably no more than five years from level four use and ten years from being common. That's really an outside edge, barring some kind of major interference. Just about the time we shouldn't be driving we'll have cars that drive a lot better than we ever did.
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Zooport

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2018, 08:22:32 AM »
Zoo....  You already moved, no?   I can't - I turn 75 in a few weeks and am finally closing my business after 40yrs.  I have both commercial property and 25ac in the country that needs my attention.  I'll keep the building in town to have somewhere for my 'projects'. (I want to make a few products that don't require 'hand-holding'.)  Home is too comfortable, like an old shoe, to simply give up but is a real load for old people.  I'm not old in my mind or actions, but I am hunting for a spine surgeon - all my wrangling of railroad ties and other grunt work over the ages has taken a toll.

Panama is, from my perspective, better than CR (although the last time I was in CR was 20yrs ago) ...they are advancing very rapidly, all the improvements in Panama City are radiating out to the country with roads/airports/etc. There are hookups with US medical facilities like Hopkins in Panama City and a quality hospital in David. They are even getting serious about 'land records' and other details that we consider normal/expected. Still, for 'old people' with Medicare, the USA is the place to be.

Here's is another view and more new construction in this beautiful bay, Venao.



Like autonomous cars, I was born a little too early to take advantage of them.

Jim

Understandable, but disappointing.  I thought I was going to live vicariously through your moving to Panama to retire.  Stories, vids, Etc.  I'm sorry, you no longer qualify for being my hero.  :)


.
« Last Edit: May 18, 2018, 08:26:22 AM by Zooport »
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p06781

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2018, 03:58:16 PM »
So I am always interested in a future retirement place ?  I this complex a nice area with good waves ?  Explain more ?   Looks cheaper and warmer than the Oregon coast ? 

Wetstuff

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Re: Panama - a good place to surf becomes a good place to live.
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2018, 07:43:02 AM »
Sorry for my tardy reply, P.   #1 - it's clearly warmer than any west coast destination north of SD.  You are very close to the Equator.  It would remind you somewhat of the NW - it has a 'rainy season'.  Combine their humidity with the heat* for a potent mix.   There's a big difference from even 20yrs ago, rather than swamp coolers and window boxes.  Almost every place has ductless wall units - the bedroom is where you need them. And the cheapest C'hitbox car has good A/C.

Not only does this bay apparently have a regular wave but you're about an hour or so from the Pacific swells.  Here's a good place to 'give it a look' without too much exposure.  https://www.sansararesort.com/cambutal-panama/   That first picture is pretty much the whole coast from Punto Mala - north toward CR 'till you hit the swamps.  This part of Panama is much drier than Panama City or, certainly, Bocas.  Bocas, on the Caribbean side, has a wild charm that I wasn't interested in.

Compared to CR, DR, Honduras, etc... Panama is more like Puerto Rico.  They both were essentially occupied by the US and understand 'our ways' and use our currency.  You are really not a stranger - you'll never be a local - but you are also not a target (any more so) as you are in many similar countries below the US border.

The big deal - as their economy has improved, so has everything else. Once they proved they could run the Canal, that old saw "They need us."** went away and they seem to be doing pretty well. 

Jim



*day temps do not get as hot as Maryland - perhaps because of the Pacific. 

**the old timers still 'reunion' together each year in FL to collectively curse Jimmy Carter for giving the Canal away.
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