Jim Bondoux

Yes, Craig offers several Thai dishes from his stay in northern Thailand. The Bangkok soup seems to be a reliable winner with customers, and I have enjoyed his Mekong Sub, which is a chicken sandwich. There are a couple of other Thai dishes. Craig had plans for a seasonal rotation of the menu, and that is way overdue in my opinion. Rumor has it that a new menu is being printed up....

The proposition for the $35 (tax included) price includes more than the brunch, which itself is a large and elaborate offering. The jardin encantado offers these special events only on an occasional basis, and the price includes support for, and access to, a large botanical garden populated with a number of local wildlife rescue animals. The reviews on Tripadvisor seem to shake out around a 4.5 out 5, suggesting that most visitors find value for the charge. I think that indignation over the price is misplaced. I have purchased my ticket and I look forward to the experience.

You may be interested in taking a look at predictwind.com. I subscribe for $10/year and check their forecasts daily - but I have no other interest in their business. I attach a sequence of daily screen shots of one of their pages for the past week, for my location (Lucero, which is in the wind shadow of La Estrella and has somewhat less dry season wind exposure than most of the Boquete district). The sequence shows that as early as last Monday, the ECMWF model predicted violent winds for Friday, and that prediction was maintained, and extended to Saturday, during the week. The other three models weren't as early, and finally got around to predicting the winds with a 24-36 hour lead time. ECMWF stands for European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts - it is a recent addition to the predictwind.com offering, but seems superior to the other three which are based on US and Canadian meteorological data sets and computer models. predictwind.com generates forecasts for any, very precisely defined, location. windthing.docx

Well, I'm no expert, but my reading of the sub-headline suggests that they are using the new micro-inverter technology, where each panel has its own inverter. If that is the case, and the technology confirms its advantages, I wouldn't expect this project to maintain its "biggest" adjective for very long.

I believe the headline is a bit misleading. The Bugaba project was said to have a capacity of 9 megawatts, which is probably about one-fiftieth the capacity of the largest world solar generating facilites, which are in places like China, the USA, and India. They headline must be based on some other specification of the project than the one that really matters, IMO.

News report of fatal shooting of Sr. Edwin Arauz last night in Boquete. For info. http://www.critica.com.pa/sucesos/homicidio-en-boquete-459540

Our experience with this: we came in at Tocumen earlier in 2016 and went through the resident/citizen line with our cedulas. We were photographged and fingerprinted. We arrived at Tocumen again at the end of August and went through the resident/citizen line - no fingerprinting or snapshot. My guess that if our mugs match the picture on the computer monitor, they don't make a new record. FWIW

I continue to wonder at the decision to abandon the proven shoreside mule system in favor of using tugs to manage ship transits through the new locks. Now there are claims that there is insufficient tugboat capacity to safely complete the movements of the huge ships using the larger locks. A new item from newsroompanama.com: THE International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has voiced concerns about the safety of the new Panama Canal locks and what it sees as a growing threat of privatization. The ITF is holding a conference in Panama in recognition of the country’s role as a key global transport hub. In a Friday October 21 statement the ITF , said that the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) carried out a study in 2011 to determine the type and size of the tugboat fleet necessary to operate the new locks. Their findings pointed towards a certain amount of personnel, tugs and other resources as well as training and operational procedures needed that are lacking today. Despite the revised lock plans the ACP chose not to increase its tugboat fleets. Now the lack of vessels has been used as an excuse for chartering 12 tugboats from private and anti-union companies says the ITF “This has led to them working longer hours for less pay, without union protection”, said the atatement “There are particular worries over fatigue and the increased accident risk associated with it.” Accidents The ITF commissioned a maneuverability study that determined the risks of the operation planned by the Canal and offered a series of suggestions that would reduce the risks. Also, for mystery-thriller readers, I suggest a new novel by R.E. McDermott, "Deadly Straits", in which the bad guys are successful in closing the Panama Canal. It has a convoluted plot, but includes credible geopolitics, lots of good maritime stuff, good dialogue, nasty baddies, and competent Panamanians...

The operator of the new crematorium in David made a presentation at the BCP last Tuesday (Sep. 6, 2016). I attended the event and these are my notes and comments, in the hope that they may be useful to the Forum. The presenter was Jose Rogelio Arias, President of Grupo Memorial. He said that he is one of three owners of the business which is based in Panama City where it has other undertaker businesses which were not discussed. It has the only privately-owned cemetery in Chiriqui, the 20-acres Parque Las Acacias, situated in San Pablo Viejo, just outside of David, and where they have built the new crematorium. His focus during the presentation was their offer of a package deal, the main features of which are transportation of the remains, use of their facility for viewing, handling of paperwork (but excluding the death certificate), cremation and and urn for the ashes. Pricing for the package is $1,200 payable in 24 monthly installments. A lump-sum prepayment would qualify for a discount, and I believe I heard $1,000 as the number. Beyond the above, the presentation was awkward, as Mr. Arias seemed to me to be unprepared for the questions voiced from the audience. He improvised answers, sometimes after a side conference with his associates. 1) It took time and effort, but they have obtained all the necessary permits in spite of vocal opposition from the residents of the barrios adjacent to Las Acacias. The crematorium equipment is new and imported from the USA. 2) He is recruiting a manager who will be resident in David, as he is located in Panama City. My impression is that his co-owners are of the silent-partner variety. 3) The facility is up and running. He claimed that they "treated" five clients in the previous week. 4) He was vague in describing the location, i.e. "close to the Pan American Highway on the west side of David, beyond Fertica." Via Google Maps I am able to locate the cemetery: four km. beyond PriceSmart toward the border, turn left and the arched entrance is about one km. down the road, on the left side. 5) They offer other undertaking services, such as embalming and interment, but he didn't go into detail, focusing on his package cremation offer. 6) The business' website is blank. Its Facebook page consists mainly of employee portraits. But he did share lots of contact information: Jose Arias: (507) 775-7371; (507) 6615-1732; jarias@grupomemorial.com.pa; josearias@hotmail.com Other: (507) 6671-7732; (507) 6675-2087; (507) 6677-1736; www.grupomemorial.com.pa; office is in Centro Comercial El Faro, Local #16, Panama City. Mr. Arias showed a couple of photos of the exterior and interior of the new building, which appeared clean, airy and inviting. On my home I was overtaken by a white, late-model hearse which I assume was his team barreling its way back to David.

Change in Pet Import Paperwork Requirements Formerly, the small animal export/import process between USA and Panama required a US Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) validation of a special form filled-in by an accredited US veterinarian. As of August 2016, the USDA has discontinued validating of the form, known as APHIS7001. Instead, a new form negotiated directly with Panamanian authorities is used. I just brought in two kittens, and I will describe the hoops I jumped through in the hope the experience will be useful to others planning to bring in a pet. As always, your mileage may vary. Following well-explained instructions, I had the APHIS7001 form filled out by an USDA-accredited vet in Texas. This form describes the animal(s) and gives precise information about their vaccinations, and name/address of the exporter and of the importer. I then went to the USDA office qualified to provide the validation - there is only one in each US State - in this case in Austin. The USDA declined to validate the APHIS7001, but used the information it included to fill out the new, Panama-specific form, which then was certified with an embossed seal. They also handed back a copy of the APHIS7001. I took the new form to the Panama Consulate in Houston for authentication (an apostille by US State Dept. would also work). I had arranged for Jose Saenz of GoldenFrog to meet me at Tocumen, as I wished to have an experienced facilitator on hand to smooth out any possible difficulties. The vet/inspectors at Tocumen accepted the new form, but also insisted on having the old APHIS7001 form, in addition to Rabies vaccination certificates and all other vaccination records. As per usual, having more paperwork in hand is helpful. The kittens passed promptly, with no issues beside the grumpiness from hunger - no food while in transit... Attachments are documents of interest: USDA letter announcing new policy, my Panama form, my APHIS7001 form, and receipts for the fees of interest ( except for the Consulate's charge of $30, and Jose's fee). Panama Health Receipt.pdf Panama Agriculture Receipt.pdf Aphis7001.pdf USDA Letter.pdf Panama Animal Form.pdf USDA Fee Receipt.pdf

https://www.thenation.com/article/inequality-has-gotten-so-bad-were-offshoring-our-grandparents/

Illegal Immigration and the Darien A new and very colorful article about the Darien Gap and Panama's situation vis-a-vis world migration pressures has just appeared: https://www.outsideonline.com/2098801/skull-stake-darien-gap

I can't imagine how tugboats versus mules makes any difference to the quantity of water used to operate the locks. I have taken my own boat through the canal, and had trouble controlling her when uplocking and floating on the turbulent waters flooding the lock. Line handling from the boat and from shore is critical for a safe, swift transit. With friends we recently visited the new lock at Agua Clara and witnessed the training/practice of the crews taking the chartered "practice ship" BAROQUE into the lock. It involved four tugboats and an agonizingly slow line handling process. I submit that six or eight mules would be more effective, efficient, and cost-saving than the four tugs employed.

The expanded locks of the Panama Canal do not use shoreside "mules" to move and position ships as they make the transit. It seems that early 20th century engineering decisions are better than some made 100 years later. http://gcaptain.com/containership-damaged-in-panama-canals-new-locks/

As a former cruiser I am well-acquainted with the need for assistance in getting news of folks who have not appeared where and when expected. One of the first items of business on the daily scheduled radio network sessions by the various network controllers is always a call for "any health and welfare checks?" So, the expression is accepted, but one should use "Health and Welfare" to avoid the ambiguity trap.

Thank you for the encouragement. We share a nostalgia for the Las Ruinas offering - but folks need to know that this new restaurant is not Las Ruinas (or the Fish Market). My take is that Seasons seeks to join the "fine dining" category of Boquete restaurants. Certainly, Craig's personal style has evolved from the casual roadhouse entepreneur to that of a proper "Chef de Cuisine". Expectations need to be adjusted, otherwise disappointments will surely follow. I believe there is an opportunity for someone to create a successor to Las Ruinas, but this is definitely not it.

Full disclosure: I am a resident of Lucero, and pleased to have a quality restaurant near at hand. We had dinner at Seasons on Monday, their official opening night, with two other couples. Our orders totaled 7 appetizers and five mains, and with no concertation among us, it turned out that there were hardly any duplicates - the menu must have something for everyone! The biggest hits were the Bangkok Noodle soup and the Tuna appetizer. The drinks were very generous, and we were cheerfully given the jubilado discount. I can't remember ever having a Cobb salad anywhere in Boquete, and mine was real Cobb, and very, very copious. We asked for separate checks for each couple, and from memory mine came to $54 (tip not included) and covered three glasses of wine, two cocktails, one order of mussels, the Cobb, the Mekong Sub sandwich and the Shrimp. The bread is baked on premises and we had two baskets of croissants with a butter dish, real linen napkins, and due to opening-night teething problems (confused ordering, slow service) we were offered a complimentary post-prandial cordial, which we declined. I feel we received good value for the money. Footnote: the pizza oven is imported from Italy and has not yet been commissioned - apparently it requires some kind of "seasoning" before Craig will issue any pizzas.

Bird flu, swine flu, ebola, zika - we're all gonna die! I believe people continue to be sucked in every two-three years. Cui boni? Here is a serious look at the "zika threat" for those who might have an interest: http://necsi.edu/research/social/pandemics/statusreport

Color me skeptic. Remember the last swine flu worldwide epidemic, about seven years ago? After a few months, various governments were looking to sell off huge amounts of unused, unwanted vaccine. The World Health Organization was criticized for calling "Wolf", and their response was that the virus could have mutated into something rally serious. But then, the vaccine would be useless anyway. Question: how many of the "700 patients hospitalized" quoted by President Varela are still in hospital? H1N1 is just a different name for swine flu, but people forget, and fear is a powerful tool to sell stuff. Just sayin'

We had a very good experience shipping our 40-foot container from Reno, Nevada to Boquete. We used and recommend Rainier Overseas Services, based in Seattle. Doug Wiviott is the go-to guy there, and they work with Brent Snedeker, here in Boquete to smooth the receiving end and handle all customs issues. Brent was very careful with the unloading and re-assembling of furniture and stuff. Try doug@raineros.com or bbmovingservice@gmail.com (for Brent, probably the best place to start).

Reading the previous article on the same page (dated December 2014) from the same link suggests to me that the writer slipped a decimal, and the 21.7% should read 2.17%.

Dr. Rafael E. Rodriguez at Hospital Chiriqui. Corner office in main lobby, on the right when facing the elevator. 774-1435 or extension 2245 of Hospital Chiriqui main number (774-0128) for appointment. Speaks very good English. Cell is 6614-8590 Cleared up Kate's lung infection with a few meds, and just did the same for a good friend of ours. Hoping the need isn't too serious.

I believe the question included directions to the "Su Carne" butcher. Directions to that business are to proceed down the "old McDonald"s" street as if going to the airport. Make a right at the Police barracks/jail and then an immediate left, following the side of the jail. Cross two streets and down a dip to a bridge, and turn right on the first street after the bridge. Su Carne will be on the left at the next street on the left.

For what it's worth, we are on our third inverter-driven refrigerator (one Panasonic, two Samsungs) in five years. All three have been highly satisfactory, and all three emit the random, loud thump a couple of time a day. I imagine it is an unavoidable characteristic of the inverter switching system. We are used to it, and are only occasionally startled - and just grin and accept it as a sign that all is well with the fridge...

I second the recommendation for the Jensen Nursery in Volcan - they stock a lot of mature plants which are pricier but also provide instant gratification. In David, besides Lulu's, we've done well with Tropicales on Calle G between 1st and 2nd (They've changed their name under a new owner, but they are a half-block from the Halphen dentistry office). They also bring up a truckload of plants on Saturday mornings and park next to the Public Clinic adjacent to Romero's in Boquete. In Dolega, the Vivero Santamaria has a lot of stuff. Go three blocks toward the center from the Municipio building, turn right and go six blocks, the nursery is after the big bend, on the left. Two Rivers nursery on the main highway in Dolega, close to the Boookmark, has interesting and varied plants. We've been happy with the bedding plants we've found at the well-stocked nursery on the uphill side of Ivan's. I wasn't aware that Vergara was selling plants near the church - but there is the occasional find in his nursery in Alto Lino.