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"Hola" from the island of Bastimentos , Rep de Panama!

BigAl

BigAl

Gone But Not Forgotten
Hola!

Here I sit on the deck on Bastimentos Island ! We finally got the internet working . Its nice not to need to go to the other island to the internet cafe .
Not much has changed on our island in the three years we have been gone . Not much tourist and that is fine by me . Items are a bit more expensive but still a bargain by US st.andards . I see about a 25% increase on food products . The wife has already taken over the care and feeding of our caretakers 3 dogs . Its good to have them as watch dogs and they sleep by the door downstairs every night .
The weather is quite mild so far . As I write this ,I am wearing PJs , a long t shirt and socks . It really pisses of the "No See Ems" that were planning on having me for dinner tonight .
Fishing is good and I caught about 6 different kinds of fish yesterday and 1 white tip Shark. Try that on a "handline"! It was a blast !!!
We spent the evening snacking on Coconut smoked fish that we caught earlier that day . Pretty damn fresh !!!!

There was nothing to do when I arrived as the house as the men had the house opened up and ready for relaxing . They are amazing .

The church I planned to build is on hold . Instead of building a new one ,Jaun has asked me to supply a new roof to the one that is now here on the island . Tomorrow we go to church and after the service I will get a material list together . A new roof should be done in a couple weeks .

The water in the lagoon is like bath water . We went swimming tonight and it was luke warm .

Company starts arriving next week so it should get busy . The monkeys are hollering every night and the parrots talk to much during the day. It could be worst:biggrin:.I mimmicked the monkeys the other night and now they think I am one of them .

I plan on going night fishing maybe tomorrow nite . This will be a new thing for me .
 
I didn't think you had internet on the island?

Obviously the Professor hooked up some coconuts to the battery Gilligan salvaged from the shipwreck and he must have made an antenna out of the underwire from Mary Ann's bra.
 
Hey Al, you be careful but enjoy yourself down there. Was about ready to post a missing person post for you. If the folks are happy rehabbing their old church it probably has memories they don't want to lose. You have the skills to help them do a first class update to it. Maybe even a small solar system for little things like fans to keep them cool.:flowers:
 
BigAl said:
Hola!

Here I sit on the deck on Bastimentos Island ! We finally got the internet working . Its nice not to need to go to the other island to the internet cafe .
Not much has changed on our island in the three years we have been gone . Not much tourist and that is fine by me . Items are a bit more expensive but still a bargain by US st.andards . I see about a 25% increase on food products . The wife has already taken over the care and feeding of our caretakers 3 dogs . Its good to have them as watch dogs and they sleep by the door downstairs every night .
The weather is quite mild so far . As I write this ,I am wearing PJs , a long t shirt and socks . It really pisses of the "No See Ems" that were planning on having me for dinner tonight .
Fishing is good and I caught about 6 different kinds of fish yesterday and 1 white tip Shark. Try that on a "handline"! It was a blast !!!
We spent the evening snacking on Coconut smoked fish that we caught earlier that day . Pretty damn fresh !!!!

There was nothing to do when I arrived as the house as the men had the house opened up and ready for relaxing . They are amazing .

The church I planned to build is on hold . Instead of building a new one ,Jaun has asked me to supply a new roof to the one that is now here on the island . Tomorrow we go to church and after the service I will get a material list together . A new roof should be done in a couple weeks .

The water in the lagoon is like bath water . We went swimming tonight and it was luke warm .

Company starts arriving next week so it should get busy . The monkeys are hollering every night and the parrots talk to much during the day. It could be worst:biggrin:.I mimmicked the monkeys the other night and now they think I am one of them .

I plan on going night fishing maybe tomorrow nite . This will be a new thing for me .
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BigAl, glad you got Internet.

I'm on the Island of Shemya at the end of the Aleutian Chain. You can actually see the edge of the world from here!

It's kinda like the Anti-Christ is to Christ.

Your island is closer to Christ and mine is closer to the other guy!

Hope all is well there, sounds like it is!
 
Sounds real nice Alan. Did you take my coconut pie recipe to make? Glad you have the net there. We can still keep track of you.

Foggy good to see you here...

Regards, Kirk
 
Hi there Al. :wave: :wave: Livin the dream down there. :thumb:

Hey Foggy. :wave: :wave: :beer:
 
Glad to hear you're having fun and relaxing.

BigAl said:
I mimmicked the monkeys the other night and now they think I am one of them .
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Well, we've known that for a long time. They're learning fast. :biggrin:
 
ki0ho said:
Sounds good Al....any bites on the Idaho place yet?
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Since Real estate sales are down in most parts of the country , I decided to turn it over to a real nice couple to manage the whole thing . It helps them in a depress enconomy and relieves me of the day to day headaches of running a business . A win win for both of us .



fogtender said:
BigAl, glad you got Internet.

I'm on the Island of Shemya at the end of the Aleutian Chain. You can actually see the edge of the world from here!

It's kinda like the Anti-Christ is to Christ.

Your island is closer to Christ and mine is closer to the other guy!

Hope all is well there, sounds like it is!
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GOOD GOD MAN !!!!! Where you been ? Its great hearing from you . Do they have those nasty little No See Ems up there on your island ? Those little bastards wait at the door for me to show up here. They love America food .:biggrin:

Well , Got to head off to church :biggrin:

DON"T BE A STRANGER !!!! I miss your input !
 
BigAl said:
GOOD GOD MAN !!!!! Where you been ? Its great hearing from you . Do they have those nasty little No See Ems up there on your island ? Those little bastards wait at the door for me to show up here. They love America food .:biggrin:

Well , Got to head off to church :biggrin:

DON"T BE A STRANGER !!!! I miss your input !
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No real bugs here persay, the wind blows way to hard and they blow out to sea!

No trees either, they blew away centuries ago!

How has life been treating you?
 
fogtender said:
How has life been treating you?
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Just gettin older ! I don't even need a drink anymore to fall down . Hell , a good shadow can make me fall all over myself . i think that is one reason why the guys are so nervous about me doing anything , here on the island . They see me with a ladder and everybody stops working and starts praying .LOL They are afraid they may not have a job if I kick the bucket . Not to worry , the wife will just move in some young stud to take my place . :w00t2:Good ladder men are hard to fine down here :biggrin:

Honestly we are having a great time and the people are so nice . Tonight I am going net fishing with my caretaker .. I have my flashlight , bottle of rum and an assortment of sinkers and hooks . I will catch fish or get drunk tryin !!!
 
TODAY is Tarpon day ! Going to go try and catch one . They have lots here and no one fishes for them . I just got done making a "Super Secret" Tarpon catcher that I found on the internet !! The fish will never know what hit them !

Yesterday was another lesson in the "Trials &Tribulations" of living o n the island . Panama has lots of water .Usually .....
Yesterday a man came and asked if we could let him have water from our stream on the property . Also some filtered drinking water if that was ok . Its just something we seem to take for granted in the states . He filled up all his buckets and then was given 25 gallons of filtered drinking water . His water supply had run out on the island where he lived . He did the only thing. he could . He paddled his dug out canoe to our island to find water . His whole family came with him and drank lots of water while also doing his washing in the stream . It felt good to help one of the Good Lords special people .

I never want to take this place for granted . I have learned a lot about mankind and giving back here . Its nothing special to a lot of folks , but to me it is the chance of a lifetime to learn about life .It can be as good or as bad as you want to make it .

Its going to get hot today . Better find the suntan lotion and smear it on heavy .

So I will have an unofficial fishing report later this evening . It could be strectched on the truth a little depending on how much liquid refreshment is comsumed.

wish me luck !!
 
Al, serious question, Tarpon is only a sport fish, correct? You don't eat those do you?
 
I believe you are correct. That may be why we have so many here . They take the hooks and sinkers of the locals who cannot afford to lose them . Sinkers are $1 each !!!!! We proably saw 20 or 30 jumping and feeding the other day when we were bottom fishing .The girls are going to the front side to go after Tuna in a week or so . NOT ME ! I get to damn seasick for open water !!!:doh:
 
BigAl said:
Just gettin older ! I don't even need a drink anymore to fall down . Hell , a good shadow can make me fall all over myself . i think that is one reason why the guys are so nervous about me doing anything , here on the island . They see me with a ladder and everybody stops working and starts praying .LOL They are afraid they may not have a job if I kick the bucket . Not to worry , the wife will just move in some young stud to take my place . :w00t2:Good ladder men are hard to fine down here :biggrin:

Honestly we are having a great time and the people are so nice . Tonight I am going net fishing with my caretaker .. I have my flashlight , bottle of rum and an assortment of sinkers and hooks . I will catch fish or get drunk tryin !!!
Click to expand...

It sounds like you have found the perfect place in the world to hide out in!

I'm jealous!

Yeah, stay off ladders! :yum:
 
Fishing was no good ! We did not see one tarpon. We caught an assortment of fish but nothing like the other day .A couple of fish were so poisonous , the guys would not let me take it off the hook . Said if it stung me I would have high fever and be sick for a few days ??? Yipes !!! The wife did catch her first shark . A small one but still they have sharp teeth that cut like a knife. so I plan to sit my fat ass on the deck, drink Rum , and dare No see ems to bite me . The little SOB's will be so drunk after one bite they will be finished :biggrin:
 
Wow !!!???? Where did the time go ? I'll be leavin Panama in a few days . Not a lot has changed here . Most of the old folks we knew have moved on or found younger partners to spend their life with . That happens sometimes . Me ???? I am too hen pecked and happy jus to spend the rest of my days with the little woman ,"if" shell have me ..
It was a pretty good trip overall . A few bumps and one broken leg, but all good . The church has its new roof . My caretaker has his new solar system in the house and we caught some great fish . Tomorrow I am taking everybody that wants to go fishing and it will be our family day to spend with the people my wife and I have grown to love and call our own . Mama is down stairs with the girls doing the last of the luandry and I been hobbling around doing little fix it projects , to have the house ready for when we return . All our guest have now left and its just the two of us . The quiet is pretty damn nice.

So Saturday I fly to the big city of Panama , spend a couple days dining out at our favorite spots and then head home . I got a ton of projects that I am ready to tackle when we return . May be a little slow with the bum leg but I will get er done.

Man,,,, I dread Saturday when its time to leave for the airport . The tears will flow .Juan , my caretaker is full blooded Bug'le indian , and they do not show emotion very often . He will come to the house , hug us then turn and walk straight into the jungle to let his emotions out .This has been what he does as we have became closer and closer , over the years . It just kills me to see the sadness in his eyes :sad:. That man is like a son to me .
 
All right Big Al, you've convinced me. I'm going to cash in and go.

Looking for a little rancho in Costa Rica. Any advice?
 
squerly said:
You broke your leg??? :ohmy:
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yea I did ...... Had a 2x6 fall out of the attic and smack me in the shin . I thought it had just cut my leg but my whole lower leg went black and blue and swelled up like a pregant pup.Most of the time , i have been hammock bound. It turns out I had a perfect good reason to dance my one legged jig in the church and mutter a few cuss words . At least I finally get to ride in one of them little golf carts at the airport !!!!!! cool !!!

Kane said:
All right Big Al, you've convinced me. I'm going to cash in and go.

Looking for a little rancho in Costa Rica. Any advice?
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RENT FIRST !!!!!!!! Don't sale nothing in the states until your here for at least 6 months . I have seen a lot of folks sale everything in the states and move down , only to leave in 6 months and head back north . Costa Rica is pretty . Its getting too expensive there and most gringo's have relocated to Panama where it is much cheaper .If you like Costa Rica , you will like Panama . Do you want to be by the ocean or in the mountains ??? Boquete( in the mountains) is nice with a very large Gringo population.Bocas Del Toro is fun ,but cost a bit more since we are an island .Medical is first rate and cheap .Living here can be dirt cheap or expensive , depending what you want . $1500- $2000 a month should give you one hell of a life here . That includes rent , dining out ,part time maid , driver and so forth . I would not buy a car as buses go everywhere here .
 
Hola

My name is Chris and I live at Red Frog. Do you have solar power? I am interested in putting it on as they charge an arm and a leg for power here. I need to find out where to catch fish too. I have a local phone number if you would want to visit.

Chris
 
Crheld said:
Hola

My name is Chris and I live at Red Frog. Do you have solar power? I am interested in putting it on as they charge an arm and a leg for power here. I need to find out where to catch fish too. I have a local phone number if you would want to visit.

Chris
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Hi Chris , Your about 2 miles pass me .
Yes, my home is all on solar . That is the only way to go down there . It will be expensive to set up , but once installed you will have many years of trouble free service .

You need to call Victor Soldona . He is the solar guy for Bocas . He can install whatever you need . He lives in David but is in Bocas about once a week . Just about anyone will have his number .
If you know Virginia , whose has the yellow and green office building next to the Police station, go in there and they can give you his number .

The old rule of thumb is to figure about $5 for each watt supplied . Based on that, a 2000 watt system would cost about $10,000.. My system was installed 8 years ago so I am not sure of current prices .

Also welcome to our group !!


As you know , fishing can be hit or miss down there .. Try the front side of Bastimentos or out by the buoys on the way to Alimirante . Minnows work best .
Good Luck ,
Allen
 
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