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A very Happy New Year from Panama everbody. How the years are rolling on , 2008 i can hardly believe it.Let´s hope it´s a very happy and healthy one for everyone!
What a good idea to fly yesterday from Bocas to Panama City, an hour instead of a 10 hour bus journey. Good Call Clod! The rain continued in Bocas on Saturday but I found myself chatting to two aussie guys over lunch that somehow turned into dinner and drinks.It's so funny how open you really become when travelling, everyone just seems keen to chat and meet new people. Yesterday morning the sky seemed reasonably stable so I thought I chance my arm and hire a bike for an hour and two. I always seem to think I am alot fitter than i actually am! well actually I blame the lack of gears for my complete exhausation after doing a couple of hills. I even had to get off and push it up one! I swore to myself that when I get my home that besides finding a job I am going to get fit! Please remind me if i don't do it! In the end i found a nice quiet beach and finished Harry Potter. No I have never read any of them and I have never really been interested but I found myself without anything to read and the left behind nobody no longer wants selection at the hotel was limited so Harry Potter it was. I have to admit I find myself tempted to read the next one!
After my hour flight to Panama City I found myself with some daylight remaining so I headed out for a stroll. As i walked along by the water it was really interesting to note; to my left a whole new area is under construction of high rise hotels and apartment blocks.It could be anywhere, Dubai, New York or London . To my right perched on a hill overlooking the ocean the old town, beautiful in its day I'm sure but slightly run down today. However there was someting captivating about the air... doors and windows open,sounds of children laughing and playing and every now and then echos of salsa music caught my attention. a similiar feeling to walking the streets in Havana if anyone has been. The paseo /pedestrain walk wrapped around the top and Parco Frances. People strolling eating icecream, taking photos and lots of young couples hugging and kissing everyone, it distinctly reminded me of Naples.
I decided the cinema would do me good and a kind policeman hauled down a taxi for me. I seem to do the 'Dame in distress' figure quite well but of course i would have to chose a policeman guarding the Presidental Palace to ask. Interestingly taxi rides are shared experiences I soon realised as we stopped at the following corner and picked up a mum and her kids. I had a Toddler on my lap before i knew it intently examining my freckles. We all ended up at the Mall and piled out together, buggy, bags and bodies! The cinema was in english.. Love in the time of Cholera. I quickly realised I had read the book, the poor guy had waited 51 years to marry his beloved but as in any good love story love prevails.. Instead of admiring the cuteness of it all I just seemed slightly disgusted watching two apparent 72 year old getting it on. Lets hope I'm not waiting that long to find my 'beloved!!
This morning i went to see the Canal. Well I couldn't come this far and not!My taxi driver was very quick to tell me that he had be brought up to respect women because we are women even though he has had a few bad girlfriends, well not sure what to make of that!! I found myself consoling him that we are not all that bad!! The visitor centre at the miraflores locks is really well done and you can't help but feel impressed with this wonderful engingeering feat.During the short film presentation the guide asked everyone where they were from.. a big clap went up for me , obviously not south american! but impressed that I was from ireland watching the spanish version.
As you walk around the streets you hear this constant beeping and it took me a while to work out what they were beeping at me, ME (not to sound vain or anything)!!you get alot of' mi amor ' coming at at you from all angles but people are genuinely very friendly and helpful.As I was walking to a bus top early a car slowed down and kept beeping at me. I turned to find a lady frantically waving at me telling me to jump in, she drop me to the bus stop just to be on the safe side .How nice! I found myself on a bus heading towards the centre but at the mall again before I knew it so i got off and did spot of shopping A couple of tops..you know what I'm like!I'll dowload all the photos tomorrow so you can start to visualise alittle better all that i am trying to describe! I'm not sure if my thoughts are flowing fluidly today...
Anyway Feliz Ano Nuevo a todos. Lots of Love and happiness for 2008 and lots of Happy times together i hope XX
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