Author Archives: Mark
Buenos Aries – Part Four (The Final Installment)
Sleeping on a bed that doesn’t rock me to sleep is taking a little bit of getting used to. We are loving the vacation from our boat and sleeping in a real king-size bed. The high-pressure water in the shower is amazing. Unlimited supplies of hot water: incredible. His and her sofas to stretch out […]
Buenos Aries – Part Three
When we traveled to Portland Oregon a few years ago, I was very impressed with the Saturday (under the bridge) market. I love street markets and I especially love street entertainers. Roaming about these venues is a sort of happy place for me. It is so easy for me to lose track of time and […]
Buenos Aries – Part Two
We are loving it here in Buenos Aries! Springtime in Buenos Aries can be a little bit chilly. We are here as the trees are starting to bloom. Seasons are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres. Sometimes when the wind blows down the street, it can feel darn right nippy. The locals are bundled […]
Buenos Aries – Part One
Arriving in a new city at midnight can be a little daunting. We do not speak the language and we have no local currency. Argentinean pesos are hard to get outside of the country and somewhat hard to get inside the country; More on this later. Normally, we’d take an Uber from the airport to […]
We’re Going to Buenos Aries
Buenos Aries has been on the bucket list for a while. Often referred to as the Paris of the Americas, I have long wanted to see if it lives up to the reputation. It is quite a long hop from Panama to Buenos Aries, about 7 hours by plane on a direct flight. We’ve watched […]
Pacing in Panama
Why do credit cards have an expiration date? It isn’t like they are going to go stale, moldy, lose their nutritional value, or crumble because of age. Imagine the money the card companies could save if they abolished the expiration date or considered tripling it to extend years into the future. They would no longer […]
Sloths, Bus Stops and Air Conditioning
A visit to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort proved to be a fun day. The resort is a favorite for eco-tourists. As you would expect by the name, it is set in the rainforest on the Chagres River. The hotel offers all sorts of tours for guests and visitors. The attractions that really got our attention […]
Puttering About Panama
I think Panamanian people are born with an umbrella attached to their hand. The few times we ventured off without our umbrella, we’ve been forced to pay the price. Most recently when we went shopping at a massive shopping complex called Albrook Mall, we found ourselves stranded inside for a couple of hours due to […]
Boquete – Panama
The five and a half-hour drive to Boquete treated us to panoramic vistas of the lush green mountainous Panamanian countryside. The main road up and down Panama is the Panamericana Highway. Once away from Panama City the road becomes much less congested and the four-lane blacktop smooth highway makes for an easy drive. In Panama, […]
I Guess We’re Going to Gamboa
It’s funny how sometimes even the best-laid plans go awry. And then, as if by magic, things work out and the day is one to remember. The rain here in Panama has started to become a little more frequent as we progress deeper into the rainy season. Having to look at the weather for any […]
Mystery Solved!
We have been stumped by something recently. Every time we go to a fast-food restaurant, a manager has come to the cash register and enters a code. The total price goes down a little bit. At first, we thought we might be doing something wrong when we placed our orders. But, how can we be […]
Visa Renewal in Panama
Panama has become a top destination for expats. There are good reasons for this. The cost of living here is very reasonable. Healthcare is excellent and affordable. Gaining a visa or residency permit (not the same thing as a citizenship) is not very difficult. And, there are tons of special benefits for expats and retirees. […]
A Geography Lesson
Moving from the Caribbean closes the book on a chapter of our wacky sailing adventure. Our passage through the canal wasn’t exactly an easy decision to make. The decision mostly evolved from a lack of wanting to continue to cruise the Caribbean islands. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know […]
Transiting the Panama Canal – Part Two
Link to: Transiting the Panama Canal – Part One 5 am came too soon. This is it. This is the big day. I quickly brushed my teeth and got dressed. Going into the main salon and peeking in the forward cabin I see the line-handlers completely zonked out. I’ll make the coffee, I thought, that’ll […]
Transiting the Panama Canal – Part One
Absolutely feakin’ awesome! Wow! We went through the Panama Canal! I won’t say this was a dream of a lifetime come true but it’s pretty darn close. Because there is so much to talk about, I am going to have to divide this post into two parts. I’ll begin with the preparation and take you […]
