Another week has passed and another interesting and active weekend in the books. On Friday, John invited me to whack at some golf balls on the driving range – something I’ve never done. The last time I had any sort of golf club in my hand was about 10 years ago and the windmill and hills on the artificial turf wreaked havoc on my game. It was at a kid’s birthday party; maybe one of mine, maybe one of their friends.
On the range, I didn’t do terribly well, but I didn’t do terrible, either. Middle of the road, that’s me. My swing though, that is terrible! After an hour or so on the range, we hung out at the 19th hole for a while before resting up at the beach club and having lunch. Then we went to a bar. I have to stop drinking so much, though; I’m getting round. Interesting to note that my resting heart rate is noticeable higher nights after I drink more, and later in the day. Sometimes approaching 50. Something else to ponder.
This is Carnival week here in Panama. A celebration that begins on Saturday, and ends on Ash Wednesday, with the culmination on Fat Tuesday. The cars were exiting Panama City in such numbers the police had closed off one inbound lane, converting it to outbound. They did that on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It makes for some challenging and slow going if you’re going anywhere else. And I did.
On the range, I didn’t do terribly well, but I didn’t do terrible, either. Middle of the road, that’s me. My swing though, that is terrible! After an hour or so on the range, we hung out at the 19th hole for a while before resting up at the beach club and having lunch. Then we went to a bar. I have to stop drinking so much, though; I’m getting round. Interesting to note that my resting heart rate is noticeable higher nights after I drink more, and later in the day. Sometimes approaching 50. Something else to ponder.
This is Carnival week here in Panama. A celebration that begins on Saturday, and ends on Ash Wednesday, with the culmination on Fat Tuesday. The cars were exiting Panama City in such numbers the police had closed off one inbound lane, converting it to outbound. They did that on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It makes for some challenging and slow going if you’re going anywhere else. And I did.
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On Saturday, I’d been invited to Micah’s for Sam’s birthday. Casual time in and around the pool with burgers and dogs on the grill, and beer in the cooler. John and I decided not to drive because (a) alcohol, and (b) traffic. So we parked his truck at El Rey at the entrance to Coronado, and did some shopping for appetizers. As we were checking out, Micah texts asking for beer and wine. We park what we have past the checkers, and dive back in. The stores are crowded with celebrants, so it was busy. We get the stuff (a case of brew and six bottles of wine), and track down a taxi for the ride to Buenos Aires. $12 is the negotiated price, and we pile in the drinks, snacks and our bodies and take off. If John wasn’t there to negotiate, I’m sure I’d have paid $20 for a similar ride. Language helps!
Long drive, traffic forces us to go way past the turn and double back, but we get there. Good times, good burgers, and good dogs – both the kind you eat, and the kind that wants to eat your food. I’m talking to you, Luna and Odin.
Then it was off to a birthday dinner on the beach. This part came as a surprise to me, but, heck, roll with it, eh? We pile into two cars and it’s down the hill, All we needed to do was cross the highway less than a K to the left. Seems simple, but nah. We had to go right for K after K after K before Felix did a sneaky turn he wasn’t supposed to and doubled back. What would normally have been a 30 minute drive was an hour, and would’ve been more, if not for sneakiness.
We get to the Pink Palace on Punta Chame, and it’s a great place. Laid back, quiet. We spent some time whacking golf balls off the sand with a three-wood, drinking (yeah, I know, more drinking) before an outstanding dinner of cranberry walnut bread, hummus, tabouli, Thai curry, gorgonzola pasta, and key lime pie, all made right there by Panama Peg. We ended the experience with a bonfire and Frangelico. Yum.
Long drive, traffic forces us to go way past the turn and double back, but we get there. Good times, good burgers, and good dogs – both the kind you eat, and the kind that wants to eat your food. I’m talking to you, Luna and Odin.
Then it was off to a birthday dinner on the beach. This part came as a surprise to me, but, heck, roll with it, eh? We pile into two cars and it’s down the hill, All we needed to do was cross the highway less than a K to the left. Seems simple, but nah. We had to go right for K after K after K before Felix did a sneaky turn he wasn’t supposed to and doubled back. What would normally have been a 30 minute drive was an hour, and would’ve been more, if not for sneakiness.
We get to the Pink Palace on Punta Chame, and it’s a great place. Laid back, quiet. We spent some time whacking golf balls off the sand with a three-wood, drinking (yeah, I know, more drinking) before an outstanding dinner of cranberry walnut bread, hummus, tabouli, Thai curry, gorgonzola pasta, and key lime pie, all made right there by Panama Peg. We ended the experience with a bonfire and Frangelico. Yum.
Sunday, I went to an orphanage with a different friend. Amanda, from Australia, started a foundation to help with the place. She needed some signatures and asked if I wanted to go. Decline? Not me. We hop in to a cab and ride nearly all the way back to Panama City. The orphanage was really quiet because all the kids were on an excursion Sunday. We did see the infants, though. Poor buggers weren’t invited on the excursion.
I just hung around while Amanda got done what she’d come to do, then it was back in the cab for a LONG ride back to Coronado, because, traffic. Got to Coronado, and the Mexican restaurant she wanted to hit was closed. Flag down a cab, and we go closer to home to Luna Rossa, and get a really good pizza. The crust was wafer thin. Snarf that down, and no alcohol. Go me. I needed that food, though, it was about 2:00 pm and I hadn’t eaten since the key lime 18 hours before.
It was nice not to hear about various shit storms going on in the world and just spend time with friends in a beautiful place. It’s now Monday, and I need to run off some of the calories. Maybe today will be the day I’m successful in my limbo attempt at the entrance gate. So far, my attempts have only been successful at making the guards laugh. A win in my book, regardless.
I just hung around while Amanda got done what she’d come to do, then it was back in the cab for a LONG ride back to Coronado, because, traffic. Got to Coronado, and the Mexican restaurant she wanted to hit was closed. Flag down a cab, and we go closer to home to Luna Rossa, and get a really good pizza. The crust was wafer thin. Snarf that down, and no alcohol. Go me. I needed that food, though, it was about 2:00 pm and I hadn’t eaten since the key lime 18 hours before.
It was nice not to hear about various shit storms going on in the world and just spend time with friends in a beautiful place. It’s now Monday, and I need to run off some of the calories. Maybe today will be the day I’m successful in my limbo attempt at the entrance gate. So far, my attempts have only been successful at making the guards laugh. A win in my book, regardless.
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