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Day 2 Sunday
ruralcarrier
2 hours ago
My early rising continues. I was up early enough to see the sunrise and see things starting to clear. Saba was somewhat visible, as it is today also. Andy and I made a run to Carrefour for a few beers and other necessities. I then met a couple here at The Horny Toad who had spent a week hiking on Saba and are here for 3 days. They did not rent a car and needed some supplies also so I offered to take them to Carrefour. Wow, what a difference an hour makes on a Sunday morning grocery trip. The first trip was in and out pretty quickly; the next trip (about 11:00) was nuts. No parking and lines down the aisles to checkout. It appeared there were a few yachts being supplied as well as restaurants buying supplies for the day.
Back to The Horny Toad for some beach time and relaxation.
One thing Andy wanted to see was Maho Beach and the planes. I go back to the era before social media and Sunset Beach Bar being the only real draw out there. We got a table at Driftwood, and Andy proceeded to get "sandblasted" a couple of times. He was like a kid in a candy store! Even though I have been there many times, it is still fun to see a first-timer experience it. We did a quick drive around Mulleet Bay, it was packed as one would expect on a Sunday, and then up to Porto Cupecoy and Jordan Village.
Back to The Horny Toad to clean up and attend their informal happy hour. I guess the other guests didn't get the memo, as it was just the 4 of us attending.
Off to Mark's Place to meet Junior Bruney for dinner. Mark's Place was tremendously busy with carryout orders, so service was a little slow. Ribs, mahi-mahi, a burger, and shrimp pasta were the choices, and all was good. My only complaint is the lack of a decent wine list; I ordered a bottle of the house cabernet. I had forgotten from a year-ago visit that the house wine is Barefoot wine, which is very bottom shelf but was priced like a decent house wine. Mark was there, as almost always. He is noiw 80 years old. Valda was our main server, and she always does a good job and knows Junior and myself from many visits over her 25+ years oif working there.
I think today is town day for some jewelry repair and browsing. We just had a quick passing shower, hopefully it clears up.
Karen and her husband Andy and my wife are in the picture. A cruise ship arriving after the shower this morning.
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Panama Relocation Tour
jazzgal
10 hours ago
I recently went on a Panama Relocation Tour and wrote a summary of the tour. It follows.
Friday, May 1
Started the day at the breakfast buffet in the hotel, which was included in the price of the room. Since I came in a day early (in case of airline changes) I paid for the first night. The hotel is a Courtyard Marriott, under $100 per night. Pretty sure a similar room would be $200+ in the states.
Intended to go for a walk but didn't get too far. I was wearing capri jeans, which were definitely too heavy for the warm and humid weather; should have worn shorts. Came back to hotel and went to the mall next door. It's the biggest I've ever seen with a ginormous food court. Spent at least an hour going through Riba Smith, the Panamanian grocery chain that carries US brands. Found just about everything I use regularly; for the most part, if one insists on getting US brands, you're going to pay a premium.
I had left a note for housekeeping in Spanish (thanks to Google Translate) with four items that needed attention. Three had been taken care of when I returned to the room. The fourth was a floor lamp that wouldn't turn on. When I returned from dinner, the floor lamp was on. Guess my note was understandable!
The hotel's TV package has two English-speaking channels: Fox and BBC. You all know which one I am NOT watching!
Saturday, May 2
On the first day of the tour, we met in a conference room in the hotel for orientation. There are thirty of us on this tour, and we spent a couple of hours listening to our tour guides telling us how the tour would work. When we are on the bus, the guides will be telling us what we need to know to move to Panama.
Our first tour was of Panama Clinic, a state-of-the art private hospital specializing in cardiology, ophthalmology, urology, pediatrics, and medical tourism; Panama has both private and less-expensive public hospitals. Doctors at private hospitals are required to do rotation at the public hospitals as well. The hospital complex includes a hotel and shopping mall. It’s the most impressive hospital I've ever seen and has an excellent reputation. Another private hospital is Pacifica Salud, a Johns Hopkins affiliate; I think we drove by but did not tour it.
On the bus (our roving classroom), transportation in/around Panama City was covered in depth. Possibilities include Metro, Metro buses, regular buses, taxis, ride shares. There are also intercity and regional buses. Traffic congestion affects schedule reliability. Some are cash only; others are contactless payments where you put $$$ on a card.
Lunch was at El Trapiche, where I enjoyed the juiciest chicken breast I’ve had in a long time. Subsequent chicken meals were less successful as chicken was overcooked and dry.
After lunch we toured a rental in a new high-rise. It was a 2 BR/2 BA with WD in kitchen but only 600 sf; made me feel claustrophobic. We were given free time in late afternoon to give us a little rest from the first day so many explored the Multiplaza Mall next door to the hotel. Perhaps the best meal of the trip was dinner that night at, I think, Frank’s Place. Wonderful conversation with fellow tour attendees.
Sunday, May 3
The bus headed west out of Panama City. Tour guide, John, spoke to us about several of the Panama City neighborhoods including Casco Viejo, Belle Vista, El Cangrejo, others. We crossed over the Panama Canal but couldn’t take the Bridge of Americas due to a recent fire explosion underneath; that bridge was open to cars but not tour buses or large trucks. There’s a nice park along the Bay of Panama and we passed the Albrook Mall with 700 stores, the largest mall in Central America.
John explained the differences among Panamanian, North American, and hybrid homes. He talked about using all your senses in evaluating a rental, how to find rentals as there is no MLS and listings are not shared among realtors, importance of attorney review of lease.
Arriving at the San Carlos region, not far from Coronado, we toured a high-rise condo at Vista Mar. I posted pictures on Facebook. It was a 3 BR, 3.5 BA, 1800 SF unit on the golf course with views of the ocean – for $1,600. I fell in love with this unit but not necessarily the area. When back on the bus, John talked about what to look for when viewing a high-rise unit. Lunch was at a resort in Playa Blanca, and my notes are sparse about the afternoon and evening.
Monday, May 4
We headed to Penonome, the capital of Cocle Province, and toured a Panamanian house, 2 BR, 1 BA, for $500; fenced yard, 2 parking spaces, furnished, garbage, landscaping, and water included; you pay cable and electric. 3/2 houses would go for $800-$1,000. The realtor who showed us this house was a walking Chamber of Commerce, talking about all the services and available activities, volunteer and otherwise. Were it not for the small expat community, I would be very interested in this area.
The morning “bus talk” was about health care. It’s excellent in Panama and is pay-as-you-go. (I saw a doctor in Bouquete for $15; I wanted to talk about availability of one of my two medications). Test results are sent to you. Doctors give you their cell and What's App numbers; you deal directly with them, not nurses or PAs. Doctors are attentive and interested in your entire well-being. Not a litigious society; frivolous lawsuits not allowed; consequently, doctors don't have sky-high malpractice premiums.
There are 63 hospitals throughout the country: 14 private, 49 public. Differences between public and private hospitals were discussed. Not all ambulances have EMTs or equipment; some in more remote areas have stretchers only. Drugs are not covered by insurance in Panama. Pharmacies are not regulated; prices vary widely. Some have weekly specials. Many more drugs are OTC in Panama that require prescriptions in US. Opioids require prescriptions.
Lunch was at Gran Hotel Azuero in Chitre, and our speaker was an expat who has lived there for some time. Chitre is in a dry arc with 40% less rain than rest of country.
The afternoon “bus talk” covered the several options for health insurance. Regular Medicare doesn’t work in Panama, but some Medicare Advantage will cover urgencies and emergencies with direct billing available. I have lots of notes about this, and there is extensive information on the topic in the online Panama Relocation Guide which you receive as part of the tour or can purchase separately.
During the afternoon we toured a PriceSmart, which is Panama’s equivalent of Costco. We spent the night at a lovely hotel in Santiago, Hotel Mykonos.
Tuesday, May 5
This was the longest bus day. Bus topics included package delivery (there are no street addresses in Panama, no house numbers or zip codes), moving household goods, shipping cars, banking; lots of very specific information.
Lunch was at a beachside resort in Las Lajas (pictures posted on Facebook), and our hotel for the final three nights was in David, Hotel Ciudad de David.
Wednesday, May 6
As we drove to Volcan, the bus topics included moving pets to Panama and getting a driver’s license. In Volcan, we toured a “landing place” (a month-to-month rental while you are looking for your long-term leased property); as I recall it was a 3BR 2 BA for $500. Lunch was at La cava de Volcan, and we had another expat speaker.
When returning to David, we drove through a lovely neighborhood where a 3BR 2 BA home would be around $850. Unfortunately the realtor who was lined up to show a property couldn’t make it; I was disappointed to not be able to tour a David property as that area, while hot, has a lot that is interesting to me. We spent some time touring a mall in David.
Dinner was at a Peruvian restaurant, Cocina Peruana. After dinner, an attorney who has offices throughout Panama spoke to us in detail about the various Visas available and how to get them. Very informative.
Thursday, May 7
Bouquete day. Started out at the tourism center, which deserved more time than we had. Then we toured five properties, which was overkill for me: one beautiful American-style 3 BR 2 BA home for $1,850, includes gardener, alarm, water, garbage; propane, electric, wifi extra; pet friendly. A couple of “landing places” for $675 all-inclusive month-to-month, no generator, common WD; and a couple of brand-new rentals for $1,250 on a one-year lease, 1100-1200 sf, electricity and wifi extra.
After lunch we had a few hours to roam downtown Bouquete. I used some of that time to go see a doctor to find out about availability of a particular medication; was relieved that it’s no problem and he prescribes it several times a day. Monthly visits to renew would be required, however.
The tour ended with a lovely dinner at Al Punto which was strictly social. We all were “lectured out.” The next morning, a flight from David back to Tocumen International Airport in Panama City was included in the tour price; from there, some stayed to further explore Panama, which I wished I had had the foresight to do, and the rest of us came home.
Thoughts
I likely will be moving to Panama, but the timing isn’t certain at this point. While I would love to live at the beach, there aren’t any beach communities that have hospitals; clinics, yes, but no hospitals. At my age, that’s a no-go. Thus, the areas I am most interested in are Panama City and David, both of which got fairly short shrift on the tour. I likely will return for private tours of these areas to decide where I want to be and will get my temporary/provisional visa process started at that time. After receiving your provisional visa, your permanent visa is generally granted within six months. At that time, you are eligible for Jubilado discounts including 50% off entertainment, 50% off hotels Mon-Thu, 30% off hotels weekends, 30% off public transportation, 25% off airfare originating in Panama, 20% off restaurants, 25% off utilities, 20% off doctors and specialists, 15% off hospitals and private clinics, 15% off dental, 15% off optometrist, 10% off prescriptions. This makes the cost of living even more reasonable.
The founder of Panama Relocation Tours has written an extremely extensive Panama Relocation Guide which can be purchased separately or received as part of your tour. Many expats I’ve watched on video state they are still referring to the Guide even though they now reside in Panama. In addition to detailed information on the topics we heard about on the bus, vetted contacts (attorneys, real estate agents, insurance agents, private tour guides, others) are listed. Also includes information on telecommunication services, banks and banking, Spanish teachers, transportation (including buying and renting a car), taxes, mail delivery and shipping, language, weather, asset protection, expat meet-ups, and things to know after you move to Panama. There’s also a sample Move to Panama 6-Month Timeline Checklist. It’s going to take me awhile to get through all this information.
I learned a lot on the tour and am glad I went. I need to start Spanish lessons and start preparations for moving, which is going to be a full-time job from here on out. Probably no more puzzling!
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Formula 1 on SXM, what’s verstappening?
the captain
10 hours ago
If you enjoy f1, looks like Verstappen was here.
For the F1 fans
At first, I wondered, of all the places he could go after the Miami Grand Prix, why Saint Martin? Then realized he’s Dutch and it’s a short ride away. With a newborn in tow now, perhaps he’s dropped off his family to hang there for a bit until the next race or back to Deutschland?
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Private water taxi
NotquiteCapnRon
Yesterday at 08:43 PM
Looking for suggestions and experiences with private water taxi from STT to BVI. 18-24 people. Luggage. Direct to charter base after check in would be great, but not required. Late February 2027.
Thanks,
Ron
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Arrived in ROME!
Carol_Hill
Yesterday at 01:55 PM
So 10 hour flight from MIami, nonstop to Rome. Flight ok, the food sucked. Spent 26 hours without sleep, so crashed at 4:30 PM local time here last night. Time is 6 hours ahead of East Coast time here.
Saw the Coliseum today. Wonderful! Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel tomorrow. So far have had some wonderful pizza and pasta here, nice breakfast at the hotel. Pictures, soon come!!
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Arrival Day
ruralcarrier
Yesterday at 09:49 AM
A decent and early AA flight out of DAY on a CRJ900, into CLT about 35 min. early and then left CLT on a 737 MAX8 about 40 min. late and arrive SXM about 2:30, as scheduled.
We opted to go first class, as when you factor in the checked bag fee for coach, upgrading to main plus or extra, whatever it is called, and other factors, it was not a substantial amount more. I will say we were treated very well in first class, and the meal options were varied (you preorder your choices), and what each of us had was excellent: beef Wellington for me and a chicken dish for my wife. Both were very good and included some nice side dishes.
Our group consists of my wife and her sister and her husband, both of whom were with us in 1991 on our first cruise visit, but neither had ever been back to SXM.
Immigration went well for me, but my wife had to do a manual entry due to not taking her glasses off. That went ok, but then her sister got hung up due to something with her picture, and that delayed them about 30 minutes due to the long lines. I was through and into the luggage area in just a few minutes. I had claimed some luggage and gone outside to meet Hardy's Car Rental while they were dealing with immigration. We all agreed, the form is basically useless and the system is grossly flawed.
After a quick stop for some cold Heinekens, it was to The Horny Toad we went. I unpacked while the others checked out the property and unwound a little. We decided on an early dinner as the others were in coach and did not have a full meal like we had.
We drove by The Greenhouse as that was an option, but they appeared to be very slow, so we took a drive up the newly paved Billy Folly Rd to check it out. We decided on Lee's for dinner. I was greeted by Val as he remembered me from many past visits. I chose garlic bread and the appetizer portion of coconut shrimp, while the other 3 opted for fish and chips. Every plate was cleaned, and the fish and chips were declared to be very good, even by my wife, who hardly ever eats fish. Very reasonable prices and no service charge added.
I knew SXMScubaman arrived today also, and as we were finishing our meals, he and his wife and another couple came in. I recognized him, so we chatted a bit and hope to run into each other again. I have a picture of us and will try to post it later. I think it is always nice to meet other people from TTOL and this was no exception.
We were all tired from a long day of travel so it was off to bed early. I am an early riser at home and keep the same schedule. I was up to see the sunrise this morning and do this update.
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Leverick Bay Poker Run 2026 - longsleeve shirts
Murdock
05/09/2026 11:39 PM
Good day TTOLers -
If anyone is headed to the Leverick Bay Poker Run 2026 on Sunday, May 24th, I'd be grateful if someone could pick me up a long sleeve performance shirt men size Large, and a women's Small.
I'll gladly pay in advance, and throw in a nuisance fee too!
We live in TN, and I am in no hurry for them, but it's a tough souvenir to get....
PM me if you'd like, or I can PM anyone willing. Text, email, whatever...
Thanks!
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