Home alone in Panama City

[Maryanne]I've been 'home' alone while Kyle is back at work, with too little time for Kyle to return home between his work duties.

Kyle is away.. so a common question is what do I do all day (as if with Kyle away would leave me wondering if I should even get out of bed?). So here is a little dose of the things I do 'home alone'.

I’ve spent time with a great community of sailors; shared lectures and seminars with those getting ready for exotic destinations like Tahiti, and beyond, shared pizza nights and cups of tea with fellow sailors.

But most of all I’ve been catching up with chores (basics like grocery shopping, and laundry, along with more boat-specific sewing projects and the like). We all get together on the radio in the morning to share news and tips, and we quickly get to know what people belong on what boats (even if we don’t actually know the name of the people!)

I’ve helped a solo sailor fuel and water his boat (an extra pair of hands is always welcome when travelling in close proximity to hard things such as docks!

I prepared a new map for the local Smithsonian Institute site which they seem very happy about. And every day I visited I got to see sloths and iguanas in the wild (along with turtles and sharks in captive areas)

I’ve taken some time out for some more tourist sites, it was CARNIVAL while I’ve been here and I visited (briefly) the area and walked the long stream of beer kiosks and water guns.. The carnival had a strong security and police presence, but I left when I saw what appeared to be a policeman attacked by a police dog.. I figured I’d be safer at home!

Panama Viejo - once this was destroyed, residents slowly migrated to Casco Viejo we toured on an earlier blog

I've mastered the bus system and visited old Panama (the original City that Captain Morgan ruined and forced everyone to move further North) - the Panama Viejo ruins.

I've been to a (disappointing, and food poison providing) Afro-Antillian festIVAL, and the city fish market - all interesting experiences.

I’ve struggled to find internet; occasionally I can get it at the boat, but mostly I have to hang out at a bar or some other such terrible ordeal.

Some of my time is is taken up with the research and planning associated with our next destinations. Once we leave Panama we are unlikely to have internet for possibly months - so now is the time to research all those things that we don’t know we need to know!

I've visited Panama City's Local Produce Market for last minute fresh fruit and vegetables before we depart. This market is amazing with areas the size of several tennis courts dedicated to just one thing: pineapples, watermelon, tomatoes, etc. And was treated to a freshly pressed sugar cane juice by one of my fellow cruisers.

Oh, the wonderful Mercado de Abastos / Mercado Agrícola Central - Wholesale produce market that also caters to smaller scale purchasers (thankfully)!

And finally: I get time to read, lots of books, life is not bad at all. Kyle comes home on Monday (hopefully) and then life just gets better!

hanging out in the anchorage