You’ll be spared from my fractured prose
for the next few days as my Favorite Panamanian and I are journeying south to
Colombia (see, I can spell it correctly) to celebrate our anniversary. You are
welcome for the respite this provides. I’m excited to see Colombia but the wife
is really excited as she knows I would have been just as happy to spend our dwindling
time here in the tropics, on the beach. Matrimony comes with compromise though
or vice versa, I get confused.
 |
| Upstairs Neighbor and I at Johnny Fiesta's |
We’re leaving on a high note, thanks to
our upstairs neighbors (again). After the Friday birthday bash, they invited us
along to an afternoon down the beach at Johnny Fiesta’s. While I’d heard of
this place, this would be our first visit. One of the guys from our Friday
night dinner was singing at the bar from 2-4PM and we wanted to support him.
The Upstairs Neighbors are much more plugged into the expatriate (Expat)
community here than we are. Johnny Fiesta is famous for being a hangout for the
expats as there is a healthy supply of them on that side of the beach, mostly
American and Canadian. We have a more modest accumulation at our end of the
beach. I didn’t know what to expect but I was very pleased to walk into the bar
and be surrounded by fellow gringos. It was something I hadn’t experienced
since last December. While we only knew a few people, the group was very welcoming
and beers were only $1. Ruh Roh!
 |
| The Ladies |
 |
| The Crowd |
 |
| Singing Friend |
While the bar could seriously use a
couple fans, we settled in to our seats with me and the Friday birthday boy sitting
on elevated bar stools while the wives sat at the table in front of us. In a
welcome development the Canadian from down the beach and his wife joined us
after a short time. The singer was very good when we could hear him over the
din created by the noisy gringos. I learned my Favorite Panamanian had an
admirer from her time spent at church. A guy from Texas made a bee line to our
table and began to lay his palaver on my wife. After a while my wife turned around
and introduced me to him. He was a little crushed and we didn’t see him again
for the rest of the time there.
 |
| Back for the Sunset |
It was a very fun afternoon (did I
mention the $1 beers?). It made for a very interesting post-bar boogie boarding
session. Neither my Upstairs Neighbor nor I were able to walk the straightest
of lines down to the surf. We both calmed down by the time the sunset rolled
around and were rewarded with one of the best sunsets of the year. For those of
you who have seen the earlier versions will know that is saying something. So,
off to Colombia tomorrow, talk to you next Saturday with a hopefully full
report.
 |
| Saturday Sunset |
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RECURRING CHARACTERS:
ABFA – Amazing Best Family
Athlete – my daughter
in law; BR3 – Blog Reader #3 – granddaughter
#3; BRS - Blog Reader the Sequel -
second granddaughter; Cantankerous
Friend – friend since grade school who likes to argue about everything,
poses as radical leftist to attract women; CRC - Connecticut Riverboat Captain – another close friend from high
school, renowned sailor of the big river; Curbside
Girls – close friends of my daughter acquired during her single days in
Brooklyn; Czech Connection – Czech couple who’ve become good friends
along with their daughter (the Czech Shadow); Deckzilla – our backyard deck which grew to monstrous dimensions
once my wife got involved in planning; Favorite
Panamanian - the wife (of course); FBR
- First Blog Reader - first granddaughter; First Friday – celebrations to mark the First Friday of the Week; Great Aunt - my elder sister; Keene Friends 1 & 2 – friends since
high school from my home town of Keene, NH; Kindergarten Friend – friend since kindergarten whom I reunited
with after many years; Maine and
Virginia Musqueteras – two close friends of my wife – her US sisters, my
wife is the 3rd Musquetera (musketeer); Namesake Nephew – son of Great Aunt and Soxfather named after me; Neighborhood Mafioso - wife's close
friend and Panamanian mafia member; PanaGals
– female relatives /friends of my wife from Panama; Panamanian/Latin Mafia – inevitable group of Latino friends my wife
accumulates wherever we have lived & their spouses; PCR - Pittsburgh College Roommate – high
school friend, also a “Minor Celebrity” in Pittsburgh; PCR+1 - Pittsburgh College Roommate’s wife; Riggins - also known as the
Grandpuppy, son's dog; Seis Amigos - two couples from our condo complex
and my wife and I; Soxfather – my
brother-in-law (whom I miss more than I can ever explain); Tia Loca –
wife’s younger sister; Wingman – my
son in law; Wingmom – Wingman’s mom,
of course
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