We finally settled on a place. It's a five minute boat ride from Bocas Town, where Lila goes to school weekdays. We have our own boat dock, a beautiful view, a one minute swim or walk to the beach on an island with no cars at all.
It's a funny thing to walk to the end of the dock and hail a boat to town or elsewhere just like hailing a cab in NY.
Last night, we had visitors. A Danish family with four kids we met at Casa Amarilla. They have travelled to all the places I'd eventually like to go, some pre-kids and much with them. It was a lovely night and a perfect way to spent our first night here. We also have an open invitation to visit their small village in Denmark. It's as good a reason as any to visit.
Now, this very moment, we are in Panama City. We came to join Fred and Melissa in celebrating Fred's father's 96th birthday. I cannot even imagine the breadth of his experience. He is really an amazing man. An accomplished opera singer and talented tennis player who played daily in the Panamanian sun well into his 80s. It was an honor to be here.
It is such culture shock to be in the big city again. Two days in a row we visited the Multiplaza mall where we stocked up on all sorts of things we can't find in Bocas. Chocolate chips, brown sugar, towels and a birthday present for Fred's dad. It's a fun and funny place, that Multiplaza, where you can find just about anything you need. (with perhaps the exception of shoes in American size 14 for Noah). Lila ate waffles with strawberries and ice cream for lunch while Noah and I played a rousing game of "Real or Not Real."
Tomorrow we return to Bocas to our quiet boat dock and to a house where I hope to finish many of the short stories I started since we started this trip in May.
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