Our six hour tour started from the Flaminco Marina on the Amador Causeway. From there we took about an hour bus ride to Gatun Lake where we boarded the Pacific Queen to go through three locks.
The Panama Canal, which is about 80 km from end to end, was started by the French in 1881 and finished by the United States in 1914.
Every vessel that goes through the canal, whether it is a large container ship or a small pleasure craft, pays by weight. Our guide said the cost can be a million dollars, and more, for the large container ships.
The first lock we went through was Pedro Miguel. Our smaller vessel did not need a ‘mule’ to guide us into the lock, as did the big ship behind us. Then we went through the two locks at Miraflores.
It was incredible how quickly the water dropped and the gates opened.
It was pretty cool going under the Bridge of the Americas. This was the first permanent bridge that went over the canal, it was build by the Americans, opened in 1962, and connects the Pan-American Highway.
From the canal we also had great panoramic views of the city skyline.
It was basically a full day trip. We left the hotel at 8:30 AM and were back there by 5 PM.
Our vessel dropped us off on the Amador Causeway, at the same place the bus had picked us up in the morning. After enjoying a good ice cream bar we took an Uber back to the hotel.
A great way to spent the day when visiting Panama City.
It’s amazing how quickly we collected ‘stuff’. Our little house has one small storage room and it didn’t take long to be packed above the rafters with tools, gardening equipment, ladders and so much more. We needed more space. This is a small town and our Spanish teacher’s brother, Roberto, built us a storage shed, or deposito.
A couple of months ago, Daryl laid down four bricks to show the size of shed he wanted, then he went with Roberto to the local ferreteria to buy supplies. The truck showed up the next day with everything.
Most things here are built with brick and concrete. Daryl did a price check, even using the American dollar, there is a significant price difference.
All the rebar was twisted into needed shapes with this piece of equipment and a crowbar type thing.
Once the rebar was installed, the floor was prepared for concrete to be poured.
Apart from a couple of days when Roberto had a helper for laying the cement floor, and moving the bricks, this has been a one man show. Pretty well every day from 8 to 4, sometimes until dark.
Little by little, poco a poco, it took shape.
Once the brick was laid for the walls, it was time to do the corners.
When the project first started, the season was just changing so there were still some cloudy days with a little bit of rain. Within a few weeks it was full on sun and hot!
The cement mixer was used for the bigger jobs but a lot was mixed by hand. The peaks were completed, and we had a doorway.
Then it was time to do the roof. I cannot imagine what it felt like to be working in full sun using a welder!
The roof was made with sheets of fibrocemento (concrete fibre). Sometimes a little help is needed.
Then it started to look like a shed, although there was still lots to do. All the inside walls had the bricks overlaid with concrete mortar.
And then the outside was finished, the mortar is quite thick and smooth.
The floor was sealed and the inside walls painted.
Once the metal door, which Roberto made, was installed, the deposito was completed. It will eventually be painted the same mango colour as the house.
Now we can get all the tools out of the house, and hopefully safe in their new home in our well constructed storage shed.
We do find time to relax a little and enjoy local cuisine.
Roberto gave permission for his picture to be used.
We use town water. A year ago when we requested connection, it took months before we actually had running water. As we have found out, sometimes during dry season and festivals, there is a lack of water. Therefore, a lot of people have a tank, or more, to have a supply on hand. Then you need a pump (and electricity) to get it into the house.
Last year before the first tank was installed, we actually went several days without water. Thankfully we were not yet living here.
This year there has been no problem to date, but in anticipation we now have two tanks.
We should be good for a week with fairly normal usage if the water dries up. Longer if we are careful.
As soon as the new concrete pad was dry, the installation was quick, and easy.
The other project was getting a new septic tank. The old one was functional but had a leak somewhere under ground. For Daryl the best option was to get a new one. The work was scheduled to begin on a Monday.
Supplies arrived, and one guy worked using a pick axe to expose the existing sewer pipe.
The next day a crew and the excavator arrived, it took about three hours to dig two holes. As soon as the first hole was dug, the workers were inside it, finishing up the digging by hand.
Before the second hole was dug a dump truck showed up to remove the extra dirt.
While two guys were inside the first hole, squaring it up, the other guy was building the frame to start pouring concrete.
The tank frame was started with one layer of bricks, then concrete was poured for the floor.
Those guys were fast. It took two days to do the floor, sides and parging.
My understanding of how this works: Waste goes into the first hole ‘the tank’, and solids settle to the bottom. Liquids go through a pipe into the second hole and disappears down somewhere. I know! a very technical description.
A truck showed up and filled the second hole with rocks.
The workers evened out the rocks, put down a layer of fabric to prevent organics from growing, levelled it out with soil and it was pretty well done.
While the rock hole was being filled in, another guy was building the form to lay on top of the tank. First there was a layer of wood, then the rebar form, and then concrete.
The next morning a guy showed up to join the existing sewer pipe into the new tank and it was finished. A week from the first hand dug trench to expose the old sewer pipes to completion! Now we should have the capacity for lots of water to come in and safely leave.
Only one casualty! A tree had to be moved as it was vey droopy after being jostled about.
Two years ago Daryl bought a house that was referred to as ‘the pink house’. Well, it may have been pink at one time but was so faded it looked mostly white.
Before anything could be done on the outside, the inside had to be gutted down to the bare walls, actually even inside the walls if you take the electrical and plumbing into consideration. It has definitely been a slow process, made slower by us being in Panama only six months of the year.
By the time we left Panama in the spring of 2024, the security door and windows had been installed. Before installation Daryl painted around all the doors and window. Mango was always going to be the house colour.
This year, mid December, or as soon as the rains stopped, we were scheduled to get the house painted. As is so often the case, things happen. Just before the painters started, we got a leak in the hot water pipe below the ‘on demand hot water’ unit. No small job because the pipes are buried in the concrete walls. Luckily Daryl is pretty handy.
It took a few days and a lot of work to locate and fix the leak. Then it was just a matter of patching and sanding, and the house was ready for painting.
There was one more task that had to be completed. Every seam in the house, both inside and out, was caulked or stuffed with screen to keep the critters out. Geckos are impossible to keep out, although now there are fewer inside, and thankfully no more bats.
The painters were a husband and wife team. A couple of days they had a helper, but mostly just the two of them and they sure worked fast. She cut in and he rolled.
Daryl’s patch job took a few extra coats but turned out perfect.
Just to keep both sides of the house even, a few days after the house was completely painted, we developed a leak on the other side of the house beside the water tank. Daryl got out his trusted tools and started breaking up concrete. He found the leak and fixed it, the patching and painting will come later! And no worries about the lines freezing up!
It has been one big adventure after another. Other than needing a storage shed, a carport, a bohio, and a …… well you know how it goes.
Even with the work we find time to enjoy walking on the beach.
A couple of nights ago Daryl and I went to watch the Christmas parade. It was scheduled to start at 6 PM, just as it is starting to get dark. As it is not unusual for start times to be delayed, Daryl and I ambled to town about 6:30. There were not many people out and about yet, so we walked to the big Pedasi sign to sit while waiting.
The parade started with police on motorcycles. Then lots of decorated cars.
There were marching bands, both locally and from surrounding areas. We live close to the school so had listened to the band practicing and practicing and practicing…..
Local businesses were parading their decorated vehicles, and musicians too.
The grocery carts were packed with full size gifts that were being handed out to little people. Most every float was throwing out candy or gifts. One truck had a full load of balls that were thrown to the crowd.
This float was being prepared outside the school, which is quite close to us. The red roses were absolutely gorgeous.
The grinch in the town truck was throwing out goodies.
The parade lasted two hours, the longer it went on, the bigger the crowd became. And what’s a parade without big sparklers.
The biggest crowd was at the square, seemed like the whole town had come out to enjoy the parade.
On our way home we stopped for street food. The double smash burgers were made from scratch, cost $5, and mine was too big for me to finish.
We stopped to eat our burgers and watched a good half hour of fireworks.
A couple of years ago I needed something to do when it was too hot to be out and about, and gave woodworking a try. Daryl and I went to a lumber yard, ‘a guy’ cut six pieces of wood off a log for us and I went to work on them.
After a lot of sanding and several coats of stain, they were finished.
We didn’t have any use for those lovely discs so they got packed away.
Last year Daryl found a couple of bar stools that were structurally in good shape but were too tall and needed work. He had the legs cut down to the right height for our kitchen island and removed the seats.
This gave me a chance to work on my new favourite pastime. The stools required a lot of hand sanding as the sander would not fit into the narrow tops and my tool supply is limited. I used a coarse #40 sandpaper to get the chocolate brown paint removed. Then I used a #120 and finished with a #240. The wood is quite smooth.
It actually took the both of us to get the paint can lid removed. I swear the metal is as soft as tissue paper, or maybe I should have cleaned the lid better the last time it was used!
Three coats of transparent Aquavar, a quick sanding and staining to two of the wooden discs that had been in storage, and our kitchen stools were almost done.
I do believe the new seats are a bit of an improvement over the old ones.
The bottoms of the seats required a bit of levelling, then the parts were screwed together and we have functional stools!
This works like a charm for those cold days when we have to eat inside:)! Luckily that never happens.
A year ago there was nothing in the yard except one massive tree in a corner. Daryl chopped off a lot of the branches as they were falling on the roof….the brand new roof. But ‘things’ grow here, sometimes whether you want them too or not!
We have a big stump on the side of the house, Before Daryl left last May, he gave the tree growing out of it a big haircut, cut every bit of green off. It keeps coming back!
A couple of years ago Daryl sprouted an avocado pit. It has done really well and if we are lucky we will get avocados in a couple of years.
Last spring a friend gave us a small banana plant. It didn’t take long to grow up.
The corner of the yard on the road side is much lower than the rest of the yard and gets very wet. Two years ago we had a row of bamboo planted along the fence for privacy. It has done well everywhere except in this wet corner. Daryl got busy and built a French drain, and added a lot of gravel.
In April 2025 we bought some palm trees that are supposed to be good for privacy and thrive in wet soil. Only six months since planting, they haven’t grown tall yet but are sure filling in.
Not everything has thrived. A year ago we got a small poinsettia that initially did really well. Before I left in April we planted it in a shady area. When we arrived back in Pedasi, a month ago, our poinsettia had one skinny stock with a few leaves on top. This year we are trying again. Maybe the tall skinny plant will become a tree, or we might find out it is just too hot here for poinsettias.
On one of our beach days last year we were sitting under a tree that had red berry pods. It made a nice shade tree, just had wicked spikes. Daryl brought a few pods home and planted the seeds. Wikipedia identified the tree as some kind of tamarind, but we are not sure.
Exact same spot, dry season and wet season. One spiky tree survived and is growing!
This was a twig Daryl transplanted from outside the yard. No idea what it is, but it has already had a good haircut.
Daryl’s other property had a 10-12 foot limoncello (that’s what we have heard it called) hedge on the road side. It created total privacy and was full of spikes. The fruit is not edible. Last year Daryl took one of the fruits and planted it in the yard. We now have a plant growing. We also have a few more limoncello fruits to plant.
A couple of years ago while on a beach walk, Daryl found a coconut that had about a 6 inch sprout growing out of the side. He brought it home and planted it, actually it has been transplanted a few different times. It is going to be a very tall tree, hopefully producing coconuts.
Last year Daryl came home with a big bag of Sorel flowers. We took the leaves off, dried them and had lots of cold brew tea. The seeds were planted and literally grew like weeds. Sometime over our summer, the guy cutting the grass took a picture showing the Sorel plants were taller than the seven foot fence.
After we arrived back in Pedasi, Daryl chopped all the Sorel back and stuck some of the tops in the soil. Already they have grown a good foot. Still no fruit.
From May to November, pretty well the same spot.
At least one of us is a gardener and it is not me! It has been interesting and fun seeing ‘stuff’ grow from seeds or sprouts. Amazingly enough most everything survived the six months we were gone.
Three years ago a neighbour had a large corotu tree fall down in his back yard. It was massive, the diameter of the trunk was taller than me.
Our neighbour had a guy, with a six foot chain saw blade, come by and slice up the tree.
It made some very nice slabs of wood. Although it did wreck the fence when it fell down. The slabs of wood were so heavy a fork lift had to be used to move them.
We really wanted a table top that was a solid piece of wood. We found they are not easy to come by but this tree just happened to fall down. Right time, right place! After purchasing the slab we wanted, it was treated with a gasoline smelling liquid to keep it from being eaten by termites.
After being treated, the slabs were stacked and left to dry out for two years.
Cliff (picture used with permission) then used a router to level our slab and take off most of the bark.
Such beautiful wood.
We also had two benches cut from the same tree. They did not need as much drying time as so much smaller. Last spring before going back to Canada, both bases and benches were delivered separately. There was quite a bit of staining from being stacked. After a lot of sanding and several coats of stain, the benches looked really good. Then Daryl put both pieces together.
New feet that wouldn’t wreck the new floor, and the benches were good to go.
Before Daryl came home last spring, the table top and base were delivered. He put the two pieces together, wrapped it up and left it on the deck to be completed after we arrived back in Pedasi this fall.
We arrived at the end of October.
The table top was actually in really good shape. Cliff had done a great job smoothing out the top.
There was a fair amount of dark stains on the wood. Daryl used an acid wash that worked really well. The entire table top had to be done, otherwise we had a polk-a-dot table top.
After such a long time, the table was getting close to completion.
A good sanding, ending with 280, and the table was smooth and ready for staining.
I applied 8 coats of Aquavar. It is still rainy season here, not the best time to be applying stain. I waited a couple of days between coats before lightly sanding and applying the next. Pretty good chance the table will need another sanding and staining when the dry season arrives to give it a proper finish. We just needed a table!
And it’s done! Approximately 8 feet x 3.5 feet. Soon there will be soft pads for our benches.
A three year journey from a large corotu tree to our table. Yeah!!
I wouldn’t want to fall over the edge of that cliff, especially if there were hundreds of buffalo behind me. But when you had to get through Alberta’s long cold winters, and nature provided, you did what you had to do.
On our way back from Lethbridge, we stopped at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Run, which was designated as a National Historic Site in 1968, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981.
The architecture in this building is pretty cool, it’s built into the side of the mountain and goes way up. Even though you enter at the lower level, our guide suggested we start at the top and work our way down. There is an elevator that takes you up five levels, then you walk up the last level to get to the Upper Trail and viewpoint.
I had heard you could probably see all the way to Saskatchewan from the top. Might be true!
We then walked down each level which was full of rich history and interesting displays. According to the brochure, there is evidence of human activity in this region for at least 11,000 years, and the buffalo jump was practised on the Great Plains for nearly 6000 years.
Unfortunately this depiction was taken through glass, so much glare! There was an incredible amount of work and co-operation needed to find the buffalo and then get them to go in the direction of the cliff edge. Once over the edge they had to be cleaned and dried. Nothing was wasted and was used for food, clothing, tools and probably more.
The displays were detailed and included much more than buffalo.
Unfortunately the buffalo disappeared in the mid 1800s. With the arrival of horses and guns large hunts were not as needed.
I think the picture to the left explains way better than I could.
Thankfully the buffalo are back, both farmed and wild. Maybe it is time for a visit to Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta.
There was a ton of information and history at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Run. Another trip well worth it.
Lethbridge, Alberta held the first ever North American International Yosakoi Festival at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden in September 2025. It was well worth the trip.
I had no idea what Yosakoi was until we arrived and started watching this energetic, synchronized group dance. There were teams from Japan, USA and Canada. Teams ranged from just a couple of dancers to large groups.
The costumes were incredible, some fairly plain, but mostly quite elaborate. This costume changed from a drab grey suit to a colourful outfit by just taking off the jacket and letting it hang behind.
Here is another cool costume change, and a very big flag!
Most of the dancers used little wooden hand clappers, also umbrellas, fans and flags.
This was the largest group, an international team with dancers from over 20 countries. The guy singing had an incredible voice.
The dancers wore split toes footwear.
The dancers I spoke with said they provide better grip and flexibility. It is also a traditional part of the costumes.
In total there were 12 or 13 teams. Unfortunately I can’t remember team names or where they were all from! Lethbridge was represented.
There were three performances throughout the day. In between time we had a chance to go for good sushi and tour the Nikka Yuko garden. Even towards the end of September, the garden was beautiful.
What an amazing venue to hold this colourful energetic dance competition. Well worth the trip to Lethbridge.
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