Working Man

I got a job!

My first night at the restaurant, Los Balcones, was very interesting. I told the owner that I had experience waiting tables (I don't) so I could get the job. I didn't realize how much work it entails and I now have a new respect for servers the world over. So not only had I never done the job before, everything was in spanish. The menu was in spanish, the other workers speak pretty much all spanish and I had to write the orders down in spanish for the cooks. (It's actually kind of a weird role-reversal down here, I feel like I'm their underpaid migrant worker) I've taken several years of spanish classes and had a lot of practice...I'm not a complete rookie when it comes to the language, but that night was the single biggest learning experience of my life. My vocabulary grew by probably a hundred words I didn't drop any food, so I considered it a success. We had around 10 tables that night, which I thought was pretty good for such a small restaurant. So I went back the next night for the sequel, dreading it. My legs were tired and my brain was fried because of all the multi-language thinking I had to do and I was just exhausted from learning and doing a completely new job in just a matter of hours.

When I got Balcones on Sunday, i set up all the tables and swept and mopped the floor and all that good stuff and then waited. We had two tables that night. Five people in 8 hours. They were all guests in the hotel and it was the exact opposite of the night before. The place was dead and I actually felt kinda bad for the owner. Last night was the same way but with less people. I also had to hand out fliers, which I am terrible at. They gave me a bunch of slips of paper that permitted the bearer to a free drink and appetizer. Mistake. All the people that came in last night got their free stuff and left without even looking at a menu. It was painful to see the people just kind of shuffle out when they finished with their free shit.

My only real complaint is that I'm the only waiter at the moment, and I think they expect me to work everyday from 3 until 11, which sucks. I haven't been to the beach in several days (I know, I know, waaah waah waah, but if you were here it's all you'd want to do to) and I just don't think I can keep up this rigorous schedule of getting to work and sitting around for 8 hours. Junior even told me that my bike is ready and i haven't even had time to go pick it up yet. I do get a free meal out of it though, and a good one at that. The restaurant serves traditional peruvian style food, and it's awesome. Excellent, super fresh seafood. I watched the chef buy the crabs and lobster from some dudes who pulled up in a boat. They had JUST caught the damn things. Fresh.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now because that's really I've been doing the past few days. I'll get it all settled though and pass the news along to you guys.

adios

something pink

Hello loyal followers, I am still alive. I know you've been on the edge of your seats, constantly refreshing this page, hoping to calm your insatiable appetite for my wonderful updates and insightful musings. Fear not! For I have returned.

Anyway, today marks my 7th day in Bocas and my 497th sand fly bite. Those damn things are relentless, they're like the terminator and I'm sarah connor. And they're elusive like leprechauns, i haven't been able to get a picture of one because i've been too busy wincing with pain when they find me and dig in.
If you're interested, you can read more on wikipedia:
I'm a hyperlink!

Since my last entry, I found a new place to live. The Blakers (no picture of them yet either. They're less elusive than sand flies but have better camoflauge) kinda broke it to me in a roundabout way that Jacy wanted her place back to herself, which is understandable. I'm the eager up-and-comer with the eye of tiger who just kind of fell into her house. I'd want my space back too. So i found a place a little further down the road in a newish condo. I found an ad in the paper advertising a 1 bedroom unit and a 2 bedroom unit so i gave it a shot, hoping that i could find a roommate to split the cost. When i got here, i was told by the landlord/person in charge that the two was the only one available but she'd be able to give it to me for the cost of the one bedroom place. So, I was like, hells yeah, and she was like, ohmigod, and the deal was done. I've been in here for three days i think, and I have wireless internet and nice little balcony that looks right out onto the beach and some power lines. Also, there's AIR CONDITIONING. Really, this was a major selling point. How did people get by without the wonders of a/c? It's magical.

Here's some shots of the place where i'm living:

I'm on the second floor. If you look closely, you can actually see me sitting on the balcony.

Here's my view

I just realized that this is really a shitty picture, but my view isn't that bad. You can't tell where the ocean ends and the sky begins so it's hard to get a sense of perspective. Also I was lying about being on the balcony in that other picture.

I've been making the short walk down to the beach for the past few days now. The beach in front of my house is called Playa El Istmito or Playa Cabaña, but I have no idea why. It's a beach anyway.

There's a little black speck near the waterline on the left side of the picture. That was an old man who was speedwalking along the beach singing "who do you love?" over and over and over. And not just singing it, he was belting it out. He was proud. I could hear him all the way down the beach and it made me smile. "You sir. I love you."


believe it or not, this is another picture of the beach, but in the opposite direction. I know, this is heavy stuff. You can sit down if you need to.


This picture was originally meant to show how clear the water is, but I've decided that it's a great opportunity to show off my tan lines, which i will now call my racing stripes.



In mobility news, my bike still isn't ready. Junior, the bike man, may be dead and my bike may never be finished. Every time I go to his house to pick it up, I'm told it'll be a few more hours or one more day. Yesterday he told me it'd be noon today, but at noon he told me that he didn't work in the morning and it would be ready at 5. I did get a good look at the bike that he's building me. For some reason, probably because I keep bothering him, he's building me the brightest pink bike I've ever seen. It looks like something Elton John might have sold at a garage sale, but with less rhinestones. I planned on painting it black but when I went by to pick it up today, I asked him if he'd do it since it wasn't finished yet. Of course, he said yes, and now it'll probably be another week before it's ready.

I played the drums last night at Bahmfalks, a bar in bocas town. There was a guy playing guitar in the corner and the owner, Bill Bahmfalk, was talking about how he couldn't play drums but he wanted to jam. So, I interjected and told him that I have been know to eat beat drums occasionally. After the presidential debate was over we jammed for about a half hour. I got to talking to the guitar player, and it turned out that he's from florida and he lives in Bocas. He gave me the phone number for a restaurant that is opening tonight and needed waiters so I gave 'em a call today. I start tonight at 4.


Well, that's about it for now. I'm off to find a way to watch college football.

adios

Before i get to far into this, let me say that I'm typing on a spanish keyboard, so it may be full of typos, tildes and accents-just bear with me here.

I've been in bocas for about four days now. Sorry for the lack of updates, i have to come to an internet cafe to get online and I was more focused on getting myself oriented than i was on writing a blog. Anyway, it's beautiful here. The flight over from panama city was nice because it was still pretty early in the morning and there were thick clouds of fog that hung on the jungle as we flew over. The descent into bocas brought the clear-green water into perfect focus.

The blakers met me at the airport and gave me a quick tour of the town, not that there could probably be anything other than a quick tour. There's a main road and several offshoots. That's about it. After they showed me around, they took me to the house I'd be living in until i found a place of my own. Here's a picture of it:


I know it doesn't look like much, and that's because it isn't. It's basically a fifteen foot square of concrete with tin walls and a bathroom inside. There's a ladder inside that takes you up to a studio type area where the blaker's niece, jacy, sleeps. Jacy wasn't in town when i got in...she was out on a charter boat tour of the nearby islands and wouldn't get back until the next day, so i was on my own for at least 24 hours.

I did some exploring around town, walking everywhere so i could get a feel for the place and kind of figure out for myself where everything was. The house is only about a ten minute walk from the middle of town and its super easy to get around. The town itself is probably about the size of UT's campus, but could be a little bigger. Here's a picture of the main street, calle 3, in the middle of the day.



The streets in town are always super busy with people peddling homemade satchels or shoes or whatever knick knacks they've got to sell. There's also a ton of people on bicycles. I'm having a bicycle made by my neighbor, Junior, and it should be ready in a day or two, so I'll be joining the pedaling crowd soon enough.

The beach is a short walk from my house as well, and it's just gorgeous. I've been swimming there several times but have yet to take my camera because i'm afraid it might get stolen. before too long, i'll lug it out there and take some fotos.

I tagged along with Jacy and one of her friends to Wizard beach a day or two ago. It's on a different island, Bastimientos, but it's only a $2.50 boat ride away. Once we landed on the island, it was about a thirty minute hike through serious jungle to get the beach, but it was more than worth it. I can't think of a time that i've been the only person on a beach, much less a beach as beautiful as that one. The water was absolutely pristine and except for the occasional sand fly bite, the trip was just perfect. It won't be the last time i make the trek to playa wizard and next time i'll be sure to take my camera.

Here's a picture of the bocas breeze office.

that's where the magic happens. the magic of producing a newspaper, that is.

This is the view of the water from right next the office.

it's too bad that the sun isn't out because you can't see how pretty the water is.

Here's a pretty cool picture of the canal from the air.


I took this picture of a taxi as it zipped by me

most of the taxis here on the island are pretty new toyota or isuzu trucks. They pretty much have to be, apparently, because to get to some parts of the island you have to have four wheel drive.


That's all i've got for now. Hopefully, I'll take a lot more pictures in the coming days as well as find a reliable internet source where i can use my own computer and keyboard.

adios

Day one

Well, I finally made it to Panama. I'm sitting in my hotel room in Panama City, exhausted and ready for sleep. I've been up since around 3 am and going pretty much nonstop ever since. My flight left San Antonio pretty early, and after a short stop in H-town, I was finally finally finally on my way. My cheeks hurt from all the smiling I did today. I was giddy like children who just discovered the hilarity of farts. My flight here was only about a third of the way full, and I had an entire row to myself. AND there was a movie, too bad it was Made of Honor. Boo.

I picked up my bags, made it through customs and found my cab driver waiting for me just inside the terminal. I wonder if the novelty of someone holding a sign with your name on it at the airport ever wears off. I hope not. We exchanged pleasantries and before I knew it we were off like a flaming racehorse. The driving here is awesome. Stop signs, lane signals, traffic signals, pedestrian right-of-way and pretty much all accepted norms of driving in the US simply do not exist. It's survival of the fastest.
Also, their city buses are amazing works of art. Check this one out:

Yes, that is some sort of awesome superhero painted on the side. It makes the bus faster. There was also an amazing airbrushed portrait of Neptune on the hood, naked and holding a trident. Really.

We made it to the Miraflores locks on the canal, where I went up on top of this building and snapped a bunch of pictures while some boats ships ran the gauntlet.

These two ships were HUGE. They were loaded with over 1000 containers each. The black one slid through the canal with only two feet of clearance on each side. They moved slowly.

This is an interesting photo.

On the left, you have the Pacific Ocean, and on the left, you have the Atlantic. I've simplified the process slightly-there are several locks throughout the canal that raise and lower the vessels, but you get the gist of it.

Here's an "after" picture:

That's basically the same shot, but with the locks opened and the ship sliding on through. Also, you can kind of get an idea for how many containers these damn things were carrying. I'd like to see what's inside one of them. I hope it's not people. Ok, that's not funny, but I'm leaving it in.

Here's a picture of me looking like wet ass at the Panama canal:

Check out the JUNGLE on the other side of the canal. I feel like one of the Oceanic 6.

And this is just a picture of a guy with a shirt that I thought was really cool:

Just kidding! It says god bless panama.


I'm waking up bright and early again tomorrow morning for my flight to bocas, which should yield more colorful and jealousy-inducing pictures.

Orientation

So, one of the perks of being unemployed is that I don't have to get up at a certain times for things like responsibilities or whatever. That means I'm up late, and bored. So I decided that I'd give you guys a crash course in geography to help you understand where I'll be. It'll be fun.

So here's a big map:


As you can see, Panama (roughly the circled area) is a surprisingly horizontal country. I know! I'm baffled by this as well, but, after all it is our first line of defense against South America.

Here's a slightly more detailed map of the general area:


The circled area contains the town that I will live in, Bocas del Toro. Bocas del Toro, of course, means something in spanish.

Anyway, that's it for now.

Primero

Just checking in to make sure everything here is in working order.

I'm still in Austin for now, getting all my ducks in a row before I take off. Come Friday, though, I'll be leaving on a jet plane.