The Worst Thing

Boquete

Right now, it seems that the worst thing going on in Boquete is the torn-up roads. They’re replacing water and sewer lines, which is a good thing. The bad part is that this has apparently been going on for at least a couple of years (if not longer), and they are working on lots of different areas at once, with little of it being completely finished. Detours change by the day, and it’s just a big, disorganized mess.

However, hopefully the improvements will pick up the pace somewhat, now that the President of Panama paid a visit to Boquete yesterday to address the situation.Β  I guess people complained loudly enough that he made an appearance. He stated that the roads would be finished in three months, in time to prepare for the upcoming tourist season. I must say that townspeople are not holding their breath until it happens.

Coincidentally (or not), elections are coming up next year. πŸ™‚ There are no second terms for presidents here, so the current president can’t run for re-election – but I suppose it would be a plus for his political party if they promised to continue whatever positive works the current president started.

There has been a lot of work going on lately, though – some of it in the next block from my apartment. They paved the side street (one block long), and poured a couple of blocks of new concrete sidewalks. Nice!

Downtown Boquete is REALLY torn up right now. I should mention that the water mains and sewer lines run down the middle of the streets. A couple of days ago, probably in anticipation of the President’s visit, they dug a huge, deep ditch in the middle of the main street, right in the heart of downtown Boquete.

The big ditch in the middle of Main Street

Businesses have been badly hurt by the disruption, and some have even gone out of business because customers can’t get to their locations easily.Today, a couple of blocks north of the “big ditch”, some actual paving happened. It will be nice when all of the main street looks like this:

New paved street just north of downtown

On a totally different topic – there is a little gecko living behind one of the pictures on the wall in the kitchen. I see him emerging occasionally and skittering across the wall, then back behind the picture. The photo’s kind of fuzzy, because I zoomed in and took it from across the room, so as not to scare him.

My little roommate

I’ve been hearing a loud chirping sound, usually after I go to bed, and I just realized tonight that it’s the gecko that’s making that sound. I figured it was some kind of bird until now, but it’s definitely coming from inside the house in the gecko-s direction. It sounds kind of like a hen clucking, but sharper and fairly loud – definitely a big sound from such a little fellow! Hey, as long as he stays in his area and doesn’t crawl into bed with me, I’m OK with it. After all, this is Panama!

4 comments… add one
  • Christi Aug 25, 2018 Link Reply

    The road thing sucks, but I love your roomie!!! 😁

  • William Eudy Aug 25, 2018 Link Reply

    Isn’t it nice not having to go to work?

  • Becky Aug 26, 2018 Link Reply

    Wow! The road thing is horrible. That is a mess for getting around the square. Hope the coffee shop restaurant we went to is still there.

    • Myra Aug 26, 2018 Link Reply

      If you’re talking about Sugar & Spice, it’s definitely still there! I had breakfast there yesterday, in fact. It’s several blocks south of the worst of the current road activities. Now, next week – who knows where they’ll be working next?

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