Road trip!

[Bluce Ree]

I've been throwing around the idea to visit Panama for a few weeks now. Last night, I booked us a gorgeous condo for the next month in Punta Pacifica, Panama! We're leaving Wednesday. The look on my wife's face was priceless.

 

[Gatefan1976]

No beach dude (in the city that is)

 

[Bluce Ree]

No beach dude (in the city that is)

No beach in the city. You wouldn't want to jump into the ocean water at Punta Pacifica, it's too polluted. There are pristine beaches just a short drive away, though, with pale sand and turquoise waters.

Where we're staying is right in the middle of the action. We have casinos, restaurants, shops, mall, movies, etc. Car rental is cheap and taxi is even cheaper. I'm shocked at how affordable it is to rent a fully furnished new luxury condo in Panama. I got a 1200 sq ft, 2 bd / 2ba with balconies and views of both the north side and south side on the 34th floor for less than what I pay in rent here and it includes TV, Internet, a cell phone with unlimited calling and a private car service.

 

[shavedape]

#1. Must you Romney-rich types constantly flaunt your wealth every chance you get?

#2. Ah Panama, beautiful weather, harsh penal system.

#3. I love the alliteration of this name: Punta Pacifica, Panama.

 

[Bluce Ree]

#1. Must you Romney-rich types constantly flaunt your wealth every chance you get?

#2. Ah Panama, beautiful weather, harsh penal system.

#3. I love the alliteration of this name: Punta Pacifica, Panama.

Brother, if only that were true!

Apparently, they've extended tourist visas to 6 months for Americans and Canadians. I imagine they're trying to grab the snowbird crowd.

 

[Bluce Ree]

So, here we are, 2nd day in Panama. This is the view from my balcony I snapped last night:

We went to a local spot for a nice lunch today. Panamanian style skirt steak & veggies:

As you might have guessed, I found my local gym within 24 hours of arrival about 7 minutes walking distance from our condo. Cost was $80 for the month I'll be staying here. Once a gym rat, always a gym rat.

So far, I'm loving it here.

 

[shavedape]

So, here we are, 2nd day in Panama...

As you might have guessed, I found my local gym within 24 hours of arrival about 7 minutes walking distance from our condo. Cost was $80 for the month I'll be staying here. Once a gym rat, always a gym rat.

OMG, that's hilarious!

Great pics btw. The city looks amazing! I'm so hating you right now, more than usual.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Whats the price on a room like that for the month?

 

[Bluce Ree]

Whats the price on a room like that for the month?

$1900, includes Internet, cable, all utilities, mobile phone with unlimited incoming and a private car service. It's a very modern 1200 sq ft unit with 2bd/2ba and balconies on both sides. I'll post up some pics of the unit as soon as I get around to not being lazy about it.

I wanted to stay at the Trump Ocean Club right at the point but the units I wanted were booked. Those were around $3k, same level of luxury but better building amenities. Next time.
--- merged: Mar 22, 2013 2:45 AM ---

OMG, that's hilarious!

Great pics btw. The city looks amazing! I'm so hating you right now, more than usual.

Bro, it's hard not to love this place! The people are friendly, the infrastructure is surprisingly North American level and ... get this ... FREE MEDICAL COVERAGE for all tourists staying 30 days or less. I swear, they hand you a brochure with full details right at customs when they stamp your passport.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Pics not needed dude, I'm not ape

That is about the same as we pay here for our house to rent plus similar utilities, hmmm..............
Is that a relatively expensive place?

 

[Bluce Ree]

Pics not needed dude, I'm not ape

That is about the same as we pay here for our house to rent plus similar utilities, hmmm..............
Is that a relatively expensive place?

It's in the upper range. A 2bd/2ba at the Trump Ocean Club right on the point facing the ocean is only $1100 more. The price to buy is even more ridiculous. Trump condos start at the $300k range. In Miami, the same type of Trump condo is closer to a $1m.

If one were to live here, decent apartments can be found in the $500 to $700 range in the city. The fully furnished stuff tends to be more aimed at tourists.

I just came back from the supermarket and brought back about a dozen bags full of groceries for about $130. Among my groceries is a 3 lb filet mignon for $30. This place really is affordable.

Oh, check this. I got myself a Digicel 4G network prepaid chip with a month of unlimited data at full speed for $15. Dude, you can't even get 4G limited at 1GB of data in the US with a fat minute bundle for anything close to that. Everyone carries a phone here and there are 5 mobile stores on every corner. Suddenly, North America feels like a 3rd world country when it comes to telecom.

I didn't bother getting a minute package. I got my 4G data and Google Voice # hooked through my Groove IP app for voice calls over IP and I'm all set.

 

[Overmind One]

I've been throwing around the idea to visit Panama for a few weeks now. Last night, I booked us a gorgeous condo for the next month in Punta Pacifica, Panama! We're leaving Wednesday. The look on my wife's face was priceless.

OMG.....just beautiful....paradise.

 

[Gatefan1976]

It's in the upper range. A 2bd/2ba at the Trump Ocean Club right on the point facing the ocean is only $1100 more. The price to buy is even more ridiculous. Trump condos start at the $300k range. In Miami, the same type of Trump condo is closer to a $1m.

If one were to live here, decent apartments can be found in the $500 to $700 range in the city. The fully furnished stuff tends to be more aimed at tourists.

Ok, so housing is (from my perspective) dirt cheap (seriously dude house prices in Oz are NUTS, your average 3bd brick home in sydney goes for around 350-500k depending on area, and rentals are around 380-480 per week)

I just came back from the supermarket and brought back about a dozen bags full of groceries for about $130. Among my groceries is a 3 lb filet mignon for $30. This place really is affordable.

Believe it or not, 30 bucks for that is about average here, one thing we are blessed with is relatively cheap meat and and veg (which is the main reason I hate freezing meat)

Oh, check this. I got myself a Digicel 4G network prepaid chip with a month of unlimited data at full speed for $15. Dude, you can't even get 4G limited at 1GB of data in the US with a fat minute bundle for anything close to that. Everyone carries a phone here and there are 5 mobile stores on every corner. Suddenly, North America feels like a 3rd world country when it comes to telecom.

I didn't bother getting a minute package. I got my 4G data and Google Voice # hooked through my Groove IP app for voice calls over IP and I'm all set.

Ok, GF just went "BLAH"

 

[Gatefan1976]

OMG.....just beautiful....paradise.

Iz confused wondering weather to link Panama or Run to Paradise......................

 

[shavedape]

Pics not needed dude, I'm not ape

Meh, fat lotta good asking for pics does with this guy. (He's what we used to call in highschool a "cock tease", but don't tell him I said that. )

Oh, check this. I got myself a Digicel 4G network prepaid chip with a month of unlimited data at full speed for $15. Dude, you can't even get 4G limited at 1GB of data in the US with a fat minute bundle for anything close to that. Everyone carries a phone here and there are 5 mobile stores on every corner. Suddenly, North America feels like a 3rd world country when it comes to telecom.

This shit just burns me up, it really does. I've heard that's how it is in many other countries -- countries that are considered "Third World" societies yet for some reason they have much better telecom systems. I've actually heard that Ghana has a better cell/wifi system than America. I tended to doubt that when I first heard it but now I believe there's a lot of truth to it.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Meh, fat lotta good asking for pics does with this guy. (He's what we used to call in highschool a "cock tease", but don't tell him I said that. )

Hey! I heard that!

This shit just burns me up, it really does. I've heard that's how it is in many other countries -- countries that are considered "Third World" societies yet for some reason they have much better telecom systems. I've actually heard that Ghana has a better cell/wifi system than America. I tended to doubt that when I first heard it but now I believe there's a lot of truth to it.

Imagine my shock when my wife would tell me how her Digicel 4G service in Haiti during her short trips for work was faster and more reliable than her service in Florida and Haiti is as third-world as you can get. Digicel is big on giving away phones, good phones, on prepay and customers tend to develop a loyalty to their network. It's a snap to refill and choose your service, too.

It's a different mentality in these countries. The service providers thrive successfully on prepay whereas in North America they try their best to drive users into signing stupid long term commitments. Collection is so not an issue in these countries and they're constantly investing in improving these networks.

 

[Gatefan1976]

Meh, fat lotta good asking for pics does with this guy. (He's what we used to call in highschool a "cock tease", but don't tell him I said that. )

Well, I would call the girls "prick teasers", but the end result is the same

 

[shavedape]

Imagine my shock when my wife would tell me how her Digicel 4G service in Haiti during her short trips for work was faster and more reliable than her service in Florida and Haiti is as third-world as you can get. Digicel is big on giving away phones, good phones, on prepay and customers tend to develop a loyalty to their network. It's a snap to refill and choose your service, too.

It's a different mentality in these countries. The service providers thrive successfully on prepay whereas in North America they try their best to drive users into signing stupid long term commitments. Collection is so not an issue in these countries and they're constantly investing in improving these networks.

I'm even more burned-up now, thanks a lot!

Here I sit being parsimonious with my internet usage cuz this damn Verizon mifi throttles data usage. They sent an overage warning last month and I couldn't believe it. Overage? Seriously??? No one using this piece of crap mifi has been abusing the data usage yet still it maxes out halfway thru the month??? I so need to move to a foreign country.

 

[Bluce Ree]

I'm even more burned-up now, thanks a lot!

Here I sit being parsimonious with my internet usage cuz this damn Verizon mifi throttles data usage. They sent an overage warning last month and I couldn't believe it. Overage? Seriously??? No one using this piece of crap mifi has been abusing the data usage yet still it maxes out halfway thru the month??? I so need to move to a foreign country.

Panama! And it's quite friendly to our LGBT friends.

 

[Gatefan1976]

I'm even more burned-up now, thanks a lot!

Here I sit being parsimonious with my internet usage cuz this damn Verizon mifi throttles data usage. They sent an overage warning last month and I couldn't believe it. Overage? Seriously??? No one using this piece of crap mifi has been abusing the data usage yet still it maxes out halfway thru the month??? I so need to move to a foreign country.

An overAGE warning???
Just what the hell have you been watching dude????