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Retiring In Centro
- Thread starter Ranga
- Start date
My very first surf trip out of the country was to Santa Catalina back in 2000. Stayed with Rollo at his compound (not sure if he’s still there). It was pretty remote back then. I’m sure it’s been developed since?
Yes He is still there.
And yes it has grown but very little. Is still a mellow town , but the wave is just a lot more crowded these days. I do ‘t go there anymore because of the crowd.
And yes it has grown but very little. Is still a mellow town , but the wave is just a lot more crowded these days. I do ‘t go there anymore because of the crowd.
And I thought Paunch lived in David...
I've been to Paunch's beach. It's pretty steep, so the waves break fairly close to shore. Swell was up when I was there, not sure how a normal day is. My other surf experience was at Playa Nanzal. Offshore islands make a mess of the swell and turn it into a mass of mini peaks. Probably some of the weakest waves I've ever ridden. Paddle out 400 yards, and still not all the way out, the goal of a ride was to maximize distance, no tube nor shred, just milk it.
Pics from 2009
The City
This was the entire crowd for two weeks, sigh, this was a good day. For those that know, that is Costa Rica's famous "Tequila" riding the wave.
There is a reef, way, way out there. Paunch found it lacking when he went. You can see some of the blocking islands.
Tequila throwing some spray
Here's the daily reality. High tide and windy.
Yes i do i live in david. Where I live I guess i meant the Chiriqui Province.
Did u ever go to the silva islands (morro negrito) Thats a really good wave…
My local is playa la barqueta. Is mehhh. It can get good. But theres much better beachbreaks down the road and uncrowded.
Did u ever go to the silva islands (morro negrito) Thats a really good wave…
My local is playa la barqueta. Is mehhh. It can get good. But theres much better beachbreaks down the road and uncrowded.
That’s difficult to answer because there’s lots of variables. Married? Language skills? Start with those two. If you’re born there you work and carry on with your life.
hahaha sht i don’t understand that question.
Well Chiriqui is mostly agricultural and rural and it is safe. I’m 42 with 4 kids so i don’t go out much. I prefer to surf. We do bbqs and sht with friends to have a few beers. I guess what i’m trying to say is that i don’t spend money in restaurants or bars but they’re not expensive. Foreigners like FRIDAY’S
Most foreigners are retired and like said, they live in Boquete or coastal towns. I own an apartment in la barqueta and the gringos who live there are mostly retired. They say they’ve surfed their whole lives, but they haven’t. Some also own places in Boquete because they either work with coffee or they like the colder weather. David is very cheap, thats why their retired money lasts.
surfers who come to live in Panama relocate to the best waves. Bocas del toro and santa catalina. Are the best i think.
Others go to azuero peninsula, playa venao but that wave is just a beachbreak but real state and tourism is growing there. Tourism in chiriqui is not exploited at all. I’d say it hasn’t even started.
there are good waves about 1:45 away from Panama city, but they're very fickle and need big swells to even start showing. Life around the city is fun. More people and more stuff happening. More projects, restaurants and bars at the beaches near panama city. But Sometimes it could be weeks without waves, where as catalina, and chiriqui will have waves. These past year i only saw Barqueta flat like 3 days.
Well Chiriqui is mostly agricultural and rural and it is safe. I’m 42 with 4 kids so i don’t go out much. I prefer to surf. We do bbqs and sht with friends to have a few beers. I guess what i’m trying to say is that i don’t spend money in restaurants or bars but they’re not expensive. Foreigners like FRIDAY’S
Most foreigners are retired and like said, they live in Boquete or coastal towns. I own an apartment in la barqueta and the gringos who live there are mostly retired. They say they’ve surfed their whole lives, but they haven’t. Some also own places in Boquete because they either work with coffee or they like the colder weather. David is very cheap, thats why their retired money lasts.
surfers who come to live in Panama relocate to the best waves. Bocas del toro and santa catalina. Are the best i think.
Others go to azuero peninsula, playa venao but that wave is just a beachbreak but real state and tourism is growing there. Tourism in chiriqui is not exploited at all. I’d say it hasn’t even started.
there are good waves about 1:45 away from Panama city, but they're very fickle and need big swells to even start showing. Life around the city is fun. More people and more stuff happening. More projects, restaurants and bars at the beaches near panama city. But Sometimes it could be weeks without waves, where as catalina, and chiriqui will have waves. These past year i only saw Barqueta flat like 3 days.
agreed living in latin america and visiting latin america is very different. Many complexities you don't see or understand until you actually have to do day to day stuff, deal with government agencies, and try to assimilate with locals.
Patience is a virtue specially waiting in line at bank..
Remember, you'll be doing that for the rest of your life. The beginning doesn't matter because you don''t know sh!t anyways. 25 years on you may understand it but that doesn't mean you'll accept it happily. No shortage of blind curves on the road to paradise. Keep watch for the bus coming in the opposing lane with their lights off. For starters.
Hahaha yes we are informal and practical. But remember we had you guys guarding the canal for ages until recently. So people here are quite “americanized,” vs south america for example. People like americans and most somewhat speak basic english.
Govt offices suck. Public transportation sux. Just rent your own car and waze
About the police. ah the police. The police. This aint the US man. We feel police officers are just normal pedestrian with no real authority just like everyone else. Yes we respect them , but thats it!! You get stop for speeding?? “Oh i’m sorry officer. I really gotta go take a sht man, come on….”
my lawyer friends make good money helping foreigners get set up.
Govt offices suck. Public transportation sux. Just rent your own car and waze
About the police. ah the police. The police. This aint the US man. We feel police officers are just normal pedestrian with no real authority just like everyone else. Yes we respect them , but thats it!! You get stop for speeding?? “Oh i’m sorry officer. I really gotta go take a sht man, come on….”
my lawyer friends make good money helping foreigners get set up.
morro negrito what a dump-
hahah think it was geo who gave the owner steve my number and he asked me to work there -
what a camping experience. / waves are garbage spent two months out there prime season .
got in a great fight w boatman dioness i think his name was mid day in front of guests
hahah think it was geo who gave the owner steve my number and he asked me to work there -
what a camping experience. / waves are garbage spent two months out there prime season .
got in a great fight w boatman dioness i think his name was mid day in front of guests
Yup. Went to that place in 99, rough. Sweatin all night in fuckin army cots with crab’s trying to crawl up them. Good times.
In Panama do the majority of people pay traffic fines under table "bribe" or just pay ticket? In CR gets worse each visit because not only Americans pay under table but all the Tico's as well so the traffic police waits patience for $$$. I keep them waiting and always tell them give me my ticket or let me drive on. Regardless pretty fluent in Spanish and my wifes CR always speak English only to the officers.
You can try to bribe them yes. $5-$10 and up from there depending on the sanction.
Otherwise you have to pay your tickets in order to renew the plate of your car.
Yes those camps in negrito suck. But the waves fun. I stay at my buddy's lil shack there when i go overnight. Otherwise i just go for the day. Best months are coming up.
Otherwise you have to pay your tickets in order to renew the plate of your car.
Yes those camps in negrito suck. But the waves fun. I stay at my buddy's lil shack there when i go overnight. Otherwise i just go for the day. Best months are coming up.
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Bribes are like feeding the bears in a national park
They see you with surfboards and assume you are a foreigner.
These is kinda gives you a good position.
These is kinda gives you a good position.
Yes agree and some drive like maniacs to bring more attention but I was just talking about how bribes lead to further corruption and regardless of foreiger or not expect $$$