A touch of irony. It is Sunday morning and I am on my way to get on the cruise ship. I intentionally timed my return to the U.S. to hopefully eliminate the chance of encountering winter weather of any type. Well, the U.S. TV network feed we get down here is the CBS station in Denver. As you probably know they are getting 4 feet of snow. I know, I know I´m not going to Denver. But, just goes to show - The best laid plans of mice and men .....
Say What?
The headlines in the newspaper on the Tuesday after Easter trumpeted, "25 Deaths Reported During Easter Holidays." The article also noted that "The number is much higher than the number of deaths reported during the holiday last year."
Experts attributed the surge in deaths this year to an increase of people traveling to the interior. Traffic officials estimated that 92,000 vehicles went to the interior from Panama City at the beginning of the weekend. Oh, increased traffic?
Well, as it turns out, of the 25 victims, 13 were shot to death and two others died of stab wounds in a bar fight. Four people drowned, one other from alcohol poisoning, one accidental death and one death had yet to be classified. A total of four people died in traffic accidents. You think you have traffic problems in your town? Yes sir, traffic is a bitch here??
A Little Touch Of Panama
After you have been here for a while you convince yourself that living here is just like living back in the U.S. OK, different language, but, food, movies, TV etc. is much the same. Occasional trips to Kentucky Fried, TGI Fridays, Domino's, and now Dunkin Donuts reinforces that feeling.
Well, yesterday I had to take the express bus to the border. About half way there, at one of the highway stops, we picked up a family that was going to the border. A man, his wife and two little kids. In addition, the man was cradling a small burlap bag that two piglets were peeping out of. Don't think we are in Kansas anymore, Dorothy!
The kids and the piglets were equally cute. However, the piglets were quieter and better behaved.
Periodically, You Have To Do Something Stupid
Every once in a while you have to do something really stupid. And then it is a shame if there is no one you can tell about it. So, here goes.
Yesterday I was running around like crazy. With less than 48 hours left before I leave here, I was doing all those things on my 'Gotta Do List' that I had been procrastinating on. I was on the other side of town when I suddenly remembered that I had to get some cash. And there was a big brand new bank, so I went looking for their ATM. Inserted my card, added pin #, ask for cash and got a message that said machine was empty. Oh well. No, oh hell. It didn't give me my card back. I pushed every button on the keypad to no avail. Just what you need when you are about to travel for a month!
Inside the bank I go, trying with my broken Spanish to explain the problem. The security guy went and got a teller who spoke English, who then went to find the bank manager. While we were waiting I was trying to explain to them that they should put a sign on the machine before it ate more cards. I was standing on the other side of the glass from the ATM and watched a lady go through the same thing I did. However, when she muttered and stomped off she didn't come in the bank, she walked on down the street. So did the man who followed her into the ATM. What is going on?
About half way through my explanation to the bank manager it hit me. The ATMs I use all the time are the type that swallow your card and then give it back to you when the transaction is completed. This bank's ATM is a newer type that you just swipe your card. I sheepishly looked in my wallet and, you guessed it, there was my card.
You think I had trouble explaining the problem, you should have seen me trying to 'un-explain' it. Do you think they were all looking at my like I was a nut case? Crazy gringos. You are not supposed to have to concentrate hard to operate an ATM! Duh!
Till Next Time. Pura Vida!
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