We need a lot of groceries and course, booze. We shop at the local grocery store Romero, there is a tax on all luxury items but all the staples are tax free. I looks like there is a 13 % total tax on all the luxury stuff and of course 10% it appears, on the booze.
We filled a shopping cart for $143.00, that includes wine,red and white,rye,and scotch.The wine was $6.00 for two litres,Ballantines scotch was $18 and the crown royal rye was $24. We found a Canadian club at the Chinese super market for $17, so no more Crown Royal.
Oh..no more Ballantines either.We found a Johnny Walker red for $19 there too.
I look into a Panamanian phone and a rent a car. We need a car.
It is 9.8 km to the highway and 13 km to the town. We rent a Nissan March,for $750 a month. Buying a used vehicle made no sense at all,you also need a separate Panamanian insurance, and the paper work in Panama is ridiculous.
So cheap to drive too. Only 83 cents a litre and it is a 1.6 4 cylinder vehicle.
The road into Lucero is now paved all the way.Thank goodness. It is easy sledding. Before it was paved it took 30 minutes a low speeds to navigate the road. If it was anything like I saw yesterday on an excursion up hill from here,Yikes!! I will have to take a picture.
I learned that I can become a pensionado here in Panama, if I have the right paper work,from Canada, that includes a current,30 days,police check, a bank statement that proves that between the two of us,we have a guaranteed income of $1,100.
This entitles us to a 25% saving on most things.That is a big plus. It costs of course,maybe $2,000 but you get it all back in a hurry.
We are invited to the MacDonald's for our first dinner party and we meet Bob and Mary.
The gourmet meal was fabulous and the company was super.
We make a date to go golfing at Lucero GCC the following day and what a track it is. It just takes your breath away.
We have our first lunch,that became super, in Boguete at El Sabrason. It was only $13 for the two of us. Nothing fancy,picnic tables for dining at but the food was superb and all home made.
Her walking across the street was really and accident.May God bless
I get an unlock code for the Samsung phone off the Internet and I am now good to go anywhere in the world. I get a new SIM card from Digitel a Movistar,for $1.50 that's right $1.50 and a phone card for $6 that should last me for the time I am here. We also bought a 2 ft Christmas tree,already decorated, and with lights too, and now we can relive Fort Myers last Christmas.
Watch out for the wild life on the road.It could be horses,cows,dogs and the people here like to wear dark clothing at night on an unlit rd. Be careful.
The hot water is on demand and the owner is away. We have no hot water, Aprille notices the water has been running too long.Well guess what..the water feed has become disconnected. Good thing I am handy and I know where to tool box is. Just a little Teflon tape and an adjustable wrench and we are back in business.
Maybe I broke my toe,water and smooth terrazzo do not mix.Very slippery.I almost fell.So thanks Mr. Nice guy.
On our way to David we stop a a bookstore that sells used books from A to Z a great pass time.
We go to David,about 35 minutes away from us here in Boquete, but a world apart. Too busy,too hot and humid and aggressive driving has a whole new meaning. A stop sign is merely a suggestion. But..the shopping is wonderful and so is the restaurant we go to have lunch.
As I alluded to, I now have a Price Smart membership and I already saved the $35 it cost me to buy
a membership. You can actually sample alcohol the same way you have cheese bits on little crackers.
Dan and I had a sample of a rum cream...yummy.
I bought this Samsung 4 GB with all the bells and whistles for $359. Oh yea...another full cart. We saved a bundle.
The fresh sea food shopping was spectacular. Fresh off the boat.Just name it. We got some Red snapper and some shrimp. Aprille fried up the snapper on Thursday,yesterday, and it was wonderful.
Now we go to another shopping mall and go to Mary Anne's favorites grocery store. Another full cart...whew!!!. Now we are all set.We need a bigger fridge.Thank you.
Its off to the hardware store for propane..and we get free pop corn and coffee...nice.
Okay that's all for now.
More to follow.
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