PANAMA CITY

Our wonderful two week stay at Buz and Cheri's house came to an end, and Nick, Izzy, Zany and I headed to Panama City for a few nights before catching our flights back to the states. Our friend Stuart was nice enough to put us up and show us around, and it was quite a change of pace compared to the quiet countryside where we had just spent the last couple of weeks. Panama City's modern skyline is growing at an alarming rate, with construction cranes everywhere, and high rises popping up all a long the water. We spent the evening in Casco Viejo, the city's historic Spanish colonial district, where old dilapidated buildings are being fixed up and turned into trendy restaurants and art galleries. It was quite charming, and I wish I'd had more time to explore. But I had to head home. And now I'm back in San Francisco, trying to look for a job and figure out my life. I wish I could do this kind of stuff for a living... but doesn't everyone!

A ROCKY ROAD

Getting to and from Buz and Cheri's house is quite a trek! When they first bought the property they could only access their land by driving down the beach at low tide. Now there's a road, but it's still kind of a rugged drive. I don't really see them getting too many neighbors anytime soon. On the way back from surfing one day we came across a truck full of guys who got stuck in a ditch on a steep hill. Buz to the rescue!

TUNA FISHING

The other day we got up early and went fishing for tuna. Here's a little video about our adventure...

OYSTERS

You can see the ocean from Buz and Cheri's house, and it's a quick walk to the beach. On our first morning Buz took us down to the sea at low tide to pluck some oysters off the rocks...

PANAMA

A week ago I decided to join my friends Nick, Izzy and Zany on a trip to Panama. It was a last minute decision, and by the following night I was on a plane to Panama City! Buz and Cheri, some family friends of Nick and Zany, moved to Panama a few years ago and built a house on the Pacific coast about an hour outside of the town of Pedasi. It took us almost 24 hours to get here, but the journey was well worth it. Buz and Cheri are putting us up during our two week stay and they have been wonderful hosts. Their home is amazing, and it's completely off the grid! The dirt road that leads to their house is steep and muddy, and it didn't even exist when they bought the property in 2003. I took the photo in the upper left from an opposing hill. The main house is on the right, and the guesthouse, where we're all staying, is down on the left. It's a wonderful space, with red tile floors and big doors that open up to let in the ocean breeze. The picture on the bottom left is of the little power house out back. The solar panels on top provide the house with all the energy they need, and directly below that, 75 feet underground, is a well that supplies their home with all the clean and pure water you could ask for. Staying with Buz and Cheri is great, and Panama is awesome!