Panama isn't just a great place to retire, it's an awesome place to bring your kids. Because Panama is the gateway to the Americas, many international companies are moving to Panama. With the younger workforce comes school-aged children.

I have four very good friends who brought their kids to Panama, and I've seen in every instance how the kids thrive here. 

Schools
The international schools are very good. There are a variety of focuses, such as French schools, Jewish schools, Japanese schools or international schools that teach in English. At school, your children will meet kids from around the globe. One of my friends has a nine-year-old child who just represented his school in the Panama Math Olympics.

Culture
Panama is such a kid-friendly country that they host many kids-only activities, such as triathlons for kids, painting classes, pajama parties, story time, and more. The Panamanians are very big into family, so you can take your kids just about everywhere. 

If you need help, nannies and maids are plentiful and inexpensive. Plus, the expat community works together to pickup kids, schedule carpooling, organize sleepovers, and get kids involved in community activities.

Entertainment
There is so much to do in Panama that it’s like a child’s playground. The ocean provides a whole slew of entertainment: swimming, snorkeling, surfing, spelunking, catching sand crabs, pier fishing, and collecting shells. Then there is the jungle, where you can see monkeys, sloths, parrots and other exotic birds.

In or near Panama City, there are 3 different public areas that have things like bike paths, outdoor gyms, basketball courts, tennis courts, and 4-seater bike rentals.  Plus there is a great zoo that's different from the typical American-style zoos. 

All over the country , there are waterfalls to climb, exotic plants to identify, and frogs to catch. 

For traditional entertainment, there are movie theaters, kids restaurants such as Chuck E. Cheese, shopping malls, bowling alleys, golf, kids’ theater, concerts, and crazy over-the-top game rooms in many condo buildings with arcade-style video games and bounce houses.

There are also many special events that you can find listed in The Visitor, the Panama newspaper for visitors. (Check it out online at www.thevisitorpanama.com.) Some of these yearly events include the circus, a yearly fair, a boat show, international food fairs, and a host of other expos that can appeal to both kids and adults.

Charity
If you want your children to be involved in charity organizations, they can donate their time at animal shelters, help feed the hungry, or donate their time to a family who needs a little help around their house.

I live in one of the most spectacular spots on the planet. Especially for the price. 

Casa Bonita Residences is the ultra-luxurious condo tower that is smack in the middle of Playa Bonita Village-- a 5-star resort community that is also home to the Westin Resort and the InterContinental Resort--while being just minutes from the heart of Panama City.

If you think of every amenity possible at a 5-star resort, that's where you start... and then keep going. We have room service in our condos, 24-hour concierge service, round-the-clock security, gyms, game rooms, ocean sports, a world class spa, big screen TVs in every common are imaginable, restaurants, bars, an ice cream shop, yoga, salsa dancing... and more. We have more swimming pools than you could possibly use, including infinity pools, water volleyball pools, kids pools, and pools with waterfalls. You get the gist.

But that's just the start. Casa Bonita is situated in the perfect spot of ocean and jungle. Our front yard is the Pacific Ocean, and our back yard is an expansive nature reserve that is chock-full of colorful birds, monkeys, sloths and parrots. We have breathtaking views of the Bay of Panama, where we can watch ships from all over the world enter the mouth of the Panama Canal. 

The condos range in price from $325,000 for an 1100 square foot 1-bedroom apartment to $1 million for a 3-bedroom penthouse with maid's quarters.

One of my favorite condos was purchased but the sale fell through. Their loss is your gain. This condo is not only spectacular... but it's one of the best values in the building. Here's the scoop.

• 16th floor with expansive views of ocean, jungle and the ships entering the canal
• 2 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms
• ~1450 square feet
• Includes all high-end appliances (double-door refrigerator, washer/dryer, full size dishwasher, microwave, oven and stove)
• Includes 3 air conditioning units (Panama uses "split" a/c units to conserve energy)
• Great balcony that faces the water
• Oriented to face the sunrise
• Great rental opportunity
• Easy financing with 20-30% down payment... only your passport is required
• $5,000 down on a credit card to reserve
• $377,139 net!!

If you want to see photos, email me quickly. This just came back on the market, and there is nothing else like it. Other condos like it are selling for close to $600,000. It's the best deal by far!

While perusing the alcohol section of my favorite grocery store, I found two types of fruit liqueurs that I'd never seen before--lychee and grapefruit. At the time, I couldn't decide which one I wanted, so I bought both, not intending to mix them into one cocktail.

In my previous life, I was known as The Wine Maven. I not only tasted wine for a living, but I sold wine as well. Not a bad gig, right? Part of my sensory education was to taste every known fruit, vegetable, herb and fungus possible in order to better understand these flavors and aromas in wine.

If you're a fan of spicy Asian food, such as Thai or Chinese, you've probably had Gewurztraminer wine, a fragrant white wine that is the perfect partner to the Asian spices. If you've had this wine, it tastes and smells like a liquid lychee fruit. The lychee is indigenous to China. You can often get them fresh in season at Chinese grocers, but you can get them canned year-round at most mainstream grocery stores, although the heavy syrup in the can makes them taste sweeter than they really are.

Lychee is a taste that's hard to describe if you haven't had it. A fresh lychee is about the size of a plum with a hard nut-like exterior and a white fleshy fruit on the inside that is similar in texture to a not-quite-ripe plum. When lychees are canned, they are similar in texture to a very firm pear and are about the size of a golf ball. 

In Panama, lychee drinks are popular because the flavor is fruity without being overly sweet. Plus, it has an exotic flavor that says, "vacation in a glass" while still being food-friendly, much like the popular Gewurztraminer wine. This fruity tartness is what makes it appealing in a warm weather cocktail. 

When I opened my two new liqueurs, I tried them each alone and then with various mixers. They were both good alone but not great. I then mixed them together, and my taste buds said WOW. I posted my recipe on Facebook and asked my Facebuds to help me name it. Even though it's lighter in alcohol than a traditional martini, my Facebuds overwhelmingly loved the name Maven's Martini... and thus one of my signature cocktails was born. 

Maven's Martini is very refreshing on a hot day. It's not as sweet as a sangria and not as potent as a traditional martini, so you won't feel bad if you have two or three. I also use sugar-free cranberry juice and sugar-free soda to keep the calories down. Give it a try and tell me what you think.

Maven's Martini - A Panama Punch Drink Recipe

1 oz. Lychee liqueur
1 oz. Grapefruit liqueur
2 oz. Cranberry juice
2-3 oz. Fresca, or other lemon-lime soda

Pour into a martini shaker. Add ice. Shake, shake, shake and then pour the strained liquid into your glass of choice. Put your feet up in a hammock and enjoy.

I had two goals when I moved to Panama... learn Spanish and learn how to Salsa dance. I've been taking private Spanish classes for almost a year, and although learning Spanish is useful, I don't get excited about the prospect of conjugating verbs.

Dancing, though, is something to get excited about, and I was thrilled when my community director put salsa lessons on our activity calendar. 

We had salsa lessons poolside, in a covered social area with plenty of open space. The dance company brought in a team of 4 instructors, turned up the music, and taught us how to salsa. 

If you haven't danced the salsa before, it's fast. Very fast. As you can see from our funny photo, most people didn't wear the correct shoes, which made us look like we should be taking the short bus to school than sexy dancers. My neighbor Denise shucked her Birkenstocks and tried step-ball-changing in bare feet. It didn't go so well. She said next class she'll wear tennis shoes. My fiance Kleriston wore flip flops and spent most of the class just doing his own thing in typical class-clown fashion. Since he's my dance partner of choice, I'll make sure he's properly out-footed for next class.

After an hour, we'd learned a dozen different salsa steps and had burned more calories than we would have on the treadmill. The photo was taken after our class, when we were all dripping with sweat. We looked more like Survivor contestants than the ultra-glamorous dancers you see on Dancing with the Stars. (Next time I'm making sure the class photo is taken before class begins.) But it was fun. Crazy fun. Yes, definitely more fun than conjugating verbs.

Stay tuned. I might even have a video to post in a few weeks... although it may not be of me!

In the U.S., soccer is one of those sports that kids play as they move their way from ballet to karate. It's an obligatory extracurricular activity soon forgotten about once they hit puberty.

In Latin America, soccer (called futball), is a nothing short of a cult-like religion. When a favorite team loses, riots break out and people don't show up for work. 

The World Cup is currently being held in Brazil, but the 3,000-plus miles of geographic separation doesn't stop the zealot-like behavior from the Latins in Panama. Everything from restaurants to banks have gone all out. They are touting flags from around the world, offering food specials, turning up the volume on TV's, and organizing World Cup related activities.

We went to an Italian restaurant on Amador Causeway this weekend for lunch. It's a lovely restaurant with an extensive menu of pasta and seafood, but more importantly it has a front-row view to the water. When we walked in, 17 televisions were broadcasting the game (yes, I counted). Every single man, woman and child in the restaurant had a yellow jersey or shirt on to support the Colombia soccer team that was currently playing, with the exception of us. As a Gringa with very white skin, I'm used to being stared at, but my obviously incorrect wardrobe choice of pink and white made me stick out all the more.

I didn't pick this restaurant because I wanted to watch the game. I chose it because I wanted a leisurely lunch on the water with my sweetheart. When I heard the noise level inside the restaurant, I turned around to leave... but my Latin sweetheart was already being drawn in by the excitement. My plans were further thwarted when the tables closest to the water weren't setup... only the tables near the huge TV's were ready for patrons. Instead of facing the water, every single person in the restaurant had their back to the water so they could closely watch the game.

I chose the table furthest from the TVs and closest to the water. I chose a seat facing the water, knowing my sweetheart would join the other Latins in the room and face the TVs rather than the ocean. Even though my intention was to ignore the game, it was impossible not to get drawn into the excitement of everyone in the room. People were cheering and the noise level was the same as if we were watching the game in a Brazil stadium. We got into the spirit by ordering yellow drinks--pineapple juice for my sweetheart and white wine for me. Never let it be said that I'm not a team player.

I don't understand the intricacies of soccer--nor do I have the desire to learn--but being in the midst of the frenzy was an exciting adventure I never would have experienced had I not been in Panama. Maybe next World Cup I'll even buy a jersey.

One of the most unexpected surprises about my move to Panama is my love life. Within days of my move to Panama City, I met a Latin man who is now my fiance. Not only is he several years younger than I am, but he also looks like an American underwear model.

Before Panama, whenever I saw a fat old guy with the hot young chick, I assumed the guy was filthy rich. In the dating world, money and beauty give you power, otherwise known as "dating equity." In Panama, being North American gives you a lot of equity in your normal everyday life, and you don't have to be single to use it. 

Being a Gringo in Panama means that people are nicer to you. Do they expect something in return? Sometimes. But not always. Let me give you a few examples.

• In yesterday's post, I told the story of being rescued by two local fisherman when we had ventured too far out in a kayak. The fishermen told my fiancé that they stopped to help us because I was an American, which in this case meant I was non-threatening.
• On a recent trip to El Valle, we had lunch at a restaurant called Taverna Firenze. After ordering a bottle of wine and entrees, we realized the restaurant didn't take credit cards. We didn't have any cash on us, and the nearest ATM was 30 minutes away. The owner told us to relax and enjoy our lunch. He said, "Don't worry about it. Just bring me the money next time you come by. You're an American. I know you'll pay me eventually."
• When we got a flat tire recently, five different local men came to our rescue within two minutes. They changed the flat tire for the spare, and then led my us to the nearest repair shop. Even though we tipped them, they didn't ask for anything in advance before helping us.
• When I go through a security screening or checkpoint, I am typically whisked through quickly. The Panamanians know that Americans aren't in Panama to cause trouble, but rather to spend their dollars.

The "American equity" that I enjoy is thanks to the Americans who have been in Panama before me. Typically Americans pay well and tip often, which means I get a few more equity points in my favor just for being a Gringa. 

Using my equity as an American, not only was I able to snag my own personal Joe Boxer model, but my everyday life is a little easier as well. 

Some people come to Panama thinking they can live here for $600 a month. You can if you live like a local, but that's not the lifestyle I choose to live. I came to Panama to live a pampered lifestyle for a fraction of what it would cost to live the same luxury lifestyle in the U.S.

What encompasses my Panama lifestyle? I live in a resort community with every amenity I could ever dream of--such as 8 swimming pools, a private beach, a tennis court, game rooms, ping pong & billiards, a private theater, big-screen TV's scattered around the resort, a world-class spa, two fully equipped gyms, 24-hour security and concierge service, and more marble than the Taj Mahal.  

There are some amenities I have in Panama, though, that I never thought to dream of. The surprising amenities in my lifestyle include:

• Room Service. As residents at Playa Bonita just outside Panama City, we have our own special menu from the Westin Playa Bonita, a 5-star resort. I can order anything from sandwiches to salads to full entrees from a special room service menu and have it delivered to my apartment in about 30 minutes. Because of the resident discounts, the average menu item is about $10.
• Spa. There is a full-service spa in the resort where I can get a massage, facial, haircut or mani/pedi. Or if I'm feeling too lazy to walk the 1-minute to the spa, I can get an in-home massage from a local masseuse for $40 per hour.
• My Maid. If you've read more than 3 of my blogs, you realize that I love my maid most of all. She doesn't just clean my apartment, she cooks, she washes windows, she organizes my closets, she polishes my shoes, she walks my dogs, and she hand washes my delicates. I pay my maid $35 per day, which is definitely on the high side for Panama, but she keeps my life in a zen-like state of calm.
• Fresh Bread. This is one of the unexpected surprises about my life in Panama. Once a week I order fresh bread from my Playa Bonita Residences managing director. I get to choose from a menu of bread options, such as French baguettes, whole grain with nuts, olive bread, and even coconut bread. The still-hot bread that is delivered makes my taste buds weep in ecstasy. The olive bread pictured above is one of my favorites.
• In-Home Services. If you want someone to come to your house in North America, you'll have to pay double. In Panama, in-home services are readily available and quite inexpensive. It doesn't matter if you want Spanish classes, yoga classes, Pilates lessons or an in-home haircut, there is someone who will come to you for pocket change.
• Dance & Yoga Classes. I've taken dance classes before, and I used to teach yoga, but I always had to drive. It's so wonderful to have my community organize the classes so all I have to do is show up. I

When people ask me why I move to Panama, there are a lot of reasons. But the real reason is the incredible lifestyle that I can for much less than I could in the U.S.

Yesterday's kayaking trip turned into an unexpected adventure. We left shore just before high tide and began paddling to our private cove. We got there quickly and decided to keep going to a small "island" that seemed very close. Neither of us had a watch or a cell phone, but by the time we reached the small island, my internal clock said that we'd been gone about 90 minutes. 

We took our time paddling around the island, basking in the enjoyment of being so close to dozens of pelicans in their natural environment. When we turned around, we realized how far we had paddled from the shore of Playa Bonita where we live. I estimated we were about 4 miles from shore, which I later confirmed with Google Maps was 3.65 miles. (The photo of the first little land mass is the little island we rowed to.) 

If we were taking a brisk walk, we could get there in about an hour. But the current and the choppy water were working against us. With both of us paddling aggressively, we were going about as fast as a ninety-year-old with a walker. At this rate, we wouldn't get back for another two or three hours. 

I had brought some spray-on sunscreen and a bottle of water, thinking we would be gone an hour. I'd used the last of the sunscreen and we were halfway through the water. I started fantasizing about a bottle of wine, a crusty loaf of bread, and a hunk of cheese. Why hadn't I thought to pack a picnic basket of food? Oh yeah, we were only supposed to be gone an hour.

Shortly after realizing our tired bodies had a long way to go before getting back to shore, a small fishing boat appeared on the horizon. My wine-drenched fantasy now included that boat stopping for us, but I'm an American. We got ourselves into this mess, we would get ourselves out. My Brazilian sweetheart doesn't have the same sense of individualism that Americans have. He has no problems asking for directions, and he had no problem using his life jacket to flag down the fishing boat. As they approached, I was embarrassed. They had better things to do than to rescue us.

When the boat approached, we saw that there were two men on board. A small older man at the back of the boat working the engine, and a strapping younger man standing in the front who had a shirt wrapped around his face in a way that made him look like--can I be honest?--a terrorist. When he saw the ultra-white Gringa with a big hat at the front of the kayak, he unwrapped his shirt from his face to look less threatening, which I was immediately grateful for. 

A quick conversation in Spanish ensued that I couldn't follow, and I was both hopeful and apprehensive. This was not a deep sea fishing boat, nor was it a sleek speed boat. It was a dented, rusted tiny little skiff that looked like it had been around for decades. Within seconds, the capable fishermen had us tied us to the back of their boat with an intricate knot, and they began to tow us back to shore. 

The older man, whom I referred to in my head as the captain, used his cell phone to take a photo of us being towed behind his boat. I've had enough photos taken in my life to know which photos will be flattering and which will not. I imagined how that photo would look... my pale skin red from the sun, my legs splayed open on the front of the kayak, my water-soaked sun hat dripping onto my face, my horrid orange vest making me look like a neon Michelin Man, and a look of terror on my face as we crested each new wave. Hmmm. Definitely not a photo I'd want on Facebook. The fisherman laughed as he took the photo, so I knew it was probably even worse than I imagined. 

During the first ten minutes, the "captain" watched us attentively and kept his speed down. But then he became bored. The little boat sped up little by little, and he stopped making sure we were in the center of his wake. That's when I realized that kayaks weren't designed to be towed by motorboats, especially not in the open sea. On three separate occasions I thought we were going to capsize, but somehow we righted ourselves each time. I tried to stay as still as a statue during the 30 minutes it took to tow us back, even though my ankles were closer to my ears than to a normal sitting position due to the kayak's nose rising high in the water. I kept thinking that as uncomfortable as I was, it was far better than rowing for another few hours!

When we got to the edge of the bay, the fishermen stopped the boat and started to untie us. Knowing that we'd still have another 30-minutes of hard paddling from that point, we said the magic word that would get us all the way to shore...propina. (Propina means "tip" in Spanish.) Their faces lit up with smiles and we kept going. The Playa Bonita Bay doesn't see many motorized boats, and we could feel the stares of every person along the shore as our simple fishing boat towed us to shore.

When they finally untied us, we were literally just a few feet from shore. I would love to say I hopped out of the kayak with ease and grace, but the hours in the kayak in an unnatural position had locked my hip flexers, and I flopped out of the kayak with all of the grace of a  beached whale. 

My fiancé raced to our apartment to get some money for a tip. While there, he packed a bag of sandwiches, chips, fruit and sodas to give to our rescuers. They were so thrilled to get the food and the equivalent of a day's wages as a tip, that they gave us a small bag of langostinos they had caught. (Langostinos are a cross between a large shrimp and a lobster.) 

It was my idea to give them a tip, but I'll be honest... I wouldn't have thought of giving them food. Even though I've lived in Panama for a few years, I still don't think like a Latin.

As soon as I got back to my apartment, I poured myself a glass of wine and took a lengthy shower. When I no longer smelled like a fish, I cooked the fresh langostinos in a white wine and butter sauce. Even though I'm a writer, I don't have the words to describe the buttery, succulent perfection. I'd never tasted just-caught seafood before, but I now know what I've been missing. Before our meal was finished, my fiancé called our new friends and asked when we could buy more. Yes, with the exchange of food our unexpected rescuers had become our friends. So not only did we have an ocean adventure, but we made some new friends. That's the Latin way. 

One of the many amenities I have as a resident of Casa Bonita in Panama is access to non-motorized water sports, such as kayaks and stand-up paddle boards. I'm sure I went kayaking as a kid in summer camp, but kayaking as an adult in the ocean is a completely different experience. It's both challenging and exhilarating. It's so surprise then that I'd much rather paddle in the ocean for an hour that than spend that time on the treadmill. 

Playa Bonita Village Resort has it's own private bay, and it seems fairly small when you look at it. Looks can be deceiving, though, as it took me 40 minutes to paddle to the outer edge of the bay the first time I went kayaking by myself. Since my first lone expedition, I now prefer to go tandem with my sweetheart. Not only do I get to spend a quality hour or so with him without the interruption of cell phones, but when I get tired of paddling, my ultra-fit fiance can take over.

When you're in the kayak away from shore, it's a whole different world. The only sounds you hear are the quiet lapping of waves and the chatter of birds. There is a small private cove just around the corner of the bay, and we like to paddle there and spend some time swimming in our own private world. It's my real-life version of From Here to Eternity. 

Sometimes we see other kayaks on the water, but most days we have the ocean to ourselves, as you can see from the photo above. Rediscovering this childhood sport is yet another reason that I love my life in Panama.

Falling in love with a place is a lot like falling in love with a person. It makes you want to break out in song while doing your best Julie Andrews imitation. But I won't be singing (or writing) about raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens. Rather my ode will be about sunrises over the ocean and culinary experiences that make my tastebuds go wow!

My favorite things about Panama cover all categories of life. They may or may not make sense to you, but here is my ode to Panama. 

• Moonshine on the Ocean. No, I'm not talking about distilled alcohol made by crazy southerners under the light of the moon in order to keep their illegal activities secret from law enforcement... I'm talking about the beautiful light that occurs on the ocean during a full moon. Even though I live on the ocean, the sight of a beautiful moonshine still takes my breath away. If you haven't seen it before, you've got to experience it to understand why it's one of my favorite things.
• Lobster Roll at the Hard Rock Hotel Panama. This tasty sandwich is bursting with fresh lobster morsels, pesto mayo, fried shoestring onions, and arugula. It's so delicious that I dream about it when I haven't had it in a while. At $13 per sandwich, it's the cheapest lobster thrill I can get.
• Proximity of Beach & Mountains. The thing that frustrated me about living in Texas is that I couldn't drive out of the blinding heat in the summer. If I wanted a different climate, I had to get on a plane. In Panama, a different piece of paradise is just a day trip away. You can have coffee while you watch the sun rise over the beach, and then when it starts to get hot, drive 30 minutes to a cool mountain region for lunch, and be back on the beach well before sunset. In fact, you can experience Pacific Ocean, the cool mountain rain forest, and the Caribbean Ocean all in the same day. 
• Sushi-grade Ahi Tuna. Not only is sushi grade Ahi Tuna available, but it's a mere $2.50 per pound. I've developed my own recipe for an Ahi Tuna Tower that is mouthwatering yummy. Plus, the time from fish market to completed Ahi Tower is less than an hour. It would take longer for me to drive to a sushi restaurant in Dallas and place my order.
• Sunrise. My condo faces the East, so I get to watch the sun as it rises over the ocean each morning. It's so spectacular that I get up early each morning to see it. Some days it's golden, and other days it's pink, but it's always breathtaking. My body isn't always ready to wake up before 6 a.m., but my heart always wants to see the sunrise. If I have to choose between an extra hour of sleep or having coffee on my balcony when I watch the sunrise, it's no contest. Sunrise always wins. 
• Fresh Fruit. I grew up in California and know what fresh fruit is supposed to taste like. The fruit here is amazing--sweeter and juicier than anything you can get at a grocery store. Of course, expect different types of fruit than you might be used to. Instead of blackberries and raspberries and apples, the local fruit consists of the sweetest pineapple you've ever tasted, seasonal small watermelon, many types of mangoes, starfruit and of course coconut. 
• Rain Storms. I've always love the rain. Living in climates that tended more toward heat and draught than an abundance of cool rain, I have to admit a fascination with daily rain during rainy season. In fact, I prefer rainy season in Panama to dry season because of how perfect everything is during a rainstorm. Unlike the Pacific Northwest, the rain here is warm. And unlike the Southern part of the U.S., the rain comes straight down. This means I can wear shorts and a tank top while swinging in a hammock on my balcony, just inches from the downpour and neither be cold nor wet. I like to watch the ocean go from blue to green to gray ... and then back to blue once the rain ends. I love how fresh the air smells when it's raining. And I love how it's sunny one minute and raining the next. The rain typically lasts only minutes, so when a downpour starts, I try to stop what I'm doing and go outside to enjoy it. 
• Great Restaurants. I live just minutes from Panama City, which is a haven of great culinary experiences, but the entire country is full of great restaurants for every palate. When I travel around Panama, I like to try new restaurants but I also crave my tried-and-true favorites, such as the short rib pasta at Panamonte in Boquete and the sea bass at Casa de Lourdes in El Valle. I can tempt my palate with truffle pasta, beef wellington, almond-encrusted sea bass, lobster Thermidor, fillet mignon, Russian caviar with blinis, or any other gourmet food I crave. I can also eat heaping plates of rice, beans, fish and chicken at local restaurants, known as Fondas. Whatever tantalizes your taste buds, you can get it in Panama. 
• My Hammock. I love my hammock more than I love any piece of furniture in my apartment. (I shipped a container from the US rather than start over with new furniture in Panama, so this should tell you how much I love my furniture!) I love the feeling of being out in the fresh air, swinging like a babe in my hammock, experiencing an almost weightlessness in the cradle of the hammock. Unlike the intense hot and cold weather I used to experience in Texas, I can enjoy my hammock year-round because of the constant good weather in Panama. It's one of the simple pleasures I enjoy every single day in Panama.

Now that you've read about my favorite things, which ones resonate with you? Not sure, email me, and let's plan a trip so I can help you figure it out.