Shopping day

Shopping day starts with a trip to the bakery on the south side of town. We tried the bread baked in the grocery store and found that although the bread came in all shapes and sizes it was always the same, soft white bread.

Being filthy rich (that's Panamanian standards – not American) we have been buying bread from the gourmet bakery. Big unsliced loaves of 9 grain and sourdough, plus the occasional fresh-baked brownie are wonderful.

Next stop is the dollar store for paper goods and soap. Aisles are setup for the average Panamanian who is 5'5” and about 100 lbs. I crab around sideways trying not to be the bull in the china shop.

A few blocks north is the 3rd stop – the grocery store. We wander around to find where things we need have been moved to since our last trip.

The forth and final stop is 4 blocks west. The produce stand. We like this one because unlike the other dozen stands in town they usually have bananas with a touch of green. Everyone else sells them half black.

Chores done we head back, stopping by the stream for De Anne to cool her toes.


This house, across from the stream, is unusual because it is wood siding. 95% of homes are concrete block with a parge coat. Roofs are corrugated metal. Clay tiles are installed over that on the expensive homes.