Odd-servations

[Cap'n Jib]

Which way?

One of the more interesting ways of controlling traffic in the smaller towns of Panama is to paint “SI” on the road if you are allowed to go in that direction. Of course, if you read “IS” just think of it as “Is the wrong way….stupid”


Middleman no longer in the Middle

I have advocated in the past having a middle man to get things down and to keep costs down in Latin America. This is a procedure that has served us well and I am still an advocate. However, what should you do when your middleman decides to “go on his own” so to speak and provide the ‘service’ or goods that the end provider used to provide?

Watching others deal with the situation has prompted me to do the following. Go into partnership with your middleman because you are providing up front capital for his venture. If you do not, and the middleman FAILS to deliver the service or good or is of poor quality, you will most likely be out the down payment which is typically 50% of the cost here.


Makes Sense to me!

On two separate occasions I have heard the following response to the question “Why don’t you stock (whatever) any more?” The response being, ”People buy it so fast that we can’t keep it on the shelves so we don’t carry that product anymore”. NOTE: When this statement starts making sense to you, you have probably lived in Latin America too long.


I Did it MY Way!

A gringo couple was having difficulty in a real estate transaction and in a moment of weakness …and or stupidity, I suggested they use one of my attorneys. It would seem that the builder took their money, however, the builder did not feel obliged to start work on their house for a year and a half. In fact, the builder implied that THEY were the problem….not him. NOTE: Seems I’ve mentioned this behavior before.

My attorney after seven meetings, was able to get the builder to sign a ‘specific performance’ contract with all eleven points the gringo couple had requested. The couple then FIRED the attorney for not doing as they requested. They are now dealing directly with the builder, who is again failing to perform as per the new contract. Near as I can tell, THEY wanted to be in control and get the RESPECT they did not get the first time around..…..fat chance! This IS, after all, Latin America.

[Cap'n Jib]

Who was that masked man?

A week ago, I was making a turn at an intersection, in Boquete, and saw a man on the roof of a bank, wearing a baseball cap, dark sunglasses and a bandana covering his face. Didn't think anything about it.

Another guy dressed the same way motioned me to continue driving and a third was waving me to move forward toward him. A few blocks later, I realized how this might have appeared in the US. Dirt and dust get blown around at 35 plus MPH and it does sting. The men in question were replacing the roof on the bank and needed the protection H-m-m-m-m!



The Grass is always greener

Why is it when you are driving down a mountain road, that at best is barely passable, you spend most of your time driving down the wrong way because it appears soother?

Of course, on the return trip up the mountain, you drive on the wrong side of the road because THAT side NOW appears to be smoother.


Social Security Daze

Usually being in a hurry to go no where, I usually drive in the right lane because I like it there. One day a week, about a couple of thousand inhabitants from David cross the four lanes of traffic on foot to get to the Social security office.

There I was in MY right lane without a care in the world and stopped because of the 4 or five cars were stopped in front of me. Apparently a newly arrived gringo driving a Lincoln Navigator a couple of cars behind me, decided it was faster to get into the left lane and did so.

Good news. He pass us.
Bad news. Some character had parked his motorcycle across the road.
Good news. He almost made the stop.
Bad news. He didn’t.
Good news. There was no one on the motorcycle when he hit it.
Bad news. It was a traffic cop’s motorcycle.


Yellow it is

One of the new construction sites has decided to do a one upsmanship on the rest of the builders, he provided yellow raincoats for his workers….like think deluge. Now these are not cheap raincoats but the ones that police, directing traffic use and made for the southern climes.

First day everyone wore the rain coats. Second day, the coats were worn for half a day. Third day, they all were hanging on fence posts while it rained. The guys just couldn’t work in those things while a cop, swinging only his arms, the outfit is the perfect gear.

Who da thunk it?