Life in Bocas del Toro: Spoiled Rotten
By bocasdeltoro at April 29, 2016 | 9:15 pm | 0 Comment
So, here I am living in the island paradise of Bocas del Toro, Panama. It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Overhead, the sun is playing tag with fluffy clouds lazily drifting in the tropical breeze. The sea out in front of the dock is as calm as a lake. It’s one of those days where the water is that striking blue color that takes your breath away. So clear and clean I
Life in Bocas del Toro: What do I bring to Panama?
By bocasdeltoro at March 23, 2016 | 8:23 pm | 0 Comment
I’ve worked with a lot of folks from all over the world that want to either relocate, retire or own property in Bocas del Toro, Panama. Almost every time, one of the questions I get asked is “What should I bring with me to Panama? It’s an open-ended question and the answer depends on a lot of variables. I was lucky when I moved to Panama on a permanent basis. I
Life in Bocas del Toro: To Build or not to Build, Part 3
By bocasdeltoro at January 4, 2016 | 6:41 pm | 0 Comment
As promised, I am finally getting the chance to continue my series about building in the tropical islands of Bocas del Toro. Keep in mind that this series is targeted toward the average home builder. If you are planning on a large construction or development project, obviously, many of the basics still apply but there is a whole different level of experience and expertise
Life in Bocas del Toro: Reflections on Past & Present
By bocasdeltoro at October 16, 2015 | 3:54 pm | 0 Comment
It’s been fifteen years now since I first came to the islands of Bocas del Toro Panama. The last five years that I have lived here full-time have gone by in a whirlwind of waves, sand and scenarios that make me wonder how it was ever possible to cram so much into such a short space of time. Recently, I was asked “So what’s it really like?” An open question that
Life in Bocas del Toro: Playing at Working
By bocasdeltoro at July 26, 2015 | 8:39 pm | 0 Comment
A few weeks ago, I touched on the fact that many of us dream of retiring to the enchanted world of sand beaches and clear water, but when we arrive can find, that without some stimulation, Paradise can get boring. In the beautiful archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama, it is hard to imagine that getting “island fever” would be possible with all the activity of
Life in Bocas del Toro: Friends and Neighbors
By bocasdeltoro at July 6, 2015 | 5:08 pm | 0 Comment
In my last article, I promised to tell some first-hand stories about living in these tropical Panamanian islands of Bocas del Toro. Believe me, when I say that every day is a new adventure. When I got started, I realized I could write a book about the adventure and romance of this life that is generously seasoned with unpredictable and “off the wall” people and
Life in Bocas del Toro: Relaxing into Cultural Differences
By bocasdeltoro at June 20, 2015 | 7:16 pm | 0 Comment
In this article, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk some about what it is like to live in a foreign country based on my personal experiences. I think everyone has some concerns about living in a place where customs, traditions and language are different from what you are used to in your home county. Panama and especially the tropical islands of Bocas del Toro are
Life in Bocas del Toro: To Build or Not to Build, Part 2
By bocasdeltoro at May 11, 2015 | 6:44 pm | 0 Comment
In my last article, I talked about a few of the initial items and procedures involved in building a new home in the islands of Bocas del Toro, Panama. In this section, I want to try to give you a few more details on specifics such as materials, utilities, labor and cost factors involved in tropical island construction. One of the first things to remember as you make
Life in Bocas del Toro: To Build or Not to Build
By bocasdeltoro at April 2, 2015 | 5:53 pm | 0 Comment
One of the questions most frequently asked me takes some form of, “Can I, or Should I consider building a home in the islands of Bocas del Toro?” I have been promising to address this question for some time now so here is the simple answer to a complicated question… “It depends on your relationship with and the skills of your therapist.” I know how that
Life in Bocas del Toro: The Bane and Beauty of Boats
By bocasdeltoro at March 6, 2015 | 3:33 pm | 0 Comment
At long last, I am going to dive into the murky waters of boat ownership in the tropical islands of Bocas del Toro, Panama. But before I get started, let me be perfectly clear that I am not a “boat expert” in any sense of the term. I have been on many floating vessels of many sizes and descriptions throughout the world but for the most part I have been a life-long
Life in Bocas del Toro: Dollars and Sense
By bocasdeltoro at February 3, 2015 | 5:15 pm | 0 Comment
Read Article 1: Life in Bocas del Toro: Defining Paradise Read Article 2: Life in Bocas del Toro: What Price Paradise? Read Article 3: Life in Bocas del Toro: The Panama Journey Within A few years ago I was invited to join some friends on a trip to explore the Panama Canal. I love Panama but I’m just not excited by “Looking”. I’m a “Doing” girl. Sure I get
Life in Bocas del Toro: The Panama Journey Within
By bocasdeltoro at January 23, 2015 | 1:51 pm | 0 Comment
Read Article 1: Life in Bocas del Toro: Defining Paradise Read Article 2: Life in Bocas del Toro: What Price Paradise? Living on the islands of Bocas del Toro, Panama is certainly a change from living in my fast-paced lifestyle of the US. In my next few articles, I am going to try to discuss some of the welcome changes I have discovered as well as a few of the
Life in Bocas del Toro: What Price Paradise?
By bocasdeltoro at January 14, 2015 | 2:27 am | 0 Comment
Have you read Life in Bocas del Toro: Defining Paradise yet? After years of adventure and searching I have finally settled in the place that defines my Paradise. But at what cost? As they say in the movies, “Everything comes with a price.” What happens then if we look behind the curtain and sort through all the hype? What do we find scribbled on the back of the
Life in Bocas del Toro: Defining Paradise
By bocasdeltoro at January 8, 2015 | 9:54 pm | 0 Comment
Most of us at some point have felt a desire to live in some place called paradise. But in order to find paradise on earth, we first have to define exactly what that means. For some it may be a snow-packed mountain peak where it rarely gets above freezing, the skiing is terrific and the hot chocolate is steaming under mounds of whipped cream. For some it may be the top
