A Perfect Day at the Beach

 I have wanted to go to the beach since I arrived in early January.  First, I put it off until Yella arrived and then it got delayed for this and that, really no good reason.

We owed a trip to a couple who are friends of ours so I suggested the beach.  They had taken us to a remarkable resort in Caldera, 15 miles south.  This resort  is completely off the grid utilizing massive solar, hydro and diesel power.  It was interesting and we had a great lunch.

So, I wanted to introduce them to something special.

We have other friends who have a beach house at Las Lahas.  Try saying that three times fast.  

This beach is one of the premier beaches on the Pacific in Panama and maybe Central America.  It is a white sand beach, with a wide, gentle slope that exposes at least 100 meters of beach at low tide.  The waves are gentle and safe.  This is a major consideration because so many of the beaches are dangerous with powerful undertows.

If you doubt me, talk to a friend of ours who almost drowned in Costa Rica.  Her swimming partner did die on that beach.  So beaches and the associated dangers are not to be taken lightly.

But not to worry, Las Lahas is a safe, fun beach.  And, our friends with the beach house invited us to play on the beach at their house.  These are the neatest people!  They have invited us many times, even early on when they didn't hardly know us.

We have tried to enjoy public beaches here but it is tuff.  Panamanians litter.  Their culture excludes any sense of public cleanliness.  The litter can be so intense that the beaches look like the dump.

We have been discouraged going to the beach before because of the litter.  So, having a private residence at the beach is great and makes the experience so much more fun.

So off we went and it was a fun day in the sun.  Sun, a gentle sea breeze, good company, good food and relaxation under the palms.  Ahhhhh......!!!!!!!

I must digress and talk about getting out of the house before we went to the beach.

Yella was in the shower and I heard much cussing.  I immediately knew that the hot water had run out, giving her an icy shower.

Not good.

I ran outside to change over to a fresh bottle of gas for the hot water heater and, remember, it's Panama, so of coursed the damn pilot light wouldn 't ignite.

Grrrr...

I try for 10 minutes, a long time when someone is wet waiting on hot water.

I run over to the house we used to rent across the street and swapped bottles, thinking the valve on my bottle was bad. No luck.

So I give up and call the landlord.  He arrives about 20 minutes later and gives me a couple of tips which don't work.

He looks down and says, you didn't flip on the valve.

Boy, the learning curve is steep here.  This valve is almost invisible.  There is no way you would ever know it was there unless someone showed you, as he did.

Then, the pilot light came right on.

I am amazed at what I have to learn to do the simplest things!