David!

Panama giveth and Panama taketh away.

Today, Panama giveth!

I have needed to go to the thriving metropolis of David for a couple of weeks. David is the second largest city in Panama at about 125,000 people.

The roads in David are so confusing that it takes about 12 trips to even start to get your bearings. And then about 3 more years to get it down.

But David has about everything.

I needed some shorts so off I went to Ropa American, a second hand clothing store in the heart of the most confusing market district of David. Stop and go traffic, people shooting out into the street--hordes of them in no discernible pattern--taxis darting into the road, and on and on it goes.

But it is so much fun! Vibrant and alive!

I had about 6 stops, all worked out.

Unheard off!

I was back in Boquete in 2 and half hours. Then I stopped at a travel agency and got airline tickets for some friends, then I randomly stopped into a barber shop and got a haircut...all in 30 minutes.

Wow!

Panama giveth today.

I am off in a few minutes to a Christmas show to watch Yella and my friends sing and play Christmas music.

The Christmas spirit is in the air...literally with the music.

Oh, and I had a 20 minute conversation, in Spanish, with my neighbor. This is the guy that hates gringos. He has good reasons to hate us too.

He has been a project for me trying to win him over and I think I might be there. I understand maybe 20% of what he says but it is enough for him to feel we are now friends.

These are the victories that make life sweet.

He told me how important it is for neighbors (vecinos in Spanish) to cooperate and get along.

I agree whole heartedly.

Ah, a good day!