VIVIR EN LA PLAYA COSTA PEDASI COMMUNITY NEWS Issue #27 January 2018 If anyone would care to contribute, we would be very glad to receive submittals relevant to our new lifestyles here in Panama. Please feel free to share your experiences, tips, sightings, and announcements of interest. If you would like to be removed from our mailing list, just Email us to let us know your preference. HOA Hello to of you out there and we sincerely hope that 2018 is treating you well! We are all enjoying the warm weather here and the as the board members continue to have our many meetings, it is nice to gaze out the window and see the beautiful blue Pacific! Great news is that most of the pot holes have been filled and you can now drive through the neighborhood easily, a great improvement. Also, the front entrance has been power washed and looks so much nicer. The curb appeal is improving immensely. We would like to remind everyone that the board is now functioning and will work to continue to keep Costa Pedasi a true premier development. In doing this there are rules and regulations that are now being enforced, whereas in the past they have mostly been ignored. PLEASE, do remember that all construction plans must be submitted to the the Architecture Review Committee, before construction begins! This is true for ANY construction: bohios, fencing, etc. Obviously, new construction!!! We highly recommend that you read ALL the rules and regulations and that you make your contractor aware of these rules. This simple act could save you some embarrassing times, delays and costly fines. WEATHER REPORT
The dry season is upon us, winds have changed, and for the most part, the rain has dissipated. Although leading up to New Year s Day, we did see a few days of rain. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS In the last newsletter, we asked for volunteers to adopt a park. Paul Froehlich stepped up and has adopted an area across the street from his house that, in the master plan is a path to the beach road. He planted various plants, flowering and non-flowering and it looks great, Paul! Thank you!! We would welcome any other volunteers to adopt a park! Bob planted some plants across the street from Casa 46, they are coming back and looking up! Just noticed some are blooming. Thank you Bob! And another thank you to one our our residents, Jim Seaman! Jim, a master electrician looked over the electrical system for the water and front gate and has proposed a solution that can save us thousands of dollars!!! Thank you, thank you Jim! We always have cold beer for you here at Casa 46!! And a huge Thank You to Mel Kenyon because without her the newsletter would be very boring!! And of course her sidekick, Neil, the photographer. PEDASI NEWS Pedasi had a great year in terms of community support and organization. Lead by our mayor Miguel Batista, an amazing job of renovating and beautifying our town square was done, which included the installation of lights. This has really brought the center into life in the evenings. There are always a number of folks nightly in the square enjoying the evening. The road between Las Tablas and Pedasi, actually all the way to Canas, is undergoing a $15MM upgrade currently. This involves the resurfacing, and in some cases, the expansion of the road. They have started this work from both ends with plans to meet in the middle. Upon completion we will have a practically brand-new highway from Divisa to Canas.
Pedasi also got a new trash-compacting truck this year with another one on order! Probably not a big event in most of our lives from back home, but this is pretty major down here. This truck will really help in the modernizing of the waste management system in town, a major priority for our mayor. We have had a few more restaurants open in town, and a few out of people s home where one can pick up freshly made empanadas on a daily basis. Pedasi has seen new real estate services, legal services, accounting services and also a new retail shop, like Pedasi Love, open over the last couple of months. The newly formed Pedasi Chamber of Tourism is also working on several projects to assist our pueblo in taking advantage of the growing tourism sector. There is a conditional approval to bring a branch of the Oxford School in 2019 to Pedasi. Karla Adams from Open Doors Panama Realty is spearheading this campaign and will be meeting with school owners in Panama City, the first part of January, to discuss logistics and expectations. October was a busy month in and around our Pueblo. Late October, Pedasi hosted several street artists for the first Pedasi Art Festival, which featured live music and some craft workshops. They left some incredible wall murals. Their work can be seen throughout the square area. October 22 was the Rice Harvest. This is another beautiful tradition of the Azuero region where members of the community support each other in the harvest. People arrive very early in the morning at the harvest to begin working. Wendy and Cyril Gillis, as well as Dean and Lori Shearer participated in this event.
October 29 saw another big event here in town. A marathon and the town was full of athletes who were participating in this event. No one from Costa Pedasi was involved in this event this year, but maybe next year? Two very tuckered out participants. The ox cart parade and the running of the bulls was held late November. This year s parade was opened up to any of the expats living in the area who were interested in participating in the parade. A couple of our lovely ladies from Costa Pedasi Cathy Aleman and Dee Jansen participated. Both were dressed in the traditional Panamanian polleras walked and danced their way through the streets of Pedasi.
Then came the running of the bulls. This year we saw three bulls race down the street with local men attempting to jump on the bull s back. No pictures of this, as this roving reporter and her photographer were keeping well back from the melee. Before you know it, the holiday season was upon us. December 16 th was the huge yard sale to benefit Animal Advocates followed by the Christmas bazaar in the square. There were artisan booths set up, live music, and the lighting of the Christmas tree. The annual light parade was held in the evening of December 23 rd. The square was full of expats and locals. Had a chance to chat with some of the Costa Pedasi folks who attended, Tom and Thersa Currie, Wendy and Cyril Gillis and grab a cerveza with Debby and Jim Seaman. This year s parade was led by the police marching band out of Panama City, there were three santas in full garb, one riding a Policia ATV, one dancing and one driving the new trash compacting truck. Cars and floats all a glitter with lights, candies thrown to the crowd, as well as a truck handing out gifts to the children. Christmas music broadcasted. It was a very special evening.
HAPPININGS IN THE HOOD Once again, as winter hits Canada and the US, we saw a few more home owners in and around Costa Pedasi. Had a chance to catch up with Al Canale, Michael and Elinor Maxwell-Smith and John Wigger. Shariffa and Horst Grosser are back in the community from their summer months up in Canada. It is great to have them back. Party season is upon us again, starting with the Kenyon s annual Christmas party, then Terry Maples birthday gathering, followed by Tarras annual Boxing Day open house and closing off the year with a New Year s Eve party hosted by Shariffa and Horst. There is a lot of socializing happening in our community, and it is always fun to get together with folks; whether they are here for a short visit or permanent residents. A couple of great shots taken by Jeff Jansen, of views from their back yard. A double rainbow over the Jansen s bohio. Followed by the full moon over the ocean. It truly is midnight at the oasis. Construction is moving along on Lot # 33 owned by James and Kerry Foster of Manitoba, Canada. We look forward to catching up with them on their visits to check out the progress of their new home, here in Costa Pedasi.
The Foster s home on Lot # 33 is rapidly progressing. A big difference from the last newsletter. Now that the dry season is here, things should progress very smoothly. GOOGLE EARTH HAS UPDATED This screen shot of the development is new on Google Earth!
COMMON SENSE AND A SENSE OF HUMOR ARE THE SAME THING, MOVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. A SENSE OF HUMOR IS JUST COMMON SENSE, DANCING. Clive James, author