Survivor Time!

Easter has come and gone and I trust everyones pants are fitting a bit more snug from all the yummy turkey & all it's great fixings.

For Easter break we headed out to Island Contadora a Las Perlas Island. The Las Perlas islands have hosted a lot of historic events. On Contadora Island the "Torrijos-Carter" treaty negotiations in 1977. They were completed in December 1999, ending the ownership and management of the Panama Canal by the USA, and delivering it to the Panamanians. We saw the house of the Vice President of Panama where the treaty was signed. The Panamanians are very proud of this!

Another historic event or events has been the film locations of two CBS SURVIVOR series. Survivor South Africa & Survivor Turkey have been filmed here also.

The Pearls archipelago is composed of 90 islands and about 130 islets or keys. The islands were formed by volcanic eruptions.

The island population varies and increases during high seasons. More than 350 people live on CONTADORA among them are only 9 families, that are permanent residents. The other ones are employed by the hotels, other businesses as house keepers or guards. There are only 181 homes and villas on the island.

Contadora island is either a 15min flight from Panama City or a 1.5 hour boat ride. We opted for the boat ride this time (thought the kids would like it and Trent waited to long to book a flight :- )

We parked our truck on the street by the marina and Trent said "the true test of Panama will be if our truck is still there when we get back in 4 days!"

(at the causeway marina before we boarded our boat)

As we waited for our boat which was an hour late (typical for Latin America) Trent took the kids for a little walk and the next thing I saw was that Everett's shoe blew off and was now floating in the ocean.... What on earth were we going to do with a child with only one shoe...A very nice Panamanian yelled to a local fisherman to come retrieve Ev's shoe... Everyone cheered. So typical for one of my kids :-)

(Ev's shoe floating away)

The boat ride was nice on the way to Contadora Island. On our way out of the Causeway we had to pass and navigate enormous ships to head out to sea. Everett and Easton fell asleep on the boat so the trip went by very quickly.

(the kids love adventures)



(my seaman)

We arrived after an our hour & half boat ride... the boys rested and ready to play...
The kids went straight for the beach and water when we got off the boat. The sand was so soft on our feet.

(the kids were wet and sandy the moment they hit the beach off the boat)

(the water taxi ferries you out to the larger boat. Here though there was WAY to many people in the boat as you can see. I thought forsure it was going down)... crazy Panama :- )

The resort we stayed at was Hotel Galeon. It was a smaller resort and very quiet. Each room has an ocean view with a small veranda. It was great because this resort was not crowded so the kids had a lot of freedom to venture about and all the staff knew who we were.

(my East takes the best pictures, thumbs up buddy)

Contadora Island is the island for the rich... People with alot of money have vacation homes here. A family compared to the famous Kennedy's have a huge home here, a few doctors, a family that owns a packaging company... & most recently a Canadian doctor bought a huge round house... it is beautiful.

The Latin representative for Christian Dior (cosmetic company) has an enormous house which has no stairs something like 6 elevators, an elevator that goes all the way to the beach even... the things you can do with money.

(the *Kennedy's of Panama vacation home)

(here is the island main mode of transportation... golf carts, quads or this mule. We rented this mule for an hour to venture around the island... a very small island)

(Trent & Emma enjoying the hot sun... it was pretty hot here, the sun is intense)

(my cutie pie Everett... the kid is a fish just like Emma & Easton)

Trent & Easton went out with a local fisherman for a few hours one afternoon. It cost Trent $50.00 and he said it was well worth the money. Between Trent & Easton they caught 7 fish. They caught macrol, red snapper, grouper& jack fish. The largest fish was the red snapper weighing around 20lbs & it put up the best fight. The chef at the resort cooked the red snapper up for our dinner, nothing like fresh fish. Trent said the best part of the afternoon was seeing how excited Easton got about the fish.

(my proud guys with their snapper)

(the jack fish & snapper, their so happy)

(the boys all lathered with sun screen and covered as much as I can with clothing.... ready for a day at the beach)

Off on another adventure... a SURVIVOR adventure. As I mentioned earlier we were in survivor land. We booked a tour with a company that is owned by an Argentina couple to go explore some of the Pearl Islands. It was pretty cool to see where both "Survivor" series were filmed. I did alot of research before we came to the islands to find out where these islands were and the tour confirmed my findings.

The one tribal counsel island was about two miles off the main Island Contadora. The people on survivor would have been able to see civilization if they were on the south side of the island.

(on the boat again... I just can't believe I'm on the boat again.... :- )

(and yes, Everett fell asleep... we travel on water & Everett sleeps... he really can sleep anywhere)

(some fascinating star fish, the kids are really into this kind of stuff... I love this picture)

The first stop on our tour was a large sand dune island in the middle of the ocean. It was powder sand squishing through our toes. On this tour we had a translator along for the ride for us. The Argentina lady understood English but was not confident to speak it. I was asking alot of questions about the whole Survivor series. Through the translator I was asked about the series since she worked close with Jeff (the host) & the production crew. I was fascinated how they put the whole show together & was it for real.

It was confirmed to me many times that it is the real deal... the contestants are brought in and are litterly left on the islands to fend for themselves.

CBS came for a total of 3 months. A month before, a month during the shoot & a month after. CBS had a contract for all rights of the surrounding islands for 45 days during the shoot. They brought over a mini barge full of props and equipment. A staff of 300 was sent over including production staff & security. It was also stated in the contract that CBS was to leave nothing behind and leave the islands as they first found them.

I asked a few people who were around during the filming of the show "would you participate in the show?" and everyone said NO!

We saw where tribal counsel was held. The manager of the hotel told us that when someone was voted off... they were escorted in a blacked out van to the air strip on Contadora and a helicopter flew them off the island to an undisclosed location. (no one knew who was voted off except the contestants, Jeff & few other staff)

It was pretty wild, I could have asked a million questions. I did ask one more question, I asked if they know how huge Survivor is in North America... did they have any idea that people stay home on Thursdays to watch it, that there are huge Survivor parties for the finalize? They had a small idea, but I don't think they can grasp it, since I have no idea when Survivor is aired here on Panama television.

I am not a huge Survivor follower but I do have to say this was pretty cool to be out on these islands.

(here is the island of sand. One of the rewards for Survivor was here, they had wine & cheese I was told... it was set up very beautiful the lady told me)

(this was our first stop... this was breathtaking. Emma collected about 45 sea shells just off this island, amazing sea shells)

(the lady on the left is the Argentina lady & on the right our translator)

(Ev stayed on the boat and slept while we explored the island of sand)

(this is Mogo Mogo island, this was Mogo Mogo's beach (a survivor tribe) where they lived for many nights with all the creatures of the island)

(the island is owned by a Colombian and he has a house on it. Trent went back to the jungle part off the beach and he said it was very thick back there) A person can buy an island but ALL beaches in Panama are public, no one can have ownership of a beach.

(there is Mr. Macho himself... love you honey)

(the water was so clear, it was really beautiful here)

(the boys heading off to check out the underwater world.... snorkeling)

(love my guys xoxox)

(on our way to the underworld)

(Easton had enough of the water, it's time to play in the sand to find barried treasure)

(Ev stricking a pose... a very cool island)

(we found some burried treasure here though at the beach by our resort)

(the view from our hotel room)

(our taxi picked us up to dine at a resturant 3 mins away... No Jimmy Drew no seatbelts but the kids did think this ride was cool)

(at the resturant the boys battled it out in chess...)

We left the Contadora Island Sunday morning after an amazing 4 days. This was a fablous trip and we forsure will be coming back when we need a break from the city.

The boat ride home was eventful since it was over sold and we had no seats when we boarded (again Panama) Trent yelled and caught the attention of some people and we found seats. It was definatly interesting.

Everett was a sleep as soon as the motor turned over and Emma dosed off until everyone was standing and watching in amazment as we passed through a school of at least 80 Dolphins swimming on either side of our boat. It was amazing as the dolphins followed us and there were so many. It was a sight to see... we are blessed each and everyday to witness what we do.

On the island the Easter bunny did not have a chance to hide eggs since our hotel room was a bit to cozy to hide any. When we arrived home on Sunday the kids went crazy to discover the Easter Bunny did not forget about them and had hid eggs all over the apartment and left them a bag of treats. They were truely amazed the EB found them in Panama.

It was the end of an unbelievable weekend.

(Everett now takes his Superman everywhere along with his cars)

(Easton kept yelling "thank you Easter Bunny, you are the best... little did Easton know just how much it cost the EB to be the best)

(the kids are just so happy to have a few new toys to play with)

(some very happy kids on Easter Sunday, mom's mission accomplished)

Well my Mom, Bonnie, Harlow & Keidis arrived last Wed. after an exhausting two days of traveling. We are soooo happy to have them here, it has been great. Trent & I have been trying to show them the sights and cram everything they want to see in before they leave on the 25th.

Harlow is Emma's shadow and it is so cute. Emma really loves to take care of Harlow and Easton takes care of Keidis when he gets a chance. My mom & Bonnie love it here, more then they ever imagined.

We just came back from a great weekend away and I will start on that blog right away. It is VERY busy around here with 5 little ones ages 1.2.3.5.7... we are a site at resturants :- ) My mom & sister are however loving having Elia (our helper) around, at the end of the day all their laundry is done and everything is clean.

Again thank you for following our explorations of Panama, I hope you enjoyed this Survivior addtion and if you have any question please email as I try to remember everything but it's late and I am sure I forget details. Also my sister says I type to much and nobody has time to read all the words I type... I LOVE my sister... honesty is the best thing in life.

Until next time all our love to you... and see you soon.

Love Trent * Jody* Emma*Easton & Everett

Out & about in Old Panama

Happy Easter everyone...

Easter for us this year will be a bit different. No turkey dinner, instead we are trading the turkey in for a lobster. Panama is about 90% Catholic so Easter is widely celebrated here. We are however taking off to Island Contadora for 4 days. The island is so small you rent golf carts to venture around on to explore. I will let you know all about what we learn when we get back.

The kids are loving school. Easton was invited to another amazing Panamanian birthday party. These people know how to party, I give them that! This past birthday was for a boy in Easton's class named Victor and his family is from Peru who just moved here from Nicaragua..... they spoke great English. The party's theme was Scooby Doo and it was loads of fun for the kids.

(this spread seems to be the norm here in Panama)

(this pinata was bigger than Everett & it was FILLED with candy, they do not mess around here... they like their candy)

Trent never came to the party because he entered another poker tournament... His weekly indulgence with Nick. Trent loves the game and improves his standings each week. Nick made it to # 5 out of 50 odd players. Jeff Simpson you better watch out ....haha...

Last Sunday we went down to Casa Veijo which is considered old Panama. You have to drive through a pretty rough neighborhood to get to there but it well worth the drive. The “Old Part,” also known as Casco Antiguo or the San Felipe district, is the most colorful part of Panama City. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1997. It’s a city within the city, and one from a different age. It’s a great place for a walking tour. You can wander down narrow brick streets, have a coffee at an outdoor café, visit old churches, and gaze at the wrought-iron balconies with bright tropical plants. It has an unusual blend of architectural styles. Casco Viejo has a romantic look, with investors scooping up the property to do restore some cozy resturants and quaint cafes. Amazingly, this is being done with careful attention to keeping the old charm of the place alive. In some places the district now resembles the French Quarter of New Orleans.

(I love the European charm here)

(this is one of my favorite parts of Panama... I would like to take more time exploring around here)

We went on a Sunday when there was a small fair going on with clowns and street vendors selling their crafts. It was a very nice and extremely hot afternoon.

(it was funny to watch a clown preform in Spanish... his act was still funny)

(a look at the little city square)

(everett's new little friend)

(a Kuna lady displaying her beautiful molas)

Last week I went on a two day very in-depth tour of all the hospitals in Panama City. On our tour van was 10 retirees from USA and me the youngest participant by 20yrs. easily, this tour is for expats living or visiting Panama City. It was a fantastic tour! I again was amazed at the excellent level of health care as I saw in Thailand. We saw state of the art MRI machines, CAT scan machines, behind the scenes of the blood labs in the hospitals.

The John Hopkins Hospital is a new hospital affiliated with the USA opened here last year. Well this hospital is like a luxury hotel at times. They have a service here called the Complete Medical Examination. In one day they do a comprehensive chemistry profile (all blood work) for woman mammoghrahy, bone density, chest x-ray, abdominal & pelvic ultrasound, EKG, cardiac stress test, hearing screening, visual acuity & glaucoma screening, a nutritional consultation, respiratory function test and on the second day a colonoscopy.

By day two you have a blue print of your body and all of your results. The price tag for this executive service for (woman is $3200) - (men $2800) that includes your consults with the physicians, all your meals and a night in luxury. On our tour we saw the hospital suites, this is not your ordinary private room, this is a living room with flat screen TVs for your guest. A separate washroom for your guest and then in the patients room the window treatments alone are worth the stay.

Two, possibly three hospitals here are way more accommodating than any experience I have ever had back in Canada. At one hospital the Director Chief showed us around his hospital, this was the hospital that is designated if any president is in the country and they need medical care.

On our tour we also went to a Wellness centre... When you find these places here in the city they are a treat. The Wellness Centre is owned by Americans who just moved here 6months ago from Hawaii, they brought all their knowledge here and have some amazing treatments... A great place to go to get a break when I get a chance.

The hospital tour was great, it really answered some of my big questions and I feel very confident that great health care is here that we can access if we need it!

Rainy season is on its way which we have not experienced yet. We have been told it will rain for 1-2 hours/day and then blue sky for the rest of the day. We will see, I am not sure what to expect.

As I have said before there is no Walmart or Zellers here. I heard of a store that would sell chocolate Easter eggs so Trent and I spent an hour driving around looking for this store last night just so the kids would have a egg trail from the Easter Bunny. Finally found the store and it is the best party store I have ever been into. They have the best themes and unbelievable party supplies. I did find the small chocolate Easter eggs and for a bag of them it cost $19.00us. Oh this years Easter Bunny will have no money left :- ) haha... Now I have to find a way to get all the Easter treats to the island without my very inquisitive daughter finding the goodies. The chocolate eggs this year will be throughly enjoyed by Mom & Dad...

At school today Easton had an Easter party. They went on an egg hunt and played some fun games. Easton did come home and say though it was not like Calgary... not very many decorations in the classroom. Yes things in Panama are celebrated a bit different.

(watch out these are some very serious boys)

I was out looking at houses the other day on Palm Sunday and drove into this little town. The street was blocked off and coming towards us was this parade of people walking with palms and singing beautifully. Times like this I find just amazing, to see how other cultures celebrate different events around the world. I took only a few pictures as I felt that I was intruding on their sacred time.

(I am so glad I witnessed this)

I do not have to many stories to report. My day consists of walking to & from school 6 times a day and a bagel shop pit stop. Less than a week now and my mom, sister, Harlow & Keidis get here. WOW has time flown by. I can't wait to smother Harlow and Keidis with hugs & kisses. I asked my mom what are some things she would like to do and she asked me " how far are you away from the Canal?" Only 5-6 minutes Mom.

Trent and I are most anxious to hear what my Mom and Bonnie will think of this place... it will be interesting.

Well I could babble on and on but I must go and get ready for our island adventure. Have a wonderful Easter will all your loved ones. Times like this I miss our traditions back home especially a Schmu/Drew Easter egg hunt in the snow :- )

This may also only interest Jodie:.... Jennifer (a friend from here)... her sister just came down for a visit and we went over to meet her. The sisters name is Lisa. This girl worked for Disneyworld and was the real deal... Cinderella... I asked her so many questions. Lisa is getting married in a few weeks at Disneyworld and at the end of the ceremony Cinderella's horse and carriage is picking them up and whisking them away for Happily Ever After! (pretty cool)

I told Emma that Lisa new Cinderella really well and Emma's eyes almost popped out of her socket... it was pretty cute.

Tonight we took Nick out for his birthday. I am pretty sure I have mentioned him before, he is from Florida and has been down here for about a year. The kids love him and he is really great with the kids... he does not have any children of his own. One day though.

(out for Nick's birthday)

(my cute guy with his bunny ears from school)

( hugs to the world)

A very HAPPY EASTER to you all. I wish you a safe and chocolate filled Easter with your loved ones. You are in our thoughts and for all living in Alberta I pray the snow stops :-)

Miss you and love you xoxoxo
Until next time love Trent, Jody & our cute, amazing spanish speaking munchkins