Historical Casco Viejo in Panama City.

It's amazing how we can make things happen just by putting our mind into anything we wish to do. JJ and I always wanted to travel the world and Panama City was on our radar so an opportunity came at the right time to escape to a warmer climate after spending a cold winter on the west coast.

We didn't know what to expect from this city but we read good things about it. Retirees love Panama because of its beautiful beaches and mountain towns, the amenities and modern infrastructure, the canal and of course its culture. But, our goal is to find that special place to call home so good reviews are not enough to make a move to a city we've never been before; for us it's about feeling the energy, exploring and falling in love with all what this special place has to offer but most importantly we're looking for a new home were we can be content and where we can see ourselves reaching our golden years.

We arrived in Panama on a warm morning so it felt good to know that shorts and t-shirts will be all we needed... no more sweaters and rain coats! We made our way from the airport to Casco Viejo, the historical district of Panama. Here we took care of Ouija, a sweet Cocker Spaniel who demanded his raw carrots treats and cookies... he gave us plenty of love while we looked after him.

 Casco Viejo is like a small village across from the city of Panama, the bay area divides the two of them so the views from either side are spectacular; Panama being the modern city of high rises and Casco Viejo keeping the beautiful colonial architecture.

We were excited about exploring the historical district so as soon as we were settled in the house, we took our first walk around the neighborhood.

Casco Viejo is a nice melting pot of people from all over the world and its locals, walking around the narrow streets and between the old houses was like going back in time. The village is under restoration so they're bringing back the beauty of its buildings and history.

 The house we took care of is right in the town's heart so we had everything within walking distance. The rooftop terrace was our favorite place, the amazing 360° view allowed us to appreciate the city from a different perspective. Looking at the ocean, the ships going through the canal and the beautiful bell tower churches around the city was never tiring; specially in the evenings when we were able to appreciate the sunsets and enjoy the ocean breeze after a hot and humid day.

Casco Viejo has a good selection of international restaurants and cafes, all you have to do is walk around and discover some charming places where to sit down al fresco and enjoy a good meal.

Overall our experience in Panama was very good but, unfortunately we didn't have the time to explore its beautiful beaches; we didn't realize they were about two hours driving distance from the city but, we have an excuse to go back one day and explore the more laid back side of Panama and hopefully we get to enjoy the cooler mountain towns and the beautiful Caribbean beaches.

 Panama is a very pricey city for Latin America; doing grocery shopping, eating out and even buying a simple ice cream can be the same or even more expensive than in the US so that was a big negative for us because the goal for most of the retirees is to find places where their income can stretch a bit more and give us the opportunity of having a better quality life. 

As a gay couple we're also looking for a place where we can be part of the community but Panama still has some time to grow and be more open about its diversity. We had a bad experience at the airport where we had to show our marriage certificate going through customs to prove that JJ and I were married, fortunately we always carry a file with all these documents in case we need them; the truth is that we felt discriminated against... with that said, our adventure continues in the search of our forever home.

Safe travels my friends!

Last stop on the West Coast... Seattle, WA.

We absorbed plenty of energy from the sun by the time we left Oakland, we were going to need that extra boost to keep us going while house sitting in Seattle for over two months. Friends and family thought we were crazy by traveling to the west coast at this time of the year. But, we wanted to experience these beautiful cities in their worst time, if we could survive living with cold, rain and many gray days, we would be fine the rest of the year.

We started house sitting the first week of January and also took care of Sakda, a Korat cat, in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. This is a very nice area surrounded by parks, lakes and all the conveniences of a cosmopolitan city. The house is situated on a hillside so the views we had were amazing, especially when the sun made its way through the gray curtains that covered the sky.

We spent many days indoors due to the constant rain but, we were able to explore the city when mother nature gave us some breaks. Our first walk was at the Arboretum Park, this is 230 acres on the shores of Lake Washington that has a variety of plants; even in winter we were able to appreciate the beauty of it. I can only imagine how it looks like in spring when everything is blooming. Walking through the park gave me the feeling of being in an enchanted place, I was hoping to see some trolls and witches running around but it was just us; perhaps they were hiding behind the big trees, making sure that we had a safe stroll through the woods.

We enjoy the outdoors so we were happy to find plenty of parks to visit within walking distance or a short bus ride. What was even better is that mother nature gave us some amazing sunny days to enjoy these places, something we weren't expecting.
Volunteer Park and Green Lake are worth a visit, here you can  spend a great time relaxing while being in touch with nature. It's amazing how invigorated we felt after walking around Green Lake, seeing the sunlight shimmering on the calm water and feeling the fresh air on my face brought peace to my senses.

 Volunteer Park is a little gem in the middle of the city; it's the perfect spot to clear our mind, read a book or simply have quality time while being surrounded by the energy of beautiful vegetation.  Here we visited the conservatory that has a good selection of exotic plants. There's a warm room full of beautiful desert plants that transported us to our home in Las Vegas the moment we stepped in.
As we explored the area, we found a water tower right in the middle of the park; we climbed many steps before getting to the observation deck where we were amazed by the 360° views of Seattle.

There's a Japanese Botanical garden by the Arboretum Park that we didn't visit the first time we explored this area because it closes during winter time. They reopened it in late February so we were happy to enjoy this little magical place even when the blooms weren't at their fullest. 

Seattle is a city full of life with plenty of activities year round, there's always something to do and places to go without even having to go over budget. 
The Public Market Center is a must visit, it's a fun place to walk around and be amazed by all the food, art craft and little shops that surround it. You can smell the flowers, organic food and even the fresh fish as you walk through its corridors. 
This eclectic farmers market is by the ocean which makes it a perfect place to wonder around downtown and get lost in its colorful alleys.

We took advantage every time we had a semi sunny day or when it wasn't raining to go for some walks, after being indoors for two or three days we just wanted to get out and breath the fresh air. There was a day we walked to the Space Needle, the sun was at its fullest so we ended up walking for about 18 miles. We were so content with such a bright day that we lost our time exploring the city and discovering beautiful places; we felt it by the time we were back home but it was well worth it.

Seattle has a great transportation system, the buses go all over the city and the new light rail goes from the airport to downtown and many other neighborhoods but, it's also a very walk-able city; this is what we liked the most because we were able to admire the charming cottages and the picturesque tree lined streets.
During the months of January and February most of the trees were leafless and covered with moss but still beautiful, every time we walked through the streets I felt like we were in one of those places that only exist in children's story books; there wasn't a day I wasn't amazed by such beautiful scenery.
In the second week of March we had our last stroll through the neighborhood, what a great sensation we felt when we saw the plants blooming and the cherry blossoms trees showing off their colors; it was like they were awakening from a long sleep.

Winter can be depressing in Seattle, specially for people who didn't grow up with this type of weather so keeping a busy mind is very important. There were days we didn't feel like going out due to the heavy rain, sometimes I felt a little anxious so writing has been a good way of escaping from my dark moments to a place where I can relax and it's full of bright colors.

Overall our experience in Seattle was very good, we had a great time living here for a short time but we're happy to move forward and continue our travel adventures to places where the sun shines year round.

Safe travels my friends!