The Beetle by the Pool and What Panama Is Teaching Me About Retirement

I am looking at a huge beetle climbing up beside the swimming pool. It moved slowly along the edge of the shadow and then turned and went down the step. I lost it when it moved so that my view of it was blocked by a hammock. Now it went up again. And when I looked up from typing, it was down again. It must be looking for food, not escape.

One last thing about the beetle. From end to end of the body, it is almost 3 inches long. It's still working on breakfast within the confines of the shade. Now it dawns on me what it looks like. I know it's not, but it looks like a dung beetle from a David Attenborough episode.

Two Weeks in Panama

With my daughter here for the first two weeks, we squeezed in a lot of sights. Most were to tourist destinations such as the Panama Canal and monkey watching. This week we drove to Boquete for three days. Then we drove to the Pacific coast and joined a snorkeling boat trip out to a reef system in the Pacific Ocean.

We stayed at three different Airbnbs in 5 days. Yet in two short weeks, we spent many days in the old Panama City. We ate in the two highest rooftop restaurants in the city. And we got to the Saturday night special session of the Biodiversity Museum and learned a lot about the mammal fossils and how Panama was formed.

Each time we cross the Bridge of the Americas to get into Panama City, the canal is right there. I imagine that the locals are immune to it or possibly dislike it because they don't really own it.

How Do I Feel?

I still haven't written about how I am feeling. I'm pretty sure that what I want to write about is how Panama is making me feel. But one of the last words of advice my daughter said to me before she left was to "make sure that I am putting on my air mask before helping others." Point well taken.

So, how do I feel about the first two weeks in a foreign country? It is hot during the day, even in Boquete. Although in Boquete, it was much windier, and it got cooler after the sun went down. And we had several days of rainbows. That was pretty cool.

Slowing Down for the First Time

It has been 2½ months since I retired. I feel like everything is moving fast. I do not understand that. Reading others' thoughts on retirement, I thought slow and quirky was the way to go.

I came across an actress who retired. She stated that she is really enjoying retirement. She says she sleeps late when she needs to, and dances in the rain when she wants to.

The ideal temperature for my 70-year-old body could be here in Panama. But before I consider this any further, I want to visit Portugal. I hear that it is even better overall. The cost of living can be even less than in Panama.

I am thinking of visiting Portugal in October. The crowds will be gone, yet the temperature will still be warm. The cities in the travel book are stunning, and the rail system is top-notch.

I'll keep thinking about slowing down, and will write more about that when I make the time.