PROFESSIONAL DIVE BUDDIES NAS Dive Shop I called the dive shop that once rented space at the Ritz, where I was staying. I explained that I was an underwater photographer and I would appreciate diving with other photographers, or with a personal Divemaster so I wouldn’t be holding up other divers while I took my photos, waiting for just the right composition. I like long slow dives so I can look in all the crevices and search out elusive sea creatures. I got just what I asked for. The next three days were like heaven. The divemasters, professional divers familiar with the local dive sites, gave assistance when asked, but otherwise were like my good diving buddies at home. We were in no hurry, we just took our time, looked at everything and came up when ... read more

HOW TO MISS THE HOP ON HOP OFF BUS TWICE My first question in English, to a Spanish speaking hotel desk clerk, was, “When do the buses stop running?” I asked this again and again; I posed it to the bus attendants and to the ticket agents. The answer was always the same, 6 p.m. The last item on my list of things to do in Panama was to take the Hop on/Hop off bus. There were really only two places I had to see: The City of Knowledge and The Old Quarter (Casco Antiguo/Casco Viejo/San Felipe). I cannot remember what the cause of delay was, I got a taxi from my hotel around 1:30 p.m. but my ticket was for the 3 p.m. bus. The young man at the counter was a diver and we ... read more

THE PANAMA CANAL When I started my trip this year, I wondered where I would dive, and what I would see. I started in Costa Rica…now where to??? Right on down the map was Panama. On the water so I can go diving. And I haven’t seen the Panama Canal, that I knew was a massive engineering feat. I knew it was a waterway that used locks like those in Seattle but far bigger and grander. I knew it connected the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. I knew it was a shortcut so boats didn’t have to go around the tip of South America. That was about the extent of my knowledge. I don’t intend to give much statistical information. I did look up a few facts…the Canal is 48 miles long. It is considered ... read more

THE OLD AND THE NEW After a day of rest, recuperating from two days of touring Costa Rica, I felt revived and ready to do a little sightseeing. I had the hotel’s excellent continental breakfast and then sat by the pool for a while just enjoying some down time. Then I grabbed my camera and left the hotel to see what I could see on this, my last full day in San Jose. First stop was the dentist office just up the street. The receptionist unlocked the door. All the businesses on the streets in Costa Rica seem to lock the front door. There was a lovely lady sitting on one of the waiting room chairs checking her phone. I told the receptionist I was interesting in having my teeth cleaned. The lady behind me said, ... read more

ON MY OWN IN SAN JOSE I had a reservation at KC Hotel in San Jose. The name turned out to be problematic. The driver had never heard of it. It was dark. I was tired. He drove around in circles. Finally he stopped and asked a friend, and when we got to the hotel he charged me double because he had a hard time finding it. Still, I was so happy with the hotel. It was clean. The beds were comfortable. And I could finally stretch out and rest. The room was big and I did not have to worry about getting in someone else’s way. I went down to the restaurant, which is in the bar, and I ordered dinner. I wasn’t expecting much. After all, it was late, and it was a bar. ... read more