Hola future neighbors, and welcome to the final newsletter of 2013. Things are finally drying out after a wetter than usual rainy season, and it’s nice to be looking forward to several months of dry weather. Some great things are happening on the project, so here we go:
1) Let’s build another house. When Leo and Willy came to visit from Canada in October, they decided that they liked lot 14 better than lot 5, so that’s the one they bought. They didn’t waste any time – they’ve started building a small guesthouse so they’ll have a place to stay until they build the main house at some point in the future (photo). The house will be done in January, after which the crew will move right over to lot 4 and build a similar house for brother Pieter and his wife Joka. I’m a lucky guy; how many people can say that both of their next door neighbors are named Hoogenboom?
Meanwhile Tom and Stephanie’s house on lot 7 is nearing completion, and looking quite magnificent in my humble opinion (photo). Sometime in 2014 they’ll be having a big housewarming party, and all of you are invited! Well, maybe I should check with them first………..
2) Residency information. I’ve discussed residency options in past newsletters, but I found a new link that is very good: http://vivatropical.com/panama/panama-visa-and-residency/
The author does a great job of explaining why establishing residency in Panama should be about 50th on your list of priorities when you move down here. You can literally live in Panama for years and years with no residency status of any kind (like me, Patricia and the author), so you will have plenty of time to figure out your best option when you’re living here.
3) Critter update. Since several of you keep asking, it seems like the Paradise Zoo keeps expanding. Loco is as ornery as ever (photo), Coco comes in from the jungle every day to eat and hang out (photo), and now we have a new daily visitor. Two years ago we raised a couple of baby birds that were smaller than Loco and his siblings (orange-chinned parakeets, if you really must know). We released them into the wild, and assumed we would never see them again. About five months ago one of them showed up with his entire lower beak missing – 
maybe lost it in a fight? He was almost dead, but of course Patricia nursed him back to health, and now he flies in every day for his bread and milk (photos). We named him Teenyweeny, which I think is pretty catchy.
We also continue to see more and more wildlife in the area – check out the toucan in the back yard (photo).
That’s it for this year. Everybody have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Festivus, and any other holiday that I forgot to mention.
Jay and Patricia
http://www.thepanamacollection.com
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