I returned to Santiago to retrieve my computer. The staff at compushop had disassembled it, washed it in solvent and tried it out the but keyboard could not be salvaged. The other Viao keyboard he had was not interchangeable. The proper replacement will take a month or so.

I bought a USB keyboard for $15 a USB optical mouse for $8.50 and paid the $10 for the attempted repair.

Carlos actually called me last night after four consecutive no shows. Unfortunately he indicated that his next commitment is Sunday. We shall see. I am anxious to “head ’em up, move ’em out.”

No word yet from CompuShop on the status of my notebook. My emails to them bounce. Carlos Nino has missed his fourth promise to return of my goods. Until I get both of these resolved I cannot move on.

I advised the group from Montana that should one leave a camera unattended in Santa Fe one is likely to be chased down in effort to return same. Maurice left his daypack somewhere last night, but didn’t recall where. As I was sitting in the internet cafe, he had been tracked to his hostel and subsequently to the internet cafe and his possessions returned.

On an unrelated note I have posted on Linkedin that I wish to donate my Aerospace ERP software to the open source community. It should be interesting to see where this goes.

Now to go hang out in a hammock and read Jefferson Davis’ “The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy” punctuated by several small strolls about town. I’m bored and I am ready to move on.

I copped a ride with Marnix to Santiago, walked down Avenida Central inquired as to where I could get my Sony Viao repaired, was directed to Compushop. They said they had a broken Viao in the back from which they may be able to use the keyboard. He will call in two days to tell me what it will cost. If it just needs to be washed with solvent it will be done then.

He wanted the password to check if it was working. I am not giving my password to anyone, everything is encrypted for a reason. I booted it of the cdrom and showed him that the computer and disk drive worked by plugging in a USB keyboard.

Went nextdoor to the internet cafe, same chain as the one in Sante Fe. The connection is unbearably slow. I think I will pop out of here and try another place.

I repartioned my external drive, did a full backup of my computer. Twenty minutes later somebody spilled a beer on my computer. I was looking for something to do, but going off to try to get a Sony Viao laptop repaired is not high on my list of things to do.

Despite the beautiful day, I thought I’d catch up on my blog and then go hike in the heat.

Rode with Mike to Santiago with Gloris and Morris. Morris had to check with ANAM about some land he was considering buying, wanting to ensure that that the land was not situated within the bounds of a national park and needed to get a replacement chain for his bicycle. I needed to replace the SIM card for my phone to get my old number back. Mike and Morris had omelettes, something not available in Santa Fe. I had the liver and onions again while Gloris had steak and onion. After breakfast we headed our separate ways. I walked to Avenida Central and located the Movistar (cell carrier) office, which had moved since the last time I was there.

I don’t understand why a cell phone store needs an armed guard, but he wanded me with a metal detector and opened the door for me. A few minutes later I was chatting with a lovely Panamanian girl, she had never ventured far beyond Santiago. I told her I was heading for Bocas. We chatted for twenty minutes, she indicated a desire to go with me for a few days. I got my replacement SIM for free after showing my passport. I took her phone number and walked back to the restaurant, saw Morris talking with the ANAM representative, walked over to the DOIT, a Panamanian chain for home improvement with a small sporting goods section, bought some fishing supplies, checked out the tents. Walked over to Super Carne, a supermarket and stocked up on hot sauce, something Santa Fe sorely needs.

Took a bus back to Santa Fe. Thirty three passengers on a bus with seats that accommodate 28 and not in comfort. Forty school kids stood by the side of the road twenty minutes into the trip. Eighteen were jammed into the bus for a half hour and got off as one somewhere between San Juan and Santa Fe.

The day was heating up but I walked up toward Alto Piedre and then down to the river and back into town. When I returned to Tierra Libre the usual suspects were playing cards. Mike drove me to his house, I gathered most of my stuff, save a pair of socks that I hope to retrieve today. A retired couple from Vermont touring Panama, looking for a small plot of land for a small retirement house. I described Arturo’s land in Alto Piedre and introduced them to Ed, the builder and Janet, the real estate agent when they showed up for dinner.

Cards, chatting, another quiet evening.

Bopped down to Santiago to get a replacement SIM for my old phone number. That took about five minutes, unfortunately it won´t work in the $17 phone for which I paid 50 pounds in London. That one minute phone call I made cost me $80. Now to find someone going to London to whom I can give my phone.

A blog entry, now deleted, has resulted in an epiphany for the man to whom I had entrusted my photographic equipment, image stabilized binoculars and other goods one year and thirteen countries ago.

The cutie who replaced my SIM wants to go to Bocas with me. I think I´ll just dig something up there. Time to catch up on the news, first time I´ve had a real internet connection for a week.

Went with Mike to his river front property to figure out where we could build some cabinas. There is a serious shortage of places to stay in Santa Fe.

Three short hikes up hills on trails I didn’t know existed.

Went back to his house, checked out his woolly opossum and played gin rummy. A very quiet day.

Morris, Seneth and Marnix all report that the carnival was wonderful. Lots of native dresses, parades. The most elaborate Carnival in Central America. One of the locals interpreted some of the music for Morris, as it exceeded his excellent vocabulary. One group sang sweet soft music to another group with lyrics along the lines of “All of your women are lesbians, all of your men are gay.” But it was all in good fun. Damn I missed it, transportation in a private bus, round trip $20. One more person whose credibility is shot, she who told me how horrible it was going to be.

Seneth looks like walking death. She really needed the break but I think she over did it.

Seneth called and wanted to know when I was coming over for the bus ride to Las Tablas. I reminded her that I had told her last night that I wasn’t going. Caught up on the blog by writing this, checked out the water front lot virtually staking out cabin sites, looked for Horasio a local builder and Stefanie’s husband. He is in Costa Rica for his mandatory 72 hour stay out of the country due to his non resident status.