Hello from Panamá,
After waking up at 1:30am yesterday, I transited the whole Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the Coast Guard training sailing ship, Eagle. (See http://www.uscg.mil/History/WEBCUTTERS/Eagle_1946.html for the history of this former Nazi ship.) The weather was beautiful – 81 degrees and sunny. But then again, Panama is 81 degrees every hour of every day. Not bad, but then again the rainy season has not started. On the transit, I saw from the water vantage point all the ports I have been visiting for work. In between the ports on each end of the canal, I saw lots of verdant jungle; I almost felt like I was on vacation, except for the other 50 colleagues and all the Coast Guard training recruits. The canal and the locks truly are amazing; if I have not already recommended the Path Between the Seas by McCullough to you, I do now. Read it; the story behind the canal is extremely entertaining.
Work has been busy for me. I have been meeting all my contacts: government officials, business execs, and non-profit directors that deal with the Canal, ports, maritime industry, aviation, banking/finance, science/environment, and a few other issues. My boss is great; unfortunately, he is leaving this summer along with about 1/2 of the Embassy staff. (Last year, only 2 people left post.) My work place will be very different in a couple months; now boss, new Ambassador, new DCM, and lots of other new people.
I am definitely anticipating Kellee’s arrival in just less than 3 weeks. Kel will be quite happy with me, because she will be immediately walking into a functioning apartment and she will have a softtop Jeep Wrangler to drive. We have a nice 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment, but we do not have the view that we had in Shanghai (nor Baghdad). Just on Thursday, I obtained hot water for the showers (!), the ability to run more than one major appliance at a time, cable, Internet, and a weekly maid.
Well I now need to do some real work.
Take care,
Jim
After waking up at 1:30am yesterday, I transited the whole Canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific on the Coast Guard training sailing ship, Eagle. (See http://www.uscg.mil/History/WEBCUTTERS/Eagle_1946.html for the history of this former Nazi ship.) The weather was beautiful – 81 degrees and sunny. But then again, Panama is 81 degrees every hour of every day. Not bad, but then again the rainy season has not started. On the transit, I saw from the water vantage point all the ports I have been visiting for work. In between the ports on each end of the canal, I saw lots of verdant jungle; I almost felt like I was on vacation, except for the other 50 colleagues and all the Coast Guard training recruits. The canal and the locks truly are amazing; if I have not already recommended the Path Between the Seas by McCullough to you, I do now. Read it; the story behind the canal is extremely entertaining.
Work has been busy for me. I have been meeting all my contacts: government officials, business execs, and non-profit directors that deal with the Canal, ports, maritime industry, aviation, banking/finance, science/environment, and a few other issues. My boss is great; unfortunately, he is leaving this summer along with about 1/2 of the Embassy staff. (Last year, only 2 people left post.) My work place will be very different in a couple months; now boss, new Ambassador, new DCM, and lots of other new people.
I am definitely anticipating Kellee’s arrival in just less than 3 weeks. Kel will be quite happy with me, because she will be immediately walking into a functioning apartment and she will have a softtop Jeep Wrangler to drive. We have a nice 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom apartment, but we do not have the view that we had in Shanghai (nor Baghdad). Just on Thursday, I obtained hot water for the showers (!), the ability to run more than one major appliance at a time, cable, Internet, and a weekly maid.
Well I now need to do some real work.
Take care,
Jim
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