Marcos A. Gelabert Int'l Airport on former Albrook AFB	Thatcher Ferry Bridge	High School, Miraflores Locks, Pedro Miguel Locks, new Bridge

Panama 2009 Reunion

Several of us met in Balboa for a mini-reunion from January 31st through February 5th.  Combined photos from many of us are included below and on the linked pages.  While they may be in sequence by days, the chronology during the day might be off just a bit.  But, if you weren't there, you probably won't know the difference.  We had a Fabulous Time and enjoyed seeing classmates, spouses and even meeting new friends.  Claire coordinated the hotel (which was great) and worked with Joe Bremer to ensure that we had a bus for group transportation for the day trips. 

The daily schedule for the group was:

Friday, January 30th - Most of us arrived via different airlines at varying times.  Lerlene and Anne arrived a few days earlier.  Joe Bremer met up with Rick Prevost, Lerlene, Anne, Donna and Fred in the hotel lobby and took us into Viejo Panama where we enjoyed a terrific meal and ate outside.  When we returned to the hotel, Sherry and Joe had arrived and we visited at the patio bar at the TGI Fridays in our hotel.  As we returned to the hotel, again, Claire, Richard and Sharon were arriving.  Claire was presented with her longed-for Pineapple! 

Saturday, January 31st - Rainforest Discovery Center at Pipeline Road.

Sunday, February 1st - El Valle where we visited Doug & Lil Webster and the Market.  Then to Buenaventura near Rio Hato to visit and dine with Joe & Cathy Bremer.

Monday, February 2nd - Tour former Canal Zone areas, Miraflores Locks tour, Panama Viejo and a shopping / scenic walk near the French Embassy.  At dinner, we were joined by the infamous Dicky Frank and Barbara.

Tuesday, February 3rd - Several of us went to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on Barro Colorado for the hiking tour.  Others shopped, went to Tobago Island, etc.

Wednesday, February 4th - A few more toured Barro Colorado.  Many were able to visit the Biodiversity Museum designed by Frank Gherry and is under construction near what used to be the Amador Officers' Club.  Others went shopping.

Each Evening - we would meet at some restaurant either at the end of the Amador Causeway or next to our hotel at the little snack bar type Balboa Yacht Club where sometimes service was slow, beer was cold and visiting was greatly enjoyed on the patio.  We generally ate at the more touristy (though quite good) restaurants on the causeway for simplicity of transporting the several of us via different taxi's.  The location prevented many of us from frankly getting lost in the city and never returning.  Plus, the more physically fit would walk back to the hotel ... and still meet the rest of us for drinks....!

Thursday, February 5th - the Official End of the group event.  Some went home and others of us who had decided to stay through the weekend moved to Boquete and stayed at El Panamonte Hotel.  Donna and Fred toured a coffee plantation and, according to their guide, became PhD's in coffee production!  The others went in search of the ever-elusive Quetzal bird.  We had unusually windy and cold weather yet we still had a great time being together. 

Panama Trip Attendees -

                                                                                                                                        from:  Bill Eldredge

Saturday, January 31st..........

After breakfast, we went to the Rainforest Discovery Center on Pipeline Road.  This is the center that Lynda Donley has been working with.  The site manager, Beatrice, gave us a wonderful walking tour and explained how the site was developed and built.  The area affords excellent opportunities to view and study birds of the area as well as tree canopy life at the various levels via the Canopy Tower.  Please view their Web site and you will appreciate the hard work Lynda and others have put into this and why they are so proud:  http://www.pipelineroad.org/

Thatcher Ferry Bridge fm hotel room At Comfort Inn & Suites on former 15ND Navy compound @ Ft. Amador & next to Balboa Yacht Club	Balboa YC pier fm hotel room	Sharon, Tom, Dave, Anita, Sherry & Joe	Anne, Lerlene, Sharon, Sherry, Joe Hozack, Joe Bremer, Donna & Fred
Claire, Lerlene, Joe, Donna & Rick	Rick Prevost & Claire McNaught	Bus to Rainforest Discovery Center	Hummingbird & Discovery Center
Beatrice (Mgr of Discovery Center), Rochelle & Donna	Climbing Canopy Tower	Donna the Discoverer	Lerlene, Sharon, Claire & Anne
Marguerite, Rick, Dave & Anne	Rainforest Discovery Center	Rick & Sherry on Canopy Tower (note the Death Grip...!)	Rick on Canopy Tower
Rochelle, Dave Kimberling & Marguerite Morris	Sharon Gates, Richard Nifong & Anne Gilley Tease	Sherry, Dana Eddings, Joe & Guide	Sherry, Dave & Anne
Sherry, Dave McNaught & Anne	Calamito Lake rest area at Panama Rainforest Discovery Center http://www.pipelineroad.org

Sunday, February 1st.........

We group-bussed to El Valle to shop at the Sunday Market.  Out first stop was at Doug & Lil Webster's' lovely vacation home in El Valle.  They graciously opened their beautiful home to us and plied us with friendship and snacks.  After a too-short visit, we continued on to the Market which was but a few blocks away.  After the market, it was off to Buenaventura on the coast near Rio Hato to Joe & Cathy Bremers' gorgeous beach-front villa.  There we relaxed and visited then went next door to the Club House where Joe & Cathy served dinner!  Even us non-fish(y) people LOVED the seafood paella..!  We cannot enough express our thanks to Doug & Lil and Joe & Cathy for opening their homes to us and providing such a relaxing and fun time.

On the bus	Chivas don't look like they used to...	Doug & Lil Webster	Doug & Lil's vacation home in El Valle
On the Veranda	Anne, Dave, Sherry & Lerlene (Lil in back)	Wall art	Claire McNaught
Doug, Mike Albert & Tom (Anita's husband)	Ron Evers, Rochelle & Anita	El Valle Market street	Lerlene Hayden Perra
Anne Gilley Tease	Bill Eldredge & Joe Hozack	Anne posing for Bill	Bremers' Estate
Joe Byrne, Cathy, Rick, Janet Fields, Diana Guigiotta, Donna & Celia	Lerlene, Judy Walton Davis, Joe, Cathy. Seated: Joe Byrne & Celia	Patio	Patio facing ocean
Rick Prevost	The Estate from ocean...	Donna, Kathleen Foster Albert & Mike Albert	Claire, Joe & Richard Nifong
Joe & Richard (Tom lounging)	Anitas' husband Tom & Cathy Bremer	Pete Stevens, Judy, Rick & Lana Stevens	Our Driver and Guide Antonio relaxes...
Janets' sister Joanna, Anita, Tom, Joe & Janet	Sherry, Bill & Claire	Donna, Marguerite & David Kimberling	More sheer relaxing...it was easy to do...
Lerlene, Cathy, Sharon Gates, Anne & Rick	Mike Albert & Joe Hozack	Sherry, Ted Arias, Richard & Pat Jansen	Sherry, Ted, Claire, Pat & Richard
Dana Eddings & Dave McNaught	Richard Nifong & our elected translator Sharon Gates	Rochelle, Lana & Pete Stevens	Accept it....Somebody has to live here....!
Joe Bremer	Dinner at the club house next door to Joe & Cathy's	Janet, Mike, Bill Anita & Tom	Diana, Judy, Cathy, Joe, Anne (Janet seated)
Richard ... Dave & Dana	Club house view toward the ocean	Antonio observes group ...	Plating up...
Donna & Fred Eversole	Lana, Pete, Dave, Marguerite, Richard, Sharon & Lerlene	Bill, Pete, Dave, Marguerite, Richard, Sharon & Joe	The Paella .. ! AND, it was Wonderful...!
Lerlene, Judy, Joe, Anne & Cathy	Bill & Carmen Eldredge, Bills' sister Clara, Tom & Anita	Diana Guigiotta, Joanna (Janets' sister) & Janet Fields	Ted Arias, Joe & Sherry
Pete, Rick, Lana & Clara	Richard, Sharon, Dave & Marguerite	Kathleen (Foster) Albert & Donna	Joe & Sherry