Yesterday, we walked into town, to the visitor center to pick up our rental car, which we're going to keep for the next 3 days.  We're going to use it to drive around and look at what our other options might be for places to stay for the next month, just in case where we're staying now doesn't work out for past December 8th.

So, with the car it was a little easier to go grocery shopping and stop into different stores for different things.  We also ate at that German restaurant that we tried to eat at last week.  This time we got there earlier, and had no trouble getting a table.  The food was very good - I had roast pork, and Guillermo had roast chicken.  The potatoes on Guillermo's plate were very good, mine were good also, but not as good as his!!  The man who owns the restaurant (and does the cooking) is from Germany and most of his customers speak German, so it was nice to sit in there and listen to them talk.  The owner sounds just like Uncle Bruno!!

After dropping off our groceries and things back at the house, we drove out in the direction of David to look at some places we had seen advertised for rent out that way.  Wow, we had no idea we'd be driving as far as we did!!  We drove out to Caldera because there was a place out there that seemed interesting.  The drive out there was kinda ugly, but amazingly enough, after this one curve on the road, the scenery changed completely.  And it was right about there where this place was.  The gate was open so we drove in!!!  A guy met us outside one of the houses there and then the owner came out and invited us into his house for a few minutes.  Very nice place he has - and he was obviously very proud of all he's done with his home and with the entire property.  He walked us around the property, showing us all the work he's put into it and it really is amazing.  His house is up on top and down kind of in a canyon is the Caldera River, which runs right through his property.  We were hoping he'd show us the cabins he has there for rent, but he ended up showing us every cabin and then almost the entire property!!  It was nice.  All the cabins are precious except for the one right on the river.  That one would be too worrisome.  Then we walked with him along a trail that kind of follows the river and it was just so beautiful.  His place is a paradise, but we don't think we'll be staying there.  It is very far from the nearest good size town, (we'd have to be taking taxis a lot), the cabins are pricier than we'd like (and besides they're booked for the time we want) and if we DID stay there, that's pretty much where we would stay all day long every day - unless we caught a taxi to the nearest town.  For a vacation spot, though, this place would be fantastic!!!!!

Today is Tuesday, and right after we got up this morning it started raining and it is now noon, and it has been raining the whole time.   Tuesdays are market days down in Boquete, so thankfully we had the car and were able to go.  We picked up a few things and drove right back - it was just too rainy to do anything else.

BUT, since we have a car, we didn't want to waste it, so even though it was raining, after lunch here at the house, we got in the car and drove to David - this time getting all the way to David.  Guillermo had been told that there was a good pharmacy and lab in a medical center in David, so we first went there to check on the medications that he needs.  It seemed very promising that he could get what he needs there, and that he'd also be able to get his blood checked in a few months in the lab.  So, with that taken care of, we went to the little mall in David that is right on the highway to Boquete.  We enjoyed looking around in those HUGE department stores where they have just about anything anyone could want, and then we visited the El Rey supermarket, which compared to the stores in Boquete is just far and away so much better.  We picked up a few things, then picked up two sandwiches for dinner at Subway and then drove back home, and by then, it wasn't raining anymore.