Friday morning, 8:18 AM – Still no power in Punta Barco
Yesterday at exactly 4:31 PM, Mother Nature decided to throw one of her famous Panamanian tantrums. Thunder, lightning, and rain like you wouldn’t believe – the kind that makes you wonder if Noah should start building another ark. One lightning bolt found its target on the highway pole near us, and just like that… lights out.
Here I am, almost 16 hours later, writing this by the light of my window, and it got me thinking about growing up in Coronado back in the 60s and 70s.
The Good Old Days (Were They Really?)
My father, being the practical man he was, had installed an electric plant to power our big house. Nine kids, you know – we needed all the juice we could get! But that old generator had a personality of its own. Sometimes it would sputter and die just when we needed it most. Other times, we’d simply run out of diesel at the worst possible moment.
But my mother? She was prepared for everything. She had this special spot in the house – I can still picture it perfectly – where she kept candles and matches. All nine of us kids knew exactly where to find it when the inevitable happened. It was like our family’s emergency headquarters.
My Current “Emergency Stash”
Fast forward to 2025, and here I am, the seasoned traveler who’s supposed to be prepared for anything, scrambling around my apartment with a phone flashlight looking for candles. After months of traveling between Panama, Colombia, and the States, my emergency supplies are… well, let’s just say they’re not what my mother would approve of.
I managed to find exactly one regular candle and these two beauties you see in the photo – matches from the Luxor in Las Vegas and the Hyatt in Sarasota, Florida.
Now here’s the fun question for all of you reading this: Do you still have old matchbooks tucked away somewhere? The kind with hotel names, restaurant logos, or random places you visited years ago? I know I have a bigger stash somewhere – probably in a box I packed during one of my many moves – but for the life of me, I can’t remember where I put it.
The Matchbook Memory Lane
There’s something almost nostalgic about these little matchbooks, isn’t there? Each one tells a story. The Luxor matches probably came from that crazy weekend when I was showing some friends around Vegas – you know, the kind of trip where you collect random souvenirs without thinking. The Hyatt ones? Probably from a business trip to Sarasota, back when I was still figuring out this whole “digital entrepreneur living between two worlds” thing.
I bet some of you have matchbooks from places that don’t even exist anymore, or from trips you took decades ago. They’re like little time capsules sitting in junk drawers, waiting for moments exactly like this.
Panama Reality Check
But here’s the thing about living in paradise – sometimes paradise tests your patience. The rain started again early this morning, and knowing Panama like I do, I’m not holding my breath for a quick power restoration.
To all my neighbors and friends in Coronado, Gorgona, San Carlos, and surrounding areas: Stay safe, stay dry, and don’t worry too much. We’ll get our power back eventually. We always do. This is just Panama being Panama.
And speaking of Panama being Panama – this is exactly why I spend my Novembers (and yes, my birthday) in Medellín. November here is when the rains really decide to show off, and frankly, I prefer to watch that show from a distance, with reliable electricity and eating a big american style hamburguer.
The Silver Lining
You know what? Maybe this power outage is the universe’s way of telling me to slow down for a moment. Between planning the upcoming Medellín trip for my three couples (who are probably reading this and wondering if their tour guide has lost his mind), managing both KnowPanama and RicoTravels, and living this crazy expat life, I rarely just sit still and remember where I came from.
So here I am, by candlelight and matchbook light, thinking about my mother’s wisdom in always being prepared, and realizing that sometimes the best preparation is simply knowing how to roll with whatever life throws at you.
To my fellow match-collectors out there: Dig through those drawers tonight and see what memories you can find. Share your oldest or most interesting matchbook stories – I’d love to hear them!
And to everyone dealing with this storm: We’re all in this together. Panama style.
Stay safe,
Rico
P.S. – If anyone in Punta Barco has a generator and wants to trade stories over over a six pack, I’m the guy with the Luxor matches! 😄