Right, back in Bogota, trying to find an appartment and fight off the cold that somehow gets into my bones here. It is something about the wind that rolls down the mountain and the rain that falls to sodden my feet only when it is that I need to venture outside. I guess I am going to move uptown a bit away from my usual stomping ground in the colonial Candelaria. I like the downtown for every reason conceivable, I like that I am close to the seat of power, as a journo I can find myself in the midst of some demonstration or another without even knowing it was going to take place when I am in the Candelaria. I like the edginess that occurs after a certain hour in the evening, I like my friendly corner drunk who looks out for me and I enjoy the friendship I have struck up with La Loca (as she is known on Calle 10) who sleeps rough in the doorway of the cultural centre nearby. But, in the north it is warmer, well at least the appartments are built with the cold in mind.

Enough of these ruminations - I just came back from Panama a few days ago after an 8 year hiatus and I can say that things really had changed there. The City has grown upwards, I have never seen such a construction boom - in truth it is a bit of a mess, especially when you see the down at heel neighbourhoods of Curundu and El Chorillo suffering in the shadows of these mega condos set up for bankers, North American baby boomer retirees and (whisper it) money laundering operations.

*aside note* I have it on authority that aside from the usual suspects laundering their money through panama city's real estate boom we are now seeing Venezuelans feeding from the fat of the land in the Chavez camp, getting their money out fast* More about this when I do some more research.

There is something about Panama that has always left me feeling a great affection for the people and the country. I guess that each time I have been there, things just tick along nicely for me....although I did not get that interview with Salsa Maestro and Minister of Tourism Ruben Blades. Rats. It fell through at the last minute leaving me floundering somewhat to deliver on a tight deadline for a magazine.

But, I was in Panama, where, randomly for me, everything ticks along nicely. I stuck out my thumb hopefully to secure a ride from the Soberania National Park a few miles out from Panama City to try and beat the monotony of waiting for the bus that would never come...two, three cars passed. I forgave them, they were full.

An Audi pulls round the corner and Alba makes some gesture or comment as if to say the obvious..."an Audi would never stop for us."

It does.

It so happens that the lady in the car, a Mexican, yet resident of Panama for over 20 years is a journalist, understands the infrequent nature of the buses in this stretch of Panama and after some brief introductions, makes a call to her editor. It is set, my worries about securing hard hitting interviews are all over in the 30 minute hitched ride from Soberania to Panama City. It turns out that this samaritan is none other that Rossanna Uribe who is a talk show host on Panamanian TV. (I didn't know nor would have known, but a bit of fishing around has helped...thank you google!") www.quepasapanama.com/

Anyway, with her help I was able to get some good interviews regarding the country, speak to a whole load of politicians regarding the upcoming Panamanian Primaries in September and of course their Presidential elections in May.

But, it made me think. Never in the UK would a talk show host stop and pick me up. I don't know about the US or Canada, but I harbour my suspicions. And of course, would I pick up a random couple waiting for a bus? I don't have a car, but that's not the question...the short answer would be that I probably would not. Of course, I'll now refute this and say that I would look over the individuals in question and make an educated and informed decision...or would I barely even pause to slow down?

So, the article is written, hopefully to come out soon since I was really put under some pressure by the editor, and now back to matters in hand. Hopefully some more gigs, maybe a trip out to the coast on a story, maybe a trip to an area heavily landmined in the interior, maybe some downtime in Villa de Leyva.