people think i make this stuff up. so i’ve decided to take more photos to document my daily horror. i tell ya, there’s some freaky shit going down in panama city. for example, this morning i caught my girlfriend drinking coffee at the dining table as if she owned the place.

if that wasn’t bad enough, her coffee mug was infested with chunks of queso blanco. alex says it’s a local custom. panama produces some of the finest coffee in the world. and the natives season it with white cheese.

now i adore panamanian coffee, cheese, and i’m rather fond of my girlfriend, but together? it’s too much. one of them will have to go.

UPDATE: after sober reflection, i’ve decided not to give up coffee.

“calle alberto navarro, senor.”

“como no, mi reina.”

mi reina? bastard. i’ve been in his taxi only seconds, and already he’s hitting on my girlfriend. he’s smooth, i’ll give him that. and handsome, in a swarthy way. but his rig’s all twisted, knobs are missing, widows are frozen open, the steering wheel’s rusted and partially crushed. read more»

i’ve been seeing reports that manuel noriega may be getting out soon. the federal bureau of prisons has set his release for sept 9, 2007. his lawyer says the man just wants to return home to panama and live a quiet life.

i’ve never met the manuel noriega. nor was i in panama when he was detained by u.s troops. but early last year someone calling himself manny turned up in the comments section of panama after hours. as i recall, he said my writing was “bastante bueno.”

because of this i’ve come to believe manuel noriega couldn’t possibly be the horrible monster he’s made out to be. people talk about the cocaine he helped smuggle, the people he had shaved, raped, beaten, and murdered, but i think they forget that manny was kind enough to stop in and offer me support.

manny noriega, un pelao tranquilo.