Maridos de Alquiler

The other day we were 5 people in the car coming from the East part of Panama towards the West part, therefore on the road just about to cross the Bridge of the Americas that goes over the Pacific Ocean end of the Canal. Out of the blue we all saw this sign saying: "MARIDOS DE ALQUILER" (Spanish for "Husband for rent") and a phone number. Of course, kind of simultaneously, we exploded into a laughter and started wondering in a rather naughty way, what kind of services this business could offer.

I must say that I was rather surprised with the idea that Panama would be so not conservative to the point of offering men's services in an out loud manner wide open to the public. I think that, naughty or not, the ad was funny. After a long useless but amusing debate, we came to no conclusions about it at all.

Today, I was stuck in a huge traffic jam therefore had loads of time to check all stores and ads on the streets and voila... the very shop of "Maridos de Alquiler" was right there by my side. I was alone in the car and felt like calling everybody who was in the car with me when we first saw the ad. Any guesses what it's all about?? Anyone?... It's a company that offers handyman services for your house, LOL!!! And there we were thinking all sorts of naughty things about the guy's business!! You see, the proverb that says "don't judge a book by its cover" does have a point, hey?

These last two weeks I have been thoroughly living a new "moment" in my life. It's a moment which I had never experienced and am trying to grade it as a good, ok or weird. It's the feeling of total freedom! I think I'm enjoying it but am not yet sure about it. It's the first time in my life that I don't have children to take care of, don't have dogs to take care of, don't have a job and have a husband who is busy doing his trading in office hours. Situations like going to try a new grocery market (remember that I am starting to be into cooking) and bumping into a museum on the way and being able to freely visit the museum without a time limit is quite cool after all! The thought that I have to come back home to walk Carlota (who died some 7 months ago) still comes to my mind but it's quickly phased out by reality.

I'm being able to go back to places I quickly saw when we first arrived, but then had no time to check then out carefully. Knowing the fine corners of your new place, is a great way to get well interacted with it. Affording this little "research" will also be very helpful to guide me on what I want to choose to do with my time here in Panama. Checking what might be missing here in the market is good. I am not saying that I'll go into some sort of business but it's good to know what exists and what doesn't. Let's see how it all unfolds.