When my good buddy from the States e-mailed and said he'd be down in a week for a six day visit , I was ecstatic. My wife, kids and I moved down here five months ago from the same hometown as him to run a construction company and since Retz (or Ryan as some people call him) was an engineer, I figured we'd have some blissful, geeky conversations about where our two professions overlap.

Surfing in Panama

Then it really hit me "how exciting can a dirt road and some development plan really be" I'd need to come up with a plan to show Ryan why we moved down here. One of our favorite reasons we love Panama is because of all the wonderful destinations that are so near. We jotted down a list of our favorite Panama locations and cross-referenced it with the sweet outdoor activities that Retz and I both enjoy, and the itinerary fell into place like a freshly cut river down a soft dirt road after an afternoon's rain. In other words, we didn't have a plan until after he arrived. Itineraries are so boring and rigid anyway so why place those kinds of restrictions on a friend visiting. Besides, itineraries just aren't my style.

He arrived on a Tuesday afternoon. I was an hour late arriving at the airport to pick him up so I was a bit worried he might be waiting. But as is typical with afternoon arrivals, his plane was the last of four and I ended up waiting a bit. Good thing we didn't have an itinerary or we'd already be an hour behind before he even arrived.! Anyway, that's enough babbling now back to the story.

Tuesday was nothing spectacular. We spent the afternoon checking out site Parque Silvestre, grocery shopping at our favorite grocery store Riba Smith, and catching up with the family after arriving home. We also spent a few minutes on what the plans should be for the next couple of days.

Head out to Pedasi at the tip of Los Santos on the Pacific side of the isthmus for some fishing and surfing or drive around Panama City watching the skyline change before our eyes. Needless to say, but I'll say it anyway, it was an easy decision.

We set off early Wednesday morning for Pedasi. It's about a five hour drive, or three and a half depending on the drive., Shortly after departing the city, we called an old friend of the family, Jose Goldner. He just happened to be living out in Los Santos so he gave us the inside line. He hooked us up with a fantastic outfit called Pedasi Fishing and the location of two available surfboards that we could borrow.

Pedasi Fishing on the Azuero Peninsula of Panama

A pit stop in Chitre allowed us to go on a quick tour the Pedasi Fishing factory.

They go through an obscene tonnage of ice a day and have huge fish all over. No surprise to anyone with an imagination, but it was very interesting.

Around 2:00 in the afternoon we arrived in Pedasi. Found the surfboards, fitted them just like a jigsaw puzzle into the car and drove immediately another half a hour to one of the most remote Surf Beaches I've ever seen. No cell service, gas stations or McDonald's, just a small cantina, some hammocks and a few campsites.

Retz was like a kid who just found the new bike behind the Christmas tree. He was quick to change his clothes, grab his surfboard and paddle out. and I followewd suit.

We hung out for a bit just peacefully sitting on our boards, chit-chatting and waiting for the right set to come along. "Surfing is very social" Retz pointed out after sharing the peace of the remote ocean with the company of good friends.

After an exhausting six hour session it was time to head back to the hotel. With a TV (rabbit ears included), clean towels, clean sheets and a safe place to lay our head and only ten bucks a night, you can't go wrong.

The next morning we awoke at 5:30 and met our boat Captain, Avidel, on the beach at 6.00. He had everything prepared and waiting when we arrived.

We headed out and stopped about five miles from shore to set up our reels and lines.

Since niether Retz nor I had never done any sea fishing before, Avidel was instrumental in getting us ready. After a few minutes we tossed our hooks in the water and began to trawl.

It only took about fifteen minutes before the buzz-whirl-zip sound of Ryan's reel set off some excitement. He had something on his hook and began to reel it in. After a large fight, we were thrilled to see a 23-pound tuna dangling from his hook.

That happened four more times in total for both of us. I'm not going to say who caught more, but the truth of the matter is it wasn't important because we shared the catch in the end. If you're interested in some of the best fishing Panama has to offer, I would highly recommend Pedasi Fishing. Their website is www.pedasifishing.com.

When we returned to shore, Avidel took us to a great little restaurant where the owner was in the back cooking. We brought in the filleted fish and asked her to prepare us something delicious. She didn't let us down. Lightly breaded with garlic, peppers and some secret local ingredients.it was the most delightful tuna I've ever eaten.

As it turns out, the owner lived in Florida for a bit and spoke English very well. A definite stop for anyone traveling out the Pedasi way.

After the gourmet lunch, we headed back home to Panama City. After all, Retz had only four days left and we had to jam pack those few days left with a fantastic night out in the city, San Blas, Kite Surfing at Punta Chame, a private air tour over Portobelo and the Canal. Good thing we didn't have an itinerary to hold us back.

The last four days of his adventure will have to wait until the next edition. Until then, try to make it out to Pedasi for some rest, relaxation, surfing and fishing.

A fabulous weekend by anyone's standards.