Well, with all this talk of snow and cold weather, how about something completely different?
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I'm still adjusting to our cold weather (20? at night but only a few patches of snow) - but it was also 89? in Panama City when I left.
My brother and I were in the country to scout out a possible retirement land purchase for he and his wife. I expected to go along for a warm weather get away but fell more in love with the country than I expected to. What I found was lovely healthy people who are hard working and open. A country very welcoming to retirees. A better state of satisfaction with government and better protections for the people than you can now find in the U.S - more freedom and more democracy as well. Also, in many ways a healthier economy with many many opportunities (being actively explored both by Panamanians and new residents).
Panama Trip Report
This little travel log starts out in Panama City a big but uncrowded city with very good infrastructure. Then we went up to two highland areas in the 3200 to 3500 foot elevation - Volcan and Boquete. Both are very interesting smaller towns.
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Boquete Panama (above) has a more attractive community and has much more going on - especially for foreigners. We stayed at a wonderful pension ($15.50 per night for both of us) and ate Panamanian food several nights ($2.50 for a simple but full dinner- flavored rice, beans, chicken, salad and plantains). Went out to dinner one night at a fancy Peruvian place and couldn't spend $20 even with imported wine and a big tip. The Boquete area feels a bit like Big Sur California or Hawaii in the 1940's.
The picture labeled -Boquete storm coming in- has the building in the center with what appears to be the corrugated tarpaper roofing or Ondura. It was big in Mexico with laborer shacks built out of it.
In Mexico in the village we went to clinic in some of the locals were the "rich" land owners and the people from South West Mexico - the Oaxacans or Oaxacalita's were the poor farm workers.
In new houses they do design for earthquake loads. There was a pretty good jolt a few years ago. The volcanoes are not active (at least not as active as they are in my area of Washington! 8-)). Interestingly, the building codes are tougher there than at home. Both a licensed engineer and architect have to stamp the plans - along with an electrical ENGINEER to stamp the electrical plan! (that's a new one to me! I don't know too many electrical engineers who know much about home wiring. 8-))
I'm sure that most of the local rural folks don't worry too much about this permit business... but a gringo would need to!
Many new houses in Boquete are being built using an interesting building technique called M2 panels (Covintec). I couldn't find anything on this system on the web. It is an engineered foam block panel (4'x8') with reinforced stucco on the outside and inside. It has some similarities to ferro-cement. It replaces the standard 4" and 6" concrete block that is used in much of Panama. You don't need insulation in this climate but the foam does do that well (and better sound insulation).
Very little wood frame construction. Framing lumber is imported (read expensive) and the local woods are used mostly for windows, doors and furniture.