Adventuring in Chiriqui: Day 2 (Good Friday)

Aris at the helm

Rio Sereno School

Rio Sereno School

All the shops were shut tight for Good Friday

One of the Stations of the Cross Good Friday night

The streets of Rio Sereno were quiet...

But inside, a wonderful celebration was taking place!

Feliz cumpleanos..

Heating the fresh milk over the fire to make delicious goodies

Aris' Dad and his son

Girls beading

Celebrations

Delicious treats (and beads too)

Bright and early, Aris and her family arose.  Bright and not quite so early, I arose.  Unfortunately, not quite early enough because I kept them waiting while I came down from my room and checked out.  Even so, they were welcoming – see what I mean about a great family?

We set off.  We got some gas and some cash and went on our way to Rio Serena.  I sang the obligatory (in my family anyway) “We’re off to see the wizard…” while they politely listened.  I realized as I was singing that this was a rather unusual ritual – but I’ve always loved it.  We always sang it as we set off on family adventures – heading to visit my grandparents in Wyoming from our home in New York.  This was before the Interstates were built – so all the way on what William Least Heat Moon calls “blue highways” - highways that are blue on the map and that are wonderful by-ways through now-forgotten places.  These are exactly the roads David and I have always taken, especially through the mountains, so this trip felt strangely familiar, rather like trips we’ve taken in Italy and France.

The road became twisty and turny as we headed up into the mountains to Volcan and beyond.  Aris did a great job of navigating the curves (high five!) 

There was so much to see!  Coffee growing on the hillside, Ngäbe-Buglé women in their beautiful dresses, interesting towns and, of course, magnificent views.  I tried to capture as much as I could on my camera, but most of it will have to be in memory because I wasn’t fast enough.  

We passed through towns as we twisted through the mountains.  With interesting stores and people.  But we were on a mission:  To get to Rio Sereno  for the birthday party!

And then we arrived.  And so did everyone else.  For several minutes, everyone was kissing and exclaiming in delight to see each other.  Cousins, siblings, aunts!  Everyone was thrilled to see everyone else.

And once again, this wonderful family embraced me and welcomed me, a stranger and a virtually mute one at that.  For my Spanish has flown away.  And I understood very few of the words, in part because of this and in part because Panamanian Spanish is super fast!

I took out my beads to make bracelets for the two birthday girls, Aris’ sisters.  I also handed out the bracelets I had made for the kids, and suddenly found myself surrounded by girls.   And everyone wanted to make a bracelet.  And then another – which had to be a gift.  One of the boys even got into the act and made a gift for one of the girls.  And Haley, the youngest of the girls (by only days it turned out) wanted to so badly, but I turned her away, thinking she was too little.  She was very upset – which I completely understand now that I know the situation.  I demurred thinking that I would string what she selected, but she did both – and her bracelet was fabulous!  The color choices were quite adult and she was able to string them quite well.  

The day flowed on around me – ebbing and flowing – and food was brought out, followed by more food, followed by yet more.  All delicious.  All copious.

The highlight was the birthday celebration – with 2 huge (!) cakes, one for each sister.  We sang “Feliz Cumpleanos” twice, and they each blew out a candle (albeit the same one relit)  

The day sped by.  At one point, I went out to the park with Patty, one of Aris’ nieces.  She has gone to a bilingual school since kindergarten and her English is excellent.  We talked about both of us – she loves the band, One Direction (I do too) and she’s going to marry all of them (I am not).  

A friend did a long presentation on a line of beauty products called “Omni Life” - complete with demonstrations and make-overs!  At one point, most of the assembled women had blue masque on their faces.  I didn’t take a photo since I though this wouldn’t be appreciated, but it was fun to watch the presentation and the results.  

Day turned into evening and more food came and went.  And with it, more conversation that washed over me and flowed around me.  I watched TV with the kids – it’s amazing how much you can figure out from context.  And yawned as the evening took me – I was exhausted from the festivities and from the trip.  

Finally, it was time for Aris and the boys to leave to go to her cousin’s house.  I stayed at her aunt’s home, and quickly fell into bed and fast asleep in record time.