Big rain (Thursday)

Today I experienced my first "Big rain" in the city.  We had a "big rain" when we were in Chiriqui at the river, but that was different because there wasn't flooding or lots of traffic.  Plus it tamed down quite quickly.

Today, however, it hit when Lydia and I were coming back to campus from a trip into the city for a meeting.

And HIT is the right word too!  The rain pelted down, at times obscuring vision and turning the streets into rivers, streaked with mud.  Some lightening and thunder but mostly just RAIN!  And more RAIN!  Pelting, furious, pounding, unremitting, torrential, HUGE RAIN!

I felt so sorry for the beverage and fruit sellers who hawk their wares to motorists at stoplights who were drenched within seconds - one guy was huddled under his stand's umbrella looking rather miserable but others were simply out in the rain.

Lydia

Lydia is the consummate "back roads" driver and she know the way to avoid a huge flooded area on Tumbla Muerte, so we snaked through the neighborhoods, racing water as it flowed down the streets. In one low spot, there was a large puddle - no, make that a small lake.  Lydia's 4x4 made it through with ease - she said that the rain and the subsequent pooling of water had influenced her decision of vehicle.  I could definitely see why.  Ordinary cars had a hard time making it through - the water was up over the bottom of the doors for some of them.  (This reminded me of a time in Mumbai when I had hoped to visit the artisans of Marketplace India in Dvari, but was told not to come because the water was up over the floors of the auto rickshaws)  It would definitely make for a damp ride!

We did have to wade through one rather large "lake" - that's the one I tried to capture here.

Or, since photos rarely really capture it, I took videos.  But, of course, Blogger can't process them (despite everything!)  I'll keep trying...

And then, as suddenly as it had started, it slowed, changed to drops instead of sheets, then turned to drips and then, by the time we were back on campus (at most 5 minutes after these photos), it had almost stopped.

So I didn't really get to use my beautiful new umbrella much.  I did put it up for the walk down from the car, but it really wasn't necessary.

I know that I WILL use it, however.  Definitely.  AND my custom-made raincoat (Thanks, Sewellyn!)  And I'll still get wet I know.  I just hope I won't be quite as wet as the hawkers.  Or if I am, that I dry quickly.

(Check out more photos of Diablos Rojos from today)