Adventuring in Chiriqui: Day 3 (Saturday)

In Costa Rica (very briefly)

Ngäbe-Buglé women walking to the border

 

Danny (Aris' son)

David (Aris' other son)

Daniel at the playground 

At the playground

At the playground

On the drive back to David

Coffee growers for the label, Cafe Duran

Another coffee grower

Aris at the wheel

The temperature has plummeted to 23 C (73 F)

In Volcan

The Barber of Volcan

Ngäbe-Buglé walking

Ngäbe-Buglé waiting

Ngäbe-Buglé waiting

Ngäbe-Buglé waiting

I awoke before 7 today, and got up to shower before the rush on the bathroom.  I had a “boat shower” using the collected water in the corner and then dressed and packed.  As I heard people moving into the living room, I joined them.  The coffee con leche (which used evaporated milk – brilliant idea!) was amazing!  And then came breakfast:  Yucca. Carne asada.  Fresh queso.  And a sweet made with sugar cane juice and milk, boiled together for quite a while the night before on an open fire.  Once again, delicious!

After we had eaten, two of Aris’ sisters and I were sitting in the living room when the chairs began to dance and rock.  It felt like it went on for several minutes, although I’m certain it was under a minute.  It stopped for a moment, and then continued on again.

Turns out there was a 5.2 magnitude earthquake whose epicenter was in Conception – only 45 miles away!  Aris said that they felt it even more up on the hill at her cousin’s house.  It wasn’t scary – perhaps if it had been stronger it would have been.  (David pointed out that this was the strongest quake I've ever experienced)  More about it here  

A couple of Aris’ sisters wanted to go up to the border with Costa Rica, so we jumped in the car and went.  Turns out it was just a few blocks away!  Of course, a "few" blocks is a long way when it's up a steep street!  We walked across the border –  unmanned as far as I could see – and went into a couple of shops.  Then, we went back down the hill, and sped past the family’s house.  I saw Aris’ car and, not wanting a repeat of yesterday morning when I kept them waiting, I was a bit concerned.  I used “What’s App” to tell her where we were, and then to send her the photos of us at the next border crossing several miles away.  

A digression:  If you are using "What’s App” now, I’d love to know so we can chat – for free!  If you aren’t, please consider getting it (and letting me know so we can chat)  It’s really great – you can chat and send photos easily and for free (did I mention that before?)  All-in-all, a terrific app.

We returned home and a whole new group was assembling – along with most of those from yesterday.  Aris and the boys were there, but they weren’t yet ready to leave (phew!)  Once again, the happy, busy, loving family greeted and kissed each other.  It’s wonderful.  And there was another demo of the beauty products.  And food.  More food.

We were getting ready to leave when Aris’ aunt made soup.  So we stayed for it since, of course, it was amazingly good.  

Finally, it was time to depart.  After many kisses good bye, we piled into the car and sped back to David.  There was rain splatters en route home, and the many twists and turns gave us a completely different view than we had on the way to Rio Sereno.  This time I got more of the shots I wanted while in the back seat, the boys quietly napped.  Aris said they were sort of like puppies, all piled together, and so they were.

We returned to David and I checked into my hotel.  This time, I’m on the first (2nd in US) floor, so it won’t be as hard to get up or down as it was last time when I was on the 2nd (3rd) floor.  And the elevator is working which it wasn’t last time.  But, alas, the internet is not working.  I’ve been able to download email, but not to send it, and I can’t get to the web.

So I wrote these entries, and prepared for tonight’s dance!

At 8 pm, Aris picked me up and off we went to meet her high school friends and maybe dance a bit.  It was fun seeing all of them again, but unfortunately, a headache which had been building all day blossomed into a full-blown monster and I had to cab it back to the hotel.  Darn it!

I fell into bed and straight to sleep the moment I got back.

Aris and her friends danced until 1:30 am.  At which point I had been in dreamland for many hours.

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.

Adventuring in Chiriqui: Day 1 (Maundy Thursday)

Carrying "puercas" (literally "sows" but here meaning sacks of vegetables)

Ngabe-Bugle wares - necklaces and gowns

Guardhouse

Aris and her Dad

Three of Aris' nieces

Hot, hot, hot  (104 F)

Along the road

Entering David, Panama's second largest city

In David

Ngäbe-Buglé woman in David

In David

Swimming!

Aris' Dad

Swimming pose

Yum!  A fresh mango at the river side

Pouring rain

Now it's only 28 C (83 F)

Back in David

High school buddies!

Hola!  Today was a most amazing and wonderful day!

Aris picked me up at 5 am (!) and we headed out of town, only to hit a huge traffic jam caused by a spectacularly horrible accident.  3 cars all crushed.  From what we could tell, no one died, but that is a miracle for sure.  After this, the rest of the trip was blessedly without incident or accident.  We drove through the province of Cocle (sorry I can't get accents) and then Veraguas, where we passed two of the 3 schools we visited with her class a couple of weeks ago.  Then we crossed over into Chiriqui and it really seemed like a whole new level of beauty.

We stopped at a Ngäbe-Buglé stall and bought a dress (me) and necklaces (Aris and me)  We then hurried on to get to David, where she grew up and where her father and some of her siblings still live.

And what a lovely lovely family she has!  Of course, knowing Aris, this isn't surprising, but it's wonderful even so.  I felt so welcomed!  I love this family!

We had lunch at an open air restaurant which was lovely.  But it was hotter than stink (40C) so we hurried off to the river where Aris and her family swam while I took photos.  We hightailed it back to the cars when it started to pour!  My first experience of tropical rain - but definitely not my last!

Tonight, a bunch of Aris' friends from high school stopped by - to her surprise.  It was such fun to watch them - old friends who were clearly enjoying being together.  They regaled each other with old and new stories and the warmth of their bond was apparent.

I'm now at a hotel in David where I'll stay tonight.  I'm totally exhausted from the early hour of departure (made even more dramatic by my late bedtime - I wasn't in bed until midnight!) and the heat.

Buenas noches!