Tha face of full satisfaction 30 years on the make!!

So, what does a face expressing full satisfaction look like? I have no idea to be frank with you! Is it a face that brings an air of exhaustion for the time it took to reach full satisfaction? Is it a face that looks busily excited? Is it a face that looks bored because full satisfaction was achieved therefore the person is now bored? Is it a face that invites you to hear all about it or is it a face that looks tranquil?

Well... in my case I'll stick to the last option, "a face that looks tranquil".

Having just arrived back in the car with the Dutch couple who went in the same tour, all red and sweaty from the sun.

Leaving the site and having to hold down my shirt not to burst in satisfaction.

My stay here has been just spotless. I am enjoying every single second of it all. Exhaustion is the name of the game though. I had forgotten that this freaking city is at 2.200 mts high (7.359 ft high). Being the completely not fit person that I'm, any walk or climbing huge steps takes all my breath away... a bit not impressed with myself, I must say! The weather has been very kind and it rains only when I am already back at the hotel , oba! Diners have all happened as "room service" because I forgot to bring an extra pair of legs for the evening, ha ha ha. As I walked into the Museo de Arqueologia I needed to pinch myself to make sure it was not a fake scene (you know, after 9 years in China the "fake" aspect of things still speaks out loud in my mind) but rather a REAL scene... I was there actually in person, walking into the so awaited Museum. Obviously that as I write this to you, my eyes are wettish... silly me again...

Anyway, today was the day dedicated to the Teotihuacan Pyramids...

... funny how things go in life. I’ve planned and imagined what this day would be like for the last 30 years and then it finally arrived...

Pyramid of the Sun with archeologists at work under the small tend at the bottom

Fellow archeologists working at full power in another spot.

Could this have been me some 20 odd years ago?

... I've dragged loads of photo equipment all the way from Panama, especially for this day. Last night, I didn't sleep 100% because I was so excited about today, so in the morning I grabbed a comfortable pair of pants, a comfortable pair of closed shoes and a shirt. Did not think with both my brain cells and chose a very bright white shirt. Oops, not good for photos in a harsh sunny day, in an open air place. Also, amongst other pieces of photo equipment, I brought my tripod, because using Joel’s huge zoom lenses requires one, only to be kindly told by the guide that tripods are not allowed anywhere in the vicinity of the pyramids... ai ai ai ui ui ui... that was not in the script. Could not use the lenses. Actually I did try it in a couple of photos but had to change it back again, they are very heavy for my emotional free hands, ha ha ha.

I know these guys in the pictures below have a questionable kind of job, they pest tourists to buy their stuff, but I wonder if they ever realize what their "office space" means to us!

But, it was not all bad... visitors who went there today in mid day, were lucky to see the festivities celebrating the end of a 52 year cycle that the Teotihuacan people used to celebrate . For what I understood, it would be like us celebrating the end of a century and the beginning of the next. So, as a consequence of the festivities, there were about 100 or more people dressed as what we think the Teotihuacans dressed themselves.

So, sitting at the top of the Moon Pyramid, we could see the "fake Teotihuacans" walking about which gave me a great sense that Teotihuacan every day life was going on as I watched them... ok ok ok, I know, you probably think that before going into the archeological site I had some shots of pure Tequila, not the "Reposada" one, but the rather strong one, so that all this imagination could surface, right? But no, not really, having these costume dressed people was great for a feel in the air.

Dreams, dreams, dreams... and here I'm in Mexico City!

Back in the 70's when my time to apply for university came up, I only applied for History. I was pretty sure that History was my choice. I wanted to study in depth the Pre Colombian History and although I knew that I was going to have only 1 semester of Pre Colombian history in my curriculum, I was not worried, because I had a plan. The plan was to finish under-grad in Brazil and follow tout suite to Mexico City for a post graduation in Pre Colombian History. Mexico, Guatemala and Peru are Countries where one finds loads about this topic. So Mexico it would be!!

Buuutttt love came into my life and my post grad plans in Mexico City flew off the window and since then, Mexico City has remained on the very top of my DREAMS' list. For two times in the past, I almost came here, but in both times some very last minute problems stopped me from getting into the plane.

God did open several other doors for me which I have thoroughly enjoyed all of them, including new paths in my field, History. Absolutely no regrets at all!

But now that I'm living near Mexico, speaking the language (or should I say, "thinking I speak the language") and making sure to plan and execute the trip in less than three weeks (to avoid any last minute negative surprises), here I am in Mexico City ready to spend hours and hours at the Museo de Antropologia, the Teotihuacan Pyramids and surroundings, the neighboring city of Puebla and then just sip the city, just breath what has been on hold for all these decades...

Dreams... some people say it in a different way, like:
- I really would like to do ABC before I die, or
- I would love to accomplish XYZ before I die, or
- Although I've never done DEF, I have this feeling that I must do it before I die, or
- I have a passion for this and that and I have decided that I want to do it before I go from this earth...

The list with different wordings meaning the same thing goes on forever and dreams come in all sorts of sizes and costs, how great this details is, hey? ... my dream started happening right before my eyes when earlier today, the captain announced we were landing in Mexico City. Needless to say that my eyes were completely soaked in tears and I was not able to see the city properly from above having on purpose chosen a window seat.... silly me!!

Anyway, I call it DREAM and you? How are you managing yours?

True good old friends, the BRETAS in Panama!

Joel and I had the big pleasure of having "The Bretas" over for 3 days visiting us. Those were fun days, with so much laughter, stories up dates, some sacrificial massages of course, tourism and a serious gastronomical galore with very good food and excellent wines... oh man... the three days felt like three weeks or even three months!!

The story behind our friendship is interesting and quite instant. Back in 1996, the girls, Joel and I were invited to a river rapids birthday weekend, up the mountains near Rio. We were all staying at a hotel who organized it all for us. We went and even took the dog we had at the time, a beautiful Old English Sheep Dog, called "Candy". She loved being part of our weekend (or better saying, she behaved as if she loved it), behaving very well and made sure we were all well licked when we got back from the rapids, cute her.

Anyway, the four of us didn't know everybody there and Cecilia, the lady on my right in the picture above, was one of them. At a certain point of the weekend, we were all sitting talking about this and that, when Joel mentioned we were going through the frustrating phase of looking for a house to buy... you know... when you see a house you love, it's location you don't love so much, when you can pay for it, it's ugly, when the location is great, the house is bad and on and on and on the story goes.

Cecilia then said that when she left her house for the weekend, she noticed her neighbor had just put their house in the market for sale and promised she would call us on Sunday night with the details of the person in charge. Being the little terrestrial angel that she is, voila, by Sunday night we had the name and number to call on Monday morning and a few days later, we made an offer, which was accepted and we moved in July 15th!!!

Cecilia introduced us to her great family and trust me, hours and hours of loads of laughter followed there after.

However, the funny side of life showed its face and exactly 13 months later we moved to South Africa and were no longer Cecilia's neighbor, sniff sniff.

In spite of this short lived neighboring, we became very good and very close friends. Cecilia has visited us in all three continents we lived after that and her brother and sister in law (the couple in the picture above) have also visited us in Jo'burg and now here in Panama.

Funny how good friends remain "in sync" no matter their geographical spots. I remember a day last year, during our passage through Angola, when I was really very completely down and the phone rang... Cecilia was on the other side! Just perfect timing!!

So, here it is for true and fun friendship!

Ai ai ai ui ui ui

Ai ai ai ui ui ui... the Football World Cup is about to start and oh gosh, the hearts are already palpitating with such a passion that I'm not sure I'll be able to take yet again, one more time!

The streets of Panama City are a huge big green and yellow. They are all supporting Brazil, so cute! Cars, home windows, shops, radio stations, TV channels... everywhere you look, you see something pointing to a Brazilian team fan. Oh well, let me be honest with you all who are not here... yes yes yes, every now and again, we do get to see Spanish, German and Argentinian flags lost here and there, but the vast majority is for Brazil... ouch what a responsibly!

Yesterday, I was inside the car, on the driver's seat waiting for Joel when a walking by policeman stopped for a chat. He had seen the Brazilian flag waiving on the back window. At first he thought I was Panamanian (I wonder about his hearing skills... where did my accent go?) but later I had that cleared by telling him that I was Brazilian and he went on and on about what wonderful people our team players are. Comfortable feeling to say the least!

Let's see how it all turns out. A repetition of the 2002 world cup would be more than fabulous! Tomorrow is the kick off, Mexico X South Africa. I really don't know who to support in this game. With all the history we have with Africa and yet more, with SA, I would be inclined to go for SA. But, because I'm now so close to Mexico, have wonderful Mexican friends and have this long lived passion for Mexican pre Colombian history, I'm a bit lost... hope it's a draw, ha ha ha.

Good luck to us all!

Being a Brazilian in Panama

Ha ha ha... things that one doesn't understand why, but just enjoys the result.

Joel and I are still loving being in Panama, enjoying thoroughly the Latin atmosphere, the weather, the rhythm of life, the general kindness around and all the rest... However, one thing that we just don't get it, that we just don't understand where it comes from, that just amazes us to a surprising point: the selfishness of the Panamanians drivers.

Pedestrian Panamanians are as sweet as one can be, but as drivers they have this feeling of having to get there (wherever "there" is) first, the "me first" attitude. I have the impression that when they get hold of their driving wheels, a huge cloud of unkindness comes upon them... I don't know... The use of blinkers is unknown to them so when you use it, it doesn't really matter, because they don't know what you mean. The use of a hand to thank you for giving way is so completely not used. This is a pain, we haven't got used to it yet and are trying to do a bit of "act locally and change globally" kind of thing... let's see til when.

But anyway, as most of you probably know, the football world cup is about to start, so of course, Brazilian hearts are getting ready for yet again, one more batch of fast beating and happy (or not) suffering. To get in a bit of a mood, I got a Brazilian flag, one of those that attach to your car window and have been going around the city with my flag waving high and you know what? I have received so many more smiles and road kindness than I ever experienced here in Panama... LOL!

The other day, I had a very minor minor accident in a parking lot. It was more a kiss than an accident. The guy was leaving his parking space and didn't see me and went ahead and hit the side of my car. So we both had to call our insurances, the police etc etc etc. When the other driver's insurance person arrived on the scene, he opened a bit fat smile to me and asked: "are you Brazilian"? I said yes and he said that he was a big fan of Brazil and as Panama is not sending a football team to the world cup, he was fully supporting the Brazilian team for the world cup. So cute!

I haven't convinced Joel yet, but my plan is to add to the car 1 flag per game we win. Hope my car becomes a mobile mast, ha ha ha.

So here is to our flag and what it means to be Brazilian! Cheers!

San Blas, the Adventure and the Paradise!

Apologies, I had promised a second and a third posting on our trip to San Blas, but so much water ran under our bridges, that I ended up never posting anything else. This means that today, you'll get both together.

First the Adventure: the last island we went for photos, was "Isla Aguja". Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Completely tiny. One would take only about 20 minutes to walk its perimeter, but let me tell you, what a perimeter!! After a while wondering and shooting around Isla Aguja, Elias, the local Indian who was piloting our boat between the islands and owner of the hotel we had stayed in,

(Elias waving "hello" to us upon his arrival.)

came up to say he had heard it would be better if we left about 1 hour earlier than previously planned because the river was filling up fast and if not, we could may be encounter some trouble to cross the river. Of course, needless to say, that we quickly took his suggestion, put together our equipment and off we started our return which actually meant a 20, 30 min ride on Elia's boat to the mainland and from there we would split ourselves between the two 4 x 4 cars back to Panama City.

By the way, in case you have visited my blog back in February... it's the same river we got stuck in, ok? ( http://odilabraga.blogspot.com/2010/02/from-lunch-in-caribbean-to-sandwich-on.html)

For some unknown reason. Joel got to go in the first car, a Land Rover and I got to go in the second car, a Susuki. Off we were, both cars happy ever after, following each other on a narrow, VERY windy and big time 4 x 4 car type of road. After about 20 minutes, we finally reached THE river and yes, it was high. A person, who had just crossed it on his feet, very kindly, re-crossed the river for us, so that we could know exactly how deep it was and babe... it was deep. The water was up to the guy's waist... madre mia madre santa... was the Susuki going to make it?

Happy ending, the Land Rover went first and yes, it made it, yyuuupppiieee and than us, in the Susuki... the amount of prayers sent up heavens was high, so high that at a certain point I had to remind myself that this time we were in skilled hands and surely the car was going to cross the river, ha ha ha... and so it was, the Susuki also crossed the river and we all got re-united on the other side.

The road continued in the best 4 x 4 style, steep ups and of course, steep downs. Joel in the Land Rover going first and me in the Susuki just behind. Windows were closed because of the air conditioner and loads of talking going on, when suddenly, Tamir, who was driving the car I was in, starts shouting out loud; "oh no, fire in their car, their car is on fire" and at the same time, he would blow the horn, flash the lights, scream a bit more, blow the horn harder and harder and super duper scream out loud.

Then me, who was sitting in the back seat, looked towards the car Joel was in and all I could see was the car my husband was in, was on fire. You know how fast thoughts fly by... no one knew at that point how far the fire would go... all we could see was that right bellow the car was on fire ... was it going towards the petrol tank? Was it happy to be fed by whatever and not spread itself towards the tank? Oh, what a horrible sensation... was Joel going to make out of it? Were all the other 3 passengers going to make out of it? Were we going to have any deaths? Oh no, not again... no more deaths in my life... please God, no more...

Joel and the other 3 people started "ejecting" from the car and since people were safe, we than started saving all the equipment that was on board, also kind of "ejecting" all the photo equipment specialized backpacks together with throwing any water, beer and sodas that were left from the weekend on the engine.

Four hours later, we left the scene. The burned car on a toll truck car
and the 8 passengers squeezed inside the Susuki for a few kilometers until a friend arrived with his empty car and took 4 of us in his car. Amen to good friends, hey?

Some of us, killing time waiting for the toll truck

Walking inside this flat at midnight, eight hours after we had left Isla Aguja (instead of 2:30) was a delicious sensation! In spite the big adventure, the weekend was AWESOME! Pure photographic bliss!

The same fallen palm tree in different colors.

Joel taking pole position for...

... this, the sun-set!

Our tribute to Carlota & Siggy, who loved water so much!I tell you... these ancestors of mine... are really cool minded people, no?

Joel in them main Square of Isla Mamitupo

Solitude

Women at work and not at work

San Blas, the Indian Reserve

Last year's August I was due to go on a Photography workshop in San Blas, which was to take place during a weekend. San Blas is this gorgeous archipelago on the Caribbean Sea, in the North-east side of Panama. The whole of the archipelago is a reserve for the Kuna Yala Indian tribe.

However, that very weekend in August was exactly one week after our darling Carlota passed away... I was completely devastated, canceled going to the workshop and instead, sweet Joel took me to the Dominican Republic for some new and fresh air.

Months later, life is back on the track and voila, I found out there was going to be another workshop and this time we both went. It was just 100% fabulous from any point of view one wishes to look at. Because it was so rich in stories to share, I'll split it in three entries so that we don't get a mega huge entry.

First I'll talk about the feeling of being among Indians. The next entry, I'll dedicate to the Adventure and the last one to the photos of the place.

This was my very first time in an Indian reserve. Never in my life I had been close to one, not to mention, in one! What a feeling... actually, I felt like I was browsing the depths of the pages of my geography books back in school.

All I had studied about the way they live, was happening right before my eyes. The round thatch houses surrounding the main round square, thatch houses built also in circles forming rings around the square, some half naked ladies, the jewelery, their habits... wow... I just could not believe my eyes... what a fulfilling rich experience it was!

Then, when we left the island we were staying at to hop around the different islands to enjoy different photo opportunities, the son of the Indian who owned the Inn we were staying at,

(me at the window of our room)

decided to come with us. His name was Charlie..., actually I suppose his name is still Charlie...

Charlie was a cute little boy who could be any of our own sons. He kept himself busy climbing trees or swimming while we were busy hunting for good photos. At a certain point, I looked at a lying palm tree and there he was being a kid, so... of course... I started to click Charlie.

Later, back at our Inn, after downloading the pictures, I called his parents to show them the pictures. From their reaction, I think they liked..., they were laughing and commenting them. For sure, Charlie loved the fuss around him and I think he was feeling like he was their local "Brad Pitt". So completely cute, I must add.

Then... out of the blue, in the middle of that tiny island lost in an archipelago of 365 islands that are all taken by the Kunas, out of a pitch black night, comes this Indian holding something in his hands, gives it to me and asks me to transfer Charlie's pictures to the MP3 he was giving to me! I was in a total state of shock... an Indian, living in an Indian reserve, with an Indian atmosphere, living an Indian way of life, owns a MP3. Of course, I tried to not show my amazement and did it tout de suite and returned him his MP3 with his son's pictures.

Then, as if that was not enough, about 20 minutes later, out he comes again from that dark dark night, but this time with his LAP TOP, showing me he had already transferred Charlie's pictures... I of course, fainted at the scene, LOL!!

My friends, what a scene... from the pages of my geography books I dived into the cellulose of a film by Fellini, LOL!