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!