Playas, Clases y Nada Más

We`ve been back in the city for a few weeks now and is it ever nice not to be working on a farm! We`ve been trying to go to all of the tourist places in the area (ie the beaches) and have been having a good time so far. Two weeks ago José drove us to the Caribbean coast (about and hour and half) to Portobelo, one of the oldest towns in Central America. Every year there is a festival there called Cristonegro, or the Festival of the Black Christ. There is a church with a statue of a black Christ that has been there for hundreds of years and is the patron of Portobelo. Legend has it that the statue was not destined for Panama, and the ship only stopped here to drop off other cargo before continuing down to South America. A series of strong storm winds kept pushing the ship carrying Cristonegro back until the crew became scared that the statue wanted to stay in Portobelo and would become a curse on the ship if they took it away (other versions say that the statue was too heavy to take out of the harbor during the storm). So the crew threw Cristonegro overboard and got the hell out of there. The townspeople rescued the statue and it has had a special place in Portobelo ever since. At the festival every year the statue is taken out of the church and carried in a procession around the town. Thousands of people come to Portobelo from all parts of Panama for this. We saw the statue, but unfortunately my photos didn`t come out too well since it was dark in the church.

After seeing Cristonegro we took a water taxi to Playa Drake (see photo). It was a small and private beach in a little inlet on an island and the beach is named after Sir Francis Drake, a former pirate who is rumored to be buried in an iron coffin somewhere in the area. Buried along with his share of the riches pillaged from the area. We were able to snorkel the reefs in the bay and saw some cool fish and coral, but no treasure or pirate bones. We also saw many little crabs on the beach and José caught one, but it was too small to take home for dinner (believe me, I really wanted some fresh crab!).

After we came back to the city that day we had a fast shower and then we went to a salsa lesson. We got there a little late, and Brandy and José had been going for a few weeks already while Alex and I were in Costa Rica, so it was a little difficult for us. I think we have the basics down though, and we´re ready to become salseros soon.

Last week Alex and I took a ferry from the city to Isla Taboga, an island about 12 miles off the Pacific coast. It had beautiful beaches and a very cute little town.

The first photo is the view of the beach when we first arrived, at low tide. The green area rising up at the right becomes an island at high tide (see later photos). Luckily for most of the day we were able to relax on the beach and snorkel- lots of big fish. Also luckily I didn´t get sunburned the way I normally do and am actually getting a nice tan after five years of being super pale in Boston. When it was time to take the ferry back to the city the beach we had inhabited for a few hours was completely covered by the tide.

And now we are busy with daily Spanish classes in the commercial district of El Cangrejo (the crab). Alex and I are taking private lessons, so it is just us and a professor. I think it will really help speed up our learning, as well as give us something to keep busy with for December.

Since Christmas is coming there are decorations EVERYWHERE. I would venture to say there is more Christmas gaudiness here than in the US. Hard to say though. But it´s really funny to go to the park and see the light decorations of snowmen and sledders. I´m just glad they are fake and we will be enjoying a snow-free Christmas and winter- although in Panama it is summer, so really we are just getting a yearlong summer. Wonderful.