Days one and two: Getting there/getting acclimated

Going to Panama was an idea that occurred to me about 3 months ago. The first time I visited Panama was in January 2015; I was undergoing a crisis in my life and needed time away from it. I spent 3 lovely months there, living in a little casita in the town of Gorgona, and doing a lot of sight seeing: Gamboa Rainforest, Miraflores Canal Locks, Monkey Island, Taboga Island, San Blas Islands and home of the Guna Indigenous People), Boquette (about 300 miles away from Panama City, in the highlands, and where some of the best coffee in the world is grown), Volcan Baru (an amazing trip by jeep over huge boulders to the top of the volcano, at sunrise), Embrera Indigenous People village, El Valle de Anton, Bocas Del Toro, hiking to the deeply forested waterfalls, birdwatching, dining on the Amador Causeway where I watched dozens of boats make its way to the Canal, Casco Viejo, etc. Actually, as I spell it out, I am amazed at all the things I did during those 3 months. I had rented a car and I have NO IDEA how I got around as GPS was a very new thing at the time.

Now, I am here again because I want to see it with new eyes - and everything seems to have changed and seems more challenging. Of course, it could be that I am 11 years older. Yesterday’s trip to get here was an all day adventure. Pick up from home at 6 AM, flight to Houston and then a connecting flight to Tocumen International in Panama City and THEN a 2.5 hour drive to get to Nueva Gorgona, Panama, which is only 52 miles from the airport. The TRAFFIC!!! Thank God I had a driver. The traffic is so bad that there are people in the middle of the two lane road selling snacks to hungry drivers! And there was a small wildfire along the road. Weird! We stopped at the “Mercado” where I bought a few groceries and then made our way to my high rise condo. Challenge One: The Panama City traffic. Challenge Two: entering the Airbnb condo. The door would not open. 10PM and I had to try multiple times to get the door to unlock. Finally it did. I put away my groceries, unpacked, and around 11:30 PM, got in bed, exhausted. Challenge Three: The mattress was hard and the sheets smelled moldy. I pushed my way through that and eventually got a little sleep.

Day Two and I awaken to the most beautiful views and oceanfront sounds. THIS is why I am here. I have no itinerary and am just winging it. I cooked a little breakfast and walked along the grounds. We have 5 swimming pools ( 3 of them being rooftop pools) overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a gym, a BBQ area, and easy access to the beach. After breakfast, I took a short walk along the beach and noticed numerous varieties of whole fruits on the sand and being washed up by the waves. I asked these 3 young people that were sitting on the sand about it. (Oh..Challenge Number Four: the language barrier; be sure to use Google Translate should you come here and don’t experience Challenge Number Five, like I am doing: no cellular data and Challenge Six, reliance on WhatsApp. I’ve got to do something about this). They said it was an offering to the sea. I googled this and it says:
“Offerings to the sea in Panama are deeply rooted in coastal culture, often involving spiritual or traditional ceremonies where gifts are sent into the ocean via small boats to appease spirits or deities like Iemanjá. These, along with other cultural practices, often take place along the Pacific Coast, in areas like the Pearl Islands, and near indigenous communities.“ How beautiful is that???

Also, the beach is covered by deep black sand. I stayed in Nueva Gorgona the last time I was here and saw the same thing. This is the result of volcanic activity and eroded basalt in the Pacific Ocean and is unique to the coastline I am living on.

Last challenge for the day, Challenge Seven, was getting a car. There were no cars available in Gorgona or nearby Coronado, Rio Gato, or Chame. I got my car in La Chorrea, about 30 miles away. Driving back to Gorgona, I experienced some very fast drivers as we made hairpin turns around a mountainous region and dodged potholes. And getting a car is an expensive ordeal with the requirement to purchase the mandated Third Party Liability insurance. Nevertheless, I have to have a car. I could not imagine being here without one. How could I be spontaneous and revisit a few of the places I saw before without a car???

Oh, did I mention the Heat? 🥵. It’s hot.

In spite of this, I am excited to be here. All of my challenges are logistical challenges and I should be adjusted by tomorrow or the next day. Until next time…Read more