Jen’s family made a visit to Panama for an early Christmas celebration, and we were able to take them on a few adventures. The group included her two brothers, one sister-in-law, and two nephews. We were sad that nephew, Connor, and his wife, Olivia, were unable to be with us.
Jen’s older brother, Bill, and his wife, Deb, arrived two days prior to the others. They came through immigration and customs in under half an hour and we were on our way to Coronado in record time. Our guests always enjoy Gold Coast Brewery, so we made a dinner stop for half price wings before getting them settled into their condo accommodations just four floors down from ours in El Alcazar. Our amazing friend, Joan, offered her place for the family while she traveled, and it proved to be perfect with everyone getting their own bed and bathroom. While the family was here, we were able to have meals together and play some family card games in Joan’s condo, which offered a much bigger space than our own.
Thursday gave us some time with Bill and Deb, which was perfect for a trip to the Coronado Thursday Market and some last-minute shopping to prepare for the rest of the family’s arrival. We also took the opportunity to enjoy the pool and a nice dinner at Nazca 21. Bill ordered the whole corvina and was surprised when the small fish hung over the plate on both ends.
Friday morning, I prepared to make the journey to the airport to pick up the remaining guests. While the morning progressed, we watched their flights. Jon was traveling from Minneapolis, while Donovan and Cullan traveled from Detroit. They were to all connect to the same flight in Atlanta. Jon’s flight was delayed as it took over an hour to “de-ice” his plane, and he missed the connection. Ultimately, he got a stand-by flight which put him more than five hours behind the nephews. Bill went along with me to the airport to pick up Cullan and Donovan.
The trip to the airport was without incident, but the return was a traffic jam typical of Friday afternoons in Panama. I always say to prepare for travel from Panama City to take anywhere from two to four hours and our trip home was on the long side. Both boys were exhausted by the time we got them settled. We had a nice dinner and off to bed they went while we waited to see what would happen with Jon. We learned he was able to make it onto the later flight, so I contacted Marc Vargas who arranged for his transportation to Coronado. It was nearly 1:00 a.m. before he got here. It was a long day for all of us, suffice it to say it was really long for Jon.
We kept our schedule loose for Saturday, but everyone was awake in plenty of time to take our first real adventure to El Valle. It’s always a favorite of guests, and we could have spent much more than a day there. Our first stop was El Macho Falls. Everyone except Jen and I zip-lined the falls.
Following our zip-line and hike around the falls we went to Zapote’ for lunch. From Zapote’, we took them to the rim of the volcano for a hike to the ridge.
Our last stop was at the market. The market in El Valle is always a special favorite of guests. Everyone found a few treasures to take back to the states. Jon and Deb bought Panama hats while the others found some last-minute Christmas gifts and we all grabbed a little fresh fruit and produce.
Our dinner plans on Saturday took us to Segundo Piso. The fine dining restaurant at our club never disappoints and our dinner was no exception. Everyone had a great meal, and we went home early to prepare for our early (6:45 a.m.) Sunday departure to the Embera Village.
Sunday morning, we caravanned to Panama City with four friends. There we met our tour guide, Marc Vargas. Marc was able to bring his wife Keren, daughter Mabel, and mother-in-law, Esther. They had never been on a tour of an Embera Village, and we had room in our group. It was great having them along. Marc’s family is special to us, and we often consider them part of our own family. At the rendezvous point, we loaded onto a coaster bus for the remainder of the journey to the river where we boarded a piragua. Embera piraguas are carved from the trunk of a large tree. They take about six months to carve, and each one can take twenty passengers and a small load of cargo. We brought fruit, rice, and beans for the villagers. We also brought candy and toys for the children. Our piragua had a motor on it, but that was about all the modern conveniences one can expect to find on an Embera adventure.
We made a brief stop at the village to drop off the cargo before heading to a waterfall hike about twenty minutes further up the river. The lighter load allowed us to travel to within a short walk to the falls. The place was beautiful and secluded inside the national park. This village of Embera people are living within the Chagres National Park where they are trusted with the care and conservation of the land. They are allowed to only hunt and fish for their own personal survival.
Following our visit to the falls, we were transported back to the village where we were met by the tribe. Several men from the village welcomed us with music from handmade instruments. The children met our piragua and took us to the village meeting place where we got an exhibition of native dance. The women in our group were presented with fresh flowers for their hair and Marc, along with the guide from another group, translated to tell us about the culture of the Embera people.
From there, we were taken to an area where food was prepared. Our group was given a light lunch of fish and patacones served in a banana leaf. While we ate, we were told about their crafts and the technique for dying and carving the pieces. Everything at the village is made from wood and plants found in the jungle. The dyes are from fruits and nuts growing near the village and the carved wood pieces are from wood growing in the jungle. The crafts are priced according to the amount of time which goes into their creation.
We were then free to explore the village and shop the crafts in the large meeting place. Each family had a table of their work, which was all magnificent. Jen and I were able to purchase three pieces which we will treasure for a lifetime. Jon and I both got Embera art in the form of a temporary tattoo made from the dyes which they use to decorate their own bodies. The “tattoo” lasted over ten days.
When it came time to depart, we were sad to leave. The people were so kind and welcoming, following us to our piragua to bid us farewell. We were able to get some great pictures and share some special moments with people who didn’t speak a word of English but communicated beautifully by sharing their jungle home.
Our coaster bus met us at the place where we had begun the adventure and transported us back to our rendezvous point. Jen and I took the family to Pedro Miguel Locks from there, in hope of seeing a boat passing through. We hung out at the viewing place for a while and were able to see several boats but really saw nothing of the locks. Late on a Sunday afternoon, we were unable to get into the gallery for tourists, and the Miraflores Locks were closed due to an incident earlier in the week. It was late when we started our journey back to Coronado. If we consider being stuck in stop and go traffic for several hours an adventure, we had our third adventure of the day. Sunday evening traffic between Coronado and the city can be brutal. We were thankful to the vendors selling water and churros to those stuck in traffic. Our final stop of the day was dinner at The Bench. It was the perfect place to unwind and talk about our amazing adventure.
Monday was dedicated to a day of beach and pool fun. It was also Jon’s birthday. He and I took a dune buggy tour of the community and went to the beach. The tide was high and the surf strong, but we managed to have a great time. Later, I took the boys in the buggy. The tide had receded, so we were able to get out in the sand for a little fun.
We were able to enjoy a birthday dinner together; ham, au gratin potatoes, tossed salad, and red velvet birthday cake. On the holidays, our family always enjoys playing Up the River Down the River. Monday night was capped off with a healthy card game competition.
Tuesday, we took them all to Santa Clara for a beach day and lobster lunch. The weather and food were amazing, and everyone had a great time. The beach was packed like I’ve never seen before. The anniversary of the U.S. invasion to take down Noriega (Operation Just Cause) was celebrated here as a day of mourning for the first time, and all the government offices were closed giving many the day off. This new holiday is dry, so no alcohol could be sold or served.
Our time together was coming to a rapid end. Their departure on Thursday morning meant we had only one day of adventure left. A poll of the visitors gave us a great idea. We gathered everyone for a short hike to Filipina Falls high on the mountain near Sora. The drive to the trailhead was long, but the road was good for most of the way. Once we reached the trailhead, we paid the landowner $2.00 each, and the dogs led the way to the falls. I brought a bag of dog biscuits, and the friendly dogs did a great job of showing us the way. Jen and I had purchased Panama T-shirts for our visitors, and we all took the opportunity to sport them on the hike. This made for some great photo opportunities.
Our farewell dinner was later in the evening at Cafe’ Med. Franco and team did a great job of making that last meal together special. It would have been great to have the family here through the holidays, but the entire time they were here was special. Their journeys home were mostly uneventful given the weather in the north. Jon landed in Minneapolis over two hours late to temperatures at negative 11 degrees F. The crew that went to Detroit landed an hour late to snowstorms, but all their cars started, and they were all able to get home safely.
As the end of 2022 rapidly approaches, we are missing our time with family. We continue to love our life in Panama. Since moving to this beautiful country, we have made some of the best friends of our lives. The relationships with these new friends keep us busy and adventuring, but the visits from old friends and family are special. We hope that all of you have a safe, healthy and blessed New Year. With adventures planned in 2023 taking us to more than 6 other countries, I look forward to filling my passport with stamps from places I never imagined. I hope we have encouraged all of you to step outside your comfort zone and take an adventure. If that adventure brings you to our neighborhood, please don’t hesitate to look us up. We love having visitors and meeting new people.
Blessings From Paradise,
Greg and Jen
#welovepanama
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