Playa Tetas

The first beach that we went to outside of our house was Playa Tetas.  Our friend Fortunato met us in the morning and we loaded up for our first beach/surf trip.  When we left is was low tide ( around 9:30). The tides in panama are extreme (especially when there is a full moon like when we went).  When we left is was low tide (around 9:30). The tides in panama are extreme (especially when there is a full moon like when we went). On the way there he asked " do you know what Tetas means?" "no" we say in unison. "it means tits", Fortunato replies.  I wonder what kind of beach we will be going to...

Where is everybody?  Work?!?  Ohhhh....

Tetas is a really nice beach.  We went on a Monday so there was hardly anybody there except for a few surfers skipping work to catch a few waves. What amazes me is that it was the same time as a school break and there was still hardly anybody there...ahhhh seclusion!!  Luke surfed the two breaks (a right and a left) and Sutton and I laid on the beach, took pictures, played, and ate sand (well, Sutton did).   As the tide started to come up, the boys came in and we got ready to go.

Yummm....this sand taste great!

Around lunch we packed up our gear and headed to the house to feed the baby and give her a nap. What would you do if your baby was sleeping and you just made a new friend to hang out with? Drink some beers and eat some chips and guacamole while you lounge by a pool!!!! That's the life!!


It's funny how a few beers will turn casual acquaintances into quick friends...

Rio Mar

So by now, if you have been following our trip to Panama, you are probably noticing a reoccurring trend in the beaches that we visited….they are practically deserted!!  Now if you like a crowded beach that is hustling and bustling this is not the place for you.  Rio Mar was the last break that we visited before the swell completely diminished and there was no more surf (just in time for the end of our trip).

When we arrived at the beach, we parked on a dirt road with a path that lead in between the construction site of a future luxury condominium and some local houses with some chickens running around the yards.  As we got closer to the beach there was a few families and children playing in a small river that lead into the beach.  The first thing I thought when I saw them…”why aren’t they playing in the ocean?”  Personal preference I guess…

Again, there was no one on the beach except for one surfer right out front of the condos.  No problem…we weren’t going there!

Now, you might remember me mentioning that the tides in Panama can be extreme so it will be no surprise that if you lost track of time and weren’t paying attention, you might get caught in this little cove and have a difficult time getting back out.  So as we walked to this surf spot, Fortunato told us a story about how this almost happened to him… “So, awhile ago you could drive out to this spot and surf, you didn’t have to park on the road.  A friend and I were out here surfing and he wanted to come in and take a nap in the car because he was tired.  So I kept surfing and I came in when the tide started to come up and I noticed that my friend was GONE with the KEYS!!  Can you imagine that!?!? I thought…today is going to be the day that I loose my car to the sea.  So I looked over and I see my friend walking back and he’s carrying something and all I can think is ‘Where did you go?’  He says, ‘Man, your battery was dead!!’  Crazy!”  I don’t think he’ll be driving down that close to the beach anymore!!

We walked about a quarter mile down the beach and around a point that had an isolated cove on the other side and a very nice break that was perfect for Luke and Fortunato.  The guys paddled out and me and my little sand eater settled in under a shaded cliff and watched the guys.

The saddest part about this little slice of paradise is that it probably will not be like this for very long because it is in the middle of being developed.  Huge condos are going up all around and soon it will be a luxury vacation spot.  It makes me think about the people that I saw playing in the river in front of the beach…what will happen to the place that they enjoy with their friends and families?

Coconut Football

After four days of surfing, the fifth day was pretty flat…I know…we all had a real pity party!  Never fear, when there is not surf and we can't fishing we’ll make our own fun…Coconut Football!!

Coconut Football

I’m not really sure how this fun game got started but it went on for a while and ended with some minor injuries to some of the players.  Basically you choose a nice looking coconut and toss it back and forth like American football…if your are especially talented, you can throw/kick it with you feet like real football (aka soccer).

Go Long......

Practicing for London 2012

So while Luke and Fortunato were playing their new game, the neighbor (visiting from Seattle) started playing music from his stereo...it can only be described as a disco rave remix of nineties hits like “Be my lover” and other classics.  Could you imagine anything else being more perfect to listen to while you play coconut football?!? Honestly, you don’t know fun until you try it!

It's amazing how some rave music can put a little spring in your jump! 

Check out that air!!

After about thirty minutes of diving, tossing, kicking, and rolling the coconut back and forth, some minor injuries did occur.

No Pain, No Gain!

Luke really worked up a sweat!

What does one do with all these coconuts....Pina Coladas!!!!

"Pagme!!"

So the fourth day of our trip, Luke and Fortunato went surfing with Fortunato's brother and I stayed behind with Sutton. The one thing that I had learned very quickly on our trip is that this child loves the water and the sand, so it made sense to keep her close to home for the day so she could play in the pool, play at the beach, and we would have all the things she needed if she was tired or hungry.

"Let me go, I can swim by myself!!"

"I love swimming" 

"I think I'm just going to jump on in...watcha think Mommy?"

After a few hours of playing in the pool, we walked down to the beach to play in the sand and waves. There was no one out this morning except for an older lady further out walking through the rocks.  As the lady got closer she started to walk over to us. Nothing about this seemed weird or uncomfortable because having a baby with you makes you a magnet for a lot of different types of people, especially one with bright blue eyes like Sutton. Also, panama is generally a safe place to be so my comfort level was pretty high.

The beach in front of our place.

As she got closer she started asking me in Spanish if that was my baby. "Yes" I would reply and then she would mumble something and then ask me again if that was my baby and I would say "yes" again.  I started to think that she must either be confused, my Spanish was worst than I thought, or she was kinda drunk (she kinda looked the part).  I'm guessing that she was a little more on the drunk side.  She had oysters in a bucket that she had been collecting from the rocks so I asked if she liked oysters.  She started mumbling and saying " Pagme.  Pagme.".

Now I did not know what she was saying, but each time she said it, her tone got a little more assertive and louder. Along with her bucket of oysters, she was also carrying a hammer and dull knife to help her get the oysters off the rocks. So I said to her in Spanish that I didn't understand and she started making a universal symbol that I knew immediately. She rubbed her thumb and two fingers together and I knew she wanted money. "Pagme!"

I was actually grateful that I only had a towel and a few toys with me so I wasn't lying when I told her I didn't have any money...I'm a really bad liar. I didn't want to make this lady angry so I said to her in my broken Spanglish "Me Esposo es...surfing. Esta calor. Quiero nadar.". For all you non Spanglish speakers...I'll translate....."My husband is....(while I search my brain for the Spanish word)... surfing.  It's hot. I want to swim". I felt like this was the most socially acceptable thing to say and do when talking to a drunk woman demanding money and carrying a hammer.

This interaction made me slightly uncomfortable, but it really just reaffirmed my first rule of travel... Take what you need... No more. I never try and bring a bunch of stuff with me and I always dress the part. This means: when we go places, especially with a high poverty population, I leave the nice things at home and only take what I'm willing to loose. Before we left, I left my wedding rings at home and and other jewelry that was meaningful....I just don't need it.   Plus, it's slightly more believable that I don't have any money if I'm not wearing diamond earrings and my wedding rings! "PAGME Gringa!!"

The Joy of La Cremas

Luke has a slight obsession with a special little cookie that he discovered on his first trip to Costa Rica….La Cremas.  Now I’m not exactly sure what kind of secret potion they use to make these addictive confectionary treats, but I do know, that wherever we go Luke must find some version of his beloved La Cremas.

At the grocery store, gathering necessities, Luke says expectantly, “I’m going to go find La Cremas.”  When he returned 10 minutes later, he was empty handed and hand a defeated look on his face.  “They didn’t have them.  I even followed this kid down the cookie aisle to see what he got and it was just marshmallows.”

I know the importance of this little cookie to my husband…it’s his in-between surf session super food that reawakens his inner child…WE MUST FIND THEM (plus, I like them too)!! 

After a twenty-minute grocery store hunt, we finally found the closest Panamanian version of the cookie that was on the cookie aisle and the disaster was avoided…whewww!

This lasted us about a day

Learning new things after all these years...

Sometime, when you’ve known someone for a long time, it’s hard to imagine that they will tell you something about themselves that will make you stop and say, “Huh, I never knew that about you.” 

Our trip to Playa El Palmar was in the middle of the rainy season in Panama so it was expected that there could be a chance of rain…However, where it is located is in a “dry arc” so it can be raining all around you in nearby towns and you can still stay dry.  On the first afternoon, while Sutton napped, Luke and I were laying around the pool watching a family playing on the beach.

Yay!!! We have a sleeping baby!!! Time to relax!!

“You see those clouds, that’s a storm forming.” Luke said.    The clouds were white and fluffy and the sky was blue…”How do you know that?” I asked.   “Well I used to be really scare of lightning so when I was a kid I did lot of research.” He said very matter-of-factly. 

Now I have known Luke since I was 15 and this was all news to me…”Really, how did that affect you?” I choked out in between giggles. 

“Ash, this is serious.  I was really scared that lightning would strike me.  I had to look it up and I even read some articles about it!”

**Now as a side note, you should remember that when Luke was a kid, research meant that you really had to look things up in an encyclopedia and visit a library.  This means that he must have really had a strong desire to do all that  research when he was ten.

Maybe I was still delirious from traveling, but I couldn’t help myself….I was laughing hysterically at the idea of my husband asking his parents to take him to the library to research lightning when he was ten (what a dork)!  Then he looked at me very seriously and said “I know what to do f you ever get hit by lightning.  Do you want to know”

In between tears and laughter, I chocked out a “yes” and he said “Well, you get down on one knee…” Before he finish I interrupted, “So basically you Tebow it!?!?!?!” BLAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! How come you’ve never told me this…We have to go on vacation before you want to share these things with me? Blahahaha!!!” I couldn’t help but imagine a ten-year-old Luke practicing his lightning survival tactics in his back yard on a sunny day so he would be prepared.

Now this might be one of those things that might not be that funny to other people or maybe you had to be there to see the humor, but it still makes me smile to know that there are things that we don’t know about each other after almost 15 years.  Also, as a bonus, it makes me laugh to think that my husband was a weather nerd when he was ten…why couldn’t he just go sleep with his parents during a storm like normal kids?

Shortly after my crash course in lightning and storm survival, a small shower rolled through for about twenty minutes.  Lying in a hammock and watching the rain is a definite recipe for relaxation.

Off we go...

The day before we left for Panama, something happened…teething!! Really!?! Really?!?  Needless to say it made the travel experience enlightening.

The day before we left, our usually great sleeper, refused to sleep all day long (making me very glad that I had packed early) and screamed at her bedtime for two hours.  Now, panic was creeping in…I had suspected the start of teething earlier in the week but this just confirmed it.  Everybody buckle up because this is going to be rough!  When she finally fell asleep, I looked at Luke and said, “Well, maybe she’ll be so exhausted that she’ll sleep on the plane.”  HA!

That night we both barely slept from pure excitement and anxiety over our trip…we were like kids waiting for Santa.  We have never had such an easy time getting things loaded and ready to go (considering it was 3:30) we were like a well-oiled machine moving.  The final step before our departure was to wake up Sutton.  Luke went in her room, changed her diaper, and we loaded her up in the car.  The first 45 minutes were oddly quiet even though she never went back to sleep.  I think she was making her plan for how things were about to go down….

I look so cute now....

This child screamed the rest of the way to the airport….stopped long enough to look cute for the ticket agent and security…and was a restless fussy mess for the first flight! When we got off in Miami, we put her in her stroller. (aka magic sleeping chair) and she was out like a light  for the two-hour layover.  Now, this might sound like “Oh good, you guys got a welcomed break” but really she was just resting up for round two for the flight to Panama and the hour drive to our house.  

Waking up at 3:30 + screaming baby = Extra large coffee!

Resting up for Round two...she needs all her strength!

Fast forward to our drive to the house…

Driving into Panama City on our way to Playa el Palmar

As Luke drove (screaming baby in tow) he missed the sign that said 80 kilometers and was keeping up with the traffic in front of him until a woman dressed in a Policia uniform stepped out into the middle of the road from the median to flag him over.  Now I  speak a little Spanish,  but Luke speaks even less.  After almost 13 hours of traveling I wasn’t the best translator when Luke rolled down the window to speak with the officer.  As she scowled at us and spoke rapidly in Spanish, while Sutton screamed her lungs out in the backseat, all I could comprehend was her telling him to get out of the car.  She was on her cell phone shouting and pointing.  I saw Luke start walking in the direction she was pointing and then turn back and forth  in confusion.  She kept shouting and he just looked and her blankly and then he got back in the car.

“What did she say?” I said.  “I don’t know…She kept pointing to the sign that said 80 kilometers and showing me the gun that said 110.  I didn’t realize that it changed.  She basically said I can go but if she sees this car again speeding, the ticket will be muy grande.”  This is the only time one the trip that having a child screaming in the background might have worked in our favor!

I will NOT speed, I will NOT speed, I will NOT speed....

When we arrived to the house, we meet the couple that takes care of the property.  What was the first thing I did when we saw them???? I hugged these complete strangers and we started conversing in Spanish about how tired we all were and then they started asking about the baby and our trip as we walked around the house.  After they left, Luke looked at me and said, “Where did that come from and where was it when we got pulled over.”  “I don’t know.” I said.   I really didn’t know…I can just imagine that it was the exhaustion that was making me delirious and to be honest, I probably told them something  ridiculous like “Our cat likes spaghetti and Saturdays.”  Who really knows...

My Pavlovian Response

 I have a memory from my childhood and adolescence that I take with me when I travel.  Every time my mom would take me on a trip, we would always get something new.  It was usually new clothes for our vacation.  Seeing that she didn’t have a lot of money, vacations were rare so it was a big deal.  All aspects of our trip seemed new and exciting!

So in a Pavlovian response to buying airline tickets, I always feel like I need to get something new…I know …pretty ridiculous! For the obvious reason being we love to travel, one can see how this could be an expensive tradition to maintain.  At one point, before we had our daughter, we were taking three trips a year! That could really result in a closet full of sundresses. 

However I have found a way to indulge my little tradition even on this upcoming trip to panama…All Natural, environmentally friendly sunscreen and bug spray.  When it came in the mail today (cutting it very close to our departure), I was so excited!

            

T-Minus: The day before Departure

Yesterday I managed to get Luke, Sutton, and myself completely packed for our trip (minus a few odd and ends that we need until we leave.  This is the first time that I have ever packed up this far in advance.  Usually I prefer to stay up till midnight the night before throwing handfuls of clothes into a suitcase and waking up three hours later to drive to the airport for my six a.m. flight.  I always bring WAY too much and somehow never have the things I need…like a raincoat or the other half of my sneakers.

However, my planning and organization has slightly backfired….I don’t know what in the world to do with myself!  I just keep pacing around my house looking around for things I forgot.  Sad…just sad.  So I decided to take a minute and blog.

I will say this, last night I pulled out everything that I thought we could possibly need and I managed to pack three people into two suitcases (one of which has a pack-n-play inside and is about a third full of diapers).  Could I have reached packing nirvana?  Only time will tell…