A lot more of Panamá

A lot of no hello’s

I didn’t fall in love with Panamá. And besides the littering behaviour of many people, there is another reason why. It seems to me that, compared to many other countries I’ve been to, Panamanians are not very into tourists and gringos. ‘They’, to continue generalising, might have issues with or hard feelings against ‘us’, because of historical, political or whatever kind of reason, but that’s not just the case in this country. And in most other places, I would at least be greeted back when giving someone a ‘hola’ and a smile. But even in (should be) service orientated places as super markets, there were many silences and unfriendly looks in return to my always friendly greetings. It got under my skin and felt kind of unhappy when stepping into supermarkets at the end, as I felt disappointed and sad, realising that I couldn’t continue being super friendly myself anymore.

A lot of love

Because of the complaining it might look I didn’t enjoy my time, but let me get things straight here. First of all, the many friends I made, from a ton of countries, have been amazing. Besides enjoying ourselves and exploring the country’s stunning nature, they help me grow and become a better version of myself. Sometimes by listening and speaking to them and having the most interesting chats, sometimes just by being around them and letting them be a mirror.

I’m very thankful for everyone I’ve spent a little or a lot of time with; from the ones with whom you share a deep understanding from the moment you introduce oneself, to the ones that you first need to figure out a bit more.

Tons of heartwarming moments

And let’s not forget the first times and magical moments, such as that lucky night that the rock steady Playa Venao crew saw a 70-year-old sea turtle laying her eggs under the full moon night. Someone mentioned a Hawaiian tradition, while we were hoping and waiting for eggs to hatch on a turtle project area, which says that we should draw what we really wanted. Clearly, a variety of turtles started to grow in the sand. Small and huge ones, flat ones and 3D ones, all created in moonlight only. And we played Pictionary too, to be honest.

On our way back, no babies seen, our shared wish became reality, when we saw a trail and found the hard working momma turtle. To be so close to this dinosaur, hearing her breathing heavily on laying her eggs whilst we sat with her, made everyone happy and silent.

And then there was the day that I woke up the first morning in a new place, getting ready to try the early morning waves, when I was yelled at to come quickly and see two adult whales and a little one flapping around in our bay.

So, there’s been lots of magic, but for what I know of it, it is not really ‘my’ country. Which I’m actually happy about, because what if you never want to leave every place you visit? So.. up to Costa Rica, a whole new country is awaiting me!

A lot of Panamá

And there goes Panamá. A 3-month adventure stuffed and packed with, well… a lot. A lot of new unforgettable people and moments, to start with. Tons of monkeys and sloths hanging about in hostel gardens. A true gem for animal watching, hiking and exploring natural wonders. Slightly less pleasant were the days of non-stop, fierce showers. The fact that I actually believed I didn’t need a rain coat or bag cover, as I would 'just avoid going outside' during the wet season, was a bit of a beginner’s mistake.

Lots of wildlife

The upside of that, in togetherness with Otto, the latest tropical November storm ever, waterfalls grew and colours exploded. An unreal kind of green took my breath away many times, making me having to stop, stare and sigh. A green so bright and vivid that made me feel like starring in a 3D computer game.

Healthy and blossoming conditions for animals of all sorts, so the little vampires that need human blood had me as their main piece of Christmas haute cuisine. Mosquitos, lice and mites feasted on me way before the holidays started. Newest member of the stinging, itching or burning kind are a mean type of algae and the ‘chitra’ (sand fly or flea).

Upsides are; many people love to hang out with the perfect bait, and in comparison to chitra horror, mosquito bites became peanuts. 

Lots of islands

Stubborn me almost missed out on the beautiful islands of Bocas del Toro, trying to stay away from crowded party heavens & expensive tourist traps. But the weeks spent there, moving between islands on little boats, enjoying jungle hikes and crazy bike rides to secluded beaches, tiny red frogs jumping around my legs, knee-high into the mud, turned out to be lovely in many ways.

Hearing Guari Guari, a mix of Spanish, English and maybe Jamaican-ish, makes for a true Caribbean feel. Bioluminescent water worms with a circular motion (don’t have any other way to describe them), fire flies, flying fish and friendly caimans probably make many foreigners decide to buy one of the many tropical islands that are for sale. The yummy coconut bread makes you (or at least me) forget about the numerous tourists that are being robbed on the desolated beaches. 

Lots of trash

‘A lot’ also relates to the amount of trash and plastic waste. It’s everywhere. It’s been a common sight: me in my bikinis, speeding after plastic cups that got picked up by the wind, carelessly dropped, thrown or left behind by ‘Sunday Funday’ locals on the beach. Carrying a bunch of empty beer cans that I picked up from the road while doing a little run to the beach and back, has raised an eyebrow here and there.

Panamá is still a new country and economy and with that it seems to be slightly behind on how things have developed in Western countries and especially neighbouring Costa Rica. Trash, how much harm it does to our Pachamama ('Mother Earth') and the possibilities of recycling are not yet on the awareness and priority list of Panameños.
Luckily there are initiatives and places where good work is being started. Bocas del Toro in general is trying harder than most other places I've seen. And then there are things going on already for a while in projects such as ‘The Plastic Bottle Village’, where a small village is being formed by houses constructed by the use of empty and otherwise unusable, plastic drinking bottles, all collected from the Bocas islands.

A relief to come across this positive and hopeful project at the end of my stay in Panamá. It was not that long ago that packaging was all still organic here, so often people have no clue that plastic does not dissolve when you throw it into the ocean or the woods. Even worse: every piece of plastic ever produced, still exists..

To be continued!