Coming to pick us up
Today’s adventure was a visit to a village of the Embera people, one of the indigenous groups in Panama. We had breakfast first and then were to ride in motorized canoes through the mangroves and up the river to the village. We were in the last canoe and it was only half full, but we must have all eaten too much breakfast because we hadn’t gone too far when some of the crew came over to our canoe in a canopied skiff and said we had to transfer to the skiff because our boat was going too slow. Okay, Tami did have a doughnut with breakfast, and then Mike had two, but geez, it was our first breakfast on the ship!
We did proceed faster in the skiff and had a very pleasant ride through the mangroves and up the river. We were fortunate to have Archie, the ship’s naturalist, in our boat and he pointed out many interesting features including huge conical ant nests (let’s hope our ants at home don’t get any ideas), a mangrove hawk, and some oropendola bird nests clustered in one tree.
Termite nest
Heading up river through the mangroves
Oropendola nests
On arrival at the landing where we disembarked, we were greeted by a large crowd from the local village, clapping rhythmically to welcome us. The villagers were all dressed in their VERY colorful finest traditional outfits (tops optional). (See this video from Uncruise.) Then per some sort of local tradition they assigned a child to each of us to hold our hands and walk with us the mile or so back to their village. Tami’s escort kept chattering to her in Spanish (they speak both their native dialect and learn Spanish in school). The only thing Tami understood was, “What’s your name?” Mike’s escort was younger and shyer and just kept glancing up at him until he looked back, at which point she would quickly glance down again. After we reached the village and Mike’s escort was released from her duties, she looked at one of her friends and made a motion of wiping off her hands as if to say “my person had really sweaty palms!”
Greeting crowd
Taking OUR picture
Walking with our hosts
These village visits are apparently infrequent. While there had been one from Uncruise the week before, we were told the one before that had been six months ago. At the same time, the occasional visit is an opportunity for the villagers to make some sorely needed cash, so they had a significant supply of arts and crafts on offer. The majority were very well made woven baskets and trays decorated with designs in any array of colors they make from local plants. Of course Tami wanted to know more about their dye making!
Some of the crafts for sale
They also did some dance and music performances for us. We were particularly impressed with the flute player who, backed by a whole percussion section, played something that struck us as almost jazz. It actually reminded Mike of Jethro Tull.
Dance performance
Flute player – wish he had some CD’s!
We then got a tour of the village. It was fairly good size, with around 480 residents. The houses are mostly platforms on stilts with thatched roofs. Animals are often kept on the ground under the platform. The ladders are logs with steps cut into them that also double as child minders. Pull that log up and those kids can’t get out! There was a small school for the children. If we heard right, they said they have one teacher for 160 children. Not sure how the teacher manages that! Tami spied a few boys kicking around a soccer ball in a lower field. The beautiful game here in the jungles of Panama!
SOCCER! With the school in the background.
Enjoying sugar cane – all kids like sugar!
House in village
Traditional and non-traditional foods
World’s ugliest chicken
Cute kid!
Emergency communication to the outside
Woman who helped organize our visit
Children watching the goings on
As we wound our way down the path from the village back to where the canoes were waiting, we were all strung out in a long progression of villagers and tourists as the villagers escorted us back to the canoes. As we were going down the path, we heard the wailing of a small child behind us. It did not diminish as we kept walking and we looked back to see one of the women holding a small child who was having quite a tantrum. We turned just in time to see her set the child down and we watched as he continued his tantrum. He looked to be about two years old and mom had clearly had enough of this behavior. It was somehow reassuring to see that some things are universal and all cultures have to deal with the terrible twos.
Back to the boats and we climbed into another open canoe. The boats picked up speed heading back to the ship and we saw quite a few white Ibis fly down the path of the river ahead of us as if they were our guides out of the mangroves.
Dugout
Canoe along the river – translates as “God’s Mercy”
White Heron, or Greater Egret
It seemed that we hit open water quite quickly and when we did, we discovered there was quite a swell going. The spray from the waves at first just sprinkled us but soon became much more enthusiastic and by the time we were halfway to the ship we were more wet than dry. It was refreshing! And salty! Well, they said to make sure we kept our electrolytes up. By the time we got to the ship we were completely soaked but we all were having a grand time. Returning to our cabin, we just took off everything and washed out the seawater as we showered ourselves. We now have wet clothing strung all over the bathroom and cabin. Who knows when it will dry in this humidity!
One again in dry, clean clothes, we returned to the lounge for snacks that really hit the spot. There was fresh guacamole and ceviche served with plantain chips, and other delicious snacks. And beer and cocktails, of course. It seemed no time at all until it was time for another excellent dinner. We both had the local fish again. We didn’t quite catch the name. Mike said, “It was black snoopy, or something like that.” We do know it was very good. (Later, it was apparently Black Snook.)