¡Hola, todos!
This weekend has definitely been a change of pace. Friday morning I went birdwatching at the famous "Pipeline Road" with two new Panamanian friends, Susana and Pedro. It was so much fun getting out into the forest with people who really love it (she's an eco-tourguide and he's a first-year bio student birding extraordinaire). They were able to point out plants and birds and identify them, so I ended up learning way more than I could have otherwise. It was a blast. It also gave me a chance to reflect a little more on what interests me, and I realized being a volunteer naturalist or science educator would be something fun for me, even if just short term.
Today, four of us ISA students climbed Cerro Ancón, or "Ancon Hill." We got only slightly lost along the way, discovering a picnic area that we were informed is not currently open to the public. At the top, we found beautiful scenery, awesome views of the entire city. Definitely a sight to behold; pictures forthcoming when I steal them from my friends.
On our descent, we stumbled across a strange, mostly empty village. There were brightly colored buildings and a large empty parking lot--it felt like we'd discovered the ghost of some old theme park. But people were around, so we went and asked someone where we were. She explained we were in the "Villa Afroantilla" or something like that, a tourist stop commemorating the cultural groups brought together to forge the Panamanian identity: for this group, this included people of African descent, indigenous people of the peninsula, and the people of the interior/mestizos. Our guide then showed us around the village, telling us about the people of Bocas del Toro and the stories of the indigenous peoples throughout Panama. It was a fun little surprise, discovering the little village. I even got to have a little hojaldre before we left, a yummy central american bread that I think we ate in Belize, too, under a different name.
From there, we took a short cab ride to the Fish Market, to at last try the obligatory ceviche. It was good, as expected, and now I can check that piece off my list and get back to my normal veggie-and-grain diet.
And now there's one more adventure before the weekend ends: birdwatching early in the morning with Panama Audubon. It should be fun, though definitely a different feel than yesterday. Enjoying my attempts to engage with Panama in ways that are meaningful to me. And hopefully to make plenty of new friends along the way! ^_^
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