Cockfight

Friday, July 06, 2007
4:03 AM

From the title of this entry, you may think it to be about Chris and Tyson. Don't worry, it isn't. I'll get back to the title later.

Before I start catching up on my blog, I'll start with some recent events. Rather one event in particular. We are now in El Valle de Anton, arriving yesterday after a long 7 hour travel day (3 buses). Unlike Bocas and Boquete, El Valle is much as I remembered it. Haley and I just got back from the zoo, whose cages are still far smaller than a more humane-minded institution would allow. I did get some nice pictures of the rare golden frog, who until a couple years ago, the world thought to be extinct. While the zoo was sub-par as far as zoos go, it did get us out of the hotel room and enjoy the scenery here in "the valley."


Before the zoo, we went out this morning to see "El Macho" waterfall. It was quite the waterfall and I look forward to playing with some of the pictures I took in Photoshop. The lady at our hotel said that the waterfall was only about a 20 minute walk from the hotel. 45 minutes later, we arrived with a light rain accompanying us. It ended up being about 3 or 4 kilometers, most of it uphill. 20 minutes later, was started back down. By this time, it was starting to pour and I reminded myself how glad I was that I bought the camera with all the weather seals. While it's not waterproof, I had already proved it's weather hardiness after leaving it out all night in the pouring rain a couple months ago. After about 10 minutes of walking, out of nowhere, my intestines began undulating in such peristaltic synchronicity that I had to politely usher the rest of the group in front of me. Haley was kind enough to stay back and ensure I was okay. We were in the middle of nowhere, and nature was shouting. I had no choice but to run off into the bushes, wait for the tourist bus to pass by, and then bake some machine gun brownies right then and there. Luckily Haley happened to be carrying some "papel de bano" which saved the day. The rest of the walk was quite pleasant.

While Haley and I are having a good time down here, I am glad that it is only two weeks this time instead of the four last summer. Central America is a lot of same. It is good to be back in Panama, and I am excited to get to Panama city tomorrow, but I am also glad that we are gonna be back in the states on Tuesday. Haley is really excited to get back home to Gob, and heaven knows we have a lot of things that we still want to get done around the house before things start back up again in a month.

The night before last, we all ended up attending a Panamanian festival complete with cock-fighting, billiards, "tipica" music and dancing, and lots of drunk Panamanians. Earlier in the day, we had gone on a small tour to some hot springs. Our guide, Plinio, had told us about this party and encouraged us to attend. We all decided it might be cool to see a local Panamanian party and decided we would head up after dinner. We caught a cab around 10:00 and headed out to Caldera, the location of the party. As we drove up, we could hear the ruckus from a half mile away. The giant pavilion was decked out with street vendors, beer, and a ton of Panamanian people. The 5 of us were the only white people there (minus Myra, who is Ecuadorian). After donning our "party time" bracelets at the door, we were admitted. We quickly made it to a corner, "purchased" rights to use a table (which we later found out was located in the corner of the pavilion where all the men went to relieve themselves--nothing like the fresh aroma of uric acid). After drinking a soda or two, we ventured out to the dance floor. At first it was fun as Haley and I "danced," or more appropriately, "moved around like uncoordinated gringos." After a while, some short fat dude started coming around stapling these little papers on our shirts. We weren't sure what he was doing, but he did it with such a surety, that we figured it was normal. But then he started shouting "six dollars." Apparently he wanted money for some social worker and was trying to get us to pay by giving us the "receipt" in advance by stapling it to both mine and Chris' collar. We of course refused only to find out later that it is kind of the macho thing to do to show the ladies that you are giving to charity.

The cock fight was kinda nasty. I did manage to get a little video on my phone of the event. I can see why it is outlawed in so many countries. Chrystal was really excited at first, saying that it would never gross her out. Well, after the blood started flying and the birds pecked at each other's heads, she quickly changed her mind. I can now say I have seen and cock fight and can also definitively say that I am against them.


After the cockfight, we played some billiards. It was a nice relief from the dancing and cockfighting where we felt so out of place. At least the billiards rooms wasn't as crowded and the deafening music wasn’t quite as loud. After we were done, one of the locals asked me if I wanted to play a game (I think it was more like he challenged me to a game) and I reluctantly accepted. Marcel ended up being a cool guy and was even nice enough to allow me to win in front on my friends (I had asked him not to embarrass me too much). He showed me how good he actually was early in the game as he shot his first 4 balls into the holes on his first turn. Luckily, I sunk a couple myself and the thrown game didn't last too long.

Later in the night, Marcel came up to me and said it was nice to meet me and also asked me not to forget Marcel from Caldera. I thought it was a nice gesture and now that I am writing about him in my blog hopefully I won't forget Marcel from Caldera.

During the time we were at the party, there was a certain man who took quite an interest in Myra. As soon as we walked into the pavilion, he was eying and following her, asking her to dance. She refused at first, but with continued persistence, she wore down and he had his dance, or I should say his first dance. That dude did end up being a fairly decent dancer as he spun Myra around the dance floor. After they were done, Myra rushed back to our table, followed by the guy. He then thanked us all very much for allowing her to dance with him. He then continued to thank us. Then he thanked us some more. It was strange. Finally, after shutting him out he left. He returned a couple songs later, but Myra told him she was tired out and maybe one of the next couple songs.


Later in the night, with a little more ethanol running through the veins, he decided the Myra was worth another shot at love and came back asking for more. Admiring the guys persistence, Myra reluctantly agreed. He was really drunk and uncoordinated as he tried to dance to a faster salsa tune. It ended up being more like spinning around in circles and I am still surprised that they both made it to the end of the song without projecting their stomach contents onto the dance floor.

I should quickly mention the really nice restaurant we ate at before the great Panamanian adventure. Our hot springs guide, Plinio, had recommended the restaurant "El Pianista." It was a $.50 cab ride up the mountain in the back of a pick up truck to the middle of nowhere. We were the only ones in the restaurant and I would have thought us to be the only ones to have gone in a week except that the place was highly recommended. It was on a coffee plantation, complete with a coffee trees all around and a nice little waterfall just outside the window where we were eating. The food (pizza) ended up being really good and a nice change from all the rice and chicken we had been eating (though it was more expensive).

I have gotten a lot more opportunity this summer to speak Spanish, compared to our trip last summer. I think it is because we aren't as with as many people which is pushing Haley and I to go out on our own and interact more with the locals. Yesterday, on our busride, we stopped at a little rest area where I was able to talk to a local Kuna Indian and purchase one of her molas. It was really cool to interact with and hear her story. She was even kind enough to allow some photos. I have also gotten to talk with a lot of our guides and the locals at the markets. It feels good to converse with people in another language, especially after not speaking Spanish for over 6 years.

I know this is a really really really long entry. Sorry.