Changuinola; the Real Panama

Hey all,
Well we´ve passed the 2 week mark here, which means 1/4 of our trip is already over, I can´t even believe it! We arrived in Changuinola last saturday. We left the island in the midst of a pretty huge storm. The lancha ride back to the mainland was less than desireable, and we ended up being fairly soaked. When we got into town on the bus I was brought to tears as we passed Nayda´s house (my old host family). It was so strange to be in this place that I thought I might never see again. We got off the bus and my friend Michael picked us up right away. When we got in he was off to get his teeth cleaned, so he showed us to our room, and we passed out for a quick nap. After he got back he took us over to Nayda´s to visit. It was sooo good to see her and the family again. Indescribable really! We visited and caught up a bit, and then we came back to Michael´s and got cleaned up. We took a walk down towards my old neighborhood and I saw my friend Alex from school, the look on both our faces when we first saw eachother was priceless! When we came back to Michael´s we changed and headed off to the Feria de Changuinola to go to the discoteca. We probably drank slightly more than we should have, of some terrible Panamanian rum called Carta Vieja, and then around 2 went out and got some delicious deep fried hojaldras... these are incredible treats, especially post alcohol consumption!
On Sunday we went to the river in the afternoon. Michael made us Naturalitos out of the back of his SUV; they consist of fresh squeezed lime, sugar, rum, club soda, and lemon grass tied in a not. They´re amazing! We just hung out by the river and listened to music and watched the people for a while.
During the week Michael was working so we were just hanging out a lot. We watched some terrible movies and some bad tv in español (gracias telenovelas) and walked around el centro a lot. We ate some amazing pizza! Michael´s family was awesome and always offering to cook us food or take us out places. We had a BBQ on tuesday night with some of Michael´s friends, and Erick, Nayda´s nephew came over. We drank a lot of atlas out of the cooler. (incase you haven´t noticed, people drink a lot in Changuinola, because there isn´t much else to do).
Wednesday we went to the Finca (farm) up the mountain in Charagre with Michael´s dad Miguel and his friend who we call the Dominican. It was absolutely breathtaking up there. We were in the jungle no doubt about it. First we went to visit Michael´s great grandmother. There we sucked the juice out of oranges that taste more like very sweet lemons while relaxing on the front porch. Miguel told riddles that I could only 1/2 way understand. Then we went to Michael´s familys farm, which is connected to his grandfather´s. There the guys cut down oranges to bring home, while we helped pick starfruit, guanabanas, and wild cacao. We broke the cacao open and ate it. If you´ve never eaten a cacao its an interesting thing. You break it open and suck the gooey flesh off of the big podlike seeds. Its sweet and a little bitter, and stange at first, but quite delicious and addictive, and NOTHING like chocolate. You get chocolate once you dry the seeds, roast them, and grind them. Yummo. We also drank agua de pipa (young coconut water) and ate the flesh out, as well as some organic bananas, and some disgusting thing called a pifa that neither Lindsay nor I could stomach, but locals love! Then last night we went out and played a couple of games of pool at a pool hall and bar with A/C and a Jamaican owner who likes to buy us beer.
Today we went with Michael´s mother to visit a women who she used to work with. She was bringing her food, because the woman is very poor, and has 8 children, no husband, and no way to support them. To get to her house we first drove some distance outside of Changuinola. We parked at a pullout and them walked down the road before we turned off onto a cement pathway. We walked some ways down this pathway, passing little shacks on stilts, with no sign of electricity or water. The further we walked, the cement path turned to a dirt path, which was now a mud path as a result of torrential downpour last night. We arrived at a small creek which she explained to us, was overflowing when the rain was constant, and we crossed over it by way of a narrow metal pole. I felt like a was in a circus balancing act. Once we crossed there it was just a bit futher, and we came to a group of even sadder looking casitas. With the help of a young boy we found the right place, and there we met the woman and her children. They were so sweet, shy at first, except one extraordinarily curageous boy who looked at us with shocked eyes and commented on our height. He was about 4 I would say. There was another boy, younger than this one, and also, a baby girl, just about 6 months. They were so excited about the food, and Michael´s Mom, Marina, handed them out chocolates to eat. She explained to me in Spanish, which I then explained to Lindsay in English, anout this woman´s situation. How she couldn´t work because she had to take care of her kids. The kids slept in hammocks outside made out of a plastic rope. The kitchen was outside, just a little propane stove. The house was nothing more than a one room shack with leaks where she, and a few more children slept. It was incredible to meet them, to see these houses that I´ve seen so many times, up close and personal. We didnt stay too long, just enough to play with the niños a bit, and then we were off again, back up the path. I think I will always remember this family.
Tomorrow we´re off to Costa Rica. One day in Puerto Viejo, one day in Cahuita, and then a week in San Jose in the time-share. Off to the next part of the trip! Salud!