Have you ever traveled to a place where you had very little understanding of the cultural context? I mean, no language skills, no historical knowledge, no understanding of the local foods or even what to do there? If you look back at my past trips - whether Paris, Jamaica, Burundi, or Malawi - I rarely go in so "under-prepared." But the stressful doctoral student life and the need for a little "adventure" led this D.I.V.A. blindly to...Panama!
This year, for Spring Break, I traveled with a group of 7 fellow students for what I can say was a series of firsts for me. Aside from a brief trip to Cabo a couple of years ago, it was my first time in Central America. It was my first time prolonged trip to a Spanish-speaking country. It was even my first opportunity to put my Zumba skills to work in real life.
Day 1 - Panama City
After a full-day of flying (Boston-Miami-Panama City), we made it to Panama! We spent the evening walking the streets of
Casca Viejo, checking out some cultural sites and eating lots of
ceviche!
 |
| The streets of Casco Viejo (Old Town) |
 |
| Some ruins (next to prime real estate!) |
 |
Consecrated in 1796, Metropolitan Cathedral is the
Old Quarter's largest church. |
 |
| Panama City's skyline |
As we walked around, we stumbled upon a free, open-air dance and music show, and learned (in Spanish) about the country. Panama is located in Central America, bordered by Colombia, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean. The dances and songs held a Spanish-meets indigenous- meets Caribbean flair, indicative of the country's interesting history and geography.
 |
| They danced with fire on their heads! |
Days 2 and 3 - San Blas Islands
A brutal 5 AM departure, driving for three hours and taking a boat, kicked off our second day in what may have been one of the most unique parts of our trip: a two day, one night off-the-grid voyage to the San Blas Islands.
 |
| Passing through the rain forest on our drive. |
 |
| Waiting at the port to catch our boat to the island. |
After a brief boat malfunction, we made a pit stop at an island inhabited by the Kuna (or Guna), an indigenous population in Panama (as well as Colombia and Costa Rica) with their own laws, customs, norms, and language. Their village, not such a departure from many African communities, stood out for the way in which they have been able to invest in development. The community housed multiple primary and secondary schools, a small university (!!), a clean health facility, and - most interestingly to me - solar panels for every building!
 |
| A small police department in the distance. |
 |
| Notice the solar panel on every home and building! |
With a new (functioning) boat, we continued our trip to one of San Blas' nearly 400 islands, which we would call home for the night.
 |
| Some people went camping the old fashioned way... |
 |
| We opted for a bed! |
We spent the next 24 hours boating with a small group from island to island and soaking in the sun on the gorgeous beaches! We ate meals as a group with a view of the water, and played cards in the evening until 10 pm, when the electricity on the island shut off. No internet allowed!
Day 3 and 4 - Panama City
After a full day in the sun, we made the three-hour trip back to Panama City to meet up with the rest of the group. We did everything from group meals and a VIP night out to a trip to the famous fish market to my most memorable activity: a trip to the Panama Canal!
 |
| The "welcome to Panama City" drink |
 |
| The Fish Market |
 |
Decided to try the conch ceviche (an acquired taste and local
aphrodisiac)...Think I'll stick with the local beer. |
 |
So excited!!
(It's like my middle school history textbook came to life!) |
 |
Just in time to watch some boats go through the canal!
Amazing! |
 |
| Boat #2 is going... |
 |
| After one of our favorite dinners. |
 |
| The ladies! |
 |
| Leaving the port to start island-hopping! |
 |
| We looked for dolphins in Dolphin Cove... |
 |
| Enjoyed staring into the clear waters of Starfish Beach... |
 |
| Had a yummy lunch of fresh-caught lobster... |
 |
| ...And went sloth-viewing, all before we made it to the beach! |
 |
| After a morning of reef surfing! |
 |
| After a busy day of surfing, what an incredible daytime view! |
 |
| Goodbye Bocas! |
The food!
And of course no blog post is complete with sharing some of my most memorable meals. As a seafood lover, Panama did not disappoint. My favorites? Ceviche, ceviche, ceviche!
 |
| Tuna tartar at the Surfer's hangout, Bocas |
 |
| Lobster with rice, coleslaw, and platanos (mashed, fried green plantains) |
 |
| Seafood and plantain chips! |
 |
| Roasted fish topped with a seafood smorgasbord |
 |
| Perfectly cooked steak medallions with greens and platanos |
The verdict?
As a beach and sunshine lover, with a special place in my tummy for seafood, the Panama trip did not disappoint! I learned a few words in Spanish, and will definitely start duolingo a couple of weeks before my next trip. But you know what I realized the secrets to a great trip are? An open (and flexible) mind and, if you so choose, a compatible travel companion.
Looking forward to another adventure soon!
