Malay apples
Remember the shoes on the pink petals image from several months ago? Well, here’s the product of those blossoms. I lazily pointed my camera up at the tree for a shot. When I looked at the photo, I saw the woodpecker! The tree was ALIVE with birds of all species….and the agoutis were clustered on […]
Syzgium malaccensis
It has a taste like a rose water flavored apple. A bit crunchy with a single seed inside.
Chachalaca (Pavo!)
Behold a chachalaca sitting quietly in the tree. Not the usual. She must have belly full of fruit. Most of the chachalacas hang around in family groups and are big and boisterous. They hop from branch to branch, making a ruckus and scaring away other birds. They are not graceful and are also known as […]
Evidence
The agoutis (benign tropical rodent…think wild guinea pig) love these fruit and I imagine that they look plumper by the day now. The rain leaves a residue of soil…which is why the deforested areas cause such a problem with silt in the rivers.
Professor of Divination, Sybill Trelawney
Tropical Trelawney. These photos are from the unforgettable Harry Potter’s 5th birthday party for D.J. Herre, November 19, Gamboa, Colón Province, Republic of Panamá, 2011. After the piñata was disassembled, Professor Trelawney stumbled into the class and began to tremble and act as if she’d swallowed a frog. The Dark Lord (Voldemort) began speaking through […]
Peskipiksi Pesternomi
Here we have Professor Lockhart in the midst of teaching a defense of the dark arts class. He was handing out signed photos during the party. If you put yours down, he’d give you another. Professor Lockhard is played by Danny Herre. (photo by unknown with Sunshine’s camera)
Avada Kedavra
The killing spell from Harry Potter. The Dark Lord (played by Richard Schooley) and Harry (played by D.J. Herre) battle it out in the final scenes of the Gamboa birthday party. Harry had lost his wand prior (just like in the story!) and was working with a powerful loan. (photo by unknown with Sunshine’s camera)
Death of the Dark Lord
His death throws….in the pool. (Note: my cell phone in his pocket) The sweet young child above him then stuck her fingernails into his forehead in an attempt to push him under. She really wanted him gone. (photo by unknown with Sunshine’s camera)
Flobberworm cupcakes
The big finale. Candles lit by Professor Minerva McGonagall (played by Professor Sunshine Van Bael) (Photo by unknown, with Sunshine’s camera)
Diálogo Coco-Bambú
These next photos were taken at the opening (vernissage) of an art exhibit and ecological dialog being sponsored by La Alianza Francesa de Panamá. The “land art” is created by Yves and Valerie Leblet who own and operate an art resort (more info below). There were bus stop billboards all over town advertising the exhibit. […]
Environmental Art
Beautiful “Land Art” examples made of bamboo and lianas (forest vines) and coconut by Yves and Valerie Leblet. They juxtapose the Spanish deco beautifully. The Leblet’s have an art resort on the Pacific side. www.artlodgepanama.com/ (Photo by Beth King)
Mannequins of Albrook
The “Come Hither” sales approach is rampant at Albrook Mall here in Panama. You’ll find the same mannequins all over the mall in various attire and wigs.
Gringa in the middle
Here’s the SWAT team at the end of the Independence Day Parade. And me. This is the first independence day celebrated in Panama in November. It is to commemorate the independence from Colombia in 1903 (aided by Teddy Roosevelt’s thugs). (Photo by Dra. Nelida Gomez)
SWAT
This group of elite police were performing acrobatics on the backs of their bikes. These are the police that patrol the roughest portions of the city with two people on a bike. One driving and one with an automatic weapon. They looked like alien beings and were talented on the bikes.
Multicultural
You have the traditional Spanish-inspired costume and then, this year’s parades had a celebration of African heritage as well. From panamaliving.com about the traditional costume (the Pollera): “Popular opinion is that it was adapted from a gypsy dress worn in Spain at the time of the conquest of Peru and brought to Panama by the […]
Payaso
A parade clown with a whistle light-heartedly harassed the marching women. Yes, that is a winnie-the-pooh hanging from the belt at his waist. Panama must’ve had a run on tall white boots in the last month. Every marching group of women wore tall white boots of some kind or another…and mini skirts.
Terminado
These bandmates were undoubtedly happy to be done at the end of the parade. Months of practicing for this day. Que alivio. Every school, college, university in Panama marches in the parades. They all have been practicing for this day.
Panamanian fare
This is the case at the morning coffee stop: empanadas, emparadados, pastelitos…typical Panamanian fare. Most of Panama’s coffee is exported because it is delicious.