Flight Delayed

Just when departure to Panama was getting close, Peace Corps announced that I would not leave until March 28th. The reason given was a scheduling issue with the new group of Volunteers now in training and to avoid conflict with Easter celebrations. Thus we (me and two other Response volunteers) will be arriving the day after Easter.

The Island, Las Islitas, San Blas, MEXICO

Easter (Pasqua) is a very big deal in Latin countries. In Mexico, Semana Santa or Holy Week was actually two weeks, one on either side of Easter. During those 2 weeks, it seemed like the entire population of Tepic and Guadalajara came to San Blas beaches. It was a crazy beach carnival that left tons of trash on the beaches and hundreds of folks trying to come to the island, as it had once been a public restaurant. One year, the Captain of the State Police decided he would use the
island as his base. He was an obnoxious guy, who wore 2 pearl handled pistols, which he would offer to let young girls hold if they would be nice to him. He took whatever he wanted from the vendors in return for state IOUs. The good part was, he usually shared his booty with us and NO ONE got past the armed sentries he posted around the island.

Cars and trucks packed the beach during Semana Santa

Semana Santa was also my first lesson in behavioral change (a big Peace Corps issue). Like I say, the folks would absolutely pack the beach with cars and pickup trucks for family picnics and parties. Vendors would roam the crowd, selling mangos-on-a-stick, elotes (roasted corn with cheese and chili - absolutely delicious), oysters, shrimp and fish dinners in the small "ramada" restaurants. That was lovely, but when the crowd retired, they left all their garbage, which was the responsibility of we folk who lived on the beach, to clean. I had a few pointless conversations with folks about littering. But, it is (or at least was) a way of life to litter at will. I devised what I thought was a brilliant plan to aid our cause. I got the Admiral of the local Navy Station to donate ten 55 gallon drums which were place around the beach. And it worked !! sort of. Folks did put their garbage in the drums, in fact, to overflowing. Howsumever, we were now faced with the insurmountable task of lifting full drums and getting them to the dump. The Admiral came to my rescue. One time. After that, it was back to manual pickup in trash bags, which were picked up by the city.

Elotes (roasted corn) is fantastic with cheese, lime and pepper sauce

There was another very memorable Semana Santa, when my friend Griff showed up with most of the Taos, NM ski patrol. They had nowhere to stay, so I invited them to a week full of waterfalls, phosphorescent tides, mushroom coladas and fireworks. It was the stuff of legends.

In Peru, the Easter celebration was a bit more subdued, but still long lasting. Many masses and processions through the streets. A big celebration with live music and free beer in the Plaza. And, of course, the most important part of any religious holiday - FIREWORKS. The kind that go BANG just above your roof and go on until 2 in the morning.

Maybe Easter in Panama is different and only lasts until Easter Sunday. Anyway, that's my new arrival date - day after Easter.