Vacation in the Panamanian "Alps" + Banana Rant

The new Panama City suburbs

Wild West

My first trip to the “other side “ of Panama, west of the Canal, was quite an eye-opener. I now understand why folks speak with condescension about Panama Este and the Darien. While the East Side is the leader in rainforest destruction for cattle and teak, the West Side is busting out in “modern” development. Following the dubious lead of the US, bedroom communities, ala the Levitt Towns of the 50’s are soling the countryside in the west. These cookie-cutter homes are cheap, starting around $40K for a one bedroom. The developments are devoid of trees and shops, requiring all who live there to either walk huge distances or GET A CAR to drive to the nearest shopping center or mall. Billboards pollute the roadsides – which may actually be preferable to plastic bags and trash.

The stunning beach at Coronado

Further west, the billboards tout expensive watches cars and ( most interestingly) legal services for “off-shore” investors. The mega beachfront developments, rivalling the Florida condo boom of the 80’s, rise out of the once pristine white jungle beaches. The ride up to Valle de Anton revealed huge weekend/summer estates for wealthy Panamanians, Americans and Canadians. Real estate prices have gone ballistic.

I understand the attraction though. While most of the lowlands near the coast have the same heat and humidity as the Torti area, the beaches are absolutely gorgeous and the mountains, just 20 minutes away enjoy eternal spring time, with high’s in the 80’s and lows in the 60s. In the dry season, this would be absolute Paradise.

The open air Lodge at Mamallena

Even the little mountain pueblo of El Valle has been overrun with Americans, all putting around in their camouflage 4WD cruisers. America has always influenced, if not controlled Panamanian culture. For better. Or worse.

My reason for going West was my next Peace Corps vacation. I have chosen to go west of the Canal into Colce province and above

My room at Mamallena was right on the river

my normal Panamanian cruising altitude of -5M to 80M. I stayed at Mamallena Eco Lodge in the Valle de Anton. This whole area is the remains of an ancient volcano. The floor is about 2500 ft and the rim tops out at 3500. Not high by American or Peruvian standards, but the changes in altitude are large and remarkable. First is the temperature – no more hot and humid, but

A walk along the river was beautiful - so was the swimming

cool and breezy. The tropical forest now shares space with pine trees. Rivers and waterfalls and alpine lakes are everywhere.
I stayed in a special room right on the river. The sound of the river, combined with birds and insects was astonishing and soothing. Falling asleep was easy and instant. I did it a LOT.

Crossing one of many suspension bridges at El Chorro Macho

In El Valle, the main town, I hiked to El Chorro Macho, the biggest waterfall of MANY in the area, visited the market with my German friends, and saw the butterfly and orchid conservatories.

The falls at El Chorro Macho

I finally got a photo of the elusive Blue

Yesterday’s harvest of my own little bananas brought to mind the precarious position of bananas, as we know them in the US. Indeed, the most popular fruit in the land for many decades may yield its title to the All-American apple. For most Americans, the only banana they have ever known is a variety called Cavendish. As “Chiquita Banana” once famously sang to us “I am the top banana in the world today”.

But, before her colorful arrival, the banana world bowed to the Gran Michel or Big Mike. It was slightly shorter and plumper, with a meat that was darker yellow and most say more flavorful. Big Mike was planted by the United Fruit Company throughout Central and South America and was the impetus for the phrase “Banana Republic”. Wherever United Fruit invested in massive banana plantations, the US government and by extension the Marines, Army and CIA made sure that the leaders of those countries would not interfere with the operations and profits of Big Mike.

Then, the unthinkable happened. Big Mike was brought down, not by a government, but by a disease. To appreciate why this legendary variety fell so quickly, you need only know that bananas do not reproduce by seed. They can only be grown from cuttings of another banana plant, so every plant is genetically identical to every other of that variety. And a  genetic monoculture is Nature’s bitch. A virus that affects one plant will spread rapidly spread to them all.

Fortunately, the decline took a few years to spread through all the countries. United Fruit was able to find another variety that had many of the same characteristics, but which was not susceptible to the blight. Those features are : 1) a tough skin that does not bruise easily 2) all “hands” on the shoot mature at the same time, allowing wholesale harvest, rather than an expensive hand-by-hand harvest 3) a ripening schedule that matched shipping times to the US and Europe 4) familiar color, shape and taste.

And thus began the rule of Lord Cavendish, occasionally cross dressing as Carmen Miranda (aka Chiquita Banana). Since the 50’s, his/her rule has been absolute. Any other entries into the market (Dole), had to adapt the Cavendish to be accepted by the public. Plantations were expanded to Africa and Asia, hoping  to avoid the spread of any future blight problem.

But, a new blight did come, starting in Asia and moving quickly to Africa and then to the banana heartland of Central/South America. Harvests of the Cavendish are already down by about 35% and steadily declining. Eventually, every plant that was cloned from that one Mother plant will die. And with them our banana consumption.

Unlike in the 50’s, there is no heir apparent to the banana throne. Other varieties all suffer from a lack of one of the features listed above. Some are really tasty, but just don’t ship well. Others split open as they ripen. Or ripen too quickly to get them to market. Or have to be picked hand-by –hand. Or, like my little guys, suffer from “banana rust” which doesn’t affect the fruit, but makes the skin look “yucky” and unacceptable to the consumers’ ideal of perfect looking produce.

I have no doubt that the genetic engineers at Dole and UF are working overtime to develop some super new banana for us. But, that will likely involve some “genetic engineering” so unpopular in certain circles these days. (Even though virtually ALL our food is “genetically engineered” – But, that is a rant for another day.)

So, here’s the bottom line : Gather and savor those luscious yellow fruits while ye may, for tomorrow (actually in about 10 years) there may be none. We’ve already seen  Dole and UF introduce “finger bananas” and there will likely be more. But, unless the GM folks have their way, the world will never know the likes of Big Mike or Lord Cavendish again. They will be legends told to unbelieving grandchildren, sucking on banana flavored, artificially sweetened and colored, gluten-free treats.