Kuna Yala

Here is my long account of our visit to Kuna Yala.

We left on Monday for Gamboa, a research area outsideof Panama City. When we arrived we were amazed at the simple things such as a flushing toilet and air conditioning. We were over joyed, much to the amuzement of our hosts, Joel and Ray. Stacy, Ashlee, Courtney, Hanna, and I stayed in one room. It was a bit rundown and the door needed some persuasion to close but we were happy after our scrunched hot dorm and pit toilet at La Mica. For me, I liked the smaller group to sleep in one room. Our dinner consisted of a salad with stuff I don´t normally eat such as cabbage and fruit. As always there was chicken and rice.

We had to wake up at 4:30 am to be ready to leave at 5 o´clock. Of course, Mark was smart and told us to be ready at five but the vans did not arrive until 5:30. Sneaky, Mark, Sneaky. We rushed forno reason. We were supposed to have four cars but only three showed up so some of us had to squish a little in the cars. We were on our way to Kuna Yala. This was a three hour drive if I remember correctly. Our driver was the fun driver. He drove rather fast and it felt like we were on a rollar coaster as we rode through the hills. I am amazed at the dirt and rocky road that has been built; it took a hour and ten minutes to drive to the coast. It was a bumby ride and therefore was hard to take pictures but the secenery was absolutely beautiful. We passed people in other vehicles and at one point we clipped a car and passed another person in water but it was a lot of fun.

Eventually, we arrived at the sandy dock to later get into the boat to take us to our island. The boat sat three across and looked like a large canoe. This was the first time I had ever been in such a boat that could flip over but they gave us some snazzy bright orange life vests. The trip across the ocean was very amazing. This was the first ime I have ever seen the ocean except for the view from the airplane. The ocean was so beautiful, just like in the photos but photos never do these places justice. When we arrived at our island, it wasn´t what I had been expecting. We were told that we would be on our own island so I expected a large tent and a few palm trees but what was there was toilets, showers, a food stand and other tourists. Each of us got our own tents which I was uber excited about. Finally, some privacy. I moved my tent close to the ocean to have a prime ocean front property spot shaded by some non-conut coconut trees. It was wonderful to sit on the beach and stare out over the water and contmplate philosphical thoughts. It ntook about maybe 10 minutes to cross hte island although I never timed it. Our food was cooked by a kuna chef so it was really good but redundant. We always had fruit with each meal and scrambled eggs with red and green bell peppers for breakfast. I do not like eggs so hopefulñly that will be the last time I have to eat them. THere was fish for lunch and chicken for dinner with various sides.

The first itme we arrived at Kuna Yala; it was interesting to see their thached roofs and dirt paths. Most of the women wore traditional dress while the teenages and children wore western style clothing. I should mentiion the Kuna are an indigenous group who gained their independence from Panama and do not have to paytaxes, something they are very happy about. Anyways their style of clothing as well as elsewhere in Panama reminds me of peictures from Japan where they wear bright clothing that isn´t necessarily worn in the US. As we passed though the streets, little children kept saying hola to us and one boy even ran u to me and gave mea hug. The women sell molas which are sewed art works that they have created for certain events throughout their lives. The ones they sell to tourists usually have animals depicted to entice people but normally they traditionally like to create geometric patterns. THey also sell beaded jewlery which helps in the family income.

Another day we witnessed a reinactment of their struggle for inpendence from Panama. BAsically, as I understand, three elders where captures by the Panamanians and tortures for a long time and never died even though they were shot at like 20 times (at least it seemed so during the reinactment). Eventually the Kuna rescued themnad there was some stepping on the panamanian flag and independence. After this, they get really drunk. I left for theis particular part and went back to the island to go swimming forthe first itme in the ocean. The salt water tasted terrible butit was nice to go swimming.

We were there for three days and this isn´t in order. Another point we went on atwo hour boat ride tour of the bay that lasted three and half hours. My butt hurt after and I was sunburned on my arms, the tops of my knees and the back of my neck. I didn´t get as sun burned as badly as some other people but it was still miserable. ANd at some point I got a bug bite. I was sad. I am up to four. Not as bad as every one else though. Some people have tons all overtheir legs but I have been putting on bug spray so that has been helping a lot.

THe island was really lovely, you could see the stars at night and look at the tide pools when the tide receded. But the last night we ahd a storm and it rained every two hours and the wind was howling and water leaked into the tent. We left int he morning in choppy seas, hoping the boat wouldn´t turn over. We made it without incident and got into the cars to go back to Panama City. In the city we took a bus tour kind of, saw some places, took some pictures. The next day we a group of sixteen went back to the city by a public bus. It was basically a painted school bus. We ate at the bus depot and they had many AMerican fast food such as McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Dunkin Donuts and Dairy Queen. I went to Pizza Hut and got a small pizza, four bread sticks and a medium coke all for $3.69. Good deal and I went and got a chocolate shake and got my chocolate fix. After we went back to Gamboa and left at 3 in the afternoon and headed back to El Cope. The End.