Panama: Day 2

Saturday, March 30: Our internal clocks woke us at 7:15 after a good night's sleep so we got dressed quickly and went down to enjoy a cup of coffee and watch the birds at Meriya's 8 just-filled bird feeders. We saw three kinds of tanagers, two kinds of parrots and many others, which Meriya identified for us with pride. She is very friendly and talkative, and although retired, a teacher to the core. At one point her brother, Mario, who is an internationally known bird expert, dropped by to talk. He has written three books on birds and takes groups birding for $40 per person for a half day. We both caught up on some computer work on our tablets and we learned that Michigan State had lost their Sweet Sixteen game to Duke by 10 points. So sad. Eventually we were hungry and decided to walk to town for breakfast. As we were leaving Kris came out and said that Heidi was still dressing. At the main house Meriya was talking to two people from Uruguay, one of whom is a musicologist who has studied indigenous music all over the world and started a museum to collect them. His name is Carlos Blanco Fadol and his companion showed us part of a YouTube video (click to view) about him. He took us out by the bird feeders and played haunting music on a wooden flute to attract the birds. Cone the parrot reacted strongly to it, singing and chattering and bobbing his head quite animatedly.

Cone, the Red-Lored Amazon Parrot

Gray-necked Wood-Rail 

Blue-Crowned Motmot

Carlos Blanco Fadol with our host, Meriya

We finally walked to town and ate breakfast outside on the porch at Mansiela's, a Panamanian food restaurant. It was after noon by the time we returned to Potosi, so we made our plan for the day.

Shooting the breeze with Dennis and making our plans for the day

 *Las Mozes Waterfall--a short drive south and a short but challenging hike to two small falls. The river was full of locals enjoying the warm water cascades. We weren't dressed for swimming and rain was drizzling down off and on so we didn't stay long.

The tumbling river

Kris & Heidi go around the trickiest part of the river

Marv & Peggy go around the narrow part of the bank

*El Macho Waterfall--This rainforest area is protected because the landowner in the 1940s refused to allow a hydroelectric plant. It was lush and rainy. For $3.50 each we borrowed a walking stick and did their short Nature Hike to the 115ft. cascade, with interpretive signs along the way. It was really beautiful. The area also has a zip line and a natural swimming pool. As we got in the car I noticed two keel-billed toucans in a nearby tree!

The lovely cascade in the rainforest

A toucan in the wild

* From there we drove past a huge chicken farm,  which had paved part of the steep road, up to El Gaital National Park. This very remote mountain area has a rough path along the mountainside that we followed for a short way. It was noticeably cooler and pleasant.

Trail at El Gaital National Park

By the time we finished it was after 4:00 and we hadn't had lunch so we went back to town and bought fresh bakery goods, beer, and wine, which we enjoyed with our leftovers from Artash's Friday night while sitting on the porch outside the cabanas. There was a women's processional at 8:00 so we found a porch table at Carlito's where they were out of nearly everything and dinner took two hours. The silent procession with a statue of Mary went by one direction and returned later. It was a contrast to the night before when the band led the processional. After they returned, the real partying began with loud fire crackers. Back at Polosi the bar at the corner had a live band and DJ and it sounded like they were on the other side of the property. We relaxed and talked on the porch for a while and then went to bed,  grateful for ear plugs.

The silent Women's Procession