Sunday, Day 3 Panama

Started the day with another run, but not such an early start.  The day of traveling and boating yesterday and the day before has caught up with this group of Adventurers.  But, back on the run, Rebecca and I made it out into the blazing humidity bath of Central America at a little before noon.  Holy heart rate Hill!  Started running through the old Canal Zone of Albrook again, and shuttled from tree shade spot to tree shade spot which aligned the road.  When we made it out of the neighborhood, we got onto a street with constant shade from trees, but no sidewalk.  A narrow 2 lane Panamanian road with blind curves.  Peligroso.  We ran on the non-existent shoulder of the calle, listening up for cars behind us as we jumped gnarled roots, ran on the turf, and hoped for a sidewalk.  The roads here are a lot more challenging than flat Florida, and in the mid day sun, it is sweet bliss when you find a road that is downhill and in the shade.

                                       The "Watche Man"  taking some cash from Rebecca, a Panamanian form of               extortion

                                      The cousins posing at a Panamanian hat store in Casco Viejo

                                   Bill Fahy hasn't slowed down from his Gamboa boy days

Family pose at Las Bovedas

After the run, we loaded the van to head to the historic district of Panama called, Casco Viejo or "Old Quarter".  We met the Fahy family at the Church of the Golden Altar.  After paying the "Watchie Man" at the Plaza we headed to the Church to determine that it was closed on Sundays. The Watchie Man is a paid guard for your parked car in the not- so- safe district downtown.  The original version of the Watchie man became famous at Napolis, downtown Panama.
After determining that the altar was closed, we decided to walk down to the point at Casco Viejo called Las Bovedas. Bill drove the 3 blocks to avoid walking.  This location is where Captain Morgan sacked Panama back in his buccaneering days.  Now it is a tourist destination.  The respado man was a favorite there shaving treats from a giant block of ice, and Bill Fahy danced the street with a young poyetta clad Panamanian.  Very amusing, and a Bill Fahy classic.  The rest of us enjoyed freshly shaved respados.  We just got back to the car in time to beat the downpour that would provide for a relaxing afternoon of rain sounds at the Dolan’s house.  In Panamanian terms, it is known as a tombo mono, as the fierce force of the storm can tumble a monkey out of a tree.

Our afternoon activity was the 100 year anniversary of St. Mary's church in La Boca.  It was the church that the Grimison family attended for school and worship.  In attendance were 5 of the 8 kids, Tom, their dad, and a slew of nieces and nephews taking up the better part of 3 pews.  It was a long mass, delivered partly in English and Spanish.  The bishop was also in attendance, and being the singer he was ended his delivery with a booming redndition of the Panamanian version of "Happy Birthday"  This version is sang at all of our family birthdays following the English version.  The multi language mass brought to mind the Japanese mass we attended in Hawaii just a year ago.  Most of the older gentelmen, Tom included wore the traditional Panamanian formal garb.  Dark pants, and a long sleeve guyaberra are the standard attire, and popular at this mass.

 A play was an additional commerative event following mass, but due to technical difficulties, most of us retired to the Balboa Yacht Club to meet some Zonians who were in town.  That is where coordination for surfboard borrowing began, and I managed to borrow a nice Boa board from Mike Stump.  The plan being to head up to the beach to catch some waves tomorrow, where the surf report is stating 3-5'