Wed 7/23 Playa in Panama

Woke up at the Dolan's home in Coronado with the intention of hitting a dawn patrol surf session.  We had timed the tide incorrectly yesterday, and with a little swell still running, thought we could have better luck in the early a.m.  We loaded up 2 reluctant and sleepy Pletcher boys to hit Playa Tetas,, which was flat.  We then ventured to Playa Palmar, also to no avail.  Low tide, and limited swell made for way less than optimal conditions.  We headed back to the Coronado beach house, and  just chilled out most of the morning.  However as the adults are enjoying Panamanian relaxation mode, these cousins are constantly in the water for multiple hours of the day, playing games, and having some great cousin fun.  By mid morning, they were all down at the beach, playing games in the hot, black Pacific sands, and enjoying the warm Pacific waters of Coronado.  About midday, Matthew came up to the house, and said to grab the longboard, as Dylan and Ryan were surfing the unnamed Point.  I got down to the beach just in time to see Rebecca breaking up a fight between the two surf groms, who were beating each other with borrowed surfboards.  That was the end of Dylan's surf fun, but Ryan paddled back out.  He, Matthew, and I surfed a  few fun peelers at the Point before the tide became too high and killed what little surf was sneaking through.  Due to the teenage boy altercation, that Point was named "Fight Club" Point, and will be known as such in perpetuity.

The plan today included going to El Valle in the interior of Panama.  If memory serves correct, it is the 2nd largest inhabited volcanic crater in the world.  Our family has visited it multiple times, so I was not disappointed when time ran out due to a playful afternoon of cousin activities poolside.

By mid afternoon, we sadly departed Coronado to return to the old Canal Zone.  The ride was a pleasant one, always seeming shorter than remembered.  The maxi van was at max capacity with the Pletcher and  Neimeyer families, and two Grimisons.  Traffic favored us as we headed back into Panama City against the rush hour flow, passing the Chula Vieja, or witches house.

We stopped at the "Cuna Cages" for some souvenirs, and did some customary haggling for the trinkets and curios they had for sale.  We purchased a couple of interesting mola prints, and the kids bought their favorite "weenies" which are small beaded bracelets.  Rebecca needed to purchase a visor, and it was $5.00.  I gave her $4.00 for the purchase with the expected haggling to ensue.  She was reluctant to haggle, and I put the $4.00 into the vendor's hands.  He laughed, and correctly assumed that it didn't matter, since he pegged Rebecca for the stiff bargaineer that she is, who would return to pay him the additional dollar.  I intervened before that could occur, but found the whole transaction quite amusing.