a word is worth a thousand pics, part II

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So, now where did I leave off_ Ah yes, I went to sleep amongst the rooster crowings and fireworks. I'm going to try to attempt to finish this story and others in 30 minutes, so I can move on. As your trying to write your adventures, new ones are happening, so it's impossible to not get behind. Even when you're not trying to do anything. It's virtually impossible, because I suppose just living life regular like this is a bit extraordinary, that is to say, unusual. Everything is this new experience.

I forgot to mention that my last night in bocos del toro, I ate chicken feet and neck, and meat pie, to celebrate my feeling better from pneumonia. Don't ask me why, but it worked. Also, some crazy rice, and coconut bread. Lots of stuff you forget. Like how I was riding in a bus, and I saw this palm tree rising out of this other tree, it was really cool. Lots of little stuff I wish I would write down. I'm going to try to take notes...

"I wish i'd have a real tragic love affair, then get so bummed out about it that I'd just be a bum for a few years, because I was thinking about doing that anyway." --Jack Handey

man, he's got the idea.

So, I awake in the morning, and me and christopher put together a breakfast of bread and cheese. I bought some milk, and his mom cooked me up some yummy porridge. also we had coffee! It was delicious. Later I was to try the amazing cooking of his mom in full...

So after breakfast, we went for a walk around the town. I was taking tons of pictures. We said hi to everybody we walked by. People were sitting out in front of their houses, and we'd stop and have chats. Sometiems we would go into houses. Christopher was an artist, so he showed me work he had done around town. There was a lot! He cut out stickers for people's cars, did liscence plates, and painted lots of things. The sign to the town he painted, and another that said welcome and had a volcano. The entrance one had a picture of the traditional clothing San Jose is famous for. It was a quiet, friendly town, and people were friendly. I guess we talked at about 20 houses. They were always like, sit down. And we went into probably ten. It was cool! I got to see the whole town. We talked to a lot of the women making the clothing. They showed me it, and I got some good pics. My camera was stolen later that day, but I was getting all kinds of cool pics...we went into one house, and Christopher had painted the babies room, with rabbits and things like that. He showed me a sketch of the big sculptures they make for carnival, the one we saw last night, and he gave it to me! It was really neat.

So, the night before was amazing. Tons of people, and the parade was really cool. The clothing they wore, the fireworks, it is all a bit much to describe, but I lack pictures so I feel I should try. There was a giant wizard, and a rabbit with a watch, and alice in wonderland. Also, in front were two fairies I think. Man, it pretty much blew me away.

Back to the walk. We walked out into the country. it was really pretty. San Jose, panama, is a nice little town not many get to see, so I just felt really lucky to be there, and thankful that I found a place to stay that was so cozy and nice. Because when I went to las tablas, I was full of doubts and fears. But things always seem to work out somehow. It was a nice stroll in the country...there's just too much to remember, I feel overwhelmed sometimes. I wish I could remember and describe every detail, but that's just not possible. Nor can you capture all the beauty with camera.

It often strikes me
that you just can't hold on to experiences,
and for this I often omit the details
and regress into more general thoughts
such as this one.

That was a haiku! Wait, no it wasn't.

Anyway, we went to talk to this one lady. She was making traditional clothing for the queen--the carnival had queens, really pretty girls who are on top of the parades. She was her aunt! I met all kinds of people, I forget who all...the night before I met a lot of the people who make the parades, so I got behind the scenes. I met the guy who did make-up, and I saw a lot of the process. It's interesting stuff.

So, by and by we headed off for carnival in the day. The floats were gunna come out. We got there, and they shoot everyone with water. I got wet quite a few times, but I came prepared fortunately. The shoot fire hoses out of big gasoline trucks. People are everywhere, lots of young people drinking, partying. The water was refreshing. I had my camera in a plastic bag, and 30 dollars in my other pocket. I usually kept my camera in my pocket.

Well, me and christopher were wading through some people, the streets were totally packed, and I felt my camera go! I looked to try to see, but I couldnt. I saw a lady going the other way, thought maybe it was her. I tried to go after her but was blocked! I kinda caught her, but she went up to someone and maybe did a hand off. I don't know. I asked this guy I thought she gave it to. I was like, hey, where's my camera. He's like I don't have it, and he let me pat him down. He didn't care. Wrong choice! I went to this other guy, and asked him, and he's like, what the hell? How should I know about your camera. Basically there were hundreds of people around and no way you could tell who did it. I really have no idea. Then I checked my pocket, and my 30 dollars are gone. This I didn't feel

So it was a quick lesson, expensive, but valuable. It cost 30 dollars and my broken screen camera, and some cool pics! But not too many fortunately. What it taught me was priceless: I need to be more careful. I guess that's a good lesson, esp with me going to south america so soon. Maybe it will keep me from losing even more stuff.

So now I've lost notebooks, music books from guatemala, and all in the package, and my camera. But I have to say, my camera I pretty much gave up on immediately, and was nowhere near as bothered as when I lost my notebooks. That stuff is irreplacable. I can buy a new camera, and I only lost photos from a few days, although I had taken a lot and they did mean a lot to me..

I guess it made me realize, photos, well who wants to lose those. Same with the camera. That's more of an inconvenience. Anyway, as I said, I was over it pretty quick. Well, I don't have a camera, I thought to myself. Too bad! And I lost lots of pics of carnival, and chrisophers work and home, and the country, and the clothesmaking of his town. But I thought, whatever. My screen was broken and so it was a blessing in disguise, because I wanted to get a new one anyway...But man, they took my money too!

When someone does something like that, and screws you over, at first you feel mad.
Then you stop and think, and you have to thank them for the valuable lesson they are teaching you. If we are nieve, we sometimes need people to show us that, and these are the people who take advantage of us. That's their job!

So, the rest of the day was dandy. We just hung out. We went back to san jose after the parade, which was cool. I don't remember what it was....I can't remember stuff like that, that's why I use cameras! I think I more remember ideas...anyway

back in san jose, I tried to nap in the hammock, but the roosters kept crowing. Just to annoy me! They had about 3 in their yard, they also had ducks. Oh yeah, in san jose, there were lots of nice mango trees, some huge ones too! MMM, like to be there in season...also they had an orange tree, and I think limes...

So, then we walked around some more, me with my guitar. We just kinda hung out. We ate at this restaurant in town, real simple, but good home cooking. Before we went out at night, Chrisophers mom, maria, asked, aren't you gunna eat dinner? I said, we just had lunch not too long ago. See, I didn't want to inconvenience her or anything like that. That's how I am sometimes, I don't want to be a bother. And when you're in someone's house you have to be so humble, because all their hospitality is just a gift. But she wanted me to eat, so I said OK. Boy was I glad I did! Maria, that was some of the best cooking ever! It was like mom's home cookin, panama style, and christopher is my brothers name, and so I was like, this is ma brother from panama. And mom's home cooking, mmm mmm. Maria was funny. At first I couldn't understand her. Then we figured out a level to connect on. She was so nice...also the grandma lived there, she was 94 and sick and couldn't walk, so that was sad. I'm pretty sure they never had a gringo in the house like that...oh yeah, I busted out my guitar and played some for them, and I gave em my last piano CD that I have with me. They said, he's a pianist...and they would tell others who came around. It made it more real that I had a CD, I think. OTherwise it's all just words right?

Anyway, few minutes remain. I'll make a long story short. That night we went to a festival in san antonio I think, on the way to Las Tablas. They had floats too. Me and Chris drank coconuts, and I ate the whole thing after! Man I was full, but it was good. Then...we went to las tablas and waited endlessly for the parade, which didn't leave until 2AM. We were exhasted and just barely caught it. Then we headed home and crashed!

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