Playful Costa Rica - Playa Panama, Sunday 2016 November 20
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Published: December 17th 2017
Morning on Panama Beach
Classic scene with only the quiet waves lappingOur leisurely start was at 9:00, so naturally this was the morning I woke earlier than ever. After breakfast, early risers Giselle and Lise and I walked along Panama Beach. The light made the ocean as pale silver, the distant hills as dark green, and the sky bluer than we have ever seen in Costa Rica. One little bird ran in and out of the mild surf, finding tiny organisms. A couple of little kids with their parents dug in the sand and occasionally ran into the sea to fill their toy watering can. A playful breeze tossed the few sea-side trees. What a perfect morning!
">Watch the seascape video.
Before we started driving, Ollie told us that the rainstorms we had just experienced had caused damaging floods in the Central Valley and in Sarapiqui, where we had rafted. We did feel grateful to have fortunate timing for our visit.
The drive to Guaitil took about an hour through fields of grass, some populated with cattle. Being Sunday, all was serene. The houses reflected the prosperity of this region, many being stucco, with tile roofs and lovely gardens. We were heading towards the Coastal Mountains – low, tree-covered and not much higher
Raphael, Proud Potter
Kindly showed me how to make a little pot than hills.
The
Chorotega Pottery in Guaitil was an artists’ coop creating clay vessels in the traditional manner. We were introduced to Don Rafael, who began to knead a lump of clay. Beside him was a display of the mineral rocks that were used to make the natural colours. His son, Andy, who spoke some English, explained that they go 25 kilometres into the mountains to dig the clay and the colours. They store the damp clay in heavy plastic bags to keep it moist for a week or so. A colleague, Enrico, was working on a painted piece that had been fired to make the clay hard; a coloured design had been added, and he was skillfully scraping away the black to reveal details in the white underlay.
Don Rafael rapidly demonstrated creating a small pot on a small hand-driven wheel invented by Andy from motorcycle parts. First he used his fingers to make a rough shape, and then he turned it on the wheel, adding clay to increase the height as he fashioned curves and a delicate lip. When they asked for a volunteer, I was eager to try. I had to smash the graceful little vase
Andy and Rafael
Takes a lot of instruction to help me! into a lump again and start making the rough shape. Much harder than it looked! Mine was beginning to resemble a flat dish, until Andy started to help. After we managed to get it upright, I attached it to the wheel with wet fingers smushing the bottom to make a secure base. A pole that seemed in the way of my hand was actually needed to steady my hand as I slowly turned the wheel and used a small piece of thin rebar to evenly shape the bowl. At least, it became even when Andy put his hand over mine as a guide. When it came to using a thin knife blade to cut the top, it was more his hand and few of my fingers. Same action using a rounded piece of plastic to smooth the inside; however, I was just competent enough to use a very small bit of leather to smooth the outside. “ We” cut two small decorative lines. Andy then demonstrated using the plastic to cut triangle decoration between the lines and let me complete that. Next he demonstrated using something that looked like a plastic pen to make a tiny circle in the triangles,
Mysterious card betting game
So much excitement - so incomprehensible! and I could do that. Finally, he presented me with fishing line to cut the bowl from the wheel. Triumph! In appreciation I bought a large mug decorated with a hummingbird.
">Watch the video of the demonstration and my clumsy attempts. Tot: 0.154s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 11; qc: 30; dbt: 0.0863s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
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Isabel Gibson
non-member comment
Beach birds and pottery
Another diverse day - your tour seems like a good one. Your capture of the sand crane with its reflection in the wet sand is marvelous, as is your photo of the corn vendor. Good for you for trying to throw a pot. That makes a great story.