Panama's "El Nazareno/El Cristo Negro de Portobelo" a Traditional Ritual

The Festival of the “El Nazareno de Portobelo”, “El Cristo Negro”, or the Black Christ tradition dates back to the 16 century. Celebrated on October 21 each year in the small town of Portobelo in the Province of Colon, Panama. Many of it's residents are Black Panamanians take note this is by no means a blacks only celebration it attracts more than 50,000 each year.
The origins of “El Cristo Negro” as the story by locals tell of three legends.
The box and the storm: A ship bound for Cartagena de Indias, was trying to sail from Portobelo during a violent storm, forcing the ship to return to port. In the fifth attempt to leave the crew was about to sink, so they decided to lighten the load throwing away a huge and heavy box they had housed in their warehouse. Some fishermen found the box and when they opened it they saw the image of El Nazarene, taking it to the village, and placing the statue in the church.
The case and epidemic: A fisherman found a box floating in the sea during an epidemic of cholera, which decimated the population heavily. The Cristo Negro then was placed inside the church then almost immediately, the epidemic ended and the patients recovered quickly.
The religious roots that have this devotion in this popular area could be subject to a socio-religious culture and faith of the Panamanian people.
Today this festival takes place in the parish church of La Iglesia San Felipe one of oldest buildings in the town finished in 1814. It also houses the image of El Nazareno de Portobelo, a handsome statue of the Cristo Negro bearing the cross, made of wood from southern Spain more that 300 years ago.
Many walk more than 53 miles from Panama City; thousands walk the last 22 miles from the town of Sabanitas, as I did with friends to experience this tradition. Many crawled the last mile on hands and knees to worship before El Nazareno. I am here to let you know I did not crawl or wear a purple robe.

Many wear purple robes that are discarded as they enter the church. The robes announce that the wearer is responding to a divine command, doing penance for wrongdoing, or simply making an expression of faith. They have become the focus of controversy on the part of the Catholic Church and human rights organizations that consider the severe penances or “offerings” that are offered to “The Santo” to be extremely painful and reprehensible in as much as they are self-inflicted. There are also images of the ardent penitents who have a companion drip burning wax over there backs from candles offered to the Black Christ, as a sign of devotion. The crawling pilgrim follows a small effigy of the Black Christ laid down in front of him/her by his companion who encourages the penitents to continue until reaching the church.
As I walked to Portobelo for this event, I noticed Red Cross clinics alongside the road and other first aid groups as well stands offering water and sandwiches to all pilgrims.
As one approaches the town of Portobelo it is crowded with families from all over Panama but few tourists were in attendance. The Policia Nacional are there peeking inside purses, backpacks, and frisking men. The women are frisked in a small private makeshift room although senior females are not, they are signaled to continue ahead.
The town is alive with salsa and reggae music playing everywhere; beer and water are sold on the doorsteps of private homes. The atmosphere is alive with the color purple speckling the crowd, many booths sell small statues of the Cristo Negro, purple rosaries and other religious relics. On a small street outdoor barbers line the sidewalk shaving mens hair off for this event while some women choose to have a pedicure. All in preparation for the church service.
Mass begins at 6 p.m. each October 21. (Be there before 4 p.m. if you hope to get inside the church to find a seat.) Most of the penitents sit near the back of the church. Towards the end of mass, there are several very load drum beats and the penitents start dancing, to the drumbeat rhythm and sing. Some men are shirtless, both men and women wave their arms either swaying back and forth on their knees or standing during the chant. At exactly 8 p.m., 80 able-bodied men carry a platform with the statue of the Cristo Negro from the church to begin a four-hour parade around the community the atmosphere is somber.
The bearers take three steps forward, two back, in a similar manner to that of Spanish religious processions. However, unlike those of Spain, this procession has a special Latin American twist: a quick step to lively music. The bearers have freshly shaven heads and have bare feet. It is a distinct honor to bear the Black Christ and to have been chosen, an honor paid for by sore shoulders and aching muscles the next day.
At exactly midnight, the statue once again is returned to the church until the following year.
The statue of El Cristo Negro wears different robes for two ceremonial occasions each year: red for October 21 and purple for Holy Week, La Semana Santa. Each robe is decorated with lace, gold braid, sequins, and ‘jewels’. Groups of women carefully sew the robes in the economically poor community, using money donated for the purpose.
A museum behind the church holds 63 of the robes donated by Panamanians for the festival, some of which are more than 100 years old. World-famous former boxer, Panama’s own Roberto Duran, donated one of the richest.
The Black Christ wears undergarments of snow-white linen, trimmed with delicate hand-made lace, beneath the outer robe. Worshippers pin gold trinkets and jewelry to the robe on October 21 in the hopes of gaining special privileges. It is truly a most interesting event you may not want to miss while either living in or visiting Panama in October.
Founded in 1597 by Spanish explorer Francisco Velarde y Mercado, Portobelo is a small bay town with a population just over 3000. From the 16th to 18th century, it was an important silver exporting port in New Granada on the Spanish Main and one of the ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets. The town was also victim to one of Captain Henry Morgan’s notorious adventures. The forts of Santiago and San Geronimo are each a 5-minute walk from the pier, their historic ruins still stand today, but unfortunately over the years they are slowly deteriorating due to neglect. Located closely to the forts is the "Customs House", built in 1630, also the remains of the church of La Merced still stands today, and the church of San Felipe, the last building built by the Spaniards.
Read more about Portobelo in Colon on my blog dated May 28, 2010.

We stayed at the Llorona Lodge in Sta. Rita, 45-minutes before arriving to Portobelo. Llorona Lodge is a bird haven and has 500 hectares of pure pristine land with many trails for hiking as I did on my first visit. Roberto Caballero is the manager and does superbly catering to your needs. The cook fixed up a delicious pasta lunch for our trek to Portobelo.
There are so many more places in Panama I want visit and get to know. It is so amazing however small Panama is it is rich culturally with a large diverse population in each of it's Provinces and has seven different indigenous groups with their own special culture. Now that's a big WOW!

Explore * Dream * Discover

Boquete's Many, Many Trails

The small town of Boquete is one of Panama’s most precious scenic gems situated in the highlands with the picturesque Rio Caldera flowing along side the town. The attraction of this simple no frills town nestled in a valley are the countless rolling green hills a paradise for nature lovers, hikers, and even for those who enjoy walking at a leisurely pace. Walking has been one of my favorite means of exercise and now however I never seem to tire hiking in Boquete’s stunning natural jungle up in the highlands. Among many of my favorite locations to hike are in the Horqueta area, the Bajo Mono the rainforest area, or hiking in the lower hot springs area of Caldera. Each of these areas has an inherent beauty, continually capturing my interest making each one significant such as; the early morning aromas of spice and pine permeating the air, or the morning dew resting on top of foliage and on beds of fallen leafs, and listening to the trickling sound of the river in the background. This is nature at it's best and what it is all about while I am hiking on the many, many trails of Boquete.
Some trails have an abundance of diverse wild flowers, while others may show off a variety of orchids, or Bromeliads hanging high up from the trees, Heliconias, Bird of Paradise, and sightings of variety of birds such as the Quetzale. The Quetzale is a beautiful bird, which you do not want to miss seeing in March through May. During the month of March is when their breeding season commences - the male, performs the courtship dance, calling out, and loudly singing in order to attract a female. This splendid bird is located in the cloud forest jungle among lush vegetation, in the very moist misty cloud zones such as the Pipeline in Bajo Mono or the Quetzale Trail to name a few. Even in July, the Quetzales have been spotted in the areas mentioned.
My love for walking, ahem let me say exercising began in Chicago; jogging along the trail alongside Lake Michigan in my thirties, then in my late forties, I began a power walk routine, and bicycling along Chicago’s lakefront trails after moving and living in walking distance to the lake. In my fifties, I began walking 10,000 steps and eventually found the amount of steps not very challenging so I began to walk longer. During the winter months when it is to, too cold for that activity and so I would go to the health club just to stay fit. However, I have to say after moving to Boquete I am in better shape and feel healthier than ever.
Subsequently after moving to Boquete, someone mentioned a walking group had formed; I joined it and began hiking these beautiful trails. It took a while for my body to acclimate to the altitude – Chicago is flat land and Boquete well it is much higher and undulating.
Our group meets every Saturday morning at 8:00am - hiking for about a two-hour more or less. I call our outings hikes because well we are in Boquete with some areas being over 1,400 meters or over 4000 feet above sea level and some of the trails even higher. Most of the terrain requires hiking boots for safety since many of the trails are uneven, rocky, with deep gaps, jagged, and loose gravel. For some a walking stick is a big plus it is a balancing tool – I take mine on every hike and love it. The greater part of the trails are on an incline whether hiking up or down hill. Hiking in Boquete may be a challenge for some at first however; your body like mine will acclimate to Boquete’s altitude if you stick with it.
In addition, to Saturday’s walk another two days have been added. Our group on Monday meets at 8am and on Thursday at 8:30am location announced two days prior. Thursday's hike frequently lasting longer about four to five hours sometimes more difficult and for the person who has determination.
Hiking is a great way to exercise, definitely vigorous enough to pump up the heart rate a few notches. Most of the trails are up in the highlands and some are on back dirt roads, where few cars drive. All in all the landscapes, countryside, and views are marvelous – well this is beautiful Boquete after all.
I did some research just to find out how many calories a person can burn while hiking on rough terrain like the Peterson #1 Trail, Horqueta #1, Piedra India Trail, to name a few and this is what I found out. Depending on the intensity (your speed, the terrain, the angle of incline, etc.)a person can burn anywhere from 1000 to 1600 calories in total.
When you are exercising, the number of calories you burn depends upon your weight, the activity you are doing and the intensity level you exercise. Active people become slim and stay slim, because they know that burning calories allows them to eat a balanced normal diet, while enjoying physical activity.
A person with a higher fitness level will probably exercise at a faster rate and therefore burn more calories than someone who does not work as hard. Whatever exercise activity you choose, you should aim to do it for at least 30 minutes and it should leave you slightly breathless at completion. Above all, you should enjoy the exercise so that you will keep repeating it every day.

The hiking trails below may prove to be difficult at first if you do not walk very much or are sedentary. Here are my suggestions to get your body acclimatized; start by walking around town and take short walks that are on a slight incline. Begin your walking routine for a ½-hour the first 4 days then add 15-minute each week until you can walk for an hour. Do 15-minute stretches prior to walking and stretch afterward. Always take water, wear sunscreen, a hat, or cap. When hiking in rainforest areas wear long pants, be prepared, your boots may get muddy and wet. In addition every so often we walk across narrow footbridges that are not steady, balance on rocks to cross-streams or rivers, climb over hefty fallen trees or around boulders. It is a wonderful way to exercise and get back into shape.
I decided to write about Boquete’s off the beaten path “hiking trails” to share them with my audience who may be visiting Boquete and to inform you there are many trails to explore in this wonderful area of Panama. If you want to join us one-day contact me, my email address is on my blog. We are a group of Boquete residents who live here permanently and some who do not, the novice or experienced are welcome to join us.
Below is a list of the trails with a brief description of each.
1. River walk loop, 1 ½ to 2 hour – easy for the active person, a challenge for the inactive. A great hike close to town with good views.
2. Jaramillo Centro loop, 1 ½ to 2 hour. Same as number one but steeper in the beginning then a slight incline going back to town.
3. Cemetery to Volcancito Road, 1 ½ hours for the experienced always on an incline going up, is a challenge for the beginner.
4. Il Pianista, short hike to Señor Ifrain’s property 1 to 2 hours. Trail is a slight incline all the way; balancing on stones and walking across a log is required while crossing a shallow river. Has beautiful landscape and scenery.
5. Cerro Pianista hike into the rain forest from Senor Ifrain’s place 3-4 hours. This is more for the experienced.
6. Volcancito - CEFATI loop, 1 ½-2 hours. Road hike on asphalt in the beginning then on a dirt road, then walk down steep stairs going down to main highway.
7. Alto Jaramillo, hike is up and down on dirt road, gravel road 3 to 4 hours. This area has great views of ocean inlets and Boquete and is challenge for the beginner.
8. Piedra India Rock past Alto Jaramillo, 4-hour hike. Begin hiking downhill to Piedra India then a slight incline thereafter the entire way. It is a long hike, never made it to Piedra India rock.
9. Peterson- #1 Trail is along a river going up to Cerro Buenos Aires 3-4 hours. Great hike on a steady upward incline rough terrain. Definitely, for people who are fit and enjoy mountain climbing. There are many birds, great views, narrow rough terrain.
10. Peterson-#2 Trail is a dirt road passing cattle meadows 3 hours. Easier than number nine but still on an incline with rough terrain in some areas.
11. Bajo Mono Trail AKA Pipeline this is before the Quetzales Trail 3 hours. Steady incline but easy, trail is narrow, wonderful old growth, may hear Howler Monkeys early morning or mid afternoon and we have seen Quetzales in March. At the end of this trail is a beautiful waterfall but you must walk across some rocks to find it.
12. Quetzales Trail 4 hours but did not hike to Cerro Punta. Many birds, beautiful trees, a sheep farm, and the best trout farm along the way. This trail leads to Cerro Punta. Trail is not mark so take your chance when hiking to Cerro Punta. Easy to maneuver.
13. Horqueta Trail 1, 4-5 hours Steep dirt road hike down into this valley then the trail changes upward to a steady incline. You may see and hear Howler Monkeys early, many birds, and orchids. Trail is along coffee fincas. Met the owner of one and he led us further up into hills. Great hike!
14. Horqueta Trail Loop 2.5 hours. Steadily down hill, loose rock, uneven trail until the main asphalt road then hike up to the dirt road to the top again. Take another dirt road to lengthen the hike.
15. La Estancia Loop number one 3 hours. Begin at la Estancia hike down onto dirt road and up onto asphalt road looping back to La Estancia.
16. La Estancia to Palmira Centro 4 hours. Begin at La Estancia walk down dirt road continues on dirt road to Palmira Centro hike back.
17. Las Brisas Boqueteneas Canyon 2 hours. Hiking down the canyon is rough terrain with loose rocks so walking stick is helpful. Then hike along the river, somewhat easy, go swimming. This hike trail can take you to Potrerillos.
18. Potrerillos from Las Brisas canyon 4.5 hours. Hike from Las Brisas to Potrerillos and back along dirt roads very seldom used.
19. Caldera hike begins along river to new Hot Springs “Mi Abuela” 4.5 hours. Hike on a dirt road it is an easy hike but is very lengthy and hot in the summer. At the end of hike, soak your body in the Caldera Hot Springs or go for a swim in the river.
20. Palo Alto Road to Canopy Tree and beyond into rainforest area 4.5 hours hike. Begin at the “Springs” walk on road which is at a slight incline all the way. Once you reach Canopy Tree walk across river on a footbridge. This is a wonderful rainforest hike; narrow trail on a steady upward incline, soggy, and slippery in areas walking is helpful.
21. Horse Trail in the Santa Lucia area - beautiful trail with many pine trees. Few cars travel on this road it is a 2.5 hours hike.

I am looking at this list of trails and thinking WOW! Not realizing until this writing the many trails we have hiked since we began. It certainly has been, without a doubt a most fantastic, terrific, exhilarating experience, and activity exploring new hiking trails and being able to share them with you. During the rainy season alternate routes may be hiked.

Hope you join us on Saturday, Monday, or Thursday.

See you on the happy trails of Boquete!

All the photos on my blog were taken by me while hiking on some of the beautiful trails mentioned above. See more on my flickr site at,

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jerechica_in_boquete

Explore. Dream. Discover.

Hiking From Boquete to Puerto Robalo, Bocas del Toro

There are various ways when traveling to Bocas Del Toro by plane, car, bus, cycle, or hiking. We visited Bocas with my family back in March deciding to drive and had a great time visiting all the tourist sites. However, this blog will not be about my trip to Bocas but instead I will write about my next-door neighbor and his adventurous and I must emphasize again adventurous hike to Bocas.
I interviewed Remi (my next-door neighbor) sensing it would an interesting article about what one might expect while hiking to Bocas should any of my readers decide to hike there. Here is the a brief run-down on Remi, he is from France, about my age, keeps physically fit by playing squash, hiking, cycles, swims, the ideal candidate in my book for hiking to Bocas in two and a half days. Did I say two and a half days? Most people hike for three to four days to Bocas.
Two weeks prior to the Bocas hike, his approach of getting into shape, he decided it was time to hike the Volcan Baru. With a view of the Volcan Baru from his living room each day for the past two years, Remi has visualized climbing to the top. He finally had enough of this vision talked two friends into hiking with him. It took them five hours to hike to the top and four hours downhill. While hiking to Volcan Baru would be an interesting blog story, it is not part of this story at this time.
Soon after the Volcan Baru hike, nothing would hold Remi back from hiking to Bocas, it was another imminent challenge he continually thought about repeatedly for over a year. Here is his story regarding the “Trek to Bocas.”
"I viewed hiking to Bocas a challenge knowing it would be tough at my age but I had to do it now and knew I could not wait another year, I am not getting any younger it would have to be now or never. Two others accompanied me on this hike another Frenchman, and a Panamanian who was our guide. Our destination would be Puerto Robalo and we decided to make it there in the best possible time."
"Our journey began at 6:30am on Cerro Pianista hiking for 13 hours the first day. We packed lightly since you do not want to tire so packing just the essentials was important. One has to pack food because of course there are no restaurants. In the evening, the resting places where we would camp for the night had a fire going so it was possible to boil water and cook up something simple. I had packets of instant Asian soup with noodles because they are lightweight, easy to cook for my evening meal, the fruits, energy bars I ate during the day, and packed purified water tablets. Water is a necessity when hiking throughout the day I consumed about 2 liters and a half daily. We would take water from the fresh streams along the way filling our bottles and use the tablets to purify the water".

"Expect rustic accommodations on the hike to Bocas. On day one – the hut we arrived at was our shelter for the night. It had wooden plank beds without a mattress. I threw all my clothes on the planks using them as a mattress. On day two – we hiked twelve hours, and ended our day at Anthony Finca, we did have a mattress though on the floor, it had bed sheets, a pillow, blanket, and they even boiled water for my soup all for $5.00. It was worth it and a luxury! Washing in the evening was nearly impossible and so we waited until the morning’s trek to approach a stream where we could bathe".
"We began each day around 6:30am. We did not see many people on our first day just locals cleaning up paths with their machetes. On our second day, we met a few children who asked our guide if we wanted any help. Not much interaction or encounter with locals or other hikers".
"The terrain on the first two days was in the highlands where nearly everyone raises cattle consequently, we had to trudge through deep cattle trenches that at times were more than three meters deep of thick muddy sludge, plodding through these trenches knee-deep. We crossed rivers with cable lines 30 meters wide with two cable lines on top and one cable line on the bottom. It was a balancing act walking, holding onto the lines trying not to fall into the river, and as a result, though minor, I lost my hiking stick while walking on the cable. The highland terrain is up and down through numerous valleys, crossing the same winding river 20 times, and on a multitude of occasions crossed deep areas of water that sometimes came up to our thighs. The upshot of this our boots became waterlogged and as a result, I got three to four blisters on both feet and I lost a few toenails".
"The hike on the third and final day lasted six hours. On this day, we hiked out of the highlands finding the terrain flat, farming with the planting of crops, more populated with Ngäbe living along the river, and walking along the trail. Finally, arriving in Puerto Robalo, I waited for the bus, and rode it to Gualaca".

I asked Remi if he found the hike to Bocas difficult. He responded “yes,” and asked him why."I thought climbing the Volcan Baru would be the toughest but on a scale 5-10 the Volcan Baru is an 8 and Bocas is a 9.5. I found hiking across the Comarca Territory more of a military hike because of the terrain. I lost 6 kilos/13 pounds on the two and half day hike from Boquete to Puerto Robalo, Bocas. I feel good about losing the weight because I wanted to anyway. Anyone eager to losing weight hike to Bocas! The trek to Bocas was beyond my expectation knowing it would be a long hike I assumed it might not be difficult and as a result, it turned out to be a real jungle hike. Nonetheless, I have to say I would not repeat it. The locals do this everyday without much of a problem but then they are used to the terrain. I suggest having a good guide, the best are the Ngäbe, but they are difficult to find. In addition, there is neither a signal nor medical help in close proximity".
"My next challenge in Panama would be to hike in the Darién. It may not be as much of a challenge as Bocas and at this time cannot imagine it would be any tougher but then I do not know. We will see when the time arrives".

Thank you Remi for letting me interview you and for sharing your “Trek to Bocas” experience with my readers. I commend you for continually venturing out and exploring beautiful Panama.
We picked up Remi after receiving his call as we had planned prior to his trek. I have learned while living in Panama which is almost two years friends are very central to one’s life when living abroad, I mean “good friends” the sort of person you can rely on. Our community of expats here in Boquete is tight; we have a communication network that is essential to the well-being of everyone.
I hope this article is of help to anyone interested in hiking from Boquete to Bocas. By the way, Remi only took along one small pack back. In addition, there are guides in Boquete who for a fee will be your guide on this trek. I must emphasize it is important and a must to hire a guide for your Trek to Bocas. Remember to Explore * Dream * Discover.

A Trip To Gamboa, Barro Colorado, Sierra Llorona, and Portobelo

We wondered how the weather would be in Colón this time of the year especially since it began raining in Boquete rather early this season. All the same, we decided to take a chance and drive to Colón with a few places in mind exploring, Gamboa, Isle Barro Colorado, Sierra Llorena, and Portobelo.
Our first stop was in Santiago to have lunch at the cafeteria next to the Texaco gas station, a favorite spot along the way, and halfway point to PC.
The drive to Gamboa was very easy thanks to our navigator Remi who has a first-rate sense of direction. Instead of going through Panama City, we drove across the New Centenary Bridge arriving to our destination quicker and a great deal easier.
The name Gamboa is the name of a tree from the quince family. We would be spending two days in Gamboa though not at the Gamboa Resort but at one of the few B and B’s located in the formerly known American Canal Zone residential area for workers. Gamboa is located on a sharp bend of the Chagres River at the point, which feeds Lake Gatun. A single lane iron and wood bridge crosses the Chagres River and is the only road access to Gamboa. Vehicles waiting to pass over the bridge must wait at the stoplight to cross the bridge, since it is only capable of providing space for one lane of traffic at a time. Here are fact-finding details about the bridge: The single lane/wood tracking – traffic controlled bridge, is a 100 years-old, and designed by Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French man in charge of the French portion of the Panama Canal construction. Born on November 19, 1805 in Versailles, at the age 19, he studied law, and then appointed by his to his uncle, then the French ambassador to Lisbon. In 1875, de Lesseps made his first public declaration of interest in an inter-oceanic canal. By the end of January 1881, the great task of construction commenced.
Gamboa
We stayed at Mateo’s B & B the proprietors are Mateo and his wife Beatrice and I understand they have been married for more than 40 years. Mateo is retired from being an employee of the Canal and mentioned they once had a home where the Gamboa Resort is located but relocated to where he now lives.
Both are very hospitable and have two small separate cabanas and one large apartment above their home the apartment is furnished. Fortunately, for us, even though we had booked the two small cabanas Beatrice asked if we would prefer to stay in the large furnished apartment since it was available and we decided to do so since it would be for the same price of 35.00 dollars per person. Amenities include coffee, a cold breakfast that included cereal, fruit, toast. They have an attractive landscape filled with flowers, with birds such as Chachalacas, hummingbirds, a variety of tanagers, and more. It is a very peaceful setting listening to the birds and the water fountain on their property while enjoying breakfast.
The Mateo B & B offers breakfast only and furthermore Gamboa has few restaurants; however, there are fondas (a small outdoor restaurant) unfortunately they close early. On the other hand, the Gamboa Resort serves dinner until eight in the evening and has an extensive menu and good. I should add Mateo is willing to show you around the island, will answer your questions providing information about the area.
Barro Colorado Isla
We made prior arrangements to tour the Barro Colorado Isla (BCI) where the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute has a permanent research center, and dedicated to studying rainforest ecosystems. Barro Colorado Isa (BCI) is located in the fabricated Gatun Lake in the middle of the Panama Canal and one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. The island formed when the waters of the Chagres River were dammed to form the lake. When the waters rose, they covered a significant part of the existing rainforest, and the hilltops remained as islands in the middle of the lake. It has an area of 15 square kilometers (5.79 sq mi).
The island is a capsule of biodiversity that provides an opportunity for scientists to monitor population changes and test diversity theories about the rainforests without having their studies encroached upon by outsiders. Each year between two hundred and four hundred international scientists visit Barro Colorado, making this one of the well studied forests in the world. Scientists have so far discovered 1200 plants, 120 mammals, and innumerable insects on the island. At the same time though when visiting the island you will notice very little wildlife.
In order to visit the Isla Barro Colorado prior arrangements is necessary, the fee is 25.00 dollars per person for the tour, includes a guide and buffet lunch. This is a day trip with the boat leaving Gamboa at 7:15am sharp returning around 3pm. Important: this purchase is not refundable or transferable. All cancellations need to be made at least fifteen days before the reserved date. In this case, you will receive a refund of your payment minus 20% to cover administrative costs. “No shows” will not receive reimbursements. Check their website for further information.
http://www.stri.org/english/visit_us/barro_colorado/
It is a fascinating tour where names of trees are pointed out, as to the extent research is performed, or information about different projects such as focusing on the monitoring of climatic conditions in relation to the populations of particular plants and animals.
Here are few other facts we learned from our guide.
The Barro Colorado Nature Monument includes Barro Colorado Island and the five surrounding mainland peninsulas: Gigante, Peña Blanca, Bohío, Buena Vista, and Frijoles.
The area of the Island is 1,500 hectares, whereas the area of the entire Monument is 5,600 hectares.
The annual precipitation on the Island is 2,600mm of rain. Leaf cutter ants cut more than 15% of all the leaves produced in the forest to fertilize the fungus that they eat in subterranean nests. Fig wasps may travel up to 9 miles to pollinate fig fruit.
The majority of fruit in the forest produces in July and in September. In El Niño years, more fruit produces.
A big Espavé tree (Anacardium excelsum) pumps 54kg of water from the soil up into leaves, every day.
Five monkey species live on Barro Colorado, all native to Panama: Spider Monkey, White-Faced Capuchin, Geoffrey's Tamarin, Howler Monkey, and Night Monkey.

Visiting a Wounaan Village in Gamboa
On our third day, Mateo connected us with a guide named Armodio to visit a Wounaan Village on Isla San Antonio in the Gamboa area. Isla San Antonio is a small island located at the Pacific end of Lake Gatun. There are now probably less than 3,000 Wounaan indigenous people living in the virgin rainforests of Panama, many mainly living in the province of Darien. Our guide charged 15.00 dollars per person for a two-hour tour of their village taking us for a boat ride to Isla San Antonio. The first stage of the journey is through a dense carpet of water plants such as lilies and we saw a variety of water birds along the way. You then come onto a lake surface so still and shiny, it is like a mirror and I understand there are Cayman (small alligators) that live in the water.
During our visit, Armodio tells us about the Wounaan culture, mentioning the men dress in their traditional loincloth in the village but elsewhere wear typical long pants and shirt. We follow Armodio for a short walk in the forest; he explains how his people uses various trees and plants for construction, food, medicine, and magic charm.
However, there is some tension between the Wounaan way of life and the modern Panamanian government, for Isla San Antonio is now part of a national park. Consequently, certain activities, such as felling trees, are against the law. A tree needs to fall down naturally before they can make a new cayuco.
After our walk, some of the women in the village performed traditional dances one called “Hombre Guerrero”, another “Danza de Bultre.” The villagers also set up a bench of art and basketwork when they have visitors, with sculpted tagua or ivory nut (the seed of a palm that grows in the tropical rainforest), and sculptures made out of the rich red-brown wood of the cocobolo tree. The art of the Wounaan based principally on woodcarving and basket weaving, all of the materials, including pigments, coming from the forest around them. Wounaan’s intricate handicrafts are in demand worldwide. Some believe they were the original basket weavers and wood carvers in the region. You can help them by buying pieces of art; all the pieces reasonably priced.
Their goal is to build a few cabanas on their island in order to attract the visitor who is interested in exploring the Wounaan’s lifestyle and culture. I found this group of Wounaan open and not shy, willing to have photographs taken of them and friendly.

Here are a few facts about the Wounaan of San Antonio. The Wounaan are one of seven indigenous groups in Panama. For centuries, the Wounaan lived as semi-nomadic forest dwellers that hunted and fished. Today, they still live a traditional lifestyle in the Panamanian rainforest, and their culture centers around family, nature, and artisanship; however, the Wounaan are not strangers to modern culture.

A well-known Wounaan, Manuel Antonio Zarco, taught U.S. astronauts Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, and Gordon Cooper survival skills in the jungles of Panama in the 1950s.
In 1958, Zarco settled his family on the shores of Lake Gatún and established an Emberá-Wounaan community, and his descendents live in the village of San Antonio today.For centuries, they traveled the river in a narrow dugout canoe called a piragua, carved out of a single large tree trunk. Today, the Wounaan remain master navigators and take visitors on piragua excursions on the Chagres River.
Summit Parque Nacional
On the same day before leaving Gamboa, we visited Summit Parque Muncipal and Zoo, the entrance fee is one dollar, and hours are from 9am to 4pm. The park known, as the Summit Gardens is a forest reserve turned park it houses many interesting tagged trees with their name.

The park has an area specifically for plants and orchids, but the park’s 700-acre area is mostly destined for animal exhibits and recreation facilities for the whole family. Since the size of Summit is considerable, visitors are handed a thorough map of the premises upon entering the park. Reaching the park is also relatively easy: located at the entrance of Gamboa, the sign is hard to miss.
Sierra Llorona Lodge a Hiker's and Birders Paradise
We proceed after the Parque Nacional Summit to Sierra Llorona Lodge which means “Crying Mountain” a converted home nestled in a gorgeous jungle setting of 200 hectares (499 acres) of private rainforest, home to 150 bird species, ideal for traveling bird-watchers and hikers. All the same, Sierra Llorona would appeal to any traveler looking for a peaceful place to commune with nature. The lodge is family-run, with very friendly, personalized service, and with group meals. Guest rooms, like the lodge as a whole, are simply furnished but attractive and neat as a pin. Rooms do not have A/C but do have a ceiling fan in the rooms needed because the humidity level is especially HIGH.
Robert Caballero manager of the lodge greeted us asking if we would prefer to have him speak either English or Spanish, naturally we say Spanish or both. He is very helpful, his English very good, and eager to make your stay at Sierra Llorona a memorable one.
We stayed only two nights here and would have stayed longer but since I had made other plans in Boquete prior to this trip, we were unable to.

The lodge has a guide and management suggests a guide for first time guests. On our visit, Jorge was our guide and I highly recommend him for any of the four hiking trails that Sierra Llorona offers. He is not only a guide but also a scout always looking for something interesting to show his visitors and I understand why Jorge was a park ranger in the Darien. Having a guide on your hike comes with the package and available at any time just let Robert know ahead of time to schedule him in during your stay. Sierra Llorena is such a peaceful, picturesque, gorgeously lush place to visit we will definitely go back. I have included a bird list from the lodge’s website.
http://www.sierrallorona.com/bird-list.php
Historic Portobelo
Our day trip to Portobelo proved to be fascinating and very informative for us. If you are a history buff, you will enjoy touring the ruins and the Real Aduana de Portobelo (Customs House) in Portobelo.
Originally named “Puerto Bello” by Christopher Columbus on his first visit here in 1502, over the centuries the name gradually changed to Portobelo. It is a modest seaside port village in the Colón Province built among the ruins of what was one of Spain’s richest and liveliest ports from the mid-16th to early 18th century. Portobelo founded in 1597 by Spanish explorer Francisco Velarde y Mercado. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, it was an important silver-exporting port in New Granada on the Spanish Main and one of the ports on the route of the Spanish treasure fleets. The city was also the victim of one of Captain Henry Morgan's notorious adventures. In 1668, Morgan led a fleet of privateers and 450 men against Portobelo, which, in spite of its good fortifications, he captured and plundered for 14 days, stripping it of nearly all its wealth.
Today the two forts of Portobelo, Batería Santiago a defensive fort built after the famous raid on Portobelo by the British Admiral Edward Vernon in 1739 and Casa Fuerte Santiago, which overlooked the bay and acted as a depository for ammunition built.
The Real Aduana de Portobelo located in front of the parque (plaza) in the center of town is a highlight in Portobelo. This old good-looking building still stands today now restored it houses a small museum with a $1.00 entrance fee. The Customs house was the “counting house” during the Spanish colonial days, so named for the gold and silver counted, registered, and distributed here. Built by the Spanish in 1630, it was than damaged in both 1744, by a canon and in 1882 by an earthquake. Even though many of the ruins still stand today from battles many centuries ago, today unfortunately they are littered with graffiti; though the ancient rusty canons are in place, as are the moats, and a sentry box. For history buffs, I found several links with more about Portobelo. http://bruceruiz.net/PanamaHistory/porto_bello.htm and http://www.bjmjr.net/afromestizo/panama.htm
Facts about the “Congo” community of Portobelo
For many sea weary Africans, Portobelo was simultaneously the end of the horrid Middle Passage and the beginning of slavery in a foreign land. The Congos of Portobelo are descendants of the cimarrones or marronage meaning "runaway slave" in Spanish. They fiercely fought for their freedom during the Spanish colonial period the African forced to Panama as slaves during Spanish colonization. After escaping into the hills and the rain forests, the Cimarrones built fortified villages known as palenques from which they waged war against their former enslavers. So successful in war the Spaniards were forced to declare several truces, and finally recognize their freedom. I came across this blog site finding it to points of interest regarding the Congo population in Colon and the Black Panamanian. http://blogs.wofford.edu/presidential_scholar/2009/10/congo-dance-of-panama.html
On the website below the article is dedicated to Claral Richards who I had the pleasure of meeting at a celebration given in his honor in Puerto Armuelles where he was born and raised from Puerto Armuelles just the other day a fascinating man. The website has additional history of the Black Panamanian. http://www.cwo.com/~lucumi/panama.html
Portobelo - Black Christ
One other point of interest for visiting Portobelo is the priceless relic and carefully guarded beautifully carved statue of Jesus of Nazareth, which, because it is made of dark wood, is known as the “Black Christ.” Every year on 21st of October, Portobelo relives a day of its glorious past in a celebration in honor of the lack Christ. The city fills with people in a candlelight procession. The statue of the Black Christ is brought out of the church on a platform transported by 80 men and is carried through the streets of the city. Hundreds of pilgrims carrying candles march behind the statue until once again restored to its resting place returning the Black Christ to Iglesia de San Felipe.
Oral history in Portobelo also tells of a crate containing a black sculptural figure of Jesus Christ "magically" appearing in the bay during a cholera epidemic. It was brought ashore by two fishermen. Shortly after, the people of the village began praying before the figure and the epidemic miraculously ended. As a result, each year for the last three centuries, as many as 60,000 devotees who have made pilgrimages to visit the figure on 21 of October have celebrated the Feast Day of the Cristo Negro de Portobelo - Black Christ of Portobelo.
There are many reasons why I decided to retire and live in Panama; one is due to the country’s deep long-standing culture, and history it possesses. While living in Panama take advantage and take a trip back in time learning about its history such as the locations you have just read. Even though it has been a small struggling country, it still stands tall, and continues to breathe life, boasting a rich history, a diverse selection of landscapes with thick lowland jungle and white-sand beaches, a melting pot of cultures, and experiences. I for one have a good deal to learn about this beautiful country and will continue to Explore, Dream, and Discover I hope you will as well.