Tamarin Monkey’
Embera crafts
the ships into the locks before they descend about
eighty-five feet (twenty-six metres) to ocean level.
Although we spent the night in Colon, we stayed
near the market area close to our hotel as we were
warned that it was dangerous to walk about on
our own. This was unwelcome news as we’re used
to walking and exploring each new place we visit.
The next day we set off for Isla Grande, east
along the Caribbean coast. We stopped at Iglesia de
San Felipe, a church in Portobello where the Black
Christ, a famous icon thought to have been thrown
from a Spanish galleon during a storm, attracts
worshippers and pilgrims. Then we continued
on along the coast and took a rickety boat to Isla
Grande for swimming and a seafood lunch.
Our group was excited at the prospect of
visiting an indigenous village. The Embera people
migrated north from Colombia and now live in
several villages along the Chagres River. Before
arriving, however, we walked to a local waterfall.
Into the mud, across the stream, and over
boulders we scrambled before heading into the
cool waters of the pool at the base of the falls.
At the village, we were greeted by men playing
handmade musical instruments and women
wearing traditional clothing. Proceeding to the
round, communal, thatched hut, we enjoyed
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demonstrations of crafts, clothing, and dancing.
We were served local tilapia from Gatun Lake and
fried plantains wrapped in banana leaves. We
bought local handcrafts, such as woven masks and
plates, some of which had bird and animal motifs,
others geometric designs.
We continued to the Royal Decameron Golf,
Beach Resort, and Villas located west of Panama
City in the area of Rio Hato. The property consists
of numerous low-rise buildings with several buffet
and à la carte restaurants strung along the sandy
beach. The food was varied and tasty, with lots
of fresh fruit available. There was a wonderful
variety of nightly entertainment.
Numerous pools are sprinkled throughout the
beautifully maintained grounds where peacocks
strut and iguanas patrol. Parrots and other birds
can be seen flying between the palms, while
brown pelicans and frigate birds patrol the
shoreline. One morning a young hawk posed on
the post at the entrance to the restaurant.
Walking our daily ten thousand steps was no
problem navigated the resort. The only drawback
was that we couldn’t safely swim in the ocean
because rip tides ensured that the red warning
flag was generally posted.