Christmas Day in Colon, Panama
Christmas Day
Today’s adventure was a 6-hour tour of Colon, which was founded in 1850 by Americans and is Panama’s “second city” after Panama City. It lies near the Panama Canal’s Atlantic entrance. Our motor coach then traveled through the Panamanian Rain Forest to the Chagres National Park and the Embera Indian Village. In order to get to the Village, 39 of us had to climb into traditional dugout canoes and up the Chagres River where we were welcomed by the Chief and treated to some very colorful ceremonial dancing. This tribe lives much as they did in pre-Columbian times in round huts on stilts. We shared a typical lunch of fried fish and plantains. The Embera wear little clothing but paint elaborate patterns on their bodies using the black dye of the jagua plant. These people rely heavily on the tourist industry for their income.
We completed
the day with a special Christmas dinner at the Chef’s Table with Julie Wheeler
and Joe Buckovic, featuring crab cakes, halibut, and a delicious mandarin
orange parfait.
What a special Christmas dinner indeed! Merry Christmas 💖
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