So, it’s only fair that I learn some Spanish along the way – actually, in retrospect, Spanish would have been most useful. Irregardless, some things culturally specific to Panama just gets lost in translation altogether: e.g., the “Chicken Buses”, which are basically yellow U.S. school buses sold and repurposed to the third world. What’s unique is that they’re graffitied all over in spray paint a la urban “art”. Yesterday I saw one bus named the “Ghetto Life”, on the front of the bus was spray painted in big words “Pussy Hound” (I can’t make that up). I find them grotesque but some how it just blends so harmoniously to scene.
Other cultural oddities strike me as well; for example, having wander a long way on foot down Avenida Central today, I noticed that the street vendors sold Chinese incense along with their candles for Roman Catholic worship. Now, this is decidedly odd… it’s not being sold to Chinese but to the local Panamanians in general. I have no clue what they do with it.
Back to Spanish, I’m heading off to the main bus terminal to try to buy a night ticket to David City with my limited Spanish. The plan is then to Boquette; perhaps I’ll ascend the volcano, or else head to Costa Rica after a couple days.