Chicken Busses

When we arrive in various places, we usually get around with local transportation. In Grenada there were the named mini vans packed with 18 plus people (remember that Frank?); in Cartagena the cabs are cheap; in Providencia, the National Police escort you…and here in Panama we've taken the local busses. These are old school busses that have been wildly painted on the outside - airbrushed art of everything from nature scenes to villains; religious icons and pop stars. Inside they are also adorned with sayings, feathers, lights, colorful vinyl and weird items like fuzzy dice and animal tails. They are also cheap and crowded. They'll pack in as many people as possible and then some - and people here don't tend to move in and go to the back of the bus - they crowd up near the driver. The cost is $1.30 per person from Portobello to Colon - a ride that takes about one and a half hours. People just yell "Parada" when they want to get off and the bus stops. People load on with bags and babies and bounty of all sorts.

There are also folks who get on the bus - usually at the bus terminal and sell things. Now, you'd expect things like snacks or the newspaper - and those are some of the options. But you can also buy from these vendors: roach traps, garbage bags, matches, electric tape, wash clothes, super glue, pirate DVDs of music or movies, lollipops, shoe polish, varnish, hair clips, and entry to heaven (prayer cards). Some people come on and ask for money for orphans and the church as well. The good news, because everything is in Spanish, our vocabulary increases when they sell these items coming up and down the aisles telling folks what they have "en espanol." Oh, and people do actually buy this stuff!

It sure gives you some local color.

We have provisioned up a bit and got some diesel. Michael's done an oil change and cleaned the boat bottom. We've enjoyed happy hour and a potluck. And now we're looking for a weather window to Kuna Yala over the next few days.

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