2RetireesInPanama: FIRST BIG DAY OF CARNIVAL IN OUR SLEEPY TOWN OF CHAME

I guess I should have seen this poster before last night to realize what would be happening in our town and when it would all happen...not that anything really happens on time or according to a schedule in Panama. But this time, it did. Last night after a delicious dinner at Los Camisones (http://www.loscamisones.com (grilled Grouper in garlic and butter) with Greg, Thea and their great friends from Florida, Ray and I did a drive by through Chame to see the crowd gathering for the Queen. There was darkness. There was really nothing. It was close to ten pm, and while we saw people walking somewhere, we chose to call it a night. As seen on this poster today, the Coronation of the Princesses was at eleven pm. We were a tad bit too early. Plus our friend never sent the Whatsapp message. Maybe she went to sleep early, too! Knowing this group, no way!

Ear plugs in, I fell asleep to no longer hearing the firecrackers popping and music heavy on the bass playing in the background. On and off when I woke up, I would take out an ear plug, hear the bass and the same noises, but then I was able to drift right back to sleep. This morning, after I tried my hand successfully at making a red velvet cake in my crockpot (since I do not trust my oven to bake anything!), I slathered some sunscreen on, and we walked to the town. I had my hat. I was ready for the water. Even the guard at the gate of our community told us to get ready for the water. We found where the Queen had been Coronated last night, and we noticed the speakers were aimed in the direction of our house. I asked a family that

was standing on the stage with a large cooler what time the festivities were to begin. They told me that at one pm the water trucks would start spraying water on the crowd. Ray and I picked up a Coca Cola Light, found a tree to sit under, people watched and waited for one pm. We were about thirty minutes early for the afternoon fun. The town seemed to be sleeping at first, but then people started walking toward the gated area. It seems there is a charge to get into the area where the water trucks and stage are (although we had just walked through this area thirty minutes prior). And there were two policeman standing nearby. And now, the water was being sprayed at one family. This was the family that had been standing on the stage earlier with their cooler.

Here we are waiting under the tree.

Here is the gated area with one family getting hosed down.

Our friend then Whatsapp'd Ray and said her group would let us know when they would be in Chame (around two). We made the decision not to pay to get into that wild scene just yet (!), and we would take a lunch break. So much activity causes hunger! We stopped by our neighbor's house to tell him and another neighbor about our venture into the unknown beyond our gates to Chame. He wanted to know what the charge was to get to the stage. I told him it would be my mission to go back to town (this time we will drive) and find out for him. Looking for a little more Carnival adventures might really have to wait until midnight tonight (or we drive west to Penonome!).

Here is the traffic on the InterAmerican Highway at two pm today (heading to Coronado beach town):

We went back to the sleepy town, and wow! This time we drove the car to a shaded spot and parked close to the gated area. We caught up with the Queen on her float. The wind was shaking her around and her oversized headdress. I caught some prizes off the truck and gave them to the children that were standing behind a gated porch. I kept a bracelet as a souvenir. Firecrackers popping on the street. The float gets hooked onto an electrical line. Ray steers me clear of any mishap. And now Carnival seems to be picking up. Our friend Whatsapp'd us and went into the gated area. We did not. She has family in Chame. Per day, per person it costs three dollars to get a wristband. Once within the gate, you can get wet, dance in front of the truck and buy food and drink. We saw a drunk man try to saunter through the gate without a wristband or paying, but he was caught and turned away. We saw plenty of young drunk men wearing t-shirts saying "I'm drunk". We saw policemen (they were talking to their girlfriends), babies sleeping, and perhaps two other gringos. We walked the town of Chame, came back to the house for some iced coffee (me), and soon we will meet our friends for a Valentines Day dinner. Perhaps tonight we will find our friend again and see what's happening within those gates. And we were told Sunday would be a bigger day, since many people may have worked half a day today or were simply making their way to the interior, so tomorrow's another day...