I just got back from a crazy trip - I went on a cruise for my sister’s wedding and then hung out with Allison for a week in Panamá. The cruise started and ended in Puerto Rico and because I didn’t buy my plane ticket through the travel agent that sold me the cruise, I had to show up in San Juan a day before the cruise departed to ensure that it wouldn’t leave without me.
San Juan
In San Juan I arranged to stay on someone’s couch through couchsurfing.com. To get to this person’s house, I had to hop on a bus to Río Piedras. Due to my lack of Spanish, I kinda got lost but thankfully I was rescued by a couple of American university students. They were going very close to where I was headed so I tagged along with them. When it came time to part ways, I was informed that I was in one of the most dangerous parts of San Juan - the centre of the Puerto Rican independence movement. Since I couldn’t get a hold of the person I was staying with or find their place, the uni students put me up for the night in their dorm. I was informed later that night that the FBI had just raided some houses of members of the independence movement. I’m glad they helped me out as I probably looked like a dumb American tourist with my big red MEC backpack.
The next day I wondered around Río Piedras and old San Juan taking pictures of things. It was neat to see some of the anti-FBI graffiti.
At one point I sat down for a coffee and I was shocked to read about the media being pepper sprayed in a local paper.
The wedding itself was in Aruba. The civil ceremony happened in the morning in Oranjestad’s town hall and the actual wedding ceremony was later that afternoon at a local resort.
Vera and Graham at the resort
The minister at the afternoon ceremony was really over the top with his hippy vows - I had to bite my lip to stop laughing. All in all, the wedding was pretty fun and I’m glad I could be there.
The Cruise
I don’t think that cruising is my thing, so I don’t think it’s fair for me trash it too much. All I’m going to say is that I felt like I was in prison near the end - a very nice prison, but still prison. That said, it was nice to get to spend the time with my mom.
At least Graham and I were able to fire a few golf balls off the back of the boat on the last night.
Panamá
Panama was amazing. It was really nice to hang out with Allison for a week - I hadn’t seen her in about nine months. We ended up hanging out in Panama city for a few days then went to her site in the Darién province. She’s staying at an Embera and Wounan indigenous village near Santa Fé - I totally forget the name right now. Anyway, that’s kinda where disaster struck. It started when Allison lost the key to the other volunteer’s room which left us without a stove so our food options were limited.
The next day I decided it would be a good idea to play basketball with some of the kids at 1pm. When I was finished playing I started feeling crappy. I figured that I was dehydrated because I hadn’t been eating much and because I was being a stupid gringo by over-exerting myself 30 degree weather. I started by drinking water, but that just made me want to vomit. By the time Allison and I had made it to Santa Fé for food, I felt like total ass. This is where things get a little fuzzy. I know I had dinner and that I felt like I had a fever, but I don’t really remember the details of Santa Fé. When we got back to Allison’s room, I just crashed out with a fever. I remember waking up at one point to through up the food I had eaten and then I went back to bed.
I brought ciprofloxacin (a powerful antibiotic) from Canada in case I ate or drank something nasty, but I was supposed to use it only if I had a fever and diarrhoea. A that point the diarrhoea hadn’t come so I didn’t take the cipro. Well, the next day it came … in torrents and I started the cipro. Within 24 hours I was almost 100% better. I’d have to say that was just about the best $24 I have ever spent.
After the brief stint in the Darién we returned to Panamá City for the last couple of days. We ended spending the last night at the intercontinental and it was A-Mazing! Nice view of the ocean, nice comfy bed, nice ocean side pool … and the list goes on.
View from the intercontinental
So I guess that’s it for my adventures. Hopefully I’ll be able to go back and visit Allison again. I’d like to spend more time in the Darién - hopefully I won’t get sick next time.
Monday, 13. March 2006
Hey BENnnnn!
What’s up..
( if you don’t remember me- i was a jr. Sub at Cedarbough last yr :D)
Anyways- i found your webpage through one of the links on the website one of our rangers created….
THought I would drop a line to say hello, and say HOWZ IT GOIIIING?:D
A cruise eh? Sound like a glamarous prison if u ask me! Lemmie know how’re you’re doing!
Cheers- Britt
Monday, 27. March 2006
Nice story! The ‘torrent’ of diarrhea was a nice touch.. Wouldn’t mind seeing more photos from around the city centres, eh!