Murphy's Law and Other Panama Adventures: Bank Guards, Los Molinos Canyon, Ngobe children and very big bags!!!

So, about 5 days ago Lawson stopped at San Francisco Plaza at Canasta Basica (our favorite cheap grocery store) to buy us some chicken and the power was off, (not unusual lately). He walked in the store only to be told that they could check him out for other things but that the chicken needed to be weighed and the scale would not run without power...... so, no chicken.

Next door to Canasta Basica is the German Bakery, also without power. But Lawson has been there so often the owner knows him and says," the power is out, but the cake is fresh,"......
As Lawson is walking out the Guard from next door at the Scotia Bank walks in and tells the owner George, "The power is out, all the security cameras are down, they don't need me over there until the power comes back on."
Then he sits down and has coffee.
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I'll give you a minute to think on that one.
Lawson's first thought?
OH!!!, I could make a fortune in this country when the power is off !!!!!

This is Plaza San Francisco where the German Cake is SO good, and our favorite CHEAP grocery store with the basics for Panamanian cooking

And here is a picture of my NEW NGOBE BAG....

This bag is made of plant fiber by the native Indians here, (Ngobe). They are extremely tough and sturdy and THEY STRETCH..... So when you go to buy one expect that they will increase in size about double of where they start. A lot depends on how much weight you put in them, but they eventually stretch anyway if you put anything heavier than a cell phone.

I think they are awesome, and as far as I can tell they last a very long time.
Some are made of tightly rolled plastic (plastic grocery bags). They are also very very tough and they stretch beyond belief.
My first Ngobe bag was the plastic kind. It started its life about 10 x 20 inches with a 40 inch (total length) shoulder strap.
By the time I got off the plane and back to Florida the first time in June of 2011 (only 3 weeks) the bag had stretched to the point where I had 5 paperback books, a sweater, snacks for the bus, a small blanket, 3 bottles of water ..... and had I been able to carry it all, there was plenty of room for more.......!!!
It had "GROWN" to the point that it was dragging on the ground, so I had to tie the shoulder strap shorter so that it would land somewhere around my knees instead at my ankles and scraping on the ground..........
AWESOME BAG!!
I ended up giving it as a gift instead of keeping it, because I couldn't see myself toting a bag that large !!!!
SO,...... HOW BIG DO THESE BAGS REALLY GET ????

Look below.........................................

This is the Ngobe man that has a stand set up at the Cascada (waterfall) up north of Bajo Boquete. He and his wife (wives? possibly) make and sell Ngobe items to the visitors. Monday to Friday he is set up at his stand across from his house. On Saturday and Sunday he is set up at the waterfall where a lot of tourists end up for pictures.......... smart business man......................
So we were talking with him about the size of the bag that I had bought 3 years ago and how large it got and he says, "wait a minute" and he goes across the street to his house and comes out carrying this HUMONGOUS BAG !!! SO AS A JOKE IT DID THIS................

He thought this was very funny and it gave him an idea !!! So he says, "just a minute..." and he goes back to his house again and come back with the bag on his back........ this time with something IN IT. !!!

His hands are in front of his body because he is holding the strap down over his shoulders...

Here's what he was carrying !!!!!

IS THIS NOT THE CUTEST KID IN THE WORLD!!!!
A KID IN A BAG !!!!!
In this pic you can see Dad going back to the house, notice the feet bulging in the bag....... He told us this is his 4 year old son............................

And this is our parting shot of his family and the house they live in.

Welcome to Panama.

This month also we took a short hike down into Los Molinos Canyon.
As compared to Volcan Baru? This was a piece of Cake!!!

However, if you go for this hike you will need the following:
1) Permission from the Los Molinos Subdivision. And it helps if one of the friends lives there and you can use their name as the basis for permission.
2) The trail was actually closed when we went and we do not know when it will be reopened for official travel......if it's like other things in Panama it may, or may not, EVER be "officially" open. But they gave us permission to go "at our own risk".
So here we are climbing OVER the closed gate to the trail..........................only in Panama.....................

3) We brought our lunch and swim suits and had a blast. So bring water to drink and plates etc.
4) Wear excellent hiking boots. The trail is NOT user friendly.
5) Make sure that you know how to SWIM! The river is very swift at the bottom and will sweep you away if you are not strong enough to resist, or if you lose your footing.
6) AND have a really good time...........................
We are just starting down the trail. It starts with steps, but that is VERY MISLEADING...... as the steps disappear after about 1000 feet and become cuts into the dirt hill or roots to balance on or rocks that haven't shifted yet,............ all covered with loose gravel and leaves......

This is Sombra, our dog...... Belgium Shepherd mix........

This is LeAnn being "PASSED" across the river. She is not large enough or strong enough to resist the current, but was brave enough to be passed along...................