If you have been following my posts, you already know that I was in the process of explaining how the Mayor of Panama City had planned to light a giant Christmas tree at the Cinta Costera along the Balboa Avenue in Panama City, Panama. This story was temporarily interrupted by a couple of posts about my 63rd birthday. Now I would like to finish the climatic part of the story. The climax consists of the lighting of the tree by Mr. Bosco Vallarino, the current Mayor of Panama City.
The lighting act was scheduled for 6:00 a.m. but it was delayed until 7:30 p.m. for no apparent reason. Nobody even noticed, since it’s part of the culture in this country to be late for almost everything. We call it “hora panameña”. Another bad habit embedded in Panama, is not calling a person back. When somebody in Panama tells you he or she will call you back to give you some kind of information, you’re in for a long wait. He or she will never call. They had no intentions of doing so in the first place. It’s very difficult to explain, but that’s the way it is in this neck of the woods. If this happens to you, don’t be surprised and please don’t get angry, it comes with the territory.
Now let’s go back to our story. Sorry for the digression. Below are some of the pictures taken when the tree was finally lighted up, after a delay of more than an hour and a half, as I indicated previously. Here we go.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. on November 28, 2009, Bosco Vallarino, the Mayor of Panama City lighted the giant Christmas tree at the Cinta Costera. It was a spectacular view. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)
Another view of the full lighted Christmas tree at the Coastal Strip in Panama City, Panama. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)
A gorgeous display of fireworks took place after the Christmas tree was lighted. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.
The sky above the Panama Bay was set on fire during the lighting of a Christmas tree in Panama City, Panama. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)
A spectacular display of fireworks at the Cinta Costera during the ceremony of lighting up a Christmas Tree in Panama City, Panama by its Mayor, Bosco Vallarino. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)
If you want to see the whole display on your entire computer screen, please click over the images. You will love the nightly scene. Nothing beats a great fireworks display.
And this my friends, was the climax of the story of the lighting of a huge Christmas tree at the Coastal Strip in Panama City. It’s one of the many ways people in Panama celebrate their Christmas Season. Good Day.
