The Tradition Continues

Photograph of Karol, our grandniece, proudly wearing her first pollera montuno. This is a continuation of a long tradition of Panamanian women. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.

It’s a long-standing tradition of Panamanian women to wear a pollera at a very early age.  They are also taught how to dance typical Panamanian dances that can be traced back to the early Spanish settlers in Panama in the XVth century.  These folkloric traditions is what makes the Panamanian identity unique; it’s part of our rich Spanish heritage.

Karol was dressed with a pollera montuno and her face make-up was done by her mother.  This is our first photograph of Karol wearing a pollera.  She is only four years old.  As the tradition continues, many more pictures will be coming down the pike.  Good Day.

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In Search of Women’s Shoes

Last Sunday afternoon was sizzling hot.  It was so hot it was difficult to breathe and move inside our home.  We don’t have an air-condition system, so we were stoically waiting until the sun went down and the house would cool off.  I would like to point out that Panama is just starting its dry season which is expected to last until mid April.  The weather experts are saying that the Isthmus will be hit by El Niño, making this summer warmer than previous ones.

For example, even as we speak, the weather outside is 93°F at 01:07 p.m.  Fortunately there is a soft breeze which makes the day more or less tolerable.

In view of the hot temperature, my wife suggested that we visit a recently-inaugurated mall in search of shoes she needed.  The name of the mall is Metro Mall located about five miles from our house.   This is a $100 million investment occupying 24 hectares of land under the direction of the Roble Group, a division of the Poma Group of El Salvador.  Thanks to its strategic location, Metro Mall receives an average of 50,000 to 60,000 visitors a day.  It competes heads on with Albrook Mall where I usually go to buy my stuff.

When we got there,  the parking lot was full to capacity.  For a moment I thought it was December all over again.  I was fully impressed with the modern facilities of the mall.  It had everything a shopper needs to enjoy its stay there.  The aisles are ample and very well illuminated due to its huge glass walls which brings in the natural light from the exterior of the building.

I noticed the mall provided large and comfortable living-room chairs which made you feel sitting right there in the living room of your own house.  It was really neat.  It’s the first time I see this type of furniture in a mall anywhere.

Going back to our story, Aura went directly to her favorite shoe store called BBB (Bueno, Bonito y Barato).  She has been buying her shoes at these outlets as far back as I can remember.  A very courteous young man whose name is Isidro helped  Aura open a zillion boxes so she could make a decision.  Meanwhile, I was busy taking pictures of the mall which I will post tomorrow.

After about an hour and a half later, Aura had decided on three pairs of soft-walking shoes which I thought was a very nice buy.  I didn’t asked how much they cost, because I knew there are two questions you never ask a woman.  “How old are you?” and “How much did you spend at the mall?” No sir, that’s the best kept secret for a woman anywhere.  Definitely those are no-no questions.

When we got home I decided to take pictures of the shoes for posterity.  I also plan to buy a couple of Florsheim shoes sometime next month, and I found just the place where I can get them at the same mall.  But that’s another story,  plus my MasterCard is happy to defer this purchase for a later date.  Ouch!

This is what popped out of  BBB’s purple plastic bag.  Here we go.

This is Isidro helping my wife make a buying decision at a BBB shoe store in Metro Mall last Sunday afternoon. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

A view of the BBB store with its attractive stock of women's shoes. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of the large BBB plastic bag. BBB in English means "Good, Pretty and Cheap - Bueno, Bonito y Barato." (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Picture of three boxes I found inside the purple bag. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of the shoe boxes stacked up to pose for my Birthday camera. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of a nice-looking pair of Rockport shoes. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Picture of the same pair of Rockport shoes. I would say Aura made a good choice. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Picture of a Soda shoe manufactured by Fortune Dynamic, Inc. This is a Welch model in bronze color. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of a pair of Welch Soda Shoes with its cute pink box. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of a pair of black grendha soft shoe made in Brazil by the Grendha Shoes Corporation. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Another picture of the grendha Brazilian shoes which look vibrant and chic. My favorite choice of the three. (Credit: ©Omar Upegui R.)

Even though I got home with a thinner wallet, the journey to Metro Mall was rewarding.  We got out of  an over-heated house and in the process portrayed  a beautiful smile on my wife’s face.  It can’t get any better that a happy wife.  Good Day.

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Story: Genesis – Her Version

Eve chats with God. “Lord, I have a problem.”

—“What’s the problem, Eve?”

—“I know that you created me and provided this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful animals, as well as that hilarious comedic snake, but I’m just not happy.”

—“And why is that Eve?”

—“Lord, I am lonely, and I’m sick to death of apples.”

—“Well, Eve, in that case, I have a solution. I shall create a man for you.”

—“Man? What is that Lord?”

—“A flawed creature, with many bad traits. He’ll lie, cheat and be vain; all in all, he’ll give you a hard time. But he’ll be bigger, faster and will like to hunt and kill things. I’ll create him in such a way that he will satisfy your physical needs. He will be witless and will revel in childish things like fighting and hitting a ball about. He won’t be as smart as you, so he will also need your advice to think properly.”

—“Sounds great,” says Eve, with ironically raised eyebrows, “but what’s the catch Lord?”

—“Well …you can have him on one condition.”

—“And what’s that Lord?”

“As I said he’ll be proud, arrogant and self-admiring…so you’ll have to let him believe that I made him first. And it will have to be our little secret…you know, woman to woman.”

I’ll bet you never expected this ending.  Good Day

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Story: Genesis – His Version

One day, after a near eternity in the Garden of Eden, Adam calls out to God, ‘Lord, I have a problem.’

—‘What’s the problem, Adam?’, God replies.

—‘Lord, I know you created me and have provided for me and surrounded me with this beautiful garden and all of these wonderful animals, but I’m just not happy’

—‘Why is that, Adam?’, comes the reply from the heavens.

—‘Lord, I know you created this place for me, with all this lovely food and all of the beautiful animals, but I am lonely.’

—‘Well Adam, in that case I have the perfect solution. I shall create a ‘woman’ for you.’

—‘What’s a ‘woman’, Lord?’

‘This ‘woman’ will be the most intelligent, sensitive, caring, and beautiful creature I have ever created. She will be so intelligent that she can figure out what you want before you want it. She will be so sensitive and caring that she will know your every mood and how to make you happy. Her beauty will rival that of the heavens and earth. She will unquestioningly care for your every need and desire. She will be the perfect companion for you.’, replies the heavenly voice.

—‘Sounds great.’

—‘She will be, but this is going to cost you, Adam.’

—‘How much will this ‘woman’ cost me Lord?’, Adam replies.

—’She’ll cost you your right arm, your right leg, an eye, an ear, and your left testicle.’

Adam ponders this for some time, with a look of deep thought and concern on his face. Finally Adam says to God, ‘Ehhh, what can I get for a rib?’

The rest, as they say, is history.

Tomorrow I will post Genesis – Her Version. Stay tuned.  Good Day.

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Joke: The Bridge

A man walking along a California beach was deep in prayer. All of a sudden he said out loud: “Lord grant me one wish.”

Suddenly the sky clouded above his head and in a booming voice the Lord said, “Because you have TRIED to be faithful to me in all ways, I will grant you one wish”.

The man said, ‘Build me a bridge to Hawaii, so I can drive over anytime I want to.”

The Lord said, “Your request is very materialistic. Think of the logistics of that kind of undertaking. The supports required to reach the bottom of the Pacific! The concrete and steel it would take! I can do it, but it is hard for me to justify your desire for worldly things. Take a little more time and think of another wish, a wish you think would honor and glorify me.”

The man thought about it for a long time. Finally he said, “Lord, I have been married and divorced four times. All of my wives said that I am uncaring and insensitive. I wish that I could understand women. I want to know how they feel inside, what they are thinking when they give me the silent treatment, why they cry, what they mean when they say “nothing” and how I can make a woman truly happy.”

After a few minutes God said, “You want two lanes or four on that bridge?”

Source:  Miss Cellania

Blogged with the Flock Browser

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Photograph of the Day: Penetrating Eyes

(Credit: Pixdaus.com)

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Photograph of the Day: A Panamanian “Canillita”

A newspaper street vendor is called "canillita" in Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R./Michael Moore)

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Photograph of the Day: Inspired Creativity

(Credit: Xenia A.)

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Photograph of the Day: Asleep

(Credit: Pixdaus.com)

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A Gorgeous Tropical Flower From Panama

Many people don’t know that Panama is much more than a canal.  Panama is a place where fishes gather, trees bloom, and  butterflies defy the colors of the rainbow.  Panama is also a land of gorgeous tropical flowers.

Last Sunday afternoon I had the great satisfaction of driving to  Casco Viejo to take pictures of Mireya who played the role of a model posing for the camera.  Mireya is a friend of ours for many years.

We decided to call our session “tropical flower”, because Panama is a land known for beautiful flowers—specially in the highlands—and also because Panama is home to the most beautiful women in this part of the world.

Having Casco Viejo as the perfect setting for our photographic session, Mireya beamed like a tropical flower with extraordinary beauty.  She is a middle age woman whose beauty honors the name of this great Isthmus.

Below are the photographs of Mireya that popped out of my Birthday camera last Sunday afternoon.  Here we go.

Photograph of Mireya posing for the camera at Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama. Notice the Panama City skyline in the distance. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of Mireya showing a tropical flower in the beautiful scenario of Casco Viejo. The restored homes can be seen in the background. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of Mireya posing in front of the San Francisco de Asís Cathedral at Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

Photograph of Mireya sitting down in front of the Arco Chato (Flat Arch) of the Convent of Santo Domingo in Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

A close up picture of Mireya at the Convent of Santo Domingo in Casco Viejo, Panama City, Panama. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.)

A close up picture of Mireya's face depicting rays of light in every direction. An angel has escaped from Heaven. (Credit: Omar Upegui R.

If you want to give your eyes a treat, come on down to Panama and enjoy our extraordinary tropical flowers.  Mireya is a genuine representative of our Latin American beauty.  Good Day.

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