11 November 2023 Panama City

In search of a quiet night

Fear’s born assuming forcefulness—
see how the people fight!
I’ll tell you how I’m deeply moved,
How I experienced terror.

Seeing people floundering
like fish in small puddles,
competing with one another—
as I saw this,
fear came into me.

Once I wished a place to stay,
but all the world is essenceless,
turmoil in every quarter,
I saw no place secure.

Seeing nothing in the end
but competition,
I felt discontent.
And then I saw
an arrow here,
so very hard to see,
embedded in the heart.

Overcome by this arrow
you run in all directions.
But simply on pulling it out
you don’t run,
you don’t sink.
Buddha (excerpt from Sn 4.15 ‘The Rod Embraced’ )

We are all in the same puddle and it is quite literally drying up!
VJC

A sense of self arises out of the need to survive… the greater the need to survive then the greater the sense of self.
VJC

Up at 7 am naturally… needed to urinate!

Just coffee for breakfast, so I’ll be looking for an early lunch once I get to Panama City.

Handed back the key to the property representative at 10 am and took a slow 10-minute stroll to Bocas del Toro International airport. Glad that I do not have wheeled pull along luggage as it would be a bit of a struggle with pavement and footpaths here.

The return flight to Panama Albrook airport (PAC) was straightforward and uneventful. On arrival, our baggage was again lined up for the sniffer dog to check for contraband… but strangely enough the passengers were not… but what do I know.

Outside the airport I ordered an Uber ride to the nearest Metro Station, which was Albrook, the final stop on Line 1. I had booked a room at Studio Coliving Hotel which is next to Iglesia del Carmen station, just a few stops away on the Metro. This means that I can get to the airport easily and cheaply in the morning.

Checked into the Studio Coliving Hotel, dropped my bags and went for a walk. I noticed that people were starting to gather outside the Metro station and some approach roads were blocked off. No matter, I headed to a nearby restaurant for some much needed calorific input. I chose a starter of Corviche de Corvina (raw fish in lemon juice) followed by steak and onions with steamed vegetables at the Restaurante Tinajas, which was nice but not sure if it was worth € 30.

I then headed towards the seafront promenade near the Yacht Club, for no other reason than it seemed like a good spot to head for. It was mid afternoon and lots of people were jogging or cycling, and there were soccer and basketball ball games in progress. A seemingly pleasant and agreeable Saturday afternoon.

I took a circular route back to Studio Coliving Hotel noticing quite a few – but not all – shops, banks and offices had been newly boarded up, as if a hurricane were forecast. Then I remembered the recent and ongoing protests all over Panama because of alleged government corruption in relation to recently granted licences for open cast copper mining. As I got closer to the hotel, the protestors gathering at Iglesia del Carmen Metro station were gaining in numbers and becoming more vocal.