I Remember

Summer Resorts

As kids we didn't go anywhere. There was no money for that. Luckily there was lots of places that were as enjoyable and cost nothing. The local river was one of them. We would walk about three miles or so in groups, see, the summers in my country are scorching hot and humid. It would be some of our neighbors and us kids plus my aunt Mila and uncle Leonel most times. We didn't care how long we had to walk, the anticipation of the river cooling us off it was enough incentive.
Once at the river we would find a nice spot and put our belongings there and the fun would begin. We spent innumerable hours there at least until the sun went down. We would jump from the trees that grew alongside of the river. Sometimes we would hold on to a long branch and make Tarzan's noises going down. My uncle Boris have always been fat so we would always go before him, he tended to brake the branches and the fun was over. But the laughter was epic. We would laugh at that fall for days and days to come. After the river someone in the group would buy food and we all would eat. There's something about water that makes you hungry than the Lord allows. There would also be what we called Summer Beach Trips. They cost $5.00 a head and it would be posted every where in the neighborhood and announced at every local event. It gave me time to save for a new swimsuit and spending money. I would get on my hustle fast. On the morning of the trips the two big buses would be posted outside by the convenience store as early as 5am. We would be mad to wake up for school but we made sure we woke up for this. My aunt Mila would always go, so granny would let us go just because she was going. Those were the days that Mila was trustworthy. We would travel about 3 to four hours to the beaches. They were located inside of the country. Deep inside. These beaches were well kept, they was white sand beaches with emerald green or turquoise water depending on which side of the ocean we were located. See; Panama is surrounded by two oceans, the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean we were lucky enough to have this luxury, at that time we took it for granted, we were happy to be at a beach all day.
On the bus the people would bring coolers filled with ice and beer, food,water, liquor etc. Every family would cook and have their own cooler with hot food and one for cold drinks. We would sit the coolers on the floor under our feet. The bus driver would've taken out every other seat to accommodate our belongings, this is why we needed two buses. On one occasion my boyfriend at the time, Alonso and his parents went on one of the trips, I think the church hosted it. Everybody went we had plenty of food and had tons of fun. After the trips we would stop at a nearby river to wash of the salty water. The beaches were open to the public but they weren't equipped with showers and stuff like that. I don't even recall a bathroom. These were undiscovered beaches,now days they are resorts build by this beaches and they even charge to go in through the gates. There were no gates before that. But they have sold properties by the beaches to people who now are building houses near by and this people are complaining about others coming in and disturbing their communities. Everything changes, men and money are the root of all evil.
After we all got dressed and shampooed our hairs, we would then go to the local dances for a while, or go look around the small towns or go eat. By this time the food we brought was gone and every body was tired and hungry. About 10pm we would board the buses do a head count say our prayers and drive the long miles back home. The bus driver would always have a tape of repertoires of oldies. Mostly ballads that we all knew, so we would sing along or go to sleep. Most men were drunk. On the ride there we would listen to reggae, salsa old and new, merengue, Haitian music, and some tipicos, which is the country music of the Panamanian people. Those summers were epic, I was older now and even though nothing had change at home, this adventures were a nice escape from my reality. I hustle like crazy to make these trips. My aunt Yira and aunt Juana and her kids and husband would go too.
They have these trips in every community. It was the thing to do. I remember being at Cuca's one summer and on this particular summer I was able to stay with her. I guess grandma made peace with it, I was older and wanted Cuca, they couldn't keep me from her any longer.
My aunt Juana and my Cuca married two brothers. Mario Hinds married Juana and Omar Hinds married Cuca I was a little girl when they got married. Later on my aunt Yira married the younger brother Carlos Hinds. There was something about these brothers. They lived in San Joaquin were I grew up as a child. I was the train holder and flower girl at my Cuca's wedding, I remember the green dress and the hat and the little gold sandals. This memory makes me smile.
This partícular summer my uncles Mario and Omar bought them cars. See. In Panama because of the traffic we prefer buses. They use to circulate all day long so with fifteen cents you could  go anywhere sometimes ten cents if you had a school uniform on.
Having a car was a plus but finding a parking space in the city was like looking for a needle in a hay stack. Impossible. If you was to find one then you'll have to worry about someone stealing it or leaving it on blocks or vandalized. Crime is high in the city.
Since the brothers had cars they planned trips to the beach. Juana and Cuca made up I guess. Juana was wishy-washy, sometimes she like you and sometimes she didn't. It depend what day it was and how can you serve her. She had been one of the main ones mad at Cuca after that fight. Mom and Cuca got in a fight and Cuca's siblings jumped in the fight we were sitting at the table scared and crying. It was a fight over the house. I'm sure Cuca told my mom that she cleaned, cooked and kept her kids while mom worked and party. Her sister Elvira and brother Chicho would spent weekends with us too. So they were there when the mess got started. My mom wasn't a feisty person, nor did she fight or ever had to fight. Cuca was bossy and loved to scream lol. My aunts got a whiff of what went down and they wanted to kill Cuca and her siblings. All first cousins. This is the reason why they wouldn't let me back with Cuca. She raised me, she wouldn't hurt me I know that. But we were Zoraida kids and was slap in the middle of grown up mess. You can say it was understandable but I much rather had stayed with Cuca than with those folk I grew up with.
We loaded those two vehicles and filled the trunks with food, cooked and raw, and liquor and drinks, and headed to the beach. We met the buses there with the neighborhood folks. We spent all day there, the good part about it was that we the kids didn't have to worry about money or food. We did this often. Mario worked in the air forces his station was in the airport. Aunt Juana and him plus her new born daughter Dorya moved by the airport in this little town called Tocumen, Tocumen International Airport is located there. They rented a small room within walking distance. Dorya was a baby then. This was one of the places we would be shipped to also, we were the helpers. Juana loves to party so while we were there and her husband worked, she would find a friend or neighbor who knew of a party and take off. Then come home before Mario got off and acted like she never left. But since it was a small community, someone's friend of someone told him about aunt Juana's escapades and the fights would start. Lord Have Mercy. These two have fought all their married life. He too bought a lion he couldn't afford to feed. Mario was a great husband, an excellent provider, his family lacked nothing.
The airport had a pool on the other side where the mechanics where. They have a dormitory for the soldiers who were on call. So on the weekends that he worked or was on call we would go to that pool. That was a plus. The other plus was that aunt Juana was and is an excellent cook and so is Mario. So we ate good while over there. We ate good at granddaddy's house too. Aunt Juana lived in many rent rooms up until they built a neighborhood close to San Joaquin called Monteria. We spent summers over there too. Juana would act as if she was doing us a favor and told Naty to let us go with her since we were so called lose and wouldn't mind grandma so she would take us to her house to "straighten us out" to be babysitters and maids more likely. It had its advantages, aunt Juana was nice/mean. But we got to go to the beaches and rivers and pools with them so it was ok. Summers are the best part of PANAMA.