We Traveled about an hour, when we came across a beautiful lake, I could see this huge lake on the right hand side of the road, Tony kept saying Mira Mirra, I looked alright and then got pulled over by the Panama Police. He was standing in the middle of the road. Just flagged me over, Tony was saying Oh Marianna, anyway, I talked and he talked a lot the guy warned me and then warned me again, I smiled alot. I was wearing a black tank top and tan shorts with a white panama hat that had a black ban, big white earings. The man couldn't stop starring at me... it was actually a bit scary I thought for sure I was going to get a speeding ticket in the tortuga. This is a name I called my car the turtle, cause it never has the power when I need it! At times I did call itMY LITTLE PONY, Or Tony's pony he would crack up! Anyway I didn't get the ticket Tony Manage to talk him through it.
Thank God for Tony, it was a smart move to have him be our chaufer and guide.
We Drove for hours watching the beautiful country side, much different than Costa Rica. Soon we came to Santiago, we stopped at Abuela's cocina. Grandpas kitchen. We had bbq, and some typical Panama Food.
Soon Back on the road to David... David was our destination, we wanted to shop a bit more and have some good coffee and some sweets. David was a littte hard for Tony to find the main central district. Finally after driving around for a twenty minutes we found it and got out to pouring down rain, Walking through the little people filled town with loads of discount stores, we all were shopping for things of our own intrest, I helped Tony pick out an outfit for his 16 year old daughter while he shopped for 10 dollar shoes, Arya and Eric were on there own misson.
We separated to come together an hour later in a spot we all agreed on. Then we met up and had coffee and sweet rolls in this little Chinese place.
It was fun, cloudy rainy and warm, We all talked and laughed and had a nice afternoon respite.
Soon back on the road and it began to get dark, now about 7 hours on the road... We were coming to the frontera of Costa Rica, I remembed this lady who had the stickers on her hand and rapidly forced them on peoples pass ports then demanded a dollar. All the gringos paid, I didn't think I should in the begining do you remember?
Well Arya was egging me on the whole trip about her, how I should have taken one of the stamps and put it on her cooolooo and ask for a dollar! When we got the frontera this was on my mind, the moment I saw her I though of that rip off!!! Eric and Arya, Tony and I all parked the car and got out to get in the line of the first passport check.
THERE SHE WAS! Ohhhh I was so mad at her, she immediately rushed us forced her fake stamps on us, and as soon as she did. I quickly in a flash before anyone saw... snatched one of the stamps and stuck in on her forehead with my thumb! SHe stepped back for a moment and had no clue what happened, then she said OHHHHHHHh you disrespect me!! ohhhhhhh you!!! Tony laughed I laughed Arya was shocked and laughed and Eric never saw what happened... We moved forward in the line, she ran to tell the Panama police what I did. All of sudden, the police came... talked to Tony, Tony became a lawyer in a minute flat! an Abogato.... Wow! he went to bat for me and never stopped talking about her and how she ripped people off and that it was not nesscesary... They took me to the police office, then made me stand and face three of them. I was smiling thinking I bet no one ever even questioned her let alone stamped her forehead!!
After much argueing with Tony, the police and her... ( never said a word I looked as sweet as I could with my panama hat and big eyes... ) Tony manage to get them to back off, Now you know they will talk about this incident for years! They gave my my passport back, smiled and warned me to behave the next time I come through... I for some reason was not scared, I knew that putting a stamp on someones forhead was not going to put me in jail, but it did make them question her and ask for her permitts to sell this stuff... Who knows maybe next time she will be gone.
The Amount of Americans and foreigners that she goes through in a day is probaly amazing, with a dollar each! They did say to her why don't you have an office if you are with the government? Tony had pointed that out??? But anyway he managed to stick up for me and get us out of there.. After he put his arms around me, I said I was sorry I was being stupid, he said no that was funny y0ur funny and it was good... made them all think!! I LAUGHEd and so DID ARYA this story has been told now many times by all of us.. I made a little laughter history on the boarder of Panama and Costa Rica.
We manage to finally get through customs hours later.Only after a complete search of the car.
We only had items we bought there like coffee for a dollar a pound, rum wine and a clothes.
Now it is about 9:30 the boarder closes, we barely made it. It began to rain, we didn't know there was a bad storm... we dr0ve and drove and came back to the dirt road that you take for about four hours. We crossed in front of racoons, and rats, and rabbits, cats, three cows sitting in the middle of the road, and one lone cow walking on the side as if he was going to the store to get something? Then we had to forge a river that had no bridge, the water was high it came above the lights on the car... but Tony the awesome driver he is pushed us through fast, but after that the back door had a short.
We continued now being 1:00 am, we stopped in this lonely jungle where only one gas station was and fueled up, drank some drinks and got out for a moment. You could hear all sorts of noises that were unfamiliar to me.Some sounded like a tether ball hitting the pole in the school yard, a pinging sound of metal, but it was a frog or something I don't know may unusual noises in the night.
On ward to the narrow bridges now, there is like five or six, one lane bridges to cross before y0u come to Quepos. Where the road changes and becomes decent. Well we came to a big one, we had to sit on the side since there was a huge transport truck with a n over size trailer crossing this tiny thin bridge made of wood.
We saw someone directing him in the dark on the bridge, I was staring very hard to see what was going on, Curious as to what we were facing now????
They told us the bridge was damaged by the storm and to have someone walk ahead and make sure you can drive over the areas that were broke.
OH BOY FUN.... NOT... Eric got out, and did the walk, while Tony Drove. Iwas scared, you could hear it creak, then he stopped I paniced, I thought??? driving fast over something keeps the wieght evenly distributed right? all physics! but no he stops right on the bad part?? I put my head down and just sighed. Thinking were going in the drink and I bet threre are crocks in there!!!! OH GOD... ARya was sitting in the back quite I yelled MOVE ERIC MOVE... TONY RUN OVER HIM LOL of course I was kidding but Tony got upset at me... he doesnt understand English that well.
I had my head down and soon I felt Tony's hand caressing me and calming me down.
We continued to Quepos and drove in the pouring down rain. We manage to get home safe aroud 3:30 am.
What a great Adventure Panama can't wait to do it again.
Now this past week has been uneventfull compared to this fun trip we all had. Tony went home to his family in Aluejuela, I continued to work on the business, and Arya and Eric had Tony take there car to get it repaired.
One day Tony called and told me to bring my car in for the electrical shorts, so I drove to San Jsoe and met up with him having lunch and taking it to his special mechanic. They fixed everything rewired the whole dash??? why I don't know but it only cost me 30 bucks.
We also took my camera in and tried to get me a cell phone.
I tell ya Tony is the man to know when you want something done In Costa Rica...
Great friends are hard to come by, and special people are even more so. Although many of us are special, in life we come across a few that are out of the ordinary. I think my three friends, Eric, Arya, and Tony are extemely special! I am blessed to have them in my life.
THanks you guys for sharing the adventure with me!!!
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