Karaoke and Spring Rolls

Sometimes when traveling, you want to feel like you’re at home. You may not be home sick and ready to go home, but you just want to feel it for a moment in time. As previously mentioned, fast food restaurants can be that place where I can relax and just restart my engine. The staff is so friendly, warm, and welcoming-a part of it does feel like home.

With this Mega plaza across the street from my hotel, I was bound to venture over there and check it out. Of course, they have the typical American chains, but they also have some nice restaurants. A Mexican restaurant and outdoor seafood restaurant on the patio, which circles around. It’s a pretty nice mall I must say.

One night, I was starving for something to eat that wasn’t fried or on the street (near the church food). I heard some music so I thought I would check it out. I sat at the bar with the friendly Colombian with the cool hair. Colombians or maybe just futbol players always have unique hair-spikey in all different directions. On stage, in front of me was a beautiful girl singing “Cuando Me Enamoro.” It was Spanish Karaoke and I loved it. These people were so lively and most of them knew how to sing, especially Mr. Julio Iglesias. It was a pretty good looking, upscale crowd. It was all open windows with a nice breeze coming in.  I ordered the Tuna tartar-absolute heaven. While everyone sang, I just watched until my favorite song came on and I danced. “Bailando” by Enrique Iglesias.


If I don’t dance to this song then I don’t deserve to be in Latin America. Everyone dances to this amazing beat. Everyone. It was nice, this whole getting older and not caring about dancing by yourself-enjoying without worrying about others.  This doesn’t really apply in Latin America because people of all ages, incomes, professions, colors, cultures- they dance. It’s truly beautiful just letting go of those inhibitions. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUsoVlDFqZg

The next night was not as exciting and I probably should have went back the same place, but I went to PF Changs. While most would not choose this, Panama is sort of Americanized so I did not feel so bad.   I couldn’t feel bad when it tasted sooo good. …. And I maybe ate something else that involves sugar, bananas, and spring rolls.

Serenade

Stopping by this touristy cafe felt a bit like cheating on El Gran Cafe-my lovely, lovely writing cafe where I indulged in sugar, coffee, and lots of peace.

I also tried another upscale tourist cafe with live music, which was nice, but nothing compared to my El Gran cafe. 

When I was walking back one day I found this cafe one block down from the hostel.  It was super nice with bright colors and fantastic art. It had a variety of fresh juices and local/tourist food selection. I walked in and saw probably every tourist from my hostel inside. 

 

Of course, the most convenient hang out would be a café one block down-truly exploring...  It’s not like I wouldn’t be friendly to these tourists, but I didn’t really know any of them except for the Argentinian I had some curiosity about and a couple other girls I engaged in small talk with.

 Deciding between a juice and coffee, I settle for a Decaf coffee and some amazing chocolate.

All ready to dive into this dark chocolate, I get a tap on the shoulder. It’s my buddy that I met near the main White Cathedral. He was coming out of the church at the same time as me and we sat on the bench talking about our conversations with up above. Sometimes I realize how cliché it sounds, but after the initial where are you from and what’s your job- that just fits our environment. 

He lives on a mountain village and he comes down by motor cycle to play guitar at restaurants/bars. He says that he going to sing a few songs and then come sit with me.(He’s also with his older brother who is awesome).
 

When they come over, they surprise me by singing a local hit. Then I make my requests “Bailando” by Enrique Iglesias and “Brown Eyed girl” “Hotel California.” We are just singing together and I am dancing in my chair. They were trying to teach me to play guitar, but I think I just look better faking it. We were just playing all these songs and having his spirit let the beat go on.  The tourists come by to check out the commotion and they look envious of our fun time.  We just keep singing until we close the place down. They were suppose to be working so I gave them each a few dollars. They acted as if I gave them one hundred. It was such a nice moment in time, a seranade-not really, but lovely times.   

                 

 

Haponese Haponese!!

When I get older....
Hmmm I sit and analyze my life as I am sitting in the rocking chair in front of the Old Cathedral.  How can you not ponder your life while sitting in a rocking chair? It's mandatory to sit and think on a rocking chair- okay semi-mandatory. 
Francisco is sitting and building a rocking chair and I am just talking with my thoughts out loud. Singing and singing away the only Spanish song I memorized. They are getting their daily dose of entertainment for the day, which is nice for them.  It could also be annoying to hear my singing, but that's the way the tourist goes. 

Clearly, I am also trying to entertain myself. I'm feeling like I need some attention or action of some sort.  As I am sitting there I see two large tourist buses pull up in front of the Gran Cathedral. I am thinking, 

"Oh great my lovely view of the church and park has been tainted." 

I was enjoying my time with the chair builders and all Ado about morning. Sunday was quiet and not a tourist day? 

Directly in front of me, I see the man on the loud speakers in the front of the bus. He is dressed nice and wearing a nice navy shirt and pants with white tennis shoes. He comes off the bus first to inspect the area. I am thinking that these people must be important. Of course there are the black shaded windows giving me no visibility.  

Another gentlemen hands him a large bottle of hand sanitizer.  Who would be smart enough to give hand sanitizer to each person who walks off the bus??

The Japonese!!! 

Oh one of the most amazing cultures is Japanese. I am sitting in the chair shouting, "Yaay Haponese." " I love Haponese."  The H is for the Spanish so I was emphasizing the "H.

Francisco Making Rocking Chairs 

They hurry off the bus with their cameras and wearing their large sun hats and big smiles. How could someone not love them. They are seriously the cutest and most curious tourists ever. They always ask questions, want a good bargain, and enjoy exploring all over. Their culture is completely fascinating and everyone says positive things about it. 
It was my time to make a move and interact one on one with the Haponese. I wanted to help them get those bargains they desired.  
First, I helped out the big lady sell her hammock.

This was a special hammock that she was selling for $20. For this hammock that was a huge bargain. These go for $50 in the big tourist cities. The Haponese girl wanted $14. The lady wanted $15. They kept going back and forth over $1. I finally convinced her that this was with the extra $1. She say, " Okay okay I buy." 

I asked her where this lovely group of people were coming from and she said the,"peace boat." This a boat that goes for peace missions over a 3 month journey in 20 countries. That is incredible and my first thought was "Where can I sign up?" They explained that it is only a Japanese thing. Also, besides a few young people, it was mostly older people.

Next, I helped a cute couple pick out a ring. My sales skills were in "Full power." It was one sale to the next and since some people did not speak Spanish, I helped them out a bit. It was so fun spending time with these lovely people. 
They hopped back on the bus with hand sanitizer being pumped into their hands. I went back to my rocking chair and waived at them while driving away. This is such a great culture and I was so happy to see some Asians. 

                         Peace out Haponese!

             

Love you Haponese! Hope to visit you one day in Japan!

Singing in the Rain

The weather was gloomy and it was not the day for kayaking. When they sky looks like it is about to fall down onto the ground. It just might not be a great day for kayaking, but I was with some cheerful, upbeat, carefree people.


"If we get wet, we get wet."
I thought to myself, "Okay, then lets go get wet."
That is whole lot of wet!

This couple was from Minnesota or North Dakota or one of those outdoors kind of states.  They were casually dressed with shorts and t shirts and I was wearing my rain shoes, rain jacket, and rain shorts.  Due to not catching ammonia, I realized this was a good choice because we were in for a fun surprise. 


Our guide was Mojita so I just called him, "Mojito." I made sure to say his name extra times so everyone would laugh. It was the beginning of a beautiful, entertaining Priscilla adventure. 

 

Off we went in the 4x4 down by the river. Mojito threw the raft into the water and slipped right on his butt. We were all laughing so hard that one of us was bound to fall down and that would be the Sarah, the wife from the unknown state fell down on her face. She had mud all over t shirt and face.  She was such a good sport and laughed off the whole thing. She just wiped it off and dipped her face into the river.  Luckily, my Kean's gripped the mud just enough to keep me above land.  I made a smart decision to leave my phone behind because we also planned on swimming(separate from the mud bath of course).

Of course, I sat right next to Mojito because I told him I wanted to be the one doing all the work.  Always interested in a workout at all times.  It worked out great because the couple did not care if they paddled or just sat there.  They were pretty fascinated with nature.  All of us kept looking up at the sky at the same time because we knew it would rain.  And it just so happens that Belize was waiting for some good rain as it was just raining on and off for days. 

5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and there came the rain.  It came pouring down so hard that I felt bad for the others who did not have a rain jacket.  Instead, they just got soaked, especially Mojito.  We were paddling to cover underneath the tree and we were still getting wet.  We all looked at each other and paddled back out into the rain.  It was so beautiful. It felt like "The Notebook" where they were paddling in the rain except it clearly was not a romantic encounter with my buddy Mojito, but it was for the married couple. 

We just kept paddling and after 15 minutes or so, it finally stopped. Mojito and I began to switch off singing and I was singing so loud I think I scared away the birds, iguanas, monkeys-any living organism in the jungle.  Mojito was describing all these different types of trees, plants, animals as we were going along.

In Belize, there are different colored iguanas-green, black, yellow, and orange. The only one I had not seen was the orange one and I was on the lookout for one.  It appeared that I had left eyes at home because I was not seeing anything that was pointed out.

The couple were basically Wildlife experts from National geographic as they were pointing out more plants and birds than Mojito.  It was some advanced hiking trip for me, but I still did not see the leopard, which is what I wanted to see. 

Amongst the Sibun river are some of the most amazing plants, fauna, birds, but also the water is fantastic.  It is warm, clear, and clean leaving us to jump  right in and swim away.  It was paddling and swimming paddling and swimming:) It rained again and we were splashing each other with our paddles like teenagers. 

When leaving we stopped by an archaeologists house to see all his ancient finds-very interesting.  

My dear Mojito, so kind and sweet, is an example of a tour guide who becomes a friend and a resource to learn about Belize. 

Let the rain cleanse you, heal you, and receive you. PRIS