Vamos a la playa

 

It is amazing how lucky the 20 of us are, it’s January, which means winter for us Bryant students, but not here in Panama! With temperatures in the high 80s it’s hard not to say “Vamos a la playa” (Let’s go to the beach). Like any other day, we woke up early and readied ourselves to board the bus, but this time we traded in the business casual attire for swimsuits, towels, and lots of sunblock. It was a low key day all throughout the country of Panama (national holiday), which gave us the perfect opportunity have a little fun in the sun.
 

Today, January 9, 2014 Panama celebrated Dia De Los Martires (Martyr’s Day). This national holiday commemorates the 1964 students from Balboa High School who raised the Panamanian flag in protest in what was then known as the Panama Canal Zone, where the American flag would normally fly. This was done in protest to demonstrate how Panamanians wanted the sovereignty, as well as their contributions to the canal. During this conflict the Panama’s flag was torn during riot with Canal Zone Police. Sadly this event became violent and U.S. Army units were called in for backup. Unfortunately some Panamanians were killed, but they died martyrs because their strong convictions which ultimately led the U.S. to transfer control over the canal entirely to Panama. This event was a stepping stone to this country’s success in running the Panama Canal.

With such a day in history like this one many of the stores and business were closed for the day, because it is known as a national day of mourning.  We took this chance to make a 2 hour journey for a dip in the Pacific Ocean.

 

The drive was worth every minute once we stepped out onto the beautiful beach called Veranera. The sun was beaming down and sunblock was a must, especially for those of us who are as white as the snow back home. We got some nice color and made a splash into water warm Pacific water.

We even got to ride banana boats and went tubing!

What better way to cool down than tubing!

All and all it was a perfect beach day, plus who can say they went to the beach in January!














Sun struck and sandy it’s an early night for us SIEers because it’s off to a boat ride on the Panama Canal very early in morning!