Changes in Latitude

For a calendar with small things you can do every day to celebrate a more peaceful world, visit www.PeaceProject.com

On the dawn of 2010, we find a vastly different world then we left last New Year’s Eve.

The world is still upside down, as Roger Cohen observed last year, “the developed world now depends on the developing world, rather than the other way around”.

This blog noted last December how Brazil & Mexico are emerging as leaders on global issues such as climate change and economic growth.  One year ago, President Bush was busy subverting California’s restrictions on auto pollution by blocking the law from taking effect.  We were in a “Great Recession”.

This New Year’s Eve, the world is more united toward caring for Mother Earth.  President Obama ordered the EPA to allow states such as California to limit their pollution beyond federal regulations.   He negotiated an important compromise in Copenhagen between China and other major world economies to take action against dangerous emissions.

Economically, this year ends with several Latin American nations posting GDP gains while N. American and European economies contracted.  However, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended its downward spiral early in the year and has been climbing ever since.  The recession is officially over.  We end 2009 with a glimmer of hope and pride for 2010.

Congress is poised to pass the first meaningful health care reform in decades, banning insurance discrimination on the basis of medical history, helping tens of millions of families establish and maintain coverage.  In this regard, the USA is joining civilized nations late, and with a half-step, but it’s a move in a compassionate direction.  Meanwhile, quality health care in much of the developing world remains so affordable that health insurance is simply unnecessary.  Last New Year’s Eve my daughter had stitches in a Washington ER for over $1000; her father recently had the same procedure for a surprisingly similar wound in Panama for $34.  (She has a scar, her father does not.)

One of this year’s two big stories was Sonia Sotomayor, confirmed as first Hispanic justice on Supreme Court; and, Barack Obama, elected the first African American President of the USA.

President Obama recently began relaxing restrictions on travel to Cuba; his administration expedited visa requests for muscians performing in a concert promoting freedom there.  Cuban musician Carlos Varela sang for Congress, saying in DC, “Music is not going to move governments, but it might move people. And people can move governments.”

What do we hope for 2010?  Treehugger.com hopes Ford introduces an F75 Pickup, with half the horsepower of an F150, “because you really don’t need all that power in the suburbs”.  For my part, I hope we all take more time for one another in the New Year, online and off.  Please share your wishes for  2010 by commenting below, and may the New Year bring peace and sustainable prosperity for you all.

Living next door to Colombia, it is a bit surprising to hear of Zumba via Bisbee, Arizona. Then again, that is the magic of Bisbee.  The magic of this blog, hopefully, is fusion where South America meets North America.   So, a bit more about Zumba…

Zumba is Colombian slang for “move fast and have fun”.  It is also an innovative exercise program created by Beto Perez (forefront in photo) whom dance diva Shakira chose as one of her choreographers.  Research suggests Zumba has taken the world by storm via Miami, where two entrepreneurs helped Sr. Perez promote his dynamic dance program.

Zumba involves Latin American cumbia, salsa, merengue, flamenco and samba -inspired dance.  ”Throw in a bit of African dance influence and some shimmy and you’ve got it.  GREAT fun and what a workout!” – June Cabat

See for yourself on YouTube, where Zumba receives millions of hits.  An excellent solo performance comes from Cathya whose first Zumba post is a year old.  Click here for a recent demo from this Latina who grew up with the dance moves Beto Perez has been working with professionally for more than a decade.

Colombians specialize in fun.  At least one Colombian is bringing his nation’s native disco culture into the bright light of the  day … all across the world.  Sounds like fusion.  Bravo Beto!  Want to visit Colombia?  Click here for photos and a few ideas. Enjoy!

BIRDING IN PANAMA

Panama is a birder’s heaven.  This tiny isthmus is a nestled between two oceans, serving as a land bridge for birds migrating between two continents.  Panama has more species of birds than any other Central American nation including Costa Rica, which has built a reputation as an eco-tourism center.  With a land mass approximately equal to that of S. Carolina (and a much smaller human population), Panama is home to roughly 1000 species of birds including 150 migratory species, 50 species of raptors, 18 species of parrots, and 12 species found nowhere else in the world.

Where else will birders find, in a very small area, a dozen species of tanagers and trogons, the giant blue-and-gold macaw, keel-billed toucans (pictured here), and unique species such as ant birds, umbrella birds, harpy eagles, and quetzals?  With such a dizzying array of opportunities, where should birders new to Panama begin?

Birding near Panama City

Surprisingly, one of the best birding spots on the isthmus is a day trip from the cosmopolitan capital, Panama City.  The Canopy Tower at Parque Nacional Soberania is a logical starting point.  Where have ornithologists found more birds from their ‘life-lists’ in a single day than anywhere else on the planet?  Soberania’s pipeline trail holds the title.  Many of the bird species residing in the park’s 55,000 acres can be seen on this 10-mile hike.  There are too many species to list here!  There are also medium and short birding hikes featuring ant birds and waterfalls.

Leaving Panama City, there is a Canopy Lodge at El Valle de Anton that specializes in birding that provides an excellent stop over location in route the Azuero Peninsula.

Birding from the Azuero Peninsula

The remote Azuero is Panama’s heartland and home to another of the country’s top birding spots.  Playa El Agallito near the town of Chitre exposes mud flats at low tide.  Here you will find birds migrating between Alaska and Argentina.  Birders can contact Biologist Francisco Delgado at (507) 996-1725 for a guided tour to see spoonbills, terns, egrets, pharalopes, stilts, and thousand-member flocks of many shorebird species.

More than 160 migratory species can be found in Paque Nacional Sarigua, a 20,000 acre park with mangroves, lagoons, and ranger station with an excellent perch.  Visitors to the Azuero will also stop at Bahia de Parita and many refuges, islands, and reserves with freshwater wetlands and marshes that are home to fulvous whistling ducks, limpkins, glossy ibis, black-crowned night herons, blue-footed boobies, frigate birds, and white ibises.  Visit www.anam.gob.pa for links to the Azuero’s many excellent birding sites. 

If you visit the Azuero during Carnaval, visit Las Tablas where you’ll find another elegant ‘bird’.  Graceful beauty queens parade in costumed bikinis and extravagant polleras.  Don’t try to arrive the week of Ash Wednesday without confirming lodging reservations well in advance.

This author’s favorite beach hideaway on the Azuero is Playa Venado.  Here there is excellent lodging on a pristine shore, a Smithsonian outpost, and day trips to islands that are home to herons, terns, noddies, and boobies.

Birding in Panama’s Northern Highlands

Boquete is the Valley of Eternal Spring.  Here you’ll find harpy eagles, violet-eared hummingbirds, three-wattled bellbirds, yellow-thighed finches, black-chested warblers, and many birders favorite trogan – quetzals – abound in the shadow of Volcan Baru, Panama’s highest elevation.   Boquete was settled by European immigrants and maintains the largest population of indigenous Ngobe peoples and expatriates living side-by-side.  Flower fincas and coffee plantations line this picturesque valley.

From Cerra Punta you’ll find the easiest access to the magnificent Parque Internacional La Amistad, 1,500 square miles that his home to 225 bird species, including the largest concentration of quetzals in C. America. 

In both of these locations, you can stay in birder-friendly lodging with nature trails onsite and balcony views of quetzals.  There are also many bird-rich, cloud forest hikes in the area, including the hike to summit the volcano and a hike to an eco-lodge with outstanding wildlife viewing.

Birding on Isla Coiba

Scarlet macaws make their home in this marine park comprised of 39-islands surrounding Panama’s largest island.  Mostly virgin rainforest, you’ll find 147 species of birds on Isla Coiba, including 21 that are native to the island.  The Coiba spinetail, crested eagles, white-faced monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, and whales are the scarlet macaw’s neighbors.  It is best to visit by private charter flights or charter boats which can be arranged from Chiriqui.  Boaters often choose to fish their way back to the mainland.

Birding in Bocas del Toro

There are many parks in this province but the best birding is in the transition zone between Parque Internacional La Amistad and the tourist-friend islands on the coast.  The options are Bosque Protector Palo Seco and Reserva Forestal Fortuna.  There are several ecological projects in this transition zone where reforestation is being implemented to mediate the effects of slash-and-burn agriculture, cattle-ranching, and illegal logging.  Contact a destination expert to arrange guided excursions into the best birding areas which are near Altos de Valle’s or check in at the area’s ANAM ranger station on the Fortuna highway.

Birding in the Darien

One of the most remote places on the planet, Parque Nacional Darien is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve, and Panama’s birding mecca.  The Darien is home to 450 bird species including 6 species of macaws, parrots, ibises, and harpy eagles.  There are also poisonous dart frogs, crocodiles, big cats, and snakes.  Guides are required and access is limited, which is fortunate for endangered species.  Journeys require registration with the police prior to departure, due to the presence of smugglers in this border area between S. America and the Panama Canal. 

Sailing or kayaking the San Blas Islands provides birding along with glimpses into the indigenous Kuna Yale culture.  Perhaps the best option for birding in the Darien is the Kuna-run Burbayar Eco-lodge where the elevation is favorable and there are six trails on the lodge’s private reserve.  River journeys to the Darien should be booked with a destination expert. 

Timing Your Birding Visit

Despite Panama’s modest size, it is impossible to enjoy all the places listed here in less than three weeks time without feeling rushed.  Birders with one or two weeks can prioritize their destinations according to their other interests because each of these destinations offers world-class birding opportunities.  The rugged Darien is in stark contrast to the many first-world comforts to be discovered in Panama.  The best time to visit is between Christmas and Easter.

Those interested in the Americas will relish Charles’s Mann’s analysis of modern anthropology and archaeology, “1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus”. This fascinating book collates evidence from contemporary peer-reviewed scientific journals, exposing myriad mistakes found in textbooks circulated in the last 200 years.

The value of this analysis is its proof positive that Europeans did not bring civilization to the Americas. Colonial settlers did not bring large-scale agriculture or forest management to a ‘primitive people’. Paris wasn’t a glimmer in anyone’s eye as great cities celebrated centennial anniversaries in the Americas … advanced agricultural societies with pyramids, plumbing, a vibrant written history, calendars and astronomical charts more advanced than any from Europe in the 16th Century. Columbus was a follower, tardy by thousands of years.

As a result of centuries of ethnocentric historical inaccuracies, few citizens of the Americas comprehend the amazing history of their own hemisphere. Those interested in this important story, in discerning facts from myths, will appreciate Mann’s impartial presentation. What happened to the advanced civilizations of Mesoamerica that enabled their accomplishments to be lost to contrived versions of the history of their region?

Begin to discover the answers with ‘1491’ and stay tuned for future revelations from archeologists and anthropologists working Latin America. ‘1491’s ecological revelations are salient to today’s debates about sustainability and climate change. This book reads like an epic adventure. Mann’s revelations are fostering debates worldwide, especially on college campuses in Latin American countries – the main source of new evidence regarding myths about what Columbus ‘discovered’.

Charles Mann in Oaxaca

Thanks to Uncle Bob for the gift of this book…

 

This photo is our new driveway, having recently abandoned the classic American pursuit for riches to farm and build a more peaceful life in C. America.   This post focuses on one expatriate couple’s grass-roots endeavor to bring a healing arts sanctuary and eco-retreat to the rainforest,  refocusing their lives on what matters most, “being here, now” rather than living for the future.

We found the perfect site.  More accurately, la tierra nos encontró.  It is secluded, bordered by three small waterfalls and a creek.   We’re minutes from the gate to the National Park that is home to C. America’s highest peak, Volcan Baru, where one can enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean by simply turning around. 

Michelle is planning yoga, massage, Reiki and medicine wheel offerings.  Our guests will summit a volcano, pick coffee and cacao to take home, zip line in the rainforest canopy, enjoy whitewater rafting and explore beaches on two coasts that are separated by only 50 miles.  At 7000 feet, we’re in the thin mountain air where cool nights push insects and snakes toward the coasts.  Our backyard is the mountainous UNESCO World Heritage Site, International Park ‘Amistad’, which straddles the border with Costa Rica.  ‘Amistad’ is Spanish for friendship.

We will add an eco-lodge to this land.  The name is ‘El Santuario del Volcan Baru’ which translates to ‘The Sanctuary of the Volcano Baru.  One goal is to preserve native vegetation while providing trails for visitors to access its wonders.  Coffee will continue to be cultivated in the shade of native vegetation, along with the organic fruits and vegetables.  There is much to learn about coffee culture.  Boquete native Nico Guerra has been working this coffee plantation since he fell in love with it in 1953. One-third is planted with coffee, bananas, citrus, chayote, and beans.  The remaining two-thirds is native habitat. 

The delightful village of Boquete is ten minutes away, in “the valley of eternal spring”.   The temperature hits 80 degrees (F) daily, but evenings and mornings often require a sweater.  In Boquete,   18,000 residents include many expats from the European Union, N. America & South America.  In the streets one hears French, German, Italian, English, and Spanish within a few blocks walk.  There is a bar furnished entirely with art and furniture from Africa.   Taxis are less than a dollar.   Genuinely helpful locals abound …and their assistance is not contrived in pursuit of a tip.

Large multi-national corporations do not rule in Chiriqui.  There is no Starbucks in Boquete; its coffee could not begin to compete; its canned faux Italian ambiance unnecessary.  Wal-Mart?  “Everyday low prices” are already here, without Chinese workers residing in company-owned factories in squalor reminiscent of the confederacy.  Kraft “cheese”?  Chiriquianos are accustomed to local dairy products from grass-fed cattle which they pass on the way to the rodeo.  People live close to the land.  Less is more.  What seems to matter most to Chiriqui natives is family, fun, and friends.  Work is the means to an end.

People here grasp that nobody’s dying wish is “more time at the office”.  The culture here is very supportive for healing from the toxic consumer culture prevalent in the USA.   Why not immigrate south and make room for another to immigrate north?  Lessons from the dichotomy are relevant and poignant in this age of plastic surgery and antidepressant prescriptions.  Paradise may not be in New Jersey, Orlando, or Salt Lake City …or anywhere thereabouts.  What price, paradise?  We don’t have the answer yet, but we have a solid direction which feels good.

At El Santuario, structures will be simple and primitive, yet comfortable, built with local materials from Chiriqui, with the smallest footprint possible for a healing arts sanctuary with seven artisanal bungalows and a modest home with a commercial kitchen and dining space for two dozen.  Here we will discuss change from the heart as the focus of our work and our guest’s experience.  Coffee will continue to be cultivated with longstanding local traditions that allow Boquete beans to win international cupping contests annually.  Guests will have the option to pitch in for culinary rewards.  There is much to learn about this finca (farm) and its present foreman, Nivardo Montezuma.  These are valuable lessons.

Sr. Montezuma, like many of our new neighbors, is one of Panama’s indigenous Ngobe-Bugle, the largest group of pre-colonial peoples in the country.  We must learn this culture if we are to be good neighbors.  We hope to work with our new neighbors on a partnership basis, sharing with them in the yield of any crops we tend together.  The Ngobe-Bugle are not divorced from their traditional culture and food supply, like most indigenous and post-colonial peoples in the USA.  We look forward to creating a cooperative partnership with everyone working the land with us.  We will improve our Spanish and study the Ngobe-Bugle language in order to learn from Srs. Guerra & Montezuma.

Another challenge will be striking a balance between the ecological preservation of the rainforest, the crops, and development of the healing arts eco-retreat that is ‘El Santuario’.  This will be accomplished using alternative energy and waste management technologies.  Our goal is generate our own power, compost, recycle, and operate “off-the-grid” as a self-sufficient operation.  We will replant native vegetation as the sole form of landscaping on the two-thirds of land not under cultivation.  We will stop to smell the flowers. 

Preservation of wildlife is a critical goal, but we are newcomers here and Ngobe-Bugle have been known to over hunt.  Without ant eaters, for example, there are far too many ants.  For controlling the insect population, pesticides are a poor option to natural predators.  To be organic and maintain the balance of the rainforest ecology, we must teach as well as learn.  The beautiful 45-pound giant anteater is close to extinction.  The ancestral headdresses of the Ngobe-Bugle are made from its fur.  Yet, our modern Ngobe-Bugle neighbors create less than one percent of the average New Yorker’s waste, carbon footprint, and smog.  They laugh more frequently, and walk daily in paradise (instead of sitting in traffic for 20% of their daylight hours).

For those of you following this blog to learn more about one family’s journey toward wellness in the rainforest, regular posts on this project will appear at Blogspot.com.  This Wordpress blog will continue to focus on Mexico, C. & S. American journeys.  Please send comments and questions.  Stay tuned and don’t be shy about visiting Boquete.  The air and water are pure.  Smiles are bountiful.  Children safely roam the streets unattended.  The climate is perfect. 

We look forward to sharing our healing journey and to learning about yours.  If we can share hints about living in harmony with nature as a meaningful alternative to consumer culture, we’ll consider our mission accomplished.  Whenever we learn from our guests how to live more fulfilling lives outside of the ‘bigger, better, faster, more’ mentality that is destroying our ecology and culture, we will share such gems with future guests.  We are all students and teachers. 

Together, we can heal this planet; we can heal our communities; we can mend our relationships with those we love.  We can accomplish these goals by living in respectful gratitude for what truly matters.  At El Santuario del Volcan Baru, we will devote much energy toward discovery of the answer to the question, “What truly matters”?  Most importantly, we will explore with guests methods for manifesting more of this precious commodity in our lives and yours. 

As our dear friend June advises … Onward & Namaste!

The side entrance to our office was lost in a dead sea of beige-painted bricks until Los Angeles-based muralist Carlie Monnier jazzed things up for us.

Here you see her rendition of our logo and a mural which invites visitors to stroll off the alley right into a Latin American pueblo scene. We’re a proud sponsor of Edmond’s monthly art walks but Carlie’s stylings will delight visitors daily. To see more of this amazing artist’s work, visit http://www.cmurals.com/

Come visit us any 3rd Thursday from 5-8pm to discuss your next change in latitude and visit 30 neighboring art venues all within walking distance of Main Street in downtown Edmonds.

The following excerpts are from Nadia Martinez, a native of Panama and an associate fellow with the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. Ms. Martinez recently became a U.S. citizen and wrote about “Respecting Our Neighbors to the South” in Yes! Magazine, Summer 2008.