Boquete Artist Marjorie Freiburghaus

Boquete artist, Marjorie Freidburghaus, is one of my favorite local artists. Self-taught and versatile, she paints an array of subjects and is equally comfortable doing folk art or abstracts. 

Whether producing a commissioned painting to complement someone's new home decor or creating her own inspirations, Marjorie's work is always distinctive.  Her use of bright colors and simple composition draws you into the canvas and wraps you in a good feeling, as you gaze upon a bunch of bananas, watch a hummingbird, or negotiate your way through an abstract maze. 

Below are photos of  a few of her works. My snapshots don't do justice to the color and clarity of the originals, unfortunately.  Feel free to let me know your thoughts, and I'm happy to provide the artist's contact information via private email.

 

 

 

                             

Sitio Barriles, Volcan, Panama

Sitio Barriles is a pre-colombian archeological site located on private land near Volcan, Chiriqui in Panama.  I'm told that personnel from National Geographic came at one time and helped with excavations, however they are no longer involved. I haven't corroborated the veracity of the following, but I was informed that personnel from this institution took most of the "better pieces" out of the country.  Whether this is true or not, and whether the artifacts were purchased or taken, is also up for speculation.  This information was not provided by the site's official guide, but rather communicated via rumor mill.  I am ashamed to admit I don't care enough to research further.  Bottom line the pieces that were allegedly discovered there, are no longer there.  If National Geographic did remove them from the country, hopefully they are somewhere where they can be appreciated by a much wider audience.  

The small finca that houses the remaining artifacts and history is open to the public and is frequently visited by educational institutions.  The grounds are scenic and captivating as well. There is a small fee for a guided tour both the museum and grounds.  Tourists are $5 per person and locals are $3 per person.

This statue is a replica of the original which is located in a national museum.  It is a symbolic representation of the peoples who comprised the ancient civilization that populated the area.  They were comprised of Asiatic and African elements and are reported to have collaboratively inhabited the region. 

Noting that the Asian was on top, being transported by the African, I questioned our guide's explanation that they collaborated.  It was then she explained that the statue is a reflection of the collaboration.  The African is depicted as blind, and the Asian as lame.  The two peoples were able to accomplish their needs and goals through mutual effort and assistance.  

Below are a few artifacts found in the small on-site museum.

Mother and Child statue

These are ancient map rocks, indicating a central location and surrounding foot trails.

Another map rock of trails leading to the summit of Volcan Baru

Sign of the serpent,  for good luck

The area above remains to be excavated.  Students from the universities donate labor as time permits. 

The above photos are of a hillside that has been partially excavated to reveal an ancient burial ground.  Remains of the dead were stored in the clay pots embedded in the hillside. 

Pre-historic ferns and bamboo forests comprise much of the natural landscaping along the trails to the burial grounds. 

Recommended Low-Budget Accommodations in Boquete, Panama

Habla Ya Spanish School in Boquete recently published the above-titled post for their students and/or potential students regarding lodging in Boquete for the budget minded.  I am familiar with the locations and exterior appearance of  all the listed facilities, but never have investigated any further. The post has interior photos and detailed information  a first time visitor to Boquete might find helpful.  With  permission I am posting the following photo and link.

http://www.hablayapanama.com/blog/2015/09/recommended-low-budget-accommodations-in-boquete-panama/?fb_comment_id=1048416418525060_1051884664844902&comment_id=1051884664844902#f1ab3d9c94

Community Outrage over Release of Juvenilles

This is a cut and paste to spread the word from Boquete News re: community concerns over the initial arrest and subsequent release of the juveniles  involved in the shooting in Portrerillos a few days ago. 

According to reports, one of the kids confessed.  Panamanian laws are very liberal toward juveniles that get involved in criminal activities.  Apparently one of the youths was released back into the custody of his parents who live in Boquete. 

The juveniles arrested in the home invasion, shooting, and stabbing of _________ have been released.This is how the community will organize to protest the release.

A security meeting will be held tomorrow afternoon 5.00pm in the Parque Surtapec ( little park at the Potrerillos cruce/crossing)...The Mayor from Dolega, the representantes,police and all interested public are invited.

Please put this out to all those who don't read ning, neighbors etc. This affects everyone, not just Potrerillos residents. The officials and police are responding to calls and outcry from the public. They know something has to be done.

PLEASE show up in if you can and bring some of your workers.So everybody knows about this.

I would ask anyone with media contacts to get this out to them as well.

Gracias all.

Another Home Invasion and Attempted Murder in Portrerillos

Please see the following blog post from Don Ray Williams on  Chiriqui Chatter for details and updates.

http://www.chiriquichatter.net/blog/2015/10/03/armed-robbery-in-potrerillos-arriba/

Yes, Virginia...There are Bugs in Panama .

I have no idea what kind of arachnid this is.  Didn't get close enough to investigate.

3-inch beetle of some sort...

Mother scorpion and babies, courtesy of Larry Wilkinson, Boquete expat

Guess who's come for dinner...

Large Huntsman spider on my curtain valence

Bee hive that formed in an hour in front of the house

Received the most surprising email today from someone who lives in Volcan and happened upon this blog.  Apparently she was researching insects in Panama, having been bitten by an ant that she said  "hurt like a wasp".  She had moved on to reading about spiders and apparently my post about wandering spiders surfaced somewhere.   She seemed truly upset and told me she was "FREAKING OUT!"  She wanted me to reassure her that wandering spiders and such didn't live in Volcan where she was, and that they weren't all that common in Panama.  She really needed me to tell her this because she was in the habit of walking barefoot in her back yard and she didn't want to know otherwise. 

It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who pick up and just move down here without doing due diligence.  They have no knowledge of the language, no understanding of hispanic culture in general and Panama in particular, don't understand the lay of the land, and many have never visited Central or South America prior to arriving.  Countless other bloggers have reported similar and even stranger stories, so I don't intend to replay the same broken record.  The usual advice doesn't seem to be that effective anyway.  

What I am going to say, however, is that if you are afraid of spiders, you don't belong in Panama.  If you are afraid of insects in general you don't belong in Panama.  Panama is a tropical country with bugs and snakes and Africanized bees and lots of ugly pesky rodents. If you want to come here you need to get over it.  

Last year I killed 11 scorpions in my house that were over 6 inches in length.  I recently found the above tarantula crawling up my front door screen.  Once, I stepped out of the shower and threw on my bathrobe while yet another tarantula crawled over my foot. Apparently it had been sleeping somewhere inside the robe and fell to the floor when I put on the robe.   This year, I was invaded by "housecleaning ants" that somehow came in through the electrical switch in one of the bedrooms. Not more than a few weeks ago, after getting up from the toilet,  I felt something scratchy in my pant leg.  Down went the pants in a flash, and  I found a 2-inch brown locust trying desperately to escape.  He happened to hop into the wrong place at the wrong time!  There are inch-long black ants that come in the house at night and crunch loudly if stepped on.   I get possums in the garage or on my roof top.   I shoo'ed a baby bushmaster out from my living room three months ago.  I've had about 5 episodes of nesting black wasps that have  an affection for the posts on my back terrace, and I've experienced one instance of Africanized bees that took to my lemon tree. 

It's not that I live in the sticks.  I don't.  I'm in a Panamanian residential neighborhood. Unlike many of my neighbors, I'm fortunate enough to have screens on all windows and doors.  But it's amazing how little space a 6-inch scorpion needs to get inside a house when seeking shade and water.  

A friend of mine in an upscale planned community in Caldera was reading in bed a couple of months ago,  and felt something tickle her elbow.  She looked down and found a scorpion claw gently stroking her.  Another time this same friend opened her sewing basket to get some thread and saw a Fer de Lance curled up in the corner of the box. And one of my Panamanian neighbors recently beheaded a poisonous viper that was in his dining room. I could go on and on about such incidences.  Fortunately they haven't been constant nor continual.  They've happened over a course of 9 years residency here. Typically, they occur during the dry season.

But a person has to be comfortable with nature.  One has to be able to live and let live, and know to use reasonable caution when out in the yard  or if up in the house in the middle of the night. If it  isn't a part of your personality to wear shoes and marvel at the wonders of the insect world,  then you probably have no business being here.  I'm truly sorry, but if the mere mention of a poisonous creepy crawlie on a remote blog is going to "freak you out",  then you will be in a constant state of stress living  in Panama and perhaps should consider other venues.

My Favorite Panama Photos

I'm currently in the states on a short visit.  As usual, I've received a lot of questions about Panama and how I came to the decision to retire there.  Decided it might be time to post a few of my favorite snapshots of Panama.  I think these say a lot. 

Taboga Island

Gulf of Chiriqui

Windward side of Gamez Island

Leeward side of Gamez Island

Caldera River

Pathway in a Chiriqui pueblo

Embera Village

Women and children in a Ngobe village in Chiriqui

Bridge of the Americas in Panama City

 

School boys at carnival time in Casco Viejo

Municipal building in Panama City

Panama Canal --Miraflores Locks

This is only a very small sampling of Panama's charms and attractions.  Some of the best photos are tucked away for safekeeping, and need to be retrieved for another post.  I will do so, but need to get back there first!  Stay tuned.