Well, I've been traveling for two months in Latin America. Which kinda makes the little message under the title of the blog seem a little silly. But I'm glad I've kept up with this thing...it's hard to remember two months worth of adventures.
I had lunch on Friday with Alejandrino Jimenez at Manolo's Cafeteria a few blocks away from my apartment. (Whoever this Manolo guy is, he has to be doing ok for himself. There are like 7 Monolo's in Panama City). Alejandrino is amazing. He is a professor at the University of Panama and serves on the legislative advisory board for Canal Affairs to the Panamanian Congress. We sat down at lunch and he pulls out this folder of page after page of official documents about the referendum. Like, transcripts of the President's speech in support of the expansion in front of Congress and the official regulations on how the media must give "equal" time to the Yes and No sides. Stuff I could have NEVER tracked down without him.
Probably the coolest two things he gave me---
A sample ballot handed out in the weeks leading up to the vote. Oh, but it's already marked with a vote for the Yes side. Not too subtle.
And a directions page for how the check-in process works for voting. Only the guy has a cartoon thought bubble over his head that says "I should vote for the Yes side." haha... Panama cracks me up.
He's also setting me up with another professor next week and probably one of the 3 chairs of the Electoral Tribunal for the whole country. Why do these people want to talk to me??
Today I wandered over to Avenida Central, a huge pedestrian shopping street. Very alive on a Saturday afternoon. There were tons of people hawking stuff, not unlike the rest of LA. But the craziest thing is all the traditional Indians who come from their "comarcas"-- more or less completely sovereign territories within Panama. In the middle of a huge city, you'd see ladies like these strolling by:
http://coppermine-gallery.net/demo/cpg14x/albums/userpics/14018/gtb_0091.jpg
Crazy.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Two More Interviews
Two more cool interviews the last few days-
First was yesterday with Marco Gandasegui, a sociology professor and director of the Center for Latin American studies at the University of Panama. He was a quiet, older man who spoke to me in Spanish for about 30 minutes, then mid-answer changed and spoke perfect English. It was bizarre. But he had some good things to say, and passed on copies of the Center's journal, Tarea, that covered the referendum extensively.
One of the cool things we got to talking about was this small park on Via Argentina, near where I live and where his office was located. I asked about it because citizen participation seems to have influenced the zoning politics enough to where it won't be surrounded by 50 floor condo buildings. This is good, but Marco seemed much less optimistic. He said that one of the things Panama is known for-- and I've seen this in reading the papers very carefully-- is making bold, this-is-a-new-day announcements, then quietly shifting after public attention is elsewhere. We'll see what happens to the park, but it'll definitely be a new thing to ask people about, especially around the neighborhood.
This morning, I woke up early and ran for the first time since running on the beach in Rio. It was great to explore a little bit before it got too hot. I showered and put on my shirt and tie (I have one. Bad packing). Took a cab to Casco Viejo (French Quarter, but not nearly as nice) and found the Salon Bolivar where the Ministry of Exterior Relations is located. Went through 3 secretaries before I got to my appt with Dr. Nils Castro, basically the 3rd or 4th in command of Panama's foreign affairs. Wow.
No, wow. I didn't appreciate how cool that experience was when I was talking to him because I was focusing on not making myself look like an American clown. But it was great. He gave me a few articles he wrote on the subject, introduced me to a colleague that gave me some more information and promised to have a packet of things for me waiting on Monday. Very friendly guys. Got the appointment through Bill Smith, one of the professors who taught the class I finished a few weeks ago in Argentina, Uruguay and Brasil.
So that's my update. Went to the yacht club last night to meet some people who might get me on their yachts to cross the Canal. That's not looking as good bc its hurricane season. I hate hurricanes. But we'll see.
Davis
First was yesterday with Marco Gandasegui, a sociology professor and director of the Center for Latin American studies at the University of Panama. He was a quiet, older man who spoke to me in Spanish for about 30 minutes, then mid-answer changed and spoke perfect English. It was bizarre. But he had some good things to say, and passed on copies of the Center's journal, Tarea, that covered the referendum extensively.
One of the cool things we got to talking about was this small park on Via Argentina, near where I live and where his office was located. I asked about it because citizen participation seems to have influenced the zoning politics enough to where it won't be surrounded by 50 floor condo buildings. This is good, but Marco seemed much less optimistic. He said that one of the things Panama is known for-- and I've seen this in reading the papers very carefully-- is making bold, this-is-a-new-day announcements, then quietly shifting after public attention is elsewhere. We'll see what happens to the park, but it'll definitely be a new thing to ask people about, especially around the neighborhood.
This morning, I woke up early and ran for the first time since running on the beach in Rio. It was great to explore a little bit before it got too hot. I showered and put on my shirt and tie (I have one. Bad packing). Took a cab to Casco Viejo (French Quarter, but not nearly as nice) and found the Salon Bolivar where the Ministry of Exterior Relations is located. Went through 3 secretaries before I got to my appt with Dr. Nils Castro, basically the 3rd or 4th in command of Panama's foreign affairs. Wow.
No, wow. I didn't appreciate how cool that experience was when I was talking to him because I was focusing on not making myself look like an American clown. But it was great. He gave me a few articles he wrote on the subject, introduced me to a colleague that gave me some more information and promised to have a packet of things for me waiting on Monday. Very friendly guys. Got the appointment through Bill Smith, one of the professors who taught the class I finished a few weeks ago in Argentina, Uruguay and Brasil.
So that's my update. Went to the yacht club last night to meet some people who might get me on their yachts to cross the Canal. That's not looking as good bc its hurricane season. I hate hurricanes. But we'll see.
Davis
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The Home Stretch
friends,
Big Al took off this morning to return to the land where wearing shorts is socially acceptable and where people drive normally. It´s a sad day in Panama. Well, a sad morning at least. I rode to the airport with him, said our goodbyes, and got into a cab with Juwan, a Dominican guy who drove me through parking lots ¨because they have less traffic.¨ He learned English playing video games.
Today was my first real work day, the first day in the home stretch of my trip. I will be interviewing various political actors and observers in the next few weeks for my research on the Panama Canal expansion referendum last Ocober here in Panama.
My first interview was the father of Michelle Galindo, a Panamanian friend who goes to Uva. Her dad chatted with me for 45 minutes in his sweet office in the banking district. Gave me some really cool things to think about, including to what degree the referendum was a symbolic rubber stamp, how a political system and tradition that encourages strong executives affects direct democracy in Latin America, and why turnout was so low. He said usually Panamanian elections are ¨like a big party. Panamanians love to vote.¨ But didn´t turn out because the outcome wasn´t in doubt, and the usually candidate-driven political machines which provide transportation to the polls weren´t functioning since there weren´t any candidates.
In other news, I think I left my rain jacket in a cab late last week. Which is great during the rainy season when inches of rain can fall in an hour with almost no warning. Old friends and my family will remember that I lose things with shocking frequency, so nothing that strange.
Big Al´s visit was highlighted by renting a car on Sunday and driving over 300 km in the Panamanian interior to El Valle de Anton and Playa Santa Clara. the first is a great town higher in the hills that is a bit cooler, full of flowers, has a great sunday market, a bizarre mini-zoo (with golden frogs, an ocelot, 2 capybiras, and a 3 toed sloth), and a strange boulder covered in pre-Colombian symbols and art. Al and I had a great time exploring, then moved to the beach for a few hours. Cool because it was a fairly deserted beach, not that cool in that it didnt come close to Rio´s beaches. Not even close.
We got lost in Panama City before dropping off the rental car. these things happen when i´m the navigator, right Ross?
love, davis
Big Al took off this morning to return to the land where wearing shorts is socially acceptable and where people drive normally. It´s a sad day in Panama. Well, a sad morning at least. I rode to the airport with him, said our goodbyes, and got into a cab with Juwan, a Dominican guy who drove me through parking lots ¨because they have less traffic.¨ He learned English playing video games.
Today was my first real work day, the first day in the home stretch of my trip. I will be interviewing various political actors and observers in the next few weeks for my research on the Panama Canal expansion referendum last Ocober here in Panama.
My first interview was the father of Michelle Galindo, a Panamanian friend who goes to Uva. Her dad chatted with me for 45 minutes in his sweet office in the banking district. Gave me some really cool things to think about, including to what degree the referendum was a symbolic rubber stamp, how a political system and tradition that encourages strong executives affects direct democracy in Latin America, and why turnout was so low. He said usually Panamanian elections are ¨like a big party. Panamanians love to vote.¨ But didn´t turn out because the outcome wasn´t in doubt, and the usually candidate-driven political machines which provide transportation to the polls weren´t functioning since there weren´t any candidates.
In other news, I think I left my rain jacket in a cab late last week. Which is great during the rainy season when inches of rain can fall in an hour with almost no warning. Old friends and my family will remember that I lose things with shocking frequency, so nothing that strange.
Big Al´s visit was highlighted by renting a car on Sunday and driving over 300 km in the Panamanian interior to El Valle de Anton and Playa Santa Clara. the first is a great town higher in the hills that is a bit cooler, full of flowers, has a great sunday market, a bizarre mini-zoo (with golden frogs, an ocelot, 2 capybiras, and a 3 toed sloth), and a strange boulder covered in pre-Colombian symbols and art. Al and I had a great time exploring, then moved to the beach for a few hours. Cool because it was a fairly deserted beach, not that cool in that it didnt come close to Rio´s beaches. Not even close.
We got lost in Panama City before dropping off the rental car. these things happen when i´m the navigator, right Ross?
love, davis
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Big Al Takes On Panama
The legend has arrived in Panama. My dad got here on a flight from Houston in the middle of a horrible afternoon rainstorm on Thursday at about 1. He's staying with me until Tuesday morning so I have a friend to see the sights of Panama with before my interviews and all that start for my research project.
Thursday we took a walking tour of the neighborhood and then had a short nap. At about 6:30 we took a cab to the old city (think French Quarter like 150 years ago, crumbling paint, moderately dangerous) to Restaurante Las Bovedas, an awesome jazz bar and restaurant built into the dungeon chambers of the seawall at the very tip of the old center. Great atmosphere, questionable decision to order a caipirinha when I wasn't on the beach in Rio. After a quick drink, we headed doen the street to Caracol Manolo, a cool place where you order a drink and they bring you 9-10 mostly seafood tapas to share. Awesome dinner.
Friday we ate breakfast at Manolo's, a neighborhood place famous for its chorros. Big breakfast and we were off to Panama La Vieja, the oldest city center that was burned down by pirates and abandoned in 1672. I made that date up. Cool ruins, though. We moved back to Casco Viejo (where we were the night before) to go to the churches and musuems. Pretty interesting, but my favorite parts was being allowed to wander in front of the Presidential palace that overlooks the water. The herons in the courtyard are a Panama symbol, and rumor is that when Jimmy Carter came to visit in 1977 his security team accidentally sprayed a poisonous cleaner that killed them all. They had to smuggle more back into the palace before the Panamanians revolted. Good day, then we moved to El Cangrejo (where I'm staying) to grab some dinnner. Watched the Truman Show and crashed.
Today we went to the Canal. First to the Cerro Ancon, a huge hill that has great, Rio-style views of the entire city and Canal. Gill, our cab driver, gave me some interesting things to think about for my research, and then dropped us at the Miraflores Locks, one of 3 sets of locks along the 40 mile Canal. We saw a huge ship get lowered down on its way to th Pacific, then had lunch on a balcony overlooking the canal. Very cool.
The plan tomorrow is bold- renting a car and driving to Central Panama to a mountain village and a beach town 2 hours away.
Al is loving Panama; it's great to have him here.
Davis
Thursday we took a walking tour of the neighborhood and then had a short nap. At about 6:30 we took a cab to the old city (think French Quarter like 150 years ago, crumbling paint, moderately dangerous) to Restaurante Las Bovedas, an awesome jazz bar and restaurant built into the dungeon chambers of the seawall at the very tip of the old center. Great atmosphere, questionable decision to order a caipirinha when I wasn't on the beach in Rio. After a quick drink, we headed doen the street to Caracol Manolo, a cool place where you order a drink and they bring you 9-10 mostly seafood tapas to share. Awesome dinner.
Friday we ate breakfast at Manolo's, a neighborhood place famous for its chorros. Big breakfast and we were off to Panama La Vieja, the oldest city center that was burned down by pirates and abandoned in 1672. I made that date up. Cool ruins, though. We moved back to Casco Viejo (where we were the night before) to go to the churches and musuems. Pretty interesting, but my favorite parts was being allowed to wander in front of the Presidential palace that overlooks the water. The herons in the courtyard are a Panama symbol, and rumor is that when Jimmy Carter came to visit in 1977 his security team accidentally sprayed a poisonous cleaner that killed them all. They had to smuggle more back into the palace before the Panamanians revolted. Good day, then we moved to El Cangrejo (where I'm staying) to grab some dinnner. Watched the Truman Show and crashed.
Today we went to the Canal. First to the Cerro Ancon, a huge hill that has great, Rio-style views of the entire city and Canal. Gill, our cab driver, gave me some interesting things to think about for my research, and then dropped us at the Miraflores Locks, one of 3 sets of locks along the 40 mile Canal. We saw a huge ship get lowered down on its way to th Pacific, then had lunch on a balcony overlooking the canal. Very cool.
The plan tomorrow is bold- renting a car and driving to Central Panama to a mountain village and a beach town 2 hours away.
Al is loving Panama; it's great to have him here.
Davis
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
lazy blogging
friends-
I am in Panama, in my apartment in El Cangrejo near the Universidad de Panamá. Wonderful room, great neighborhood. out of Sao Paulo before the horrible plane crash, so I`m safe. My dad is coming to visit tomorrow for the weekend!!!!!!! That deserves that many exclamation points. Also, it looks like the Canal transit as a line handler on a private yatch is going to work out. The lady in whose apartment I`m staying has friends with yatchs and will recommend me. Huge.
hasta luego, d
I am in Panama, in my apartment in El Cangrejo near the Universidad de Panamá. Wonderful room, great neighborhood. out of Sao Paulo before the horrible plane crash, so I`m safe. My dad is coming to visit tomorrow for the weekend!!!!!!! That deserves that many exclamation points. Also, it looks like the Canal transit as a line handler on a private yatch is going to work out. The lady in whose apartment I`m staying has friends with yatchs and will recommend me. Huge.
hasta luego, d
Monday, July 16, 2007
bye bye brasil
About to get on a bus to the airport in Sao paulo... I arrive in Panama at 5:45 pm central time today. Much more to come about the last week and about Panama. It´s pouring rain and I have to pack!
Brazil 3- Argentina 0. Dagger!
davisinho
Brazil 3- Argentina 0. Dagger!
davisinho
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Last day in Rio?? Are you kidding?
To update every one on my last week or so--
The ACC Course is finished except for my final paper on civil society adaptations in the last 30 years in Brazil and Argentina. I´m updating the blog right now instead of writing that. Hm. Anyway, it was a fantastic class, with great discussions, interesting field visits, and a lot of new knowledge.
I went hang gliding of the Pedra Bonita in Rio onWednesday. I was in a tandem with Ricardo, an experienced guy who´s been doing it for years. We jumped off about a 1700ft rock, glided for 15 minutes or so, and landed on the beach. But to say it like that does no justice to how stunning the whole experience was. I mean, I was floating over the most beautiful city in the world as the sun set behind the mountains. And then I landed on an empty beach. I should be able topost pics soon. But just a great experience and something I´ll remember for many years.
Friday we had a party in our hotel room for the group and professors. It was hilarious. We bought tons of fresh fruit from the market and chopped it up into a $4 baby bath we bought at a store near the hotel. Made a huge thing of punch and demanded that everyone dress as another member of the group. My buddy, Partick, just ripped me. Khaki shorts, virginia tee, huge goofy smiles, repetitive speech patterns (wonderful, big, clown, are you kidding me?, hup!) and pretending like he was fixing his hair. Devestating. Then we went out to Lapa again.
More time on the beach and playing grabass (see below) until all of the feathers and sand fell out of the pouch. Dagger.
Last night was Live Earth on the beach in Copacabana. Very very fun concert with like 700,000 people there. O Rappa was a ridiculous Brazilian rapper. Macy Grey was a miserable, drunk mess. Lenny Kravitz, for what he is, puts on a good show and the Brazilians love him.
Bus to Sao Paulo arrives at 3:30 on Tuesday. Sad to say goodbye to all the amazing people on this trip, but Wellington awaits.
Davis
To update every one on my last week or so--
The ACC Course is finished except for my final paper on civil society adaptations in the last 30 years in Brazil and Argentina. I´m updating the blog right now instead of writing that. Hm. Anyway, it was a fantastic class, with great discussions, interesting field visits, and a lot of new knowledge.
I went hang gliding of the Pedra Bonita in Rio onWednesday. I was in a tandem with Ricardo, an experienced guy who´s been doing it for years. We jumped off about a 1700ft rock, glided for 15 minutes or so, and landed on the beach. But to say it like that does no justice to how stunning the whole experience was. I mean, I was floating over the most beautiful city in the world as the sun set behind the mountains. And then I landed on an empty beach. I should be able topost pics soon. But just a great experience and something I´ll remember for many years.
Friday we had a party in our hotel room for the group and professors. It was hilarious. We bought tons of fresh fruit from the market and chopped it up into a $4 baby bath we bought at a store near the hotel. Made a huge thing of punch and demanded that everyone dress as another member of the group. My buddy, Partick, just ripped me. Khaki shorts, virginia tee, huge goofy smiles, repetitive speech patterns (wonderful, big, clown, are you kidding me?, hup!) and pretending like he was fixing his hair. Devestating. Then we went out to Lapa again.
More time on the beach and playing grabass (see below) until all of the feathers and sand fell out of the pouch. Dagger.
Last night was Live Earth on the beach in Copacabana. Very very fun concert with like 700,000 people there. O Rappa was a ridiculous Brazilian rapper. Macy Grey was a miserable, drunk mess. Lenny Kravitz, for what he is, puts on a good show and the Brazilians love him.
Bus to Sao Paulo arrives at 3:30 on Tuesday. Sad to say goodbye to all the amazing people on this trip, but Wellington awaits.
Davis
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
brazilian love
Feeling a lot of Brazilian love the last few days. At 2pm on Saturday Guiliana picked me up from my hotel and we headed north to a city an hour and a half away in Rio de Janeiro state called Teresópolis. For those who dont know, Guiliana is a wonderful wonderful Brazilian woman who babysat for Austin, Afton, and I for about 5 years in our early childhood. She was studying in the US and living with her sister, Andrea, and Andrea´s husband, Roger. We were headed to their house, filled with 4 kids, one tropical bird, vast quantities of brazilian food, and, oddly, movies like Borat and albums like Oasis and Beyonce. beautiful views of the mountains, too. And they were so loving and good to me. Always hugging and making sure all was well. Went to a Festa Junina (june party) with their 17yr old son, Filipe, on Saturday night. If i ever get to a computer with a USB port, Ill upload pictures of us dressed like hicks and drinking kiwi caipirinhas and eating streak kebobs.Big.
the rest of the weekedn was playing with the kids, eating, laughing at the youngest singing Beyonce, napping, and being really really happy. Oh, and we saw where the Brazilian national soccer team trains. Sick.
Oh! And Big Al is coming to see me in Panama for 5 days in late July! Big! Big!
other highlights from Rio--
1. going out in the Arcos de Lapa neighborhood last Friday; so, its a huge street party. with brazilians. And a shocking amount of safety for late night Rio. But thousands of young people, walking the streets, sharing a drink and some live music, teaching gringos how to samba then talking with them in portuguese. Dozens of bars that people just flow in and out of. Amazing street food. We stayed til like 4:30-5 and were the first to leave it seemed like.
2. Nova Iguaçu visit today. Another new, young, dynamic administration who is trying to change something in a large, poor suburb on the urban margins of a major city. They have implemented similar integrative policies, but their theme is education. The big thing since 2005 has been to expand the school programs to the entire day. Little known fact-- Brazilians usually go to school half a day, either morning or evening. So this place has linked up with churches and clubs and soccer teams near the schools to provide activities and learning and care for the ´off´ half of the day. We saw some programs and the kids LOVE them and are so happy to be there.
3. Grab-ass; crucial beach game which involves grabbing no ass whatsoever. We just hit this wooden badmiton looking thing back and forth and dive around making ridiculous plays. yes, we played by the street lights on the beach the last two days because our field visits ran from 9 til dark.
ok- one more week in Rio. I´ve booked my bus to Sao Paulo and am getting all kinds of excited to play with some kiddos.
Hope all is well. Email me, davisz@virginia.edu
davis
I met a Brazilian kiddo today name Daviso. True story.
the rest of the weekedn was playing with the kids, eating, laughing at the youngest singing Beyonce, napping, and being really really happy. Oh, and we saw where the Brazilian national soccer team trains. Sick.
Oh! And Big Al is coming to see me in Panama for 5 days in late July! Big! Big!
other highlights from Rio--
1. going out in the Arcos de Lapa neighborhood last Friday; so, its a huge street party. with brazilians. And a shocking amount of safety for late night Rio. But thousands of young people, walking the streets, sharing a drink and some live music, teaching gringos how to samba then talking with them in portuguese. Dozens of bars that people just flow in and out of. Amazing street food. We stayed til like 4:30-5 and were the first to leave it seemed like.
2. Nova Iguaçu visit today. Another new, young, dynamic administration who is trying to change something in a large, poor suburb on the urban margins of a major city. They have implemented similar integrative policies, but their theme is education. The big thing since 2005 has been to expand the school programs to the entire day. Little known fact-- Brazilians usually go to school half a day, either morning or evening. So this place has linked up with churches and clubs and soccer teams near the schools to provide activities and learning and care for the ´off´ half of the day. We saw some programs and the kids LOVE them and are so happy to be there.
3. Grab-ass; crucial beach game which involves grabbing no ass whatsoever. We just hit this wooden badmiton looking thing back and forth and dive around making ridiculous plays. yes, we played by the street lights on the beach the last two days because our field visits ran from 9 til dark.
ok- one more week in Rio. I´ve booked my bus to Sao Paulo and am getting all kinds of excited to play with some kiddos.
Hope all is well. Email me, davisz@virginia.edu
davis
I met a Brazilian kiddo today name Daviso. True story.
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