{"id":5595,"date":"2014-01-10T11:48:06","date_gmt":"2014-01-10T16:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/?p=5595"},"modified":"2024-06-19T07:24:03","modified_gmt":"2024-06-19T11:24:03","slug":"faces-panama-photo-essay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theprofessionalhobo.com\/faces-panama-photo-essay\/","title":{"rendered":"Faces of Panama \u2013 A Photo Essay"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While house-sitting<\/a> in Panama for almost two months, I came to see a side of the place that I may not have discovered if I was there on my own. In traveling with my partner (who looks more like a local than a gringo \u2013 and has inspired a post about travel as an interracial couple, coming soon), I was welcomed into a very local side of the small village of Veracruz, which gets its roots from fishing. These are the faces of Panama; the people I met and their stories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’ll see that most of these pictures are of men. This is because of how and where we were initially welcomed into the area. Had I stayed longer, I’d have met many more women who might not have been as camera shy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anthony Bourdain once said of traveling the world: \u201cDrink heavily with the locals wherever you go\u201d. I’m not a drinker, but I did my best to nurse a few beers and discover if there was truth behind this idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was right. Here’s what happened:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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\"I<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

This post was originally published in 2014. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. <\/em>

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\"Papi,<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

This is the kind owner of a local bar \u2013 a man who we came to call \u201cPapi\u201d for his fatherly demeanour. We were driving by his bar shortly after arriving, just exploring the area, when he came out and waved us in. He was instrumental in making us feel comfortable, and protecting me from anybody who might try to hassle me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During subsequent visits, he fed us many times, we were invited into his home, we met all his family, and he told his life story. You might not know it to look at him, but Papi \u2013 like many Panamanians that defy first impressions<\/a> \u2013 is quite well off, owning multiple homes, large plots of land, and businesses.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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\"Papi's
One of Papi’s sons with his wife and adorable child.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n
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\"fishermen<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n

This is a group of fishermen who we met next to Papi’s bar, which is at the hub of the town’s plentiful fishing activities. I wasn’t there on this particular outing, but I’m told while all the women were upstairs cooking on this Sunday afternoon, they did boys did what boys do.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\t\t\t

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\"faces<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n