Easter and Pedasi

This week marked our first Easter in Panama (remember the anticipation from last week?). We also took a little trip to a town called Pedasi, which is about three hours away from where we currently live. This was an adventure since it is in a fairly rural area (population 2,000) and also has a growing expat community. The dogs got to come too!

Easter, while I would like to say it was out of the ordinary with all these "new" traditions, it really did not seem that way-unless you count all of the traffic heading back into the city. Good Friday was the holiday that got my attention the most during Semana Santa, which was discussed in the previous blog.

We obtained a canned ham for an Easter meal. Sorry to all of you canned ham eaters, but this was one time I was thankful I am a vegetarian. Amazingly enough, Robert managed to turn the ham into something that looked some-what appetizing.

Other dishes included me making baked beans for the first time, which turned out pretty decent, if I say so myself. Drinks included lemonade with coconut milk/water that I had left over from when I made coconut whipped cream, which was used for part of the dessert dish. Over all, our Easter was quite and enjoyable. 

Lemonade with coconut

Pineapple with coconut whipped cream and pistachios. 

We also took a trip to Pedasi and brought the dogs. On our way to Pedasi, we came to a very rural village (population maybe 100?). The beach was a hidden jewel with nobody around. Although the waves were not good for surfing, there were plenty of tide pools for me to explore which only made the beach that much better!

Our next stop was Pedasi. We stayed at a bed in breakfast that allowed pets. It was quite the experience for me. Why? I've never stayed at a hotel in Panama before and I've never stayed at a bed and breakfast. The room we got was fairly inexpensive compared to other rooms in the area. It was basic and very small; not including the bathroom, the room was probably 10 feet by 12 feet-just wide enough to have space on each side of our queen size bed. While there was nothing in the room besides a small night stand, a bathroom and a bed, it was all that we needed. 

The beaches in Pedasi were tranquil, but also fairly busy. There is limited beach access which meant the few spots in Pedasi that were accessible had others along with you. The beaches seemed clean and reminded me of a nice fishing village maybe ten or fifteen years ago. The destination is also popular as you can get a 20 minute ride to a nearby island that has good scuba diving and snorkeling.

Pedasi gave me a chuckle and a memories from my childhood. I got a small bag of cookies in which I found a pog! I've seen a few kids playing in grocery stores. Ahh nostalgia!

The highlight of the trip was going to Playa Venao, which is a good 30 minutes outside of Pedasi on a good but rural road. This beach is where the DaKine ISA World Junior Surfing Championship was healed back in 2012. The wave sizes vary, just like the swells. From what I have read, this spot can be great for beginner and amateur surfers, and it can also be fun for more experienced surfers. It has been about a week since I've surfed, and these waves only increased the urge.

Despite the picture, the beach was actually very crowded

Pedasi was enjoyable. It was a lot of driving and I think the dogs are happy to be home. The highlight for both Robert and me was paying a visit to Playa Venao. The longer we spend in Panama in a beach community, the more I begin to feel like home and the more I begin to realize how amazing and beautiful Mother Nature really is.