Belief in people and African dances

Marcel was very polite and offered to give me a ride in his car to Sabanitas on his way to work. Interestingly, he didn’t offer to help carry my bag — perhaps here, in South America, it’s not customary to help a woman carry heavy things.

In Sabanitas we said goodbye, and I, finally free from men and drama, started waiting for the bus to Portobelo. But not so fast! While waiting, some drunk guy who spoke English started talking to me and really didn’t want to say goodbye, hugging and kissing me. On the bus, another man sat next to me, this time a young Panamanian, who was nostalgic about some place where he had learned English. During the whole conversation, he kept wiping his mouth with a handkerchief — kind of strange.

Arriving in Portobelo, I tried calling the boat owner on his cell phone, but no one answered. And while I was thinking about what to do next, people nearby asked me who I was looking for, and once they understood, they started searching together with me: they involved a few more people, sat me down on a chair near a little shop, kept my bag safe, made calls, and left messages for everyone they could. What I want to say with all this: after yesterday’s events I was once again amazed by people — they offered help without me even asking and really did help. It was so nice: my faith in people returned, along with good mood and a sense of satisfaction with Panama.

Getting on the boat together with Laura, a Colombian (by the way, also for free — the Germans helped), we also found Captain Alan there. And it began: seasickness mixed with sweet and funny conversations :)

Things got better later. In the afternoon, Laura was supposed to have a dance class, and I decided to go with her, just to be on land — I really wasn’t feeling well. Once we reached solid ground, we got a whole dance hall to ourselves, where she suggested we practice African dances together, since the children hadn’t shown up. A Spaniard joined us, and later the owner of the dance hall herself — Tatiana from Panama — my namesake!

That was happiness! Finally: music, a hall, a trainer, and I am dancing :) After half an hour I was all sweaty, and when I did a split — it was a sensation! Through the open doors, locals began watching us, and one woman even said that I feel the music. That was especially touching — praise from a Black woman to a white woman sounded particularly wonderful %) We danced for more than two hours. It was probably the best moment in recent times.

Afterwards my namesake let me take a shower at her place, since there wasn’t enough water on our boat. So, wet and happy, we went to look for Alan, found him in a bar, and there I tried a juice made from some unusual tomatoes — not really my thing :D In another restaurant, we had dinner — the spaghetti with tiny shrimp turned out to be delicious, I never imagined spaghetti could taste that good! Though the shrimp, on the contrary, spoiled the impression a bit.

Full and content, we returned to the boat, where we fell asleep like little children. The captain even gave me his cabin as an honored guest :D

A little about African dances

African dances are not just movements to the drums, they are living energy, a dialogue between body and music, between the earth and the sky. Each step carries a story: harvest celebrations, the joy of birth, the sadness of farewell. These dances have no strict boundaries — there is improvisation, rhythm, and a sense of the moment. Moving together with the group, a person seems to dissolve into the flow, while at the same time remaining a vivid part of the overall pattern.

This is exactly the feeling I caught in Portobelo: music, a hall, people, laughter — and suddenly you are not just dancing, but living through an entire story. As if the drums are beating in your blood! Maybe that’s why African dances become close so quickly — they bring you back to something primal, to the very nature of movement and the joy of being alive.

TAGS: results of the day, men, African dances
MOOD: traveling, happy, dancing