XXl Festival Nacional De La Flor Del Espiritu Santo

This past Sunday, I traveled to Las Minas-Herrera for the XXl Festival Nacional De La Flor Del Espiritu Santo (which translates to the XXl National Festival of the Flower of the Holy Spirit). I met my friend, Suzy (an expat who has lived in Panama for a number of years and speaks Spanish) at the bus terminal, and we took a 1-hour ride on the small bus to Las Minas in the highlands of the Azuero Peninsula.

I really do love riding the buses here in Panama. There is a beautiful feeling of sharing space and community. It is custom to say “Buenas” as you get on the bus. It feels like a friendly “I see you” hello. 

As we were riding up, my ears popped a little with the swaying curves of the mountain roads. People get on and off the bus with each town we pass through. An older woman gets on the bus wearing the festival blouse that she made. It is customary to wear traditional clothing to these festivals, and it is wonderful to see the pride they have in their culture by wearing these handmade hats, tops, blouses, dresses, and shoes. 

Suzy strikes up a conversation with her, and the next thing we know she has invited us to join her for the day at the festival. When we arrive, we follow her to her niece’s house, where they are putting together a giant beautiful float for the parade. The decorations and live flowers are quite a sight, and it is easy to see that a lot of work goes into each and every float. 

After she visits with her niece, we start walking up the hill to the town center. I know the direction we are going because the center of most towns is the church, and it is easy to see the steeple of the church over the homes and shops. Festivals typically include vendors selling crafts, plants, traditional clothing, pottery, music, produce and chocolate from local farms, and festival food. There seems to always be a parade in the afternoon and a dance in the evening. This festival would include a Concurso de Grito or a screaming contest.

We spent the day with a combination of looking at the vendors, buying a piece of locally farmed chocolate, striking up conversations, listening to live music, people-watching, smelling the aroma of all the beautiful flowers and plants, and enjoying a festival treat. The slower pace and relaxed feeling of this community are welcoming, and I couldn’t help but follow their lead. The stunning views of the surrounding mountains and highland breezes were refreshing to my body and soul. 

The bus ride down the mountain roads seemed to go a little faster, or could this be the roller coaster as a final thrill of the day? LOL. Remember that easygoing and relaxed community feeling… it would at first appear that it doesn’t apply to driving in Panama, but I would argue that it does. Well, sort of. I would say that buses and taxi drivers are the masters of the roads. Is it possible to have an unspoken rule that the more people you have in your vehicle, the more you have the right of way? I don’t know, but busses and taxi drivers rule. It is a respected and affordable way to get around. I love how they use the horn to communicate a friendly honk, saying “I’m here” and “coming over.” No one gets angry. It is simple and polite communication. 

After arriving safely back at the bus terminal, I enjoyed a short walk home with cloud cover from a recent rain. We have heard that the rainy season is having a slow beginning here in the Azuero Peninsula this year. We are discovering the benefits of this season with its refreshing and cooling effects. 

We have been in Panama for 53 days, and the adventure continues…