Dress it up any way you want. Call it “green season” if it makes you feel good. Call it “winter” even though it’s not cold, and heaven knows, it’s not going to snow. But, the reality is - rainy season means flooded streets, muddy sidewalks, increased traffic, honking horns, thunder, lightning, more traffic, decreased patience, more horns… and at times, days and days without sunshine. We arrived in the middle of rainy season last year, and here we are, almost a year later in the thick of it again.
Dealing with and preparing for rainy season requires the following:
1. Have a good umbrella. Take that back – have 4 good umbrellas: one for home, one for the car, one for the office if you work, and one just in case. We are an 8-umbrella family, and we have used all of them at one time or another since here.
2. Make sure that at least one of your vehicles is an SUV. Go ahead and buy the little sports car if you wish, but know that you will only be able to rely on it 4 or 5 months out of the year.
3. When encountering flooded streets (and you will encounter them), move slowly and steadily through the water if, and only if, you really think you can make it. If you aren’t sure, don’t go through. Don’t use the brake. Don’t go in reverse. Don't expect that there will be tow trucks to drag you out if you get stuck. Slow and steady.
4. Let friends and family know that now is not a good time to visit. Sure the airfare may be cheaper, but there is a reason for that. That wonderful beach vacation they’ve been dreaming about will probably be spent inside playing cards, especially during the months of October and November.
Nevertheless, there’s another side to this season. It’s romantic and mysterious. The lightning shows make you want to grab a bottle of wine, sit on the balcony (far enough out of the way to avoid the pelting rain), and admire nature at work. Sheltered by the clouds, amid the lightning and thunder, the sunset creates deep hues of orange, red, and purple. Other days, when the sun can’t find the energy to force itself out, everything is steeped in shades of silver, giving the appearance of a 1920s film or Ansel Adams photograph. Those are the days when the clouds creep up on you, seeping into every nook, until you are standing in the middle of a milky light unable to see anything before or behind you. I’m constantly fascinated, amazed, in awe of the beauty of this place. Fascinated by its rich colors. Amazed by the absence of them as well.
Rainy season – in a nutshell - it’s the most beautiful mess you’ll ever have to be in. Aw, what the heck, invite the family down. You can sit on the balcony and chat while saturating your senses.
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Sounds lovely. And as long as its not too cold I'm down. It's 48F here right now. :(
ReplyDeleteOh wow! Thanks again for giving me the honest story with this! I've heard everything from some people describing rainy season as daily light rain for about an hour in the afternoon to people describing monsoon deluges!
ReplyDeleteDo you wear rain boots/galoshes for months straight or do people just get used to it and wear what they please? Does that cut down considerably on the ability to walk around the city (to the run errands, grab lunch, get to and from work, etc.) I was under the impression that PC is pretty pedestrian friendly.
Sorry I didn't get back to you earlier, Suzanne.
ReplyDeleteSo, here's the deal.
There are some months during rainy season where it does only rain 1 - 2 hours a day, once a day. There are others where it may rain intermittently 2-3 times in a day. However, starting mid-September to about the end of November, you can expect thunderstorms and downpours to increase. Last October, I remember it raining for a week straight. No lie. No exaggeration.
Panama is not a culture of "walking". Most people you see walking are doing it out of necessity - to get to a bus stop, for example - or are foreign. The heat and/or humidity usually keep people from walking to and from places. Now, this doesn't mean that you can't walk around your neighborhood. Some neighborhoods have great sidewalks. Punta Pacifica and Punta Paitilla are not two on that list. However, El Cangrejo is a cute little neighborhood where you can walk to the pharmacy and then to a bagel shop across the way. There are 4 areas of town I can think of where people walk for exercise - Costa del Este, Parque Omar, Cinta Costera, and the Causeway. But, you may have to drive to these spots to take advantage of them.
As far as what to wear - no one wears boots unless they have high heels and they are planning on going out for a fun evening, or if they are working construction (sans high heels, of course). Pretty much people just look at the sky, take their chances, and hop into the nearest cab or wait until the worst of the storm is over. And, again, in October or November, you could wait for several days if you don't have an umbrella with you. :)
Lovely description of the rainy season! I am moving there in one month and the part I am more hesitating is the weather! I will stick to your poetic approach!
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