What IS that bird? A female, I take it. A tyrant flycatcher? Kind of big for a swallow or a tanager. I was trying to be unobtrusive in getting closer to take her picture while she was on the lamp in the park between the church and city hall when she suddenly jumped to an adjacent tree.
A Tuesday morning with my camera in Anton
by Eric Jackson
Ah! One of the hazards of being a small town bird was following me.
Late on a Tuesday morning with time to kill. School kids on half days — the textbooks that were to be distributed in mid-March are still not done at the printers, it’s the penultimate day of Black Ethnicity Month so some of the kids are in Afro garb but most are in their regular uniforms. Hot and humid again today? Will rain bring us some afternoon relief?
A poinciana tree in bloom, shading both private property and the public right-of-way. Anton is a bit better than some other places around Panama when it comes to urban forestry. These trees are native to Madagascar, but part of Panamanian culture by now.
I’m feeling up to a long walk, as I was not in weeks previous. Part of my stroll is taking mental notes on things that are available, particularly the little private medical clinics. ONE says that it does ultrasound for kidneys — does that mean if I get a kidney stone attack they have a lithotryptor to crush the stone, or just a scanner to confirm or rule out the presence of such an annoyance?
Taking a turn toward the main business street, when I get to the Esquina de Los Aburridos there is a usual assembly of half a dozen or so graying men, but they’re not yet playing dominos or cards. It’s a matter of getting some shade and some quiet socializing.
At the town square, such as it is, there is a lone kid in school uniform pecking at his cell phone in the gazebo, then this bird and cat scene as shown above.
But the representante’s pickup, and the PRD campaign pickup, parked in the church’s lot? Hmmmmm.
On the far side of the town square, the post office. Still a source of government jobs, but the operation needs to be technologically modernized to be very relevant in these modern times. You can still wire and receive money through Correos, though.
Panama still has a weak economy, and did even before COVID hit. I walk by a lot of vacant places, some buildings in ruins, but some empty places that have been more or less preserved and are begging for buyers to come along, renovate and move in.
Does some hustler tell you about the opportunities to put your money into income properties and become a zillionaire? That person lies. But if provincial town living is your thing, for that there are good prospects in Anton.
THIS fixer-upper bears artwork of the local popular culture, Anton’s odd Toro Guapo tradition.
I take the turn back toward the highway and the place where I get the bus back to the village. No street vendors at the usual spot on this lazy Tuesday morning. I almost bump into a cop — he was texting on his cell phone while walking down the sidewalk, while I was looking about for interesting photos.
The loyal one, standing guard at the bus terminal. However, it’s a slow day and I have no treat to spare.
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