Panama Patriotic Days in the Rain and a Little Sun

On Tuesday, the 3rd of November, it rained virtually all day. Marching bands, ladies in pretty dresses, motorcycle drill teams who had prepared for months, proceeded down Via España in a recurring downpour. As today’s Panama Newswire Feed notes November is the rainiest month in Panama. We will all endure the deluge until the wind switches and “summer” comes in December. On the other hand Wednesday is sunny at times and less rainy. The polleras don't look soggy and the marchers are happier.

The 3rd was Flag Day and, despite the rain, there was a huge turnout of bands, ladies and little girls in polleras, which is perhaps the most beautiful and admired national costume of the Americas. This adaptation from a gypsy dress worn in Spain at the time of the conquest of Peru and brought to Panama by the servants of the colonial families normally consists of a blouse or shirt and a two-tiered full skirt.

Fortunately, the pollera seems to endure rain well as these dresses are handed down through generations of events, parades, and the like.

The motorcycle drill teams included men of motorcycles, women on motor scooters, and the paired rider and guy with a gun that one sees on the Panama City streets. Hopefully the guns were not loaded yesterday as the guys in back were doing mini acrobatics with firearms in hand.

High school marching bands are getting ready for the Wednesday, November 4th parade and the rain has paused. Perhaps we will have better luck today.