Christmas Eve dinner with the O'Mara clan

Our little family has been adopted by this clan for many joyful Christmas pasts. This year was no exception- lots of laughs, great food, and time with good friends.

Carolyn and Laura, Christmas Eve 2014

A table full of laughs above and dogs running around below 

So much good food...

Cutest Pottery Barn Christmas table setting EVER

Carolyn is blown away by the worlds' smallest Christmas present

Bolivia VI- Chuletas

Throughout Bolivia, the indigenous Andean peoples have retained a lot of their culture.  Many speak Quechua or another Andean language, and have continued their clothing, food, and religious ethnicity.  Probably because the Spaniards were too lazy to climb the Andes and discover these groups, which allowed them to protect their culture for a few hundred years.

In Bolivia, the indigenous men dress in jeans.  But the indigenous ladies, called Chuletas, wear a very specific uniform: a plain blouse covered by a knit shawl (for warmth), a multi-layered knee-length skirt (which mimics colonial Spanish wear for women, and is warm), knee-high woolen socks, long braids,  and a bowler cap (brought by the British during the silver rush of the mid 19th century).

Diving in Coiba

Coiba is a protected national park on the Pacific coast of Panama.  The marine life is amazing.  And as the dive shop says, "Sharks Guaranteed."  Here are some of the best pictures.

A seahorse.  An honest to goodness seahorse, about 2" long.

White tipped reef sharks. Don't worry, they are vegetarians.  

White tipped reef sharks travel in herds, called a frenzy of sharks.  

Schools of fish everywhere, just like in  Finding Nemo.

Spotted Eel, 

Laura en La Mar

Sea turtle, the first I've seen.  I imagine him talking in a surfer voice.

Dancing at Fiestas Patrias

The Panamanian Studies teacher, a sweet lady named Griselda Franco, enlisted me to dance at the Patriot's Festival assembly.  After a month of practice, this is the outcome.  The Panamanians onstage, including my partner Lalio, put all of us foreigners to shame with their inborn rhythm.

But my favorite compliment came from my principal:  "Well, there were some awkward gringoes on stage.  But you were the least gringo-ish of the gringoes."