Farsighted Fly Girl

The Panama Canal may be the most famous structure in Panama but the notorious Diablico Sucio represents the most familiar cultural figure. The name translates to dirty devil and I met this character when I visited Casco Viejo, the old colonial section of Panama City. Diablico Sucio also dates back to colonial times, when villagers, especially from Los Santos, would construct a costume from a blanket painted with red and black stripes made with coal and annatto seeds. The dance connected with the character would make the dancers sweaty, blurring the coal and annotto so that it resembled dirt, hence the name. Diablico Sucio  is associated with the religious feast of Corpus Christi. The dancers use elaborate footwork, castanets, bells and a walking stick to symbolize the vivid battle between good and evil. During carnaval, these devils roam the streets and whip revelers with the walking stick unless they pay them or carry their own walking stick for protection. A UNES...

Panama displays a rich array of cultures and influences but for me, the indigenous people represent the real Panama. I journeyed to an Embera Indian village tucked into the Panamanian rainforest and that was the most memorable experience of my trip. The Embera are also called Choco` and are warm, inviting people. This photo of an Embera girl overlooking her village is my favorite photo from my visit because it shows the beauty of both the landscape and the people.

 I travel through North and South America a lot but never at once. This feat can only happen in Panama, where the Bridge of the Americas, pictured above, connects both continents as it spans the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal.  I'll be exploring Panama on a media trip where I'll visit legendary structures like the Panama Canal, Bridge of the Americas and Casco Viejo (Old Panama), which dates back to the 1600s, when pirates controlled much of the region. I'm most excited about visiting an Embera Indian village tucked into the Panamanian rain forest, where I'll learn about native plants and rituals. Look out for posts on Panamanian culture, food and fun next week.

This is very serious business. Like Democrat or Republican, White Sox or Cubs, Stones or Beatles,  choosing your favorite Jamaican pattie helps determine your direction in life. Patties are such an integral part of Jamaican culture that everyone nibbles an a version of the savory stuffed pastries at one time or the other. I journeyed through the north coast of the island to document the rivalry between the two most popular pattie companies and uncover the best pattie. If you ask a Jamaican about their favorite pattie, you will get one of two answers: Tastee or Juici. So what's the difference? Juici is supposed to offer more varieties, Tastee, more flavor. So I investigated (in a highly scientific sampling). Around Montego Bay, Tastee seemed to be the clear favorite, boasting more stores and longer lines. In Ocho Rios, Juici earned more visibility and outlets. Although the classic pattie is stuffed simply with seasoned beef, I saw a myriad of non-traditi...

Spring flowers aren't blooming yet in Chicago but my favorite blossoms are actually tropical. These St. Thomas bird of paradise flowers grow all over the island, spreading cheer with vividly colored petals that look like birds wings. Happy Spring!

It may be March but that simply translates to a little less snow in Chicago. It's still cold and will probably remain on the frosty side until the end of April. I am not familiar with that thing called Spring. Doesn't exist in these parts. So how do I survive through long months of cold? I follow the example of people who know a thing or two about brutal cold; Russians. No, I'm not talking about downing bottles of vodka but there's another quite popular local beverage, Siberian ginseng .  A native shrub, Russians first used it to strengthen astronauts and athletes in training. Famous for boosting energy and stress relief, Siberian ginseng is a daily tonic tea for Russians and anyone trying to build stamina. You can buy different versions of the tea, sometimes called Eleuthero root, but I really appreciate my imported Russian brand, complete with Matryoshka doll and Russian wording. Nothing kicks the mighty Chicago hawk like a hot cup of Siberian ginseng.

You can't visit a tropical paradise without diving into the natural landscape and Jamaica offers lots of options.  In Ocho Rios, I explored Mystic Mountain which features a lush hummingbird garden in a rain forest. In the photo above, you can spot a hummingbird hovering over the feeder on the left. I love the delicate beauty of these winged creatures but I discovered that they are really hard to capture on camera. There were literally dozens of birds flitting around but I only managed to snap one. The green feathers and red beaks blend in with the scenery so well  and they fly so fast that I had to strain to see them. Look at the bird melting into the leaves to the left in the photo above. I learned that Ecuador claims the most species of hummingbirds and that the world's smallest bird does not migrate from the Western Hemisphere. It was fun being surrounded by these tin birds in the Jamaican rain forest but they did make me dizzy.