Saturday, July 28, 2012

Back to Paraguay

After a six week stint in California, June 22nd marked our return to reality.  So late on Saturday, June 21st, we loaded up Papa Dave's truck with our luggage, and Graw's car with the girls, and headed to LAX to start our journey back south.  We were anxious about how the girls would do on the flights - as all parents are - but God heard our prayers and blessed us with two incredible troopers.  Not perfect by any means, but manageable.  We all pretty much slept away the first flight that landed us in Panama and we hit the ground running.

Doesn't Brandon look excited about our trip?

How they spent five of the six hours
of flight time

The agent that checked us in at LAX saw that we had a five and-a-half hour layover in Panama and recommended that we leave the airport and see some of the city while we had the time. We didn't need a visa to leave the airport, we already had our boarding passes for the second flight, and the only "hassle" would be having to fill out the immigration and declaration forms.  Not a big deal.  So we did!  

After chatting it up with the customs agent (pregnant girl, due in December, although she looks like she's going to pop any minnute! doesn't know if it's a boy or girl because "it" was covering up it's parts with it's hands) we handed our carry-on luggage to the first taxi driver who offered us a tour of the city. Forgetting about bartering, we paid waaaaay to much for it, but we did get to see some of the city. And being out and about was much better than trying to entertain two kids in an airport for five plus hours.

Our taxi ride through Panama City

I kept taking pictures of the terrain so that if our driver
ended up being a psycho we could find our way back
to the airport. Yes, I'm that kind of crazy.

First glimpses of the city

Boston fell asleep in the taxi, just as we pulled up to the canal. Of course. That said, we were terrible tourists when we opted NOT to go into the actual building that houses a museum and viewing pavilion where you can watch boats going in and out of the locks of the canal.  All the information would have been wasted on the girls, Brandon doesn't really care about that kind of thing, and (while I do) I would have been too worried about the other three to have truly enjoyed myself.  It just didn't seem worth it. Plus we were hungry and wanted to try some typical Panamanian food.

Power nap!

Agua??? Bailey discovering the beach

Welcome to thePanama Canal 
Water overflow from the locks

Brandon taking Bailey on a little walk to see the
entrance to the canal




So our taxi driver took us to a mall!  He recommended a cafe in the food court for authentic Panamanian cuisine, but we couldn't find it.  So we settled for Dunkin Donuts.  Hey, if you can't have traditional food, might as well get one last "American" meal in, right?  The food court (a two story monstrosity) boasted a carousel that Bailey of course wanted to ride, then we headed back to the airport, having successfully wasted away our layover.

Waiting for the carousel 

Wheee!!!

Minutes after loading the girls into the stroller at the Panama airport, they were both sound asleep. For a few minutes, that is, until we passed through security again and had to unload everything, including our two sleeping beauties. They took no pity on us weary travelers.  But Bailey fell right back to sleep once the stroller passed through the x-ray machine, while Boston played on the floor.

ZZZZzzzzzzz

Who needs toys when you have an empty water botlte?

The flight from Panama to Asuncion was just as uneventful as the one from LAX - thankfully - and we arrived without incident.  Tired, yes, but all in one piece, baggage accounted for, and with our patience still in tact.  God was faithful once again to provide a smooth trip for our family. And for that we are truly grateful!

Best seat in the house! 

After so many days of playing with Graw's iPhone,
she thinks everything is a touch screen!

Holding sister while Daddy got our luggage
in the Paraguayan airport

And the best part? Bailey did all of this in her socks! We forgot her shoes at Graw and Pa's when we left for LAX in the middle of the night.