Lacona a little town on Rodman Naval Station Here I am revisiting Lacona in 1969. The wooden 12-family housing is gone but the African Tullip Trees are still standing tall. Here is a fun fact: Unopened African Tulip-tree flowers store stale smelly water inside. In the old Canal Zone the kids would pick flowers and use them as “water pistols” by aiming them at their friends. They would make a small hole in the tip and squeeze the smelly water out of them.It was lots of fun. Of course when you got home you would get a lecture and told to take a bath immediately after getting out of those smelly clothes. African Tulip Tree (Spqthodea campanulata)is a tall colorful tree native to Africa blooms year round. Buds grow in a crowded circular cluster with the bright red tulip shaped flowers opening a few at a time. Unopened buds will squirt water when pinched or punctured. Leaves and flowers are made into dyes from gold to dark brown. Young trees sprout easily from seeds in elliptical seedpods, which are also used for dry flower arrangements. It is know for the dominant canopy trees in the deep rainforest ravines. On the downside it is also included in the pest plant category. As I recall there were many of these trees in Lacona and when I moved to Cocoli, I also found them in great abundance. Wow!The flower buds form a ball-shaped cluster. Each brown banana-shaped flower bud is filled with water, forming a natural water pistol when squeezed. The outer buds bloom first before the inner ones. The tree blooms year round and a flower lasts about 3 days. The ripe pods split open into a woody, boat-shaped form. Little kids in the old Canal Zone used them in boat races, by placing the opened pods in a fast flowing drain. Do you remember? Wow!I use to live here... when it comes to Lacona, I can never go home again. This is what is left of the 12-family tropical house, which was my home in the early 40's. Yes, Time marches on! To believe.....to reach.....to strive is to keep a dream alive. If you use each today as a chance to reach out, to learn something more of what life's all about....... If you follow your dreams, strive to make them come true..... Then life's sure to bring all the best things to you. ----Unknown Esso...tambien es mi Cocoli! Panama a lost paradise... It has been a real pleasure sharing little more about Cocoli... my town in the old Canal Zone. Please check out another page.....you'll be glad you did! Take care and drop by again. Hasta la Vista. See you on the flip side. Photo Credits: Author, Bill Fall, Montana, CZ and PCC Archives Lets go home Cafe Duran... Que bueno es! Little Stories to enjoy Sing and rejoice, tra-la-la, for fortune is smiling upon you!