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Finca Los Monos Botanical Gardens

3/27/2016

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My neighbor Jane and I set off on Good Friday morning for Finca Los Monos Botanical Garden and the 8:30 am tour.  I have walked by the entrance many times, as it is just a 12 minute walk north from our condo, but this is the first time I venture in.

We are greeted by Lin, who owns the gardens along with her husband.  Jane was lucky to have met them the previous evening at an informal gathering.  Lin is originally from New Zealand.  She and her husband purchased the property approximately 20 years ago.  No one had lived on it for 60 years and it was jungle. The road I take on my walks did not exist, the property was only accessible from the water.  They took machete's and created a path from the mangroves through the jungle to the top of the hill where they decided they would build their home.  Initially they camped.  Then the shell of the house was built and they lived in it, sleeping on a blow-up air mattress.  Eventually the home was completed.


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Lin loves flowers and she personally cleared land around the house to make it more of a garden setting.  The area expanded over time and now she employs two gardeners full time to help her maintain the plants and keep the jungle at bay.  She has plants throughout the property which are native to Panama as well as plants from around the world including the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Tahiti and the Caribbean.
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Around the covered patio Lin has hung some abandoned bird nests they have gathered.  I quickly forget the name of the bird.  The nests are built by the male.  Once completed he calls for the females in the area.  If a female likes the nest they mate and only have one chick who lives in the nest eight months before taking flight.  The nest is then abandoned and the process begins again.

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After a brief introduction our group of 15 starts on our 90 minute walk through the property.  We see red, pink and white ginger torch.  White is not very common.  Lin has eight different types of banana plants (which are technically herbs) ranging from ornamental pink banana's which self-peel to the common edible banana's of the region.  The different varieties of heliconia are amazing, with the hairy heliconia being one of my favorites.  I hadn't realized heliconia's are part of the same family as banana's, but looking at the leaves it is now obvious they are related.
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Throughout the gardens there are numerous palms.  Some are native and others were planted when they were less than a foot tall, but within 10 years now tower above us.  I can't name all the different flowers Lin describes during the tour.
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I hoped to see wildlife during the walk, but the sloths and monkeys are elusive on this day.  Even the caiman which sometimes occupies the pond is in hiding.  We see a few frogs and there is a bat hanging on the roof of the covered patio birds can be heard but few seen.  One bit of wildlife we do see is the leaf eater ants.  We also see the the result of their hands-work, large leaves where the only thing left is the skeleton.
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After tramping about in the hot, humid jungle Lin brings us back to the covered patio by way of their pool.  Some weeks there is an option to have lunch and enjoy the pool for a couple of hours, but that is not for us today.  Instead Lin brings out bottles of cold lemongrass tea which she has brewed.  It is surprisingly crisp and refreshing.

After chatting with Lin and the others on the tour for a bit Jane and I walk back to our condo building.  We are very happy we took the tour and both of us are looking forward to cool showers!

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Some quiet days

3/27/2016

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Since our friends left to go back to Boquete it's been quiet around here.  Exploring new restaurants and enjoying some of our favorites is a primary activity, along with reading, surfing the net and watching some of the movies we brought with us.

Semana Santa (Easter) week brings more tourists to Bocas and some interesting rules are put in place.  Throughout Panama packaged liquor is not allowed to be sold from Holy Thursday through Easter Sunday.  We checked out our frig on Wednesday and buy a little more wine to ensure we had sufficient supply.  :-)  Restaurants are not allowed to sell liquor from noon Thursday through midnight Friday.  We're told some of the restaurants will serve beer in wine in paper cups during the prohibition and that there are some bars in town that open at midnight and serve until the wee hours.

Friday we go into town for dinner at an Italian restaurant which has good reviews.  We anticipate that we will not be able to order alcohol due to the prohibition.  We arrive for an early dinner and initially are one of two tables occupied.  The owner waits on us and William gently broaches the topic of alcohol.  The owner quietly says no bottles, but it is available.  William's cerveza arrives in a Coke glass and is described as ginger ale on the bill.  My red wine is served in a short water glass and is listed as Pepsi. Lol.

The other local rule (law?) for Semana Santa is that no music is allowed all day Thursday and Friday.  At first we think this applies only to restaurants, but then we notice that the loud music normally pumping out of the cars at the car wash and from some of the homes in the area has stopped.  The sound of pressure washing is much more tolerable than the rap music that seems to be the favorite of all the taxi and van drivers (as well as the guys at the car wash).  We can continuously hear the waves crashing on the beach, rather than just when the car wash is without a patron.  Wonderful! 


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Green Acres is the Place to Be

3/20/2016

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During the night there's a good rain and we wake up to overcast skies.  We hurry through breakfast as we are meeting Nanci, Vic, Dianna and Terry at 9:15 for the start of our adventure to Green Acres Chocolate Farm.  It rains off-and-on during breakfast but stops just before we leave.

I have arranged with Roberto to take the six of us in his water taxi to Green Acres.  When I spoke with him he quoted me $25 per person since there are six of us.  The only issue is that I am not sure if that is round trip - at first I assumed that it is, but during the night I have had some doubts.  When we arrive at the dock Roberto puts me at ease.  He will take us to the Chocolate Farm, stay there while we do the 2-3 hour tour, then bring us back for $25 per person.  Normally the fee is $30, but since we have six people he has provided a discount.

The water taxi ride starts out.  It is still overcast and we see rain falling in the distance.  William and I chose to brave whatever weather comes our way, but Nanci has come prepared with rain gear for the four of them.  Luckily it is not needed.  The 30 minute ride takes us through Dolphin Bay and we are lucky enough to see a dolphin.  We also see the large stand of trees called table-tops as well as mangroves along the way.
 
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Roberto pulls up to a nice dock - we have arrived at Green Acres Chocolate Farm.  A few minutes later a couple arrives in a dingy - they are from one of the sailboats in the harbor and then a family of five arrives.  The 13 of us are the 10 am tour.
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We walk up to the home and along the way Robert stops to tell us about the plants which includes plantains and two types of banana's.  They also have papaya, avocado, coconuts, lemon and limes on the property.  Sitting on the back patio Robert explains the cocoa pods and the seeds inside.  He cracks some open and we chew on the raw seeds and the sweet pulp around them.  The seeds themselves are bitter.
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Now it is time to take a walk around the property.  Robert is a wealth of knowledge and he shares information about the plants and animals we see.  There's a pair of lineated woodpeckers building a nest inside a dead tree.  They are very large compared to the woodpeckers at home. We see a nephila orb spider in her web and off to the side is the much smaller male spider.  The female eats the male after mating, just like the black widow.  A green bandit frog hops by and Robert picks up the poisonous critter carefully to show us.  We see cocoa trees that are over 100 years old.  Robert describes that he loses 15% of his crop to the squirrels and could lose up to another 15% to the fungus that is hitting cocoa trees world-wide. Being an organic farm, he does not use any chemicals to attempt to destroy the fungus.  Instead every day his workers examine the trees and remove any pods showing signs of the fungus.
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After an hour or so we arrive at Robert's "Willie Wonka" workshop.  It is here that the harvested cocoa pods are processed.  The seeds are removed and fermented with naturally occurring yeast.  They are then set out in trays to dry in the sun.  Once sufficiently dried they are taken into the workshop for processing.  A roaster constructed from a propane tank, propane stove small motor and pulley are used.  Following roasting the hulls are removed using a machine constructed from a shop vac and the top of a chlorine bleach container(along with a few other parts).  Then the cocoa seeds are ground 10 times.  The grinder uses some parts from an old fashioned meat grinder.  By this point the chocolate is smooth and still contains 100% of the cocoa butter, unlike commercial high quality chocolate which has 40% or more of the butter removed.  The chocolate is poured into molds constructed from plastic plumbing pipes which have been cut into six inch pieces the cut lengthwise.  After some time in a propane-powered freezer they are wrapped and packaged by hand.  Talk about a McGivered operation!  And everything runs off-the-grid.
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We return to the patio of the house to have some banana bread and sample some of the products.  With a small cup of Green Acres chocolate and cream liquor in hand we toast a great experience.  Of course there is an opportunity to buy the products, and we leave Green Acres Farm with a little less green in William's wallet.  Vic and Terry have the same wallet experience.

Roberto is waiting for us at the dock and our route back to Bocas Town is through a canal which has been cut through the mangroves.  It's easy to see how important these trees are to the eco-system.  Amazing how they can live in the salt water.
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A Day with Jäger Knights

3/19/2016

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We are booked for a 6 hour cruise on the Jäger Knights, a 42 foot catamaran.  The six of us meet at the dock at 9:30am for our 10am cruise.  We are shortly joined by 7 other passengers and Maga, our captain.  After we complete the necessary paperwork and Maga has filed it with the authorities he takes us out of harbor under power. 

Our first destination is Playa Estrella, or Starfish Bay.  Maga takes us around the tip then motors up the western side of Isla Colon.  I spot the area where the island narrows a little south of our condo.  I have seen that there are homes(shacks) there, but now I get a view from the water.  Most of the scenery is of beautiful turquoise water, blue skies and a lush shoreline of jungle.  Occasionally we pass a house or lodge, such as Punta Caracol Aqua Lodge.

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Everyone is kicked back and enjoying the day.  The sun-bathers are up in front catching the direct rays.  The couple from Germany and us Canadians and US people are enjoying the (mostly) shady area in the back of the boat.  Fifteen minutes north of Punta Caracol we spot some dolphins.  Maga slows and we see a few mothers with their babies and some single dolphins.

Around 12:30 we arrive at Playa Estrella.  Maga pulls the catamaran up to the beach and sets the anchor, then tells us we are free to explore for about and hour - but do not touch the starfish.  We jump off the back of the catamaran into the warm, clear water.  This place is appropriately named - there are hundreds of starfish in the water, many just 10-15 feet from the shore.  We walk along sharing the beach with the others who are out for the day and the four or five small beach restaurants and bars.  A couple of places have small generators, a necessity for the blenders which whip up delightful cool drinks!
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Maga announces that the chicken which has been simmering in wine on the stove since we left port is ready whenever we wish to eat.  Lunch sounds marvelous - we are very hungry!  Plates are artfully prepared with a chicken thigh in the middle, fresh diced tomatoes around and four slices of baguette which can be used to sop up the juices.  We eat lunch at a table under a thatched roof with logs as our chairs.

Soon we are pulling up anchor and headed toward our second stop, snorkeling by the coral.    The winds are such that Maga decides to use the sails.  It is a blissful afternoon and so quiet without the motors.  Vic and Klaus are enlisted to help with the sailing, steering the boat and adjusting the ropes.  Both have wide smiles.  The rest of us kick back, chat, or take a short snooze.

The catamaran takes us off of Isla Solarte, near the Blue Coconut restaurant.  The snorkel gear is pulled out of the bench and soon we are exploring the fish and coral.  I enjoy swimming along side the schools of bright yellow fish. The coral is also amazing in various bright colors.  After a bit we all climb back into the catamaran and set sail for Isla Colon.  The sun is not so hot now, but it is a good time for another cool refreshment. 


All too soon we are approaching the dock and the end of our trip.  It was a delightful time and well worth the $45 per person.  After we settle up our bill with Maga and say goodby to our new acquaintances from Germany and Italy we head over to El Pirate as we are all starving.  We sit at a table out over the water and enjoy good food, good conversation and good friends.
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Friends

3/19/2016

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It's been two weeks since we hugged goodby with our friends Vic and Nanci.  But today they are coming to Bocas and bringing along their friends from Alberta, Dianna and Terry. 

We walk into town for a late lunch and to await their arrival enjoying good food and a great view at a restaurant named "The Pub".  Just as William has finished paying our bill their call comes in that they have arrived at their B&B.  Yeah!

 

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A Stormy Day

3/12/2016

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The day starts out cloudy.  I went for a couple mile walk before breakfast - to the palm tree planted where the road had washed out on the way to Paki Point.  After doing some chores around the condo William and I decide to go to Paki Point for lunch.

As we walk out of the condo the sky begins to spit a light rain.  We catch a taxi and during the next 1.5 miles north the sky begins a real rain.  We joke with the taxi driver about enjoying Paki Point in the rain.  We arrive and run quickly into the covered restaurant area.
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The surf is wild.  No one is surfing near the restaurant but we spot a couple of boats a fair distance out.  At times the tops of the boats disappear in the waves, then slowly rise back up again. After ordering lunch we have time to peer out at the waves and the boats.  We spot heads bobbing in the water.  Then, occasionally someone climbs up on a surf board and catches a great wave.  These are the experienced surfers - those willing to risk their wellbeing to have an exhilarating ride.  Lots of fun to watch!
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The cute old couple

3/9/2016

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It is with some shock and trepidation today that we realize we are the "cute old couple" to at least some twenty-somethings.

Today we go to Bocas Brewery for a late lunch of chicken wings and to bring back three gallons of drinking water - a good excuse for a trip to the brewery.  We place our order with the bartender, a Panamanian woman in her mid-twenties and then go sit outside on the patio.

A little while later the bartender brings us our wings and fries.  She smiles then asks in fairly good English, "Pardon - what is the secret to a long relationship?"  We first look at each other with a puzzled stare, then a smile.  I respond "You must laugh a lot and like being together".  She presses, "But what about when you fight"?  William responds "You must be able to say I'm sorry and let it go".  She smiles, thanks us and walks away.

It is at this point that we realize, we have become the "cute old couple".  Oy!  That's not us - that's our parents!
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Blue Coconut

3/8/2016

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After a quiet Sunday just hanging around town and the condo we are up for a little more adventure.  We decide to spend Monday afternoon at Blue Coconut.

We start with a water taxi ride from Bocas Town to Blue Coconut located off the island of Solarte.  We have a good view of boats in the bay and portions of the islands along the way.  Fifteen minutes later we are pulling up to one of the docks of Blue Coconut, an over-water restaurant / water sport area.  Captain Willie charges us $10 each for the round-trip and promises to pick us up at 3:30pm.

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All of the lounge chairs are in the sun and we are looking for some shade.  I will look like a lobster if I spend a lot of time in the sun!  There are plenty of open tables in the covered restaurant area, and that's where we settle in.  William downs a Balboa (one of the brands of local cerveza's) and I sip a white wine while we contemplate the menu.  We try the deep-fried macaroni and cheese as a starter.  The three balls which arrive 15 minutes later hit the spot.  William decides the location calls for a blue drink and orders a Blue Coconut, their signature drink.  Memories of our family members having blue drinks at the seaside bars in Olon, Ecuador flood back.  Good times. 
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The water hammocks call to me, so I try one out - swinging back and forth for a half an hour.  The sea is warm and the bottom is mostly sandy.  There are hundreds of small fish swimming around and past the hammock.  I think about grabbing snorkeling gear and making my way over to the nearby coral reef, but am still hungry so lunch wins out.  While I am drip-drying I walk around the docks and notice the star fish sitting along the bottom.  What fun!  I try taking a photo, but of course the waves distort the image.  If we return to Blue Coconut I will definitely do some snorkeling as well as lounging and eating!
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I order the lobster cakes and William orders the Cajun fish filet for lunch.  Both are good, but the location makes them seem wonderful.  As we dine we are entertained by people on stand up paddle boards (SUP's).  One of the owner's dogs is fond of SUP's and enjoys going for rides.

At a few minutes before 3:30 Captain Willie reappears in his boat and taxi's us back to Bocas Town.  We will highly recommend Blue Coconut to people we meet, and may make a return trip out there before we head home.
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Paki Point

3/7/2016

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It's a gorgeous Saturday morning.  After a lazy start to the day and relaxing breakfast we make our plan for the afternoon.  Our destination is Paki Point, which is identified as a "Must Do" in the booklet provided by our landlady.  Google Maps tells us that it is 3.6 km (1.7 mi) northeast - just follow the main road outside our condo.  We consider walking, but the sun is hot and we are not sure what to expect, so we opt to pay $3 each for a taxi ride.  80% of the trip is on paved road, then it turns to a mixture of gravel and sand.
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We arrive a Paki Point which is a good area for surfing and relaxing.  On the inland side of the road is a restaurant/surfboard rental shop.  It is also appointed with lounge chairs on a deck which can be rented or are complementary if you spend enough on food and drinks.
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We grab a table in the covered deck side of the restaurant, order some beverages, and kick back.  There is plenty of quiet entertainment watching the surfers catching waves and the people biking to Paki Point or attempting to go beyond possibly to Playa Bluff, another 4 km up the road.  After a while we order lunch - the fresh catch of the day for me and a burger for William.  My fish is very good, mild tasting and cooked in butter.  It comes with a fresh side salad and rice and beans.  William declares his burger to be almost as good as Buena Vista's.

We sit and sip beverages for a while longer then decide it is time to head back.  Taxi's occasionally come by, but we decide to walk for a while rather than wait.  Along the walk back we find the Panamanian solution for a portion of wash-out road - plant a palm tree!  We also see a nice beach area we may try out in the future.  As we pass by the beach a taxi driver taps on his horn - sure, we'll catch a ride the rest of the way to the condo!

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Bocas  Town

3/6/2016

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Life is laid back in Bocas.  The most  we have seen of a "rush hour" is five taxi's, three van's and two cars on Calle 3 (the main street of town).  Oh yes, there is also the occasional dog and tourist crossing the street.  But then, we have not been there at 11 pm when the bars are in their prime.

Calle 3 is lined with the main park, at least eight small market/grocery stores(of various sizes) almost all operated by people of Chinese heritage, dozens of restaurants and bars, dozens of water taxi/ adventure operators, and perhaps ten clothing/souvenir stores.  Oh yes, above most of all these businesses is a hostel.

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Many of the restaurants are built with sections over the water.  We have tried out a number of them and found the breezes and views of the bay to be intoxicatingly.  Buena Vista is reported to have the best burger in town, and we agree.  El Parate (The Pirate) has a great executive lunch which includes a soda , rice made with coconut milk, salad, and your choice of beef or chicken for $5.  The price is double that of el menu del dia's we have found in Ecuador and does not include soup, but it has 2-3 times the amount of protein.

Just outside of Bocas Town and just a 10-15 minute walk from our condo is Bocas Brewery.  They are right on the beach and the main road out of town.  They do small batches of beer, much heavier and higher in alcohol content than the local mass-market Balboa and Panama brands.  I think our son's could be the brewmasters in such a place.  Of course, Bocas Brewery's beer is also a premium price ($5 per pint vs. $1.50-$2.00 for a 12 oz. bottle).  They also offer a half-pint of Chilean wine for $3.50.  On Wednesday's they have half-priced wings which are very good. They also have a larger bar menu.
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An interesting sideline is that the Brewery also sells drinking water for 50¢ per gallon which as gone through reverse osmosis.  Given that the grocery stores charge $4.50 for 6 liters (1.5 gallons) of drinking water, it's an easy rationalization to carry 4 water jugs down to the Brewery, get them filled and also have a pint of beer and half-pint of wine before walking back.  It's almost a wash in cost and a lot of fun.
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    Hi.  I'm Anne.  I wander around the world with William.


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