Category: Panama

Panama Reflections

4/6/2016

As our plane leaves Panama City and follows a route north along the Panama Canal I begin to reflect on our Panama experience.

This is our second trip to Panama. Three years ago as we left William said he never wanted to return. It had been a hot and buggy experience and he had had enough. What changed his mind? Well, the opportunity to spend time with great friends was a big draw. The fact that we would be in Boquete some of the time, which was a favorite location during our first trip was another factor. Lastly, we had not yet explored the Caribbean side of Panama and the idea of kicking back was appealing.

These past six weeks we have been very happy to reconnect with friends, make new friends and meet interesting people.

This time we skipped Panama City except for the time in the airport. It's a busy big city with some amazing new buildings. Instead smaller towns (Boquete and Bocas del Toro) known for their natural beauty and outdoor activities were our destinations.

Our 10 days in Boquete were very nice, and our friends(new and old) made it a wonderful stay. Valle Escondido where we stayed was very lovely (and clearly upscale and significantly owned and/or occupied by expats). The town of Boquete is a mix of locals, expats and tourists and has a fair amount of activities for a small town. At an elevation of 1,200 meters the temperatures are cooler (temperate) than much of Panama - but with it comes the light mist known as bajareque. Our conclusion is that Boquete is a nice place to visit for a month or so, but would not be somewhere we would want to spend 6-12 months.

We stayed in Bocas del Toro for four weeks. The area is primarily locals and tourists, but there is a small group of expats mostly from Canada and the US. Activities center around sand, the sea, and eating and drinking. Toward the end of our stay we were a little bored and definitely too hot unless we were sitting by the Caribbean or in our air conditioned bedroom. Our conclusion is that two weeks in a beach setting is about the maximum for us. Other people, I'm sure would love 3, 6 or 12 month visits. To each their own!

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House Sitting

4/2/2016

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We have read about house sitting in various travel articles. There's even websites which match house sitters with people looking for someone to watch their place. Our stay in Bocas afforded us the opportunity to meet Steve and Jane, a couple who house sit full time, and have done so for several years. They do not own or rent a permanent home.

My theory has been that there are three main reasons for someone to seek a house sitter, someone who stays in your home for free for a pre-arranged period of time. They are: 1) watch the pet(s), 2) take care of the plants/gardens, and/or 3) make the place look lived-in, primarily as a deterrent to robbery. It turns out that all three reasons come into play in Steve and Jane's experience.

Steve and Jane are the mostly full-time house sitters for a home on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro. It is one of two homes that were built in an up-scale planned development that went belly-up after the home was built. The jungle has since reclaimed most of the unbuilt development. The home is owned by a man from Chicago who has Steve and Jane live there most of the year to keep an eye on the gardeners and maintenance personnel who do the day-to-day care of the property and to deter thieves from stripping the home of it's contents and mechanical systems. The home is only accessible from the water, so a boat (and gas) is provided by the owner, as is a 4x4 Chevy Blazer which is kept in Bocas Town.

I said they are mostly full-time in this home because the owner uses it several times a year and because Steve and Jane make their services available to other people as well. We met Steve and Jane because the owner was using the house during Easter week, so they needed to evacuate. What happens then? They use their network of acquaintances to see if they can find another house sitting gig, stay with friends, or if necessary rent a place short term. It happened that Steve and Jane were staying in the same condo building as us because the condo owners were gone for a month. After four days they were moving to watch the Fincas Del Mono Botanical Gardens for three days so Lin and her husband could take a short break. In May Steve and Jane will house-sit a couple of weeks at a beautiful home near Bluff Beach. I asked what happens with the home they primarily house sit during these other gig's. They said the owner is informed in advance and frequently he or someone from his family will fly down for part of the time they are gone.

Full-time house sitting really helps to stretch the retirement dollars. In addition, they sometimes do projects for the owners and pick up some extra cash - Jane just finished painting some interior rooms.

William and I are intrigued by the house sitting idea, but it's doubtful it will work for us. There are three reasons: 1) we generally don't like pets and I am allergic to dogs and cats, 2) we do not have green thumbs - we generally kill off plants, and 3) we're not very fond of the idea of being the second line of defense (after locked doors) in areas where crime is a concern.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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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Panama Reflections

House Sitting

Finca Los Monos Botanical Gardens

Some quiet days

Green Acres is the Place to Be

A Day with Jäger Knights

Friends

A Stormy Day

The cute old couple

Blue Coconut

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