Bocas Day 2

Friday dawned clear and of course hot.  I spent a lazy day checking out the shops - sampling the food and people watching.  This was a holiday weekend as it was the start of carnival- which is huge.  Most towns have some type of celebration and parades as did Bocas.  It consisted there of men dressed in devil type costumes and dancing around and around - taking a rope type thing and hitting people - and it appeared to really HURT and glad I stayed back.  It started around 5pm and went on most of the night with music and lots of drinking.  But it was confined to an area near the park and where my hotel was and with the air conditioning I did not hear all the carrying on. 
I most enjoyed watching the little kids - many were fascinated yet others were nearly petrified with fear.  I walked the streets taking in all the many people and interesting traditions that seemed to be a part of the days. It was an eclectic group as Bocas being a tourist area for foreigners and Panamanians alike, so people watching was easy.  I sat on benches with my camera and soaked it in.  But also knowing that I was a woman traveling alone because of the amount of drinking etc going on that I needed to be aware of all around me.  I did not have any problems and it proved to be an enjoyable day.

I also spent time watching the kids play in the water - there was a larger than normal group because of the holiday and the little kids were joined by teens and older boys.   Then there were the teens trying to scale the palm tree for its coconuts- they crawled up on a roof of a store and then were pulling the tree sideways only to be stopped by a local policia. 
Supper was once again out at a local restaurant sitting and watching the sunset - cold margarita in hand.  I was thankful that the electricity stayed on all day and that my room was cool. 
The next day it was time to leave- my flight was not until the afternoon so just sat for the most part and enjoyed the views.  My cab arrived to take me to the airport - it was a hefty $1 cost.
I did have something happen when checking it that really threw me. I checked in my bag then he asked ME to get on the scale too - I wondered just how much weight I had put on that  or what.  I think I would rather go thru security than be weighed in!!! I was glad to see others also had to step on the scale though.
I arrived back in Panama City and back to my "home" at Mary and Goldie's and to once again enjoy the view of the canal from their roof top.

My first full day in Bocas Del Toro

After my hot start to my stay at Bocas I got up on Thursday morning and had booked a day on a catamaran.  It was a cloudy cool start but just being on a boat is relaxing for me.  We had no wind so had to use the motor to get to Dolphin Bay - where there are ALWAYS dolphin sightings.  We sailed all over the bay and never did see a dolphin.  We pulled into an area by the mangroves and got to snorkel.  The water is very clear and this area has different fish than out in the open and the coral was magnificent. 
While we snorkeled our captain made us lunch and there is nothing better than food while taking in the views of the bay.  We sailed out of that area to more open waters  and he wind had picked up to get the real feel of sailing.  There is something so wonderful about feeling the water under you and the wind moving you.  It gives one time to reflect and just enjoy the beauty of nature around you.
We pulled into our second snorkeling place and and within seconds we were surrounded by an ever growing flurry of black and yellow striped fish.  Our captain told us how this is the spot that he exclusively uses for snorkeling and noticed that as he threw the scraps from the pineapple these fish would come around- now they wait for him to arrive and more so wait for him to toss the goodies.  There were hundreds of the fish churning the water.  But we came to snorkel and this is where we saw the more colorful fish and fabulous reef.  I even got to see my first stingray- they are huge and so graceful as they skim over the bottom.  I could snorkel for hours but one does not realize while in the water how exhausting it is.  Or maybe it is just my age???? but I finally had to board back on to the catamaran, snack on the fresh fruit and sit back and enjoy a cold beer..  The day was all I had expected if not more.  After a month of being grandma I got to do something just for me but I did wish Kaiden too could have experienced this.
We sailed back to Bocas Town and with skin kissed by the sun and pleasantly tired I made the short walk back to the hotel for a cool shower and short nap before heading out to find supper.

Bocas is a throw back to the 1970s.  College age people are all over selling jewelry, carrying surfboards and skateboards.  The people that are more my age are ones who never grew up, they still think and act like they did in their 20s which can be interesting and also humorous. 
As always I love to watch the kids - across the street from my hotel is the local swimming "hole".  At times 30-40 kids are splashing and  jumping off the dock, and I sat and watching them every chance I got.  Bicycles zoom by, taxis are the main form of transportation as this is an island and the  ferry brings any other vehicles on its once a day trip.  There are shops selling the usual touristy items but mixed in are the artist of Panama with wonderful paintings, pottery, jewelry and more.  English is spoken here almost as much as Spanish so communication is easy.

This is one of the few places that you cannot drink the water- and I did worry about forgetting when brushing my teeth ( you should poor water out of a bottle) and the fact that the fruit and veggies is washed in this same water.  Music is every where from the bars and restaurants to musicians on the street hoping for tips.
The day was near perfect and as evening arrived I sat looking over the water, a margarita in my  and being thankful that there are still places like Bocas Del Toro left in this fast paced world

Finally a trip to Bocas Del Toro

Kaiden had now left and for the first time in 4 weeks I was without my shadow.  Because of the Indian uprising my return to Boquete was in question and the thought of getting stuck in some town along the highway for days did not thrill me and since I had to house sit for Goldie and Mary in another week and a half I decided to treat myself and go to Bocas Del Toro.  I booked a flight, and since we had already paid for a night at a hotel that we were not able to use with Kaiden I was set to go.  There are only 2 flights to the island each day and one left early in the morning but since I had to have Kaiden at the airport that did not work so I took the afternoon flight.  This left from the regional airport which is only a short cab ride from Casco.  I spent the time relaxing and having adult conversations with my hosts.
The planes are small and as usual operate on Panama time - they leave when they want to which in this case meant they left 1 1/2 hours late.  It was hot wih air conditioning not in use since they are remodeling.Finally the flight takes off and I can relax.  It takes a little over an hour to reach Bocas and soon we were landing - but nothing looked right- it was not an island?

It ends up this flight lands first before proceeding on to Bocas - a large number of people got off and many others back on.  But the people in the seats ahead of me ended up being the ugly Americans.
They were upset that we were late - when we boarded earlier they kept telling people to just take any seat and to get the door shut so we could take off - afterall THEY had to take a boat to their private island and it was going to be dark.  They continued with this tirade making comments like " the Indians  must be making a lot of money  since they all  seemed to have phones and computers.
I was so embarrassed and could not believe that Americans would act this way.  I wish I had said something but what - that you cannot act this way, watch your mouth, grow up- all things that I would want to say to a child.  I sat quiet wishing to get off the plane and away from these people. 
We took off in a matter of minutes and arrived at Bocas and of course the same couple felt they should get special treatment and get THEIR luggage off first and they succeeded by paying the baggage people.  These airports are so small that they remove the luggage from the plane put it on a small rolling cart and then pass it thru a doorway to you - This means you have to have your luggage tag to receive it - they yell out the numbers on each tag.  But with only about 50 people on board so it does not take long.
By this point I am hot, tired and want nothing but a cool shower and air conditioning.  Boas is HOT! I am tired and want to cool down and get some supper.  Taxis are everywhere and for an entire $1 I make the trip to the hotel.  But my day goes on as when I check in I find out that the island is without electricity which means I am handled a candle and matches for my room, there is no air and no water and the room is stifling.  My alone time is not starting off well. I could not stay in the room that had turned into a sauna so headed out to find a cool drink and food.  Many of the restaurants are not serving but when I did find one open and cooking I was seated out on the water with candles on my table so the atmosphere was great.  Just as I was finishing the lights came on and I could see my food.  It was a relief to go back to my room, turn on the air and get in to the shower.  So much for a night on the town as I crawled into bed, found a channel on the TV that was in English and enjoyed my first night on the island. Tomorrow would be better!!!