It’s been almost two weeks now since coming back
home to California. Weather is beautiful. Enjoying it as I spend
time putting up bits and pieces of my latest well-planned and much loved
journey. Copies we made of our passports, credit cards, itineraries, in
case of emergency. Spanish-English phrase books, travel guides and a
variety of sketch books, journals and biz cards I picked up along the
way. I joyfully finished three books on the trip and donated them out
somewhere in Central America.
We left Boquete 3/24, back over to Bocas town for
the last few days of our holiday, back to the island in time to grab some
lunch at the Buena Vista Bar and Grill. We were happy to see our favorite
local boatman out in front of us. He's the one who sits in the back of
his boat, left hand on the tiller, right one continually bailing out the water
from inside the boat with his yellow plastic pail!
We were watching some kids who had just returned
from a scuba trip on the deck next to us. They were getting out of
their gear, rinsing off the sticky salt water, stowing booties and tanks.
I noticed what I thought was a most remarkable tattoo on the girl’s
back. Imagine the outline of an empty box. It was many years
ago that a mentor of mine taught me that to really change our lives, we have to
get out of the box. And I did. And I like that tattoo.
Later that day and the next, I'm not feeling up to
snuff. So I’m resting, which just so happens to be a perfect thing to do
in Bocas. Had a cuppa hot tea, Tom hunted down a carton of plain yogurt,
which was not easy to find on this island. We were staying at a little
B&B, in a lovely little room right over the water which spent 24 hours
a day lapping onto the shore. The place had a good strong shower and quiet
ceiling fans.
Best room in the place, I think, with such a nice
cool ocean breeze. Never turned on the a/c, though the neighbors behind
told us they needed to because they weren't lucky to have the ocean
breeze.
Picture perfect. Until we heard the locals,
the neighbors who live next door in their little wooden shack-house, puking
into the sea on the other side of our bedroom wall. Yuch!
No way was I going to swim off the deck now.
One more reason why so many swimmers and snorklers take that trek out to the
Beach Drago on the other side of the island. Beaches near the town center
are not for swimming, or anything else like it.
After weeks of emailing back and forth to the owner
and office manager at Cocomo on the Sea, it was really fun to meet them in
person. Galia and Doug were able to answer lots of questions for us, tell
us where to find more organic coffee and chocolate – at the Gourmet Super, of
course. Which, as it turns out, was a fabulous store. All kinds of
organic packaged and fresh foods – in a big completely air conditioned store,
quite unusual for Bocas town.
Doug also spent some time with us filling us in about business and such in Bocas. He moved to the island about 10 years ago from somewhere in the midwest, I think. He's the one who told us 'yeah, that big building down the road, it's the Chinese. They're everywhere.'
Cocomo spreads out a nice buffet breakfast each
morning – juice, fresh fruits, cereals, plus they cook up a variety of hot
foods. Eggs, Panama-style crispy French toast, oatmeal pancakes,
etc. Hammocks hang around the front decks waiting for us. Another
time we might choose one of the large comfy cushioned chairs & lounges.
It's just the best place to read, write, meet some other guests and
sketch a bit. One family visiting here from Florida have many tales to
tell us of Panama, as they've been here often. They’d just been to the
Panama Canal, and now were enjoying taking their teenage son out to the local
surf spots, as well as snorkeling and hiking. Telling embarrassing
stories about his crazy exploits – right in front of him. I felt for the
kid. And I had the feeling he’s used to it.
We met only one really arrogant guy here, American
from Oregon, Salem or Eugene. Erik introduced himself to all of us when
he stopped by to pick up a couple girls who're also staying at Cocomo. He
made sure to tout his book that he'd just published, 'look it up on
your iPad,' he said to the lady sitting near me. How did he phrase
it? ‘A literary novel, a love story. Yes it's novel, only with
bigger words.’
I asked him if it was literary fiction, similar to Gabriel García Márquez? He replied, "I
don't think I've read any of her things." This fascinating writers and
authors discussion preceded a heated and provocative discussion of paper vs
electronic books, people who have access or not, the importance of paper books,
the significance and support of local libraries, etc., etc.
With us on the deck at the time of this confab were
two other people from Oregon. A psychologist at a university, and a researcher
specializing in the earth’s thermal currents via satellite imaging as he writes
a book about eco pollution. Delightful couple. I liked them a
lot. They’re nearing retirement and already travel often to Central
America. She’ll be hiking the Camino St. James Walk this coming fall.
I’d like to keep in touch with her.
We took our last day on the island to join with the
two 'likeable' Oregonians and several other folks (yes, more Americans and a
couple Canadians) on a snorkeling trip far beyond the islands we’ve seen so so
far. Turned out to be a day long trip for two short snorkeling sessions,
lots of time to see the outlying islands and islets of Bocas archipeligo, with
lunch thrown in along the way.
The snorkeling time was excellent in one spot,
pretty darn good in another. The fish and coral formations at the
reef were pretty astounding. One of these days I'll get me an underwater
camera. 
We also stopped on the shore of an itty-bitty island for a break
and a chance to explore the place. We walked along a beautiful man-made
trail across the island, arrived at the beach and wandered along the shore to
where we started. Spectacular scenery, clear waters on which to float and
observe the underwater life.
On the boat back to shore, that's when the rain
started coming down. That’s the one time my umbrella came in handy.
We were sitting in the front seat of the boat, the rain screaming down as the
boat rushed along across the sea. My umbrella went up to keep us somewhat
protected. A good thing, it began to get cold out there!
We enjoyed our day’s boatman, Agapita, who
explained a lot of things along the way. He helped everyone with the
ladder as we climbed back into the boat. Passed around water and snorkle
masks. I asked him about the empty small boats I’d seen out in the water
as we were cruising by. He told me they belong to the “local guy
who’s out diving for lobsters - to sell to the store or the restaurant so that
he has money to get things for his family.”
We gave him a nice tip the end of the day.
Later learned that most people never tip these guys. He gave us great
service, he deserved to take home a few extra colones the end of the day.
Then of course, we did a bit of shopping the last
few days on Bocas before heading out back to Costa Rica for our flight
home. We scoured the little shops, the tables set up by local artisans
and crafters along Calle 3, the main road in town. More of the vendors
are out at night. Cooler then, nice time to walk and browse. Fairly
bright street lights on the roads help.
We picked up several pieces of
local art, including hand-stitched embroidery on cotton, an oil-on-canvas
painting from a beautiful shop owner’s son, a few t-shirts, hammocks, sundresses,
hand crafted jewelry and a printed/stained bookmark made from local balsa wood.
Eventually it was time to leave the islands, up
early in the morning, walking along the now quiet Calle 3, to the boat
docks. After some time, we expertly board the boat, grab a life jacket
and enjoy our last boat ride in the cool mist, with a slight wind kicking up
the water, heading for the mainland. I could feel the sadness of leaving
warming my shoulders.
Off the boat, we easily find our shuttle, and ended
up being on a pretty decent sized shuttle van with just two other people.
The two girls who were also staying at Cocomo in Bocas. Indian ancestry, they live in Germany. The driver told us we originally were to be on
the small van, but it broke. He told us in so many Spanish words and lots
of finger/arm movements, facial expressions and boom!! noices.
So we were upgraded again!
We arrive back in San Jose after a
long travel day to find a chorus of cicadas at the Hotel Aeropuerto. They
weren’t there in the beginning of our trip and they were definitely having a
good time of it. Go to the bar, like it’s
home, turn on CNN and the plane is still missing. My, my.
It was in the San Jose airport the next morning
that I dropped my cell phone on the concrete and shattered the front glass. Hmm. Now I have a new phone, with a
protective case that I actually am using. It was also on this trip home that
we found the unusually long check in and security lines. We missed that the
first time around. First long line: to pay our $28 fly-away exit tax to
leave Costa Rica. They really don’t want you to leave.
Then in San Salvador, we went through yet one more
security check during our change of planes.
This time our bags were completely unpacked and sort of put back together.
Ready to board, there’s a long line of - people in wheelchairs. A baker’s
dozen of short old people on wheels. Giving me ideas for another travel
time.
The flight home, tired, relaxing and watching a
couple movies I highly recommend. #1: Nebraska. Great movie
for people about family and aging parents if you haven’t seen it. #2: 12
Years a Slave, excellent film about adversity and our terrible history with
human beings.
We got home to our first stop in San Francisco with
a cold rain coming down. Still in holiday wear. Brrrr. We’re
really not wanting to be here yet. We look at the planes taking off, look
at each other and laugh about getting off the hotel shuttle bus and onto
another flight somewhere.
This trip to Panama via Costa Rica was a joy. One of the last expats we spoke to on the
other side of that bridge between Panama and Costa Rica summed it up. “It
rains sometimes, but it’s always hot.”
My top 3 Highlights!
3. Beautiful
surroundings.
2. Wonderful people.
1. Memories that live
forever.
THE END
for now
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