Bocas del Toro

No pictures right now but I will have them soon.

Let me catch you up to speed first of all and lets see where we have been.

-San Jose, Costa Rica
-Montezuma, CR
-Jacó, CR
-Monteverde, CR
-Arenal, CR
-San Jose, CR
-Cahuita, CR
-Puerto Viejo, CR

And now where we are.

-Bocas del Toro, Panama

Bocas es el paraiso del mundo. I have a few juicy adventures to wet your pallet.

We are staying at Mondo Taitu a very laid back hostel owned by three San Franciscans, Daniel, Dan and Dave. Daniel and Dan have officially become like brothers. WE love em. We have been here for four days and I feel as comfortable as if it has been six months. The days generally go where you get a big group together and catch a boat taxi to one of the other islands and spend the day at whichever beach you choose.

In no particular order our days have gone as such. Mere and I had some confusion with a group and got disconnected so we waited for a friend Sabina from germany to arrive and we took of for a long trek. We knew it was gonna be long but none of us had any idea what we were getting into. Our understanding had been that you start at playa bluff and follow the road that turns into a trail through jungle and forest. It may be muddy so be prepared. Also there were to be caves along the way and frogs and such. Eventually we would arrive at playa drago and could take a bus back to the main stretch. That is what we thought.

It started out wonderfully. Three young girls on a deserted beach playing in the completely clear turqoise water. Then we decided to began our walk across the beach before we got on the road. It was about an hour down the beach and we saw that the road was not exactly close so we scrambled through the trees and stumbled upon this little ranch type home and one guy doing, something. Though there seemed to be a clear path so we continued on. A ways down the path we got our first glimpse of the mud. A little bit more than we had anticipated. More like a mini swamp. We are trying to navigate the best way around and I decide to just go for it. I see a log along the side that feels pretty sturdy. On the second step I go sliding in so I try to make a run for it. Thigh deep in mud I realize its not working and hurry back. Finally we scavange through the other side where it is a field of swampy grass. I figure I am already muddy so I lead the way. We made it across laughing histerically the whole way.

The mud simply continued from their claiming my left sure for its own. The great part was that for the rest of the way we saw scattered broken left shoes abandoned my their owners, claimed by the path.

The caves were awesome full of stalagtites and stalacmites and of course they would not be complete with out the fluttering bats picking a spot to hang.

So here we are covered in mud from head to toe, I´m shoeless and we have no idea how far we have gone or how far we have to go. Finally we hit a clearing and see the most amazing little beach. We walk out of the woods just in time for sunset over the ocean. One of my best swims yet. We got clean, said good bye to the sun and continued on our way. Around the bend we found a man fishing and a woman reading. Though I am sure we looked far more strange to them, showing up out of the woods from nowhere, then he did to us however we were still surprised. He laughed at us when we told him we were headed to Drago but directed us to the road. 10 minutes later he pulled up in his truck claiming we would never make our bus in time.

We piled in the back of his pickup and had a wonderful evening cruise. As we made our way we began to understand his laughter. It would have taking us well over an hour and there would have been no way we would have made the bus. As we pulled up the bus was just getting ready to leave so we boarded and made our way home.

Another day another beach.

If you ever make your way to Panama and find yourself at Bocas del Toro go to Zapatilla. It is a little island about an hours boat ride off the main island with not a single inhabitant. We loaded up a crew of 8 and made the journey. We were charged with snorkeling gear, a camera and more energy than a bucking bronco. You can walk around the island in about 20 minutes. The sand is white and the water is every shade of blue and green.

My first time snorkeling was spectacular.

Some highlights-

• 4ft baracuda that glared and me (atleast it looked that way) then gritted his teeth and moved on
• 6ft long eel castrating another fish then darting in my direction, thank god he was 7 feet below me
• I was looking at some fish straight ahead then suddenly all I could see was hundreds and hundres of foot long blue and white fish everywhere. I floated in amazement as they passed me
• The coral was huge and looked just like on national geographics. Not to mention the bright green starfish

The world under the sea is fascinating I understand my dads zeal for the sport. It was a fantastic day and I think I am gonna do it again tomorrow.