Panama

Dealing with the current restrictions has continued to go fairly well.  Alan completed a painting of Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, including the matting and framing, and found an online art class on composition with Ian Roberts.  Biking, kayaking, and boating have provided unique social distancing opportunities.  Recently as we paddled into a cove along the Indian River Lagoon, we discovered a cluster of great blue heron nests tucked away in the tops of several Australian pines, a few contained fledglings.  Brown pelicans, ibis, and occasional great white herons completed the idyllic scene.  We've perfected a living room version of pickleball.  Alan moved his weights from the shed to enable regular workouts and I found online beginner Zumba classes as an alternative to morning HIIT workouts.  

Time travel, inspired by Covid-19, took me back to Panama this week.  Approaching retirement, years ago, we had considered that upon the closure of our businesses that perhaps a portion of the year could be spent in a different culture.  Not wanting to be too great a distance from family and friends in the USA, Panama was one of the prime countries under consideration. 

May 2005.   Flying into Panama City, we were delighted that our daughter, Nicole, was able to accompany us on the trip.  Entering the crowded city, traffic was a nightmare.  No one seemed to follow any rules of the road in the downtown area.  Cars rarely slowed down for stop signs much less actually stopped.  We were thankful for the skills of our taxi driver.  New buildings seemed to be going up everywhere in the area.  No matter where we looked, a construction crane seemed to be in the view.  Our first full day was spent exploring the historic and government zone located near our hotel.  A local casino provided entertainment one evening and a gourmet dinner was enjoyed for a fraction of what it would cost in the US.   

Using the Lonely Planet Travel series, we found our naturalist guide, Harnan Arauz, for the National Park, Lake Gatun, and Panama Canal tours.  Our second day in town, Harnan picked us up from our hotel and we headed out.  Located outside Panama City, Soberania National Park covers about 85 square miles and is home to 525 bird species.  Harnan is considered one of the country's top-rated bird guides, so he made our numerous bird sightings possible.  Visiting Lake Gatun (the world's largest man-made lake), we enjoyed lunch overlooking the water, before moving on to tour the Panama Canal.  Completed in 1914, the oversight of the canal was transferred from the US to Panama in 1999.  The Miraflores Visitor Center provides a museum and a viewing platform where you can watch the huge container ships move through (sometimes within inches of the walls).  The accomplishment of this incredible engineering feat is well documented in the museum and Harnan filled in the history with the political and economic ramifications of the canal.

For the next leg of our trip, prior travel arrangements had been made with Pietro (our host), who met us in Panama City and helped facilitate the trip out to our temporary home.  San Blas Islands (Kuna Yalu Islands) is the home of the Guna (Kuna) Indian tribe which first came to the islands about 200 years ago from mainland Panama and Columbia.  About 50,000 Gunas live on the 49 major islands.  There are almost 400 islands total, many consist of only a small piece of land with a handful of palm trees.  The Indians survive primarily by fishing and selling coconuts.  Colorful, hand-embroidered molas made into potholders, bags, wall decorations, etc. are sold to tourists.  Flying from Panama City on an 8-passenger plane into El Parvenu, we landed at the airport with a dirt landing strip.  As the only airport servicing the islands, a boat transported us to our island.  Using the word "hotels" for the accommodations on these islands is a misnomer.  Facilities were very rustic, most did not have electricity, AC, internet, phones, TVs or in some cases, even floors, like the place where we stayed.   

We were booked at the Cabana Coco Blancas on White Coconut Island (Isla Ogobsibu).  This was an arrangement made with our host, Pietro, who had a contract with the family who owned the island.  There were four cabanas on Isla, however, at the time of our visit, there were no other guests.  Aside from Pietro, the only other people on the island were the family living at the opposite end.  

The traditional thatched-roof, bamboo construction hut had

minimal plumbing.  The sink and cold-water shower were gravity-fed to our "bathroom" from a nearby tank.  The interior toilet required water be brought in from the waterfront with the provided bucket or the second "toilet" was out on a dock (away from the swimming area) enclosed by a plastic cubicle, somewhat like a port-a-potty.  Our hut was primitive, but it was a wonderful and unique travel experience.  Out our front door, there were spectacular views of the crystal-clear, turquoise waters, sugar-sand beaches, and picturesque islands on the horizon.  The days were spent exploring the nearby cays, fishing, snorkeling, reading, relaxing, and enjoying our fabulous setting.

Nicole and I with Pietro

Outstanding fresh seafood meals were prepared by our host for lunch and dinner, and a more Americanized menu for breakfast.  He had transported all the provisions from the mainland and then determined the daily menu based on what fish or shellfish could be purchased from the fisherman who stopped by the island each day.  He had been taught how to cook by his Italian grandmother, so many of the dishes had a Mediterranean bend, they were all delicious.  Meals were served at ocean-side tables under a palm-thatched palapa.  

Flying from San Blas to Bocas del Toro Town, a few nights were spent in a funky waterfront hotel.  This property had electricity, AC, and running water, and we were very appreciative of those amenities.  Twice during our stay, we hired a boat from Transparente Tours to go out snorkeling and

touring the surrounding islands.  Visiting Red Frog Beach on Bastimentos Island, we hunted for the elusive red frog without success.  The primary reason for the visit to this island was for Alan and Nicole to take advantage of ziplining through the canopy of the tropical jungles.  Recovering from recent neck surgery, I bypassed that activity, but they had an amazing experience flying through the trees.  

Renting a car in Bocas, we started the drive back to Panama City.  Boquete, in central Panama, is home to a number of ex-pats.  As a subscriber (and occasional

contributor) to International Living Magazine, we were curious about the draw of this town.  ILM had published numerous articles about this area and an article in the AARP magazine called it "something close to heaven."  An overnight stop was made to check it out.  The waterfall-strewn mountains provide numerous hiking opportunities.  Taking advantage of one hike, a visit to a coffee plantation was incorporated into the trip.  Boquete was a pleasant town, serviced by the nearby city of David, but we were not enticed to make a move to Panama.