Took a right turn when we were heading forward!
Trip Start
Feb 25, 2008
1
4
18
Trip End
Mar 18, 2008
Dolphin Bay,
Panama
Thursday, February 28, 2008
After spending 2 days in Bocas del Toro, Fred and I were comtemplating whether we were going to Isla Bastimento, an old historic West Indian settlement or go on a tour to Dolphin Bay, and snorkle on some smaller islands. We literally flipped a coin, tails, we were headed to Isla Bastimentos. Supposed to have great beaches and more of ¨native¨ feel and less touristy.
Fred and I are walking down main street (by the way, Fred did buy himself a Panama hat), backpacks on our back, and decide to check the internet on the way to the water taxi. We had met an Austrian couple, while we were in Guatemala, who said they bought some land near Bocas del Toro
Arriving at Josef and Maria´s yacht-land
. We had sent them an email the day before letting them know we were in town. We checked the email and Josef and Maria had responded,saying they would be in Bocas today. They left us their phone number. Well, let´s just say we never made it to the water taxi and didn´t head to either Isla Bastimentos or a snorkling tour. Fred walked across the street and made the phone call to Josef, while I waited on the sidewalk. Maria, Josef´s wife, walked up to me and said ¨hello¨ while Fred was on the phone to Josef. Josef was only 50 meters up the street. So we all met at the Pirate´s Restaurant on the deck over the water, and had breakfast. Fred had a tropical fruit salad, and my tummy was a bit questionable, so had some toast and felt better afterwards. (Yes, the migraine has gone away...yeah!)
Several coincidences went into our meeting up with Josef and Marie. They only just installed internet on their 41 ft yacht the day before we sent our email to them. They own land in a cove on the mainland of Pananma, about 40 minute launch ride from Bocas. We just happened down the street to check email and saw their response, then Maria came up to me on the street, complete coincidence. Anyway you all get the picture. Oh they also had with them their 3 month only puppy named Pani.
Josef and Maria made us an offer we couldn´t refuse...they invited us to stay at their land, rather stay in their friends 50 ft catamarran, as the friends were away, for 2-3 days. Isla Bastimentos would just have to wait. They live on their 41 ft yacht. After they finished their errands and we stopped for groceries and Atlas beer, we were off in their launch to their land
Bushmaster Snake?
. One more stop, at the marina. Fred and I strolled the deck in between the sailboats and found one from Cedar City, Utah. I hail from Cedar City. (Okay Dad and Jean, who do you know that has a sail boat down in Bocas del Toro, Panama?)
As luck would have it, we went through Dolphin Bay, which is a stop on some of the tours you can take. We saw several dophins frolicking in the waters, jumping and diving and playing about. What a beautiful sight and there were no tour boats, just us. The journey took us around Isla Cristobal and several little unnamed isles. Cristopher Columbus named 3 islands after himself around here. Just gorgeous scenery and water. Just before we arrived ¨home,¨ we stopped along side a minimal house built on stilts, more of a shack really, and bought fish from the lady. Freshly caught off their deck. Three fish for $2. Can´t beat that. That would be dinner the following night.
Josef and Maria own a bit of paradise, I think about 15 acres. It starts on the shore and begins with mangrove trees and swamp land, then rises with palm trees and a finca or a farm, and then further up the hill, is the site they plan to build their home
Clay road being built by hand.
. Their land continues up to the top of the hill. Multiple vegetation. From palm trees, banana, trees, pineapples, avocado, cacao, to the tall canopy cloud forest trees. They have workers who are clearing the under brush and mangroves, as well as, putting in a clay road to the new dock they just put in. The day we arrived, they gave us a tour of their property. Just breathtaking. Their goal is to build their dream house and also ¨tree houses¨ for tourists to stay in. On the way back to the dock, the workers showed them a snake they found while digging the clay from a pit. The snake was 5 feet in length with diamonds on its back. Josef said he thought it was a bushmaster snake,guess they are very dangerous and will attack people. The workers killed the snake and Josef had to pay $5, $1 for every foot of the snake, to the worker who killed the snake as compensation for the danger. We had a delight night on their yacht. We drank Atlas Panamanian beer and Maria fixed a great salad. Told stories and more stories. Their hospitality was so generous. Josef ferried us over in the dingy to our humble abode for the next 2 nights, a 50 ft catamarran. Wow, it was so spacious and cool. Very quiet and stars galore at night, as there are no lights about.
Josef came and picked us up for breakfast. Maria had made fruit salads with fresh pineapple and bananas, with granola and great Panamanian coffee.We let them go look after their workers an we took advantaged of the use of a double kayak on the catamarran. This was actually the first time I felt at ease in a kayak. The water was calm and Fred and I paddled outside the cove toward a small island and in and out of small bays. We went across the waters to the opposite shore and looked at some land just from the kayak that was for sell
Dock at Maria and Josef´s land
. It had a park like feel to it with palm trees and hill side with rain forest. We would just float and enjoy each other´s company. Loved it. The water was clear and we saw several large starfish. We also kayaked up into the creek, canopied by Mangrove trees. Crabs were crawling up on the mangrove roots that were twisted like a puzzle. Beautiful colored birds and I saw a very large neon blue butterfly. Really cool stuff. Back to the catamarran, where we read books and drank Panama beer all afternoon.
Each afternoon, Josef and Maria bring their workers a beer at the end of the work day. They picked us up on the way back and we had dinner with them. Maria is a wonderful cook and she fried up the whole fish, Fred and I shared the big one. On top of the fish she spooned fresh rosemary and butter sauce...very yummy. We had salad and rice to go along with it. For dessert, Maria gave us one of the cacao fruits from her tree. We had Josef cut it open and we all sample it. Very interesting.
Well, we would need to get some sleep tonight and enjoy the last night on the catamarran, as in the morning, they would take us by launch to the village of Almirante, where we could catch a water taxi back to Bocas, and they could pick up more building supplies.
Couldn´t thank Josef and Maria enough for their wonderful hospitality and delightful company. It was so nice to spend time in paradise, enjoying nature and peace and quiet.
Check the next entry to see if we make it to Isla Bastimentos after all.
Jane
