OUR FINAL BOAT TRIP

Yeah, this is not the boat we took. Ours is the sailboat in the top right corner...the Luka.

From the earliest days of this voyage, our luck with boats has been something less than stellar.

Early readers of the blog will remember the original Boat Trip From Hell, as we sailed/drifted for 12 days from Palau to the Philippines with two Germans on their small, not-exactly-modern sailboat. 

Forgetting those painful lessons learned on the Pacific, we tried sailing again months later in Madagascar, this time spending nearly 20 hours crammed into a narrow, dugout ocean-going canoe with a sheet for a sail and the entire Indian Ocean (but no privacy) for a bathroom.

More months and thousands of miles had passed. Surrounded by stunning seas, Panama was the final stop of the trip. The San Blas were some of the most scenic islands we'd ever seen. And we'd soon enough be land-locked back home for who knows how long. 

So yeah, you know where this is going. We decided to sail again. On a boat. Overnight.

But this time, we chose wisely.  

While eating fresh-baked bread and drinking strong Panamanian coffee at the only bakery in Potobello, we overheard three American twenty-somethings talking about a boat trip. From what we could hear, they would be sailing later that day, heading through the San Blas Islands and on to Colombia. 

Naturally, Liz leaned over and said, "Excuse me, did you say you're leaving on a boat trip?" 

Half an hour later, we had already met the Luka's capable, friendly, and honest captain, Bea, who was running around town like a mad woman provisioning the boat in prep for their five-day trip. We told her our plans (a one-night trip in the San Blas was all we had time and budget for), and she said, "Sure, you can have my cabin and we'll drop you off tomorrow somewhere you can catch a motor boat to where you need to go next." 

Like our captain Bea, we spent most of the day running around Portobello buying stuff for our trip. We also squeezed in time visiting the remains of the 400-yr-old fort, watching a soccer game played atop cannons hauled on Spanish galleons, and looking out over the deep bay, the supposed burial place of THE Sir Frances Drake, whose lead-encased body no one's ever found.

We did see an interesting liquor selection at one of the two stores in town that sold booze -- Abuelo rum, Night Train (really?), a fifth of Tanqueray gin for $10, and something called Kentucky Cream whiskey, none of which we tried.

If you do make it to Portobello, a quintessential but gritty sailor town Jimmy Buffet sings about in "Cowboy in the Jungle," you may as well try to meet up with Captian Jack. The pony-tailed, wanna-be pirate is a teller of tales and schemer of schemes who knows just about all there is to know about the surrounding area and far beyond. He also serves quality food, cheap rum and decent rooms if you don't mind bunk beds and a little noise. We loved it.

But the real reason you come here is to catch a boat to places further afield...and so we did. Less than 12 hours after we met our American friends and Captain Bea, we were sailing the Caribbean on a 52-ft ketch, sipping rum, seeing the sea and petting the Luka's official living mascot, Wacek, seen below.

After a peaceful night among a ludicrously starry sky, we shared a filling breakfast with our fellow passengers before disembarking at El Porvenir, a tiny strip of sand and palm trees that hosts a hotel, a recently-paved runway and the San Blas Guna General Congress. 

Here, we took a group photo with our fellow travelers as they departed for Colombian and Kip had to go meet with the big boss (Speaker of the House?) to negotiate our motor boat back to the mainland. 

All in all, it was one heckuva way to spend some of the final days of our trip...and more importantly, to re-affirm our faith in sailing, not to mention in our decision-making abilities when it comes to boats.  

Big thanks to Luka, Captain Bea and the crew! 

SAN BLAS ISLANDS II

There's so much to love about the San Blas Islands.

The stunning clarity and colors of the water that laps soothingly over the white sand beaches, which Liz could never seem to get enough of. The ubiquitous bead anklets and bracelets the local Kuna women wear to signify whether they're married or not. The lady below, preparing fresh fish for our dinner is married, as noted by the wide wrap around each ankle. 

The quality of food and accommodation varies from island to island. Since only Kuna people can run businesses in the San Blas Islands (no foreign-owned companies allowed...meaning the Hard Rock San Blas will not be happening there anytime soon), the hotels and accompanying restaurants are run by the same one or two families who inhabit whichever island visitors end up staying on. 

While this often means sleeping arrangements are rustic and meals can be culinarily-challenged at times, the overall experience is one that's becoming more and more difficult to come by.

Above, Liz stands in the doorway of our hut. Amenities include one naked light bulb hanging from the palm roof, one thin mattress resting on cross-cut palm trunks, and a hammock for when the bed filled with sand. After lights out, the darkness is profound, as are the starry skies and the sounds from the waves nearby and the palms overhead. 

For families or groups, there are larger huts with multiple hammocks.

But the main attraction can only be the islands themselves. Picture perfect, whether from a distance...

Or frozen in yoga pose atop one...

Or closing business deals just next to one.

If you have time, the San Blas are so worth a visit (or two). While you're there, take some time to enjoy the scene, learn about the locals, and consider a volunteer activity such as  a beach cleanup.

And of course, don't forget to take dominion over your own palm-crowned private island. It's as unique a place as we've seen on the trip and will definitely be making our Top 10 list, if we ever get around to putting one together. 

FUNNY MONDAY: PALM TREE JUMP

From live volcanoes to high bridges to the Taj Mahal, for some reason we like having our photo taken while jumping in the air. Tourists.

So when we saw this reclining palm stretching out over a beach in the San Blas Islands, we went right to it. More or less.

At least the sand was a safer landing than the one Kip would've faced if he missed this jump in Thailand...or if this jumping cat crash landed in a monastery in Burma. 

FUNNY MONDAY: LIZ LOVING LOBSTERS

The closer we got to the end of the trip, the more we felt we needed to spend a little more time on a beach. And Liz could spend more time with the fresh lobsters some passing divers delivered to the little island we were staying on. 

PANAMA SPECIAL OLYMPICS VOLUNTARIOS

We never really thought we'd spend a weekend bowling in Panama City, Panama. Never say never. 

We were resting up after our daily afternoon stroll between the fish market and Casco Viejo, when we heard two people talking animatedly about an upcoming sporting event. We soon figured out they were discussing a bowling tournament, of all things.

Interest piqued (Kip's a closet bowler, for real), we leaned in closer and soon learned that the Panama Special Olympics would soon be hosting its national bowling championships. 

Yes, we introduced ourselves immediately. Then, of course, we asked if they could use some free help at the tourney. 

Lucky for us, the two were helping organize the event, and soon enough, we were signed on as "voluntarios" for the big games. As volunteers, we would be doing everything from serving as guides for the participants to keeping order during the games, coordinating scores, and generally doing whatever anyone deemed necessary during the event. 

Working at a bowling tournament may not seem like the funnest way to spend a weekend in Panama. 

But think about it -- when would you ever get to sit front row at a national championship of anything, AND get to hang out, slap high fives and generally just have a good time? And do it in Central America with the amazing athletes from Special Olympics?  

Yeah, we had the best time ever. That's us below in the center, hanging with 'our' team just behind us and getting a hug from Pedro. 

Between frames we got to talk with the athletes. They told us about all the work they'd done to get where they were. They taught us how to say "strike" and "turkey" in Spanish. One girl told Liz she was going on a date with a guy from an opposing team, but that we couldn't tell anyone or her teammates would get really mad. 

We learned a lot that day -- both about bowling and about life as a Special Olympian.

As the bowlers rolled their final frames and the medal ceremonies ended, we realized we had been a part of something very special indeed. 

And we owed it all to volunteering and to the amazing athletes and people we met with Special Olympics Panama. 

PHOTO FRIDAY: GIRL IN PORTOBELO

Liz poses against a wooden column of the four-centuries-old Customs House in Portobelo, but a curious little girl strolls by and steals the show.

PHOTO FRIDAY: STORM IN THE SAN BLAS ISLANDS

A storm front blows across the San Blas Islands. 

NAKED TRASH CLEAN UP

No, we didn't get naked to clean up a beach in Panama's stunning San Blas Islands. But a little helper named Christopher, seen here, did.  

We shouldn't have been surprised--the kid rarely wore clothes both times we stayed on his island, a tiny teardrop of sand not much larger than a city block. Of course, considering he lives a Blue Lagoon-like lifestyle surrounded by swaying palms and clear blue waters, who could blame him. 

While the San Blas Islands look and feel close to paradise, the Kuna people who live there are facing critical problems with clean water, sanitation, and trash.
























Thanks to the steady stream of tourists and a growing local population, there isn't enough potable water to go around. In addition, all those people are producing lots of waste, which isn't being disposed of properly, leading to polluted oceans, contaminated drinking water, and trash in the water, wrapped around starfish, and dotting the beaches, which we did our best to eradicate with the help of little naked Christopher. 

We even convinced some fellow travelers to join us on the clean up. Together,we walked the beaches, crisscrossed the island, and snorkeled the surrounding waters picking up trash. 

If you do visit the San Blas, make sure to carry out everything you carry in (and more if you have room), and before you book, ask if the island you're on has properly-functioning toilet facilities. If it doesn't, stay elsewhere.

And of course, if you see garbage on the beach, recruit some fellow travelers, and take the time to clean it up. You'll be glad you did, and you might make some new friends in the process.

PHOTO FRIDAY: SAN BLAS ISLANDS, PANAMA

More than 350 islands...less than 50 are inhabited. Welcome to the San Blas.

FUNNY MONDAY: KIP FEEDS LARGE RAT

OK, so the animal is called a coatimundi, and it's not actually alive. But Kip couldn't pass up a photo opp with this larger than life mural on a concrete wall in Panama City's Casco Viejo. 

(No animals were harmed or fed in the taking of this photo.)

PHOTO FRIDAY: PANAMA CITY SKYLINE

Central America's modern capital, Panama City and its towering skyline offer a striking contrast to every other part of the country. One of most dramatic examples lies just across a shallow bay and along the cobblestone streets of Casco Viejo, the city's colonial heart and former city center whose construction began in the 17th century. 

Though the old city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997, modern Panama and its vertical architecture are edging their way across the water, particularly with the help of a new ring highway built over open ocean and surrounding Casco Viejo, seen under construction above. 

TOWN CLEAN UP IN PEDASI

Some of Liz's little helpers, who gave her a hand (and a smile) separating recyclables at the Pedasi town cleanup.

In case you missed our last post, we'll sum it up: we love this place.

A quaint town of 2,500 of some of the friendliest people you'll meet in Panama, Pedasi is a place where city folks go to slow down and old folks go to die, slowly and happily.

Quiet streets, gorgeous views, quality bakeries and restaurants, a short bike ride to wide, empty beaches--no wonder U.S. News recently named it one of the top places in the world to retire.

Who knows. Maybe we'll be back in a few years...

If you see trash, pick it up--that's what the mayor said.

Hanging with Pedasi's Mayor Ricardo Barrios

While many of the people who live there take pride in keeping their community clean, a few holdovers and passers-through haven't gotten the message, as noted by the cans, bottles, food wrappers and other kinds of trash littering the ditches and empty pastures along the roads. 

But, this being a great community with very active citizens, they were doing something about it. A local Spanish school, together with the mayor's office and the local Girl and Boy Scout troops, was holding a volunteer town clean up while we were there (we found out by googling "volunteer Pedasi," as outlined in our Tips for Volunteering).  And of course, we were only too happy to join in and happily demonstrate our expertise in the area of trash clean-up. Plus, we got to meet the mayor!

Perfect opportunity for a little 1 of 7. 

The entire Pedasi clean up crew.

PEDASI, PANAMA

There are certain places in the world that just feel right. 

Maybe it's a deserted beach, sometimes a tiny town, or maybe even someone's backyard. On our way down the Azuero Peninsula to sleep in the jungle at Eco Venao, we passed through one such place. Unfortunately, we were on the last bus of the day and couldn't hop off to explore, but something about Pedasi made us want to return.

Kip walks in front of one of the pretty painted buildings along Pedasi's main street.

And return we did, just a few days later.

We somehow missed the giant billboard paying homage to Mireya Moscoso, Panama's first female President, who was in office from 1999-2004. She was also born in Pedasi, a fact that local residents mention often, and which explains why nearly every street bears her name.

Mireya Moscoso still watches over her hometown of Pedasi.

Politics aside, there are so many reasons to love this small town. We liked it so much, that we came for one night and stayed for a week.

Not only are the surrounding waters full of tuna, making this area a game fishing mecca, you can also see whales breaching from the beach, or take a short boat ride to Isla Iguana to snorkel in the wildlife refuge or relax on the white sandy beach.

Kip bikes on a deserted beach in Pedasi.

As if that wasn't enough, the beaches are pristine, and seem to go on forever. At least that's how Liz felt when we rode our bikes through the sand. What was supposed to be a 15-minute ride turned into 45. But another great thing about Pedasi is the friendly town folk. 

This family was only too happy to throw our bikes on the roof, take us for a spin around town (which oddly enough involved a poker game with a seven year old) and drop us off at our hotel.

Our heroes!

They even took Kip surfing with them the next day, and kindly returned Liz's purse that she'd irresponsibly left in the car the day before.

Like we said. Beaches, whales, and strangers taking care of us. What's not to like?

PHOTO FRIDAY: DIVING WITH SHARKS IN COIBA MARINE PARK

Liz gets a close-up view of a white-tipped reef shark in Panama's Coiba National Marine Park. 

ISLA BOCA BRAVA

Yet another stretch of deserted beach on the islands near Boca Brava on Panama's Pacific coast. 

Birding, scuba diving, whale watching and beach combing. It's been a tough few days spent on and around Panama's Isla Boca Brava, Golfo de Chiriqui National Park and the nearby Coiba National Marine Park. 

A mother humpback whale dives near Coiba Island.

Not a lot of travelers in this part of southwestern Panama, but plenty of humpback whales, including a mother and eight-ft-long baby, whose tail we watched flop back and forth above water as he tried to nurse. 

We really wanted to stay at Islas Secas exclusive resort. Their "low season rate" of $695 per person, per night, sounded reasonable, and it's only $1,700 each day (3 day minimum) to go fishing. Tempting, but rather than auction off our kidneys, we opted for the much more accessible and laid back Hotel Boca Brava, with their personal boatman who took us for a full day island cruise, including some phenomenal whale watching, shown above (baby whales!) for the outrageous price of $25.

They even have their own resident howler monkeys, and birds galore, including the Blue-Crowned Motmot and Lance-Tailed Manakin.

Howler monkey playing in a tree.

A pair of lance-tailed manakins.

Below the surface, we went scuba diving in the waters off of Cohiba National Park. Now a beautifully preserved park, this island is home to a prison in operation from 1919-2004 where former dictators would torture and "dissapear" their dissenters. 

It's still possible to visit the prison, but most tourists (like us) come for the undersea adventures, or to meet "Tito" the resident crocodile who lives on the beach.

There were also whale shark sightings in the area, and we were hoping for a repeat of our incredible Philippines experience, but no such luck. We settled for seeing lots of eels, lobsters, jacks, colorful coral, and one massive manta ray.

It was a great stop as we headed down the coast toward Panama City, with breaks for surfing in Santa Catalina and Playa Venao.

Liz wanted to hide this tiny hermit crab in her backpack and take him home. 

Kip, binoculars in hand, looks for shore birds and whale tails.
That's just another jungle-covered island in the background.

WALKING THE PIG

We came to western Panama in hopes of seeing whales and mantas. Before we could get in the water, however, we watched this local man walking his pet pig. 

Not exactly undersea exploration, but it certainly was entertaining.