Good Bye Bocas!

Last Few Days in Bocas

My last few days in Bocas I was determined to get a picture of a hummingbird that visited the flowers outside the AC room where we slept. It usually visited right at dawn and one morning actually stopped and rested. Since you had to be quick, I slept with my camera. As soon as I woke up, I turned my camera on, zoomed, focused, and waited. Sure enough, he appeared and I was able to catch him leaving after his fast sip of nectar. Speaking of sipping, my last few days in Bocas I was determined to sip a real martini on the breezy dock of one of the restaurants. Being mostly a wine and beer drinker, every once in a while I like to enjoy a martini. I like my martini icy cold, straight up, with vodka, dry vermouth, olive juice, and four olives. This was very hard to find in Bocas Town which is known for its rum, tequila, and tropical concoctions. Even El Limbo, one of my now favorite places to eat had difficulty making a martini. When the drink arrived, it was in a short water glass with ice and lime and I think they used sweet vermouth. I had two nights left in Bocas so Megs and I went to El Limbo and she explained to our sweet waiter in Spanish how I like my martini straight up with aceitunas. Our waiter was so polite and accommodating shaking his head in agreement that he understood and he came back with 4 olives perfectly placed on a plastic sword floating in a limey, sweet martini---kinda like a margatini. It was delicious, but not what I was expecting! Our last night in Bocas Megs and I again went to town and headed to my other favorite place-- RAW--famous for its sushi and martinis. And yes, they really do make the best martinis-it was the best I ever had....the server even brought a little bowl of extra seasoned olives to enjoy with my drink. My last night in Bocas I sat with Megs and Elwood listening to an awesome band and toasted Bocas with a real martini!

Good Bye, Bocas!

Downtown Bocas was celebrating



An El Limbo Margatini




One of my Favorite Places in Bocas



A Storm Rolling in off the Carribean

Water taxi parking lot

The Band at RAW

The Sushi Chef

Artwork outside Raw Restaurant

Heading home after a night in Bocas town!

Bye, for now Bocas!



Finally caught a picture of my
morning visitor

Bocas Airport

Elwood's first of many plane rides
between USA and Bocas
"We're leaving on a jet plane.........
don't know when I'll be back again......."
(just know it will have to be soon as Elwood lives there!)

The Charm of Bocas

Buenos Dias!!

Since two of the three chicklets went home my days have focused on Elwood and helping Conor and Megs get organized for their trip back to Florida. This was a lot of work for them and great for me as I spent my days enjoying Elwood. El and I sat together under a fan watching his parents whirlwind around us as they set up vet appointments, VW van shipping and customs appointments, baby USA passport appointments, and then storing and sorting and running stuff to put on Gualby--all these appointments are done in Spanish and by water taxi or bicycle. We have managed to squeeze in some sightseeing and I have beautiful pictures to post. Last July Conor and Megs sailed into Bocas and fell in love with its relaxing atmosphere and its funky, romantic charm. It's where they found out they were pregnant with Elwood. I know they could not wait for me to experience Bocas and sip a drink at one of the many rustic bars overlooking  turquoise waters.
So it was disappointing to all of us when we rented the Blue House sight unseen. It was like coming into Bocas by the back door in an area where the people are living in the poorest of living conditions. It has been an adjustment to, in the Carribean heat, walk through trashy yards where my neighbors seem to turn a blind eye to the sewage and garbage.
But Conor and Megs made sure that they showed me the Bocas they love. The beautiful pristine beaches, colorful characters enjoying the simple pace, the acres of dense foliage on Isla Bastimentos, and the miles of deserted coastlines. I think they worry I may let the Blue House and our rocky trek to the main road overshadow all the beauty that they have come to love.
 It won't.
What I love most about this place is the people,--- especially my neighbors.
They are happy.
Every afternoon the music starts playing from houses smaller than a horse stall and you can't help but smile. Everyday when I walk the jagged rocky path to the beach the mothers, fathers, and children greet me, and I love saying, "Buenos Dias"! It just sounds happy!
I love sharing my drink with geckos, having a morning beer, finding sea glass on the beach, seeing horses walk freely around the outskirts of town, watching skinny dogs guard their downtown corner, eating papaya for breakfast, drinking martinis at the sushi bar, shopping at Tony's market, watching my neighbors do laundry, and listening to latin boho music---
And most of all getting Elwood smiles.
So I will be back, Bocas ........just not in the Blue House in your hottest month of the year!

One of the Bocas del Toro Beaches




The property on Isla Bastimentos
 (Con and Meg are looking at a 1/2 acre piece of this)



Hammock Time on Isla Bastimentos
A view looking out from property near the piece 
Con and Meg are looking at buying. 



Another view from property
Con and Megs are looking to buy.

My neighbors motor broke down
and they had to row home.
No Problema! Still Happy!



Mother's Day and martinis at the Sushi Place



Mother's Day downtown Bocas

Three coco chicklets

My neighbors coming home
from a day cutting plantains



This boat is carved out of a tree-a very large tree

Adios!



Rainy Day at the Blue House

I am sitting on the porch of the blue house. I was sitting out on the dock right on the corner to get the most breeze, but a nice rain storm blew in and I did not want my computer to get wet. I was thinking of my family and friends, so sent some e-mails out and decided to enter a blog. It is 9:30 am here, an hour earlier than in the States. Kimi and Ruth got on the plane at the Bocas airport on Wednesday and I cried. I always worry when any of us fly- that worry lump in my throat combined with the miss you already lump and well,..... the tears spilled out. I love them so much, and their kindness, sweetness and generousity made the week so fun! We just had the best time oogling over Elwood. And anytime we are together we have so much fun those around want to laugh at us, and with us, too. So it was a week of laughing and sweating our butts off. They were the best and of course the chance to share Elwood with them, the first grandchild amongst the four sisters, was so very memorable.  

We took many pictures. Many were Bloopers. We also had some hysterical moments.

This entry is dedicated to my sisters.

 May we always laugh and love this hard with everyone watching!

You know it's hot in Panama.....

.......when you fill your Tervis with ice for a cocktail and it melts before you can add the alcohol.

.......when your sunglasses drip

.......when puzzle pieces stick to all parts of your body

.......when the one shift bought at Walgreen's serves as your mou mou/PJs/market wear/cocktail dress

......when you see your one outfit walk by itself to the washing machine
......when you did not wear most of the clothes you packed

......when underwear is not an option

......when the water taxi driver gives you a free ride because Ruth took his picture getting in the boat and she didn't have a camera

......when before going out on the town, Kim Skypes Sloan and Sarah and they both ask if she just got out of the shower

.....when Ruth lays on a float in Saigon Bay to cool off and gets her hair bump wet

.....when siesta time arrives and all five adults in the Blue House crowd into the only bedroom with AC to watch movies on the computer, read, nurse or sleep.

......when you cannot read the book Fifty Shades of Grey without standing in the shower

......when you see 3 geckos climb out of the last can of cold tea and you drink it anyway.

......when Conor and Megs sleep in the AC room the whole night

.......when three big sisters sleep head to feet in a queen size bed so all could fit in the AC room

......when no one wears make up and all of us do our hair in a bump 

......when we all borrow Elwood's powder

......when the taxi driver patiently waits for you to unstick your thighs from his vinyl seats before you can get out

......when you don't care how many scented tree air freshners are blowing from the mirror as long as the taxi driver puts on his AC

......when as you walk around town, you would pay anything an umbrella and it's not raining

A few Famous "I guess you had to be there" Incidents & One Liners we never want to forget!

• When Ruth and I watched Kim do an exaggeratted pantomine to the man at the gas station by slapping herself, making painful faces as she feigned scratching her arms and legs while the Panamanian politely watched. After she repeated the motions for the third time--he said in perfect English, "Oh, you want to buy some OFF", and proudly pointed to a wall of several kinds of bug repellent.
• Any time I did not like the price the taxi drivers quoted to take us somewhere, I thought I'd manipulate them into lowering their price by saying rather haughtily, "Okay,.... we'll just walk!" All taxi drivers are happy to let you walk.
• Ichiwawa! Ichiwawa!  Kim left the group and went into a local grocery store to buy a coke. The store was full of men. We then saw Conor hurry to her side when he heard several of the men exclaiming quite loudly, "Ichiwawa! ichiwawa!" We had to go home and Goggle it.

• One night after the three of us slept together feet to head, we brought Elwood in bed with us so Megs could catch up on a little sleep. We took turns lying next to Elwood to watch over him. At one point we were switching quietly by climbing over each other and Kim whispers, "Chicklets Gone Wild", and to see the three of us twisted together in this one bed with Elwood I just could not control my snorting and chortling and it was contagious. Then she says, New Headline: Three Chicklets turn into Pretzels!  Now all of us trying to stifle our laughter.... she goes on....Three Chicklets and a Baby. All very slap happy comments in the wee morning hours in a room with 5 adults, two dogs, and a baby.

 "I GUESS YOU HAD TO BE THERE!"

Glad we were!

The Three Chicklets at Red Frog Beach
Some Days Anything Can Be Funny!

Some Days Everything is Funny!

More PICTURES from the Week

           

One of many taxis we could catch at our gas statio on the corner.
In this taxi is Ruth, Kimi, Megs and Elwood and several locals.

Good Sports riding in the pick up truck to get up the hill to Red Frog Beach
Where's Nev, Kimi?

Sweet Elwood

Isla Bastimentos, Red Frog Bch, and Up the Hill

Isla Bastimentos-The week has moved so quickly. We really wanted to squeeze so many sight seeing trips in to this week and we managed to see  many of the beautiful places Conor and Megs have told us about. Bocas del Toro is all they said it would be and more. And I am so glad I was able to share it with Kimi and Ruth. Of course the highlight of the week was meeting and spending time with Elwood.
Like his parents, we are now smitten and I am not just saying this because he is my grandson--he is truely handsome, and such a good baby. At a little over 6 weeks--he smiled this week for Megs and Aunt Pips got one too.  I have only seen sweet dream smiles. He is happy all the time unless he is hungry and even then he is patient. Last night after a long day of hiking, boating, and swimming he was sleeping peacefully. Ruth and Kim have one more day with him and they both told me it will be hard to leave.

It is wickedly hot here and as the week goes by we care less and less about what we look like and we wear less and less clothes.

Again, the pictures posted say it best.

Elwood's Sweet Dreams



Getting ready to update the blog with Elwood




Getting ready for the trip to Isla Bastimentos



Water taxi to Up the Hill
an organic chocolate and coffee farm
 on Bastimentos

Just some of the sights along the taxi ride

We start the hike up the hill

Beautiful foliage

Signs point the way up

Parts of the trail were
very steep-the path was coconut shells

I loved seeing all the flowers and ferns on the ground and in the trees

There were houses of different styles all the way up the hill.
Several homeowners greeted us, offered encourgement for the climb, and special
 directions to speed it up. I could only imagine carrying food and water up this
 hill/mountain.

Finally, a congratulations sign letting us know the chocolate & coffee
was right around the next bend.
We had hiked up 330 feet!
Soaking wet and a bit out of breath,
I was expecting to be greeted, applauded, and presented with an organic chocolate coffee truffle.
I have high expectations-first it is off season and apparently it is not a big deal to hike this trail -the landowners do it several times a day.

The farm house was really neat-and although technically closed
we were still able to get a glass of fresh organic lemonade or
 lemon grass and ginger tea and do some shopping.
The house had handmade jewelry, oils, and other crafts.
We treated ourselves to a large organic chocolate/coconut brownie.
Everything was grown right on this hill.
I sweated out all he water I had consumed
 so I did not have to use the compost toilet.

Meg bought a new anklet

I decided the organic views were better than a truffle

I could easily move in this house and become the
 Ecclectic and Eccentric old woman on the Hill.
I'd  hike down the hill once a year for supplies.



Clump of pine cone ginger
I found many subjects for watercolor projects.



Megs used their look out seat for some great shots



I just kept snapping pictures of flowers



Love this one of Elwood and his Dad

This store sold a little of everything-we were happy to get ice.

This new friend had a baby girl 5 days older than Elwood.

Our taxi driver tell Ruth and Kim why he can never live in the US again.
He never wants to have a phone or wear shoes-Ruth says
no US shoe would ever fit his foot anyway.

Waiting for the water taxi to Red Frog Beach.
This is one of several hostels right on the water.

Beautiful view from the water taxi on the way to Red Frog Beach

Ruth stands in front of a Ylang-Ylang tree-
its flowers are used to make
Chanel #5 perfume.
BIt is also known for being shaped like a Christmas Tree.

I loved how Red Frog Beach has it own sunbrellas.

After a good swim we sit up
in the little restaurant and order the specialty- fish tacos