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