Stunning sunsets, handsome sloths, playful monkeys, La Loma caoca, Ngabe village with Oriba Cacoa, hidden beaches, enormous surf, just some of February fun!

PHOTOS —>>. https://photos.app.goo.gl/a6MRpfcyCqZvQax2A

La Loma Jungle Lodge and cocoa Farm tour:

I heard from a friend that there was an interesting tour available on Isla Bastimentos , not too far from Red Frog. After asking other friends if they were interested in the tour, I arranged for us all to visit.

Now La Loma is accessible only by boat, situated in the center of the Isla Bastimentos rainforest on a 55 acre property. It stretches from the mangrove shores of the Bahia Honda Bay, through tropical forest and groves of fruit trees, to the highest point on Isla Bastimentos.

Seven of us set off in 3 dinghies to La Loma. Arriving at an inconspicuous wooden dock we made our way along a pathway where we met Mr. Kelly our guide. He had his helper with him, his little dog Zoro. Further along the pathway we could see a very handsome rooster, whom Mr Kelly picked up and explained the rooster was his as well and a very good guardian.

We followed Mr Kelly through lush, gardens and orchards of fruit trees, stopping at a wide variety of plants, vines and fruit trees to taste and listen to all the information he told. There was also wide variety of birds and insects flying and flitting about us.

The following is just a fraction of what we were told:

The Lang Lang tree was in blossom with beautiful yellow blossoms, their heavenly aroma makes the flowers of these fragrant trees extra special, since they’re reputed to be a key ingredient in Chanel No. 5 perfume.

Stopping at the seed pods of the Achiote Mr Kelly broke one open. Formed a bowel from a large leaf, put the seeds and some water in, stirred them around and amazingly we saw red dye come from the seeds.

Annatto seeds, or achiote, give a unique color to local foods and add an exotic and healthy touch to recipes. Its health benefits are due to carotenoid antioxidants, which are good for the eyes and the immune system. Furthermore, the seeds can also be used for cosmetics and as a dye for dyeing fabrics.

Another plant we tasted was Buchu,

Buchu is a plant from South Africa. The leaf is used to make medicine. (A low growing herb)

Then there was Katuk. What is Katuk?

Katuk (Sauropus androgynus) also commonly known as the star gooseberry or sweet leaf in English is a shrub. It is indigenous to Southeast Asia that is now cultivated in many other countries. It thrives in tropical climates in lowland rainforests where it grows between 4-6 feet. We sampled the leaves and ate the Berries which taste just like peas. Again a wonderfully fresh tasting plant.

There was a tree with a fruit hanging from it, that to me looked very similar to Sugar Apples aka Custard Apples, but they weren’t, they were:

BIRIBA

Also known as Rollinia deliciosa or Rollinia Soft, a yellow-skinned fruit when ripe, similar in appearance to Sugar Apples, but with more prominent spikes.

Further along the trail Kevin picked a ripe biriba and we were able to enjoy a slice of this fruit, it was wonderful! The flesh is white to translucent, juicy, with an excellent sweet flavor.

From a low growing bush like vine Mr Kelly picked an orange – green fruit. This was the:

Orinoco-apple, aka Cocona, aka Peach- tomato, also know as the naranjilla.

Cocona fruits are a popular food and medicinal fruit used mainly in the Amazon and several countries of South America. They are used for the preparation of several food products such as drinks, jams and milk shakes.

Mr Kelly cut the fruit, offered us a taste, plus showed us how it is full of small seeds similar to the tomato. Its flavor was a sweet, sour flavor that was mildly acidic, not really pleasant. An acquired taste I guess….

We followed Mr Kelly around the gardens for nearly 2 hours sampling leaves, berries and fruits, smelling flowers how to make tattoos from certain leaves, and just enjoying the whole wonderful experience. Some of these were: Water pears, manzanna rojo, Pineapple, papayas, bananas of differing types from large red ones to small fig bananas, broad beans, other beans, and oh so many other plants and fruits.

Our last stop was in an enclosure which was or is used for the cocoa production. Mr Kelly had previously picked a cocoa pod for us and 1st we all indulged by sampling the raw pulp, which is a supremely wonderful taste.

Mr. Kelly gave us a demonstration of the cocoa process they use at La Loma. He explained that the cocoa pod is picked, the large beans are taken from the inside and then set to dry in the sun. After which the husky outside of the bean is shucked off, but can still used as a tea.

The inside bean is crushed and can be used as nibs or is put through a grinder and out comes the cocoa paste. The pure rich cocoa paste is rolled into a ball at the end of production. So there are the dried beans, which have a wonderful rich chocolate flavor and then the paste which is the ultimate in dark chocolate flavor.

He next had a surprise for us:

Another memorable fruit, Miracle fruit/berries. He said to pop a red berry in our mouths, suck on it for several minutes and then retry the Cocona that we had found sour and acidic. Well after sucking the Miracle fruit the Cocona tasted quite wonderfully sweet.

Miracle fruit/berries

The glycoprotein molecule present in this fruit binds to the taste buds when the fleshy part of the fruit is consumed and the miraculin blocks the receptors and activates sweet receptors, causing fresh, candy like taste in the mouth. However, this taste remains up to 30 minutes and vanishes after drinking water.

Our last trail with Mr Kelly led us up and up to the main building of La Loma.

Shaped like a large look out tower it has two floors. The view across the farm to the outlying bays was wonderful!

The upper floor has the restaurant where we were served a delicious lunch. The lunch contained many of the plants and seeds we had seen on the trails around the property. Everybody throughly enjoyed the lunch.

The Bocas Regatta

Out to anchor we went, with every intention of exploring places yet to be seen. However as there was to be a Bocas Regatta and we happened to know a few of those boats. we went and anchored off of Solarte near the first marker aka turn point of the race. And then they were off, we listened to the radio and therefore knew which of the boats were approaching.

Many had their spinnakers flying and so were quite colourful. The first turn was quite exciting to watch as boats vied to be the ones to get the vantage around the marker without loosing points. We never saw the rest of the race as it was quite a distance away and when they rounded for the second lap everyone was quite spread out. Our friend from Red Frog marina, Louis on his boat Cirque won the race.

(Above the winning boat)

That evening the rain and wind arrived chasing us back to Red Frog marina.

Walks, walks and more

It seemed like the rainy season had arrived in the dry season. We planned to go back out to anchor, but, everyday we had rain or showers. Being at anchor in the rain can be quite limiting, so we stayed in Red Frog. We actually have a new slip, one where we have much more room, where we are not right next to other boats. The marina continues to be busy and full with all sorts of arrivals. And yes, the mega yachts too.

Between or before showers we went for our walks. Visiting the beach and watching the constant erosion from the huge seas was a daily fascination. This time of year the seas are huge, rolling in from off shore. It really is amazing how the seas now roll to the very top of the beach, the waves are an average of 12 feet and one on top of the other.

The sands have been displaced, some huge tree trunks and branches have been exposed, and where water used to run, it is no more. The air is filled with salty breeze and the constant sound is the roar of the incoming seas.

To walk the beach one now walks right up near and under the tree line. If you walk along the surf-line you’ll be bombed by the surging surf.

Flying John’s drone:

John hadn’t taken any drone pictures for a while, we headed to the La Rosa beach to fly the drone. Overall it was quite a successful flight. It didn’t last long as he was down a battery pack, but he got some good pics.

Handsome sloths, playful monkeys, exotic birds

Forever on the look out for different wildlife we have seen a few eagles and hawks, many herons and egrets a handsome Kingfisher and more.

Of course we have daily sitings of sloths, we now see them along most of our pathways. They never fail to entertain us especially when they slowly move from branch to branch, hanging onto the thinnest of twigs, but never falling.

Monkeys are always exciting to see and watch. We see the White Faced Capuchins along the trails here. They make some impossible jumps from one tree to another, just crazy to watch. And the mothers carrying their babies scurrying along the branches while the little one clings on.

There is one solo male which we often come across. He was sucking the nectar out of the Heliconia flowers aka Lobster Claw flowers one day. It never gets boring watching the monkeys.

And then of course the lovely Red Frogs

For one beach walk we started at the La Rosa beach to see how far along the shoreline we could travel. It was very enjoyable walking up and along the upper beach looking at the Red Frog property from the beachside. Plus with the over hanging foliage it was also somewhat shady.

Again the scenery was wonderful. All was going excellently until I had a log roll unexpectedly in on and crash on my ankles. Luckily it only shaved the flesh off of one side of one foot. That put a damper on my walks for about a week.

Farm trip Oriba Cacoa

A friend here at Red Frog invited us to go on another farm trip with her and a few others. We happily agreed, as we are always happy to see more of the area. Plus, I really enjoy learning about plants and animals.

Off we set around 7:30 on the water taxi to Bocas. There we went to the shop front of the chocolate business, where we met a fellow who guided us to our ride to Almirante. The ride across on a water taxi to the mainland is always a squeeze, in that as many people plus whatever else can fit is shoehorned onto each water taxi which then goes full out top speed to Almirante.

This day was a rainy day and our seats were at the back. Not the place to sit. Almirante is a fairly large town on the Panamanian mainland. It is an export port for the Chiquita bananas. Everyday There are freighters loaded sky high with containers full of bananas. Plus off the docks hundreds of containers in the Chiquita compound.

We had a minivan awaiting our arrival and were soon off to the village where we were to have our tour.

Arriving there we were greeted by our guides, which we followed into a large reception area. We were told there are 7 tribes in Panama, the Ngäbe, of which these folks were are the largest of the groups. Permaculture is their system of farming on approximately 200 hectares, with 500 farming families, and it is an Almirante co-op.

The hosts outlined what we were going to do and see, then we were off.

As said it was a rainy day, but really this didn’t interfere with our enjoying the area. As we walked we stopped by various plants.

Their Chacara bags are made from the cabuya plant another local name is Peeta, (the older yellow leaves are used) it is a plant she told us is related to the pineapple plant. The long leaves are dried and stripped into twine, which is then dyed using dyes from other plants and finally woven into their Chacara bags. I find it quite incredible that from these long leaves something so intricate can be made, and by hand plus using colors that come from the dyes extracted from local plants.

Within the farming area there are 25 different types of bananas that range in size, colour and taste. All are used as food.

All the plants we could see are found naturally together and are “farmed”. There is a use for all of them. For example the lemome, a sour citrus can be used as a natural mosquito repellent.

Dasheen/taro root is used as a potato. It is one of the main foods in their diet. The leaves of the dasheen are used as a type of spinach, cooked up with garlic.

We came to a small shelter where there were benches to sit, some ladies, and an open fire. This was where we we taught about the Ngobe Cacao production.

There are 70 types of cacao from red to orange to green to yellow pods they specialize in 3 main types on their farm, red, green and orange pods. Each taste slightly different.

They have a huge problem with a fungus that attacks the Cacoa plants. It started 45 years ago and there doesn’t seem to be a way to get rid of this fungus.

Therefore they work very, very hard as there is a 85% loss each year. Everything is done by hand on this farm, absolutely no pesticides or any artificial means, and no machines are used or have ever been used. The Cacoa mosquitoes pollinate the flowers, and are essential to its production. Therefore the mosquitoes are valued.

In 2022 out of 50 participating countries they, this co-operative of farmers were placed 3rd in quality of chocolate. The co-operative normally have sold to Switzerland, But each year is a wait and see due to the international market. The Ngobe people and farmers get No government help or support from the Panamanian government.

In 1977 Cacoa went for $7:00 per lb, now it is around .85c. This is a 60% loss, for a crop that is harder than ever to produce. Plus, other countries in the world now produce Cacoa, but they use pesticides, machines and other artificial means so there is tough competition in the market.

The Cacoa trees produce pods for 35 years. The pods take 15 days to ripen. They harvest the pods, take the beans out of the pods, (eating only a little the white flesh – which she called – the embryo and center the placenta). They then put it all along with with the beans in a mixture of plant material, (it looks like a banana leaf), the whole mIxture ferments to 50 degrees Celsius. As The embryo dies you get quality flavor. The beans dry for 90 days dependent on the weather. They can get 12 fruit to make 1/2 kilo of cocoa.

Meanwhile during the talk we were treated to tasting the white pulp of the pods, which is delicious. We sampled the roasted beans, and a wonderful cocoa drink plus watched as the the roasted beans were crushed and ground into a paste. The stones used for the grinding are as old as forever….they have always used them. The paste had an amazing flavor of pure chocolate.

After our demonstration we followed the pathway back to the reception hall where we were treated to lunch. The food was a traditional Ngobe dish, with locally raised chicken, the dasheen and taro root, plus the leaves of the dasheen cooked with garlic. It was served in calabash dishes and we used locally made utensils too. All a wonderful, delectable experience.

“Moi moi” means “thank you” so after saying “moi moi” to our hosts we returned to Alimente and the water taxi back to Bocas Del Toro.

John and I were curious about a distant beach: Playa Largo

Playa Largo, which is part of the National Marine Park. It is an important sea-turtle nesting area, attracting four species of endangered turtles from about April or May through September.

We had heard a little about this playa, and knew it was supposedly hard to reach. So, as my foot was much better, the weather was sunny and we had wanted a long walk off we set.

We took the pathway that led above Playa Polo heading through the jungle, listening to all the birds enjoying the wonderful outdoors. At the end of this trail we crossed by what, we’ve been told is a squatters or a caretakers home and headed through the Rainbow Eucalyptus trees.

The trail continued through the jungle that bordered the seashore at times just above a small beach and at other times well into the jungle.

So we did our usual, trekking through muddy areas, climbing over or under fallen trees, brushing past vines, enjoying the adventure.

We emerged from the trail and found an amazingly beautiful beach. Massive waves crashed ashore, huge trees from the jungle over shadowed the upper beach, and it went on for as far as the eye could see.

We walked the beach as far as the 1st point, passing a fresh water pond on one side where I’m sure there must be crocs.

Just after the point was a wooden structure with a small veranda.

This must be where the turtle watchers camp during the turtle season. It was there we ate our snack and enjoyed some water. Afterwards we headed back along the beach and through the jungle.

Again enjoying the return walk, yes, tired but very happy to have seen playa Largo. Upon returning most folks were surprised we made it, but looking back it was a relatively easy walk.

Over all we did 18,631steps so just under 9 miles. Now we are planning a return to Playa Largo, but leaving earlier so we can trek the beach too.

We are thankful for another wonderful month in Bocas Del Toro, Panama and for all the lovely people we met this month and spent time with. Grateful for the wonders we witnessed while walking and exploring. We both make each day count.