Aeeshah

 

PHOTO ALBUM —>>>. https://photos.app.goo.gl/oG2y3MAg3pqeymnSA

 Cotopaxi National Park 

Our driver Jose picked us up at 8:30, bags and all we set off for Cotopaxi National Park. 

The drive was of course 1st out of the city and then along the Pan-American Highway. Which I should add is a very impressive road. In the distance we could see the mountains and volcanos. 

We turned towards the national park and the scenery soon became spectacular. Passing fir trees Jose explained that they are an invasive species 1st introduced from Australia. They are now grown for the logging industry. The firs destroy the land where they grow as nothing will grow under them and the earth is ruined from their needles.

We stopped at the park entrance station. There we had a look at the information about Cotopaxi and the surrounding area of Andean grasslands, called Paramo.

We enjoyed a hot drink, l had a Cacoa tea which helps with the altitude as we were steadily climbing higher.

After which we headed for a walk along the nearby the station parkway, to see how the altitude was affecting us. Other than being a little breathless I felt fine. Funnily I was most affected when taking photos, as I tend to hold my breath when shooting photos. (Steadies the camera).

John felt fine, basically like normal. Jose pointed out the differing plants and some of the distant scenery.

Back at the car we set off to climb Cotopaxi. I was under the impression we would not take long to get there, I had no idea how high up we were going to drive. 

The scenery gradually changed, but remained wonderful. The clouds drifted across, as we were truly in the clouds.

The soils were the dark of the volcanic area, but in some places there were streaks of red. The Andean grasslands, called paramo were seas of differing greens that seemed to sway in the winds. 

Cotopaxi emerged from the clouds, such an awe inspiring sight. Closer and closer we got but still so far to go.

Round and round the bends the road went, up and up we went, it really felt like the top of the world, like we were driving over the edge of the horizon.

Arriving at the snow line we continued past patches of snow up the steep lava gravel of the roadway onto a very high car park. 

Jose made me aware of the strong winds blowing and to hold tightly onto the car door so as it would not blow off. And I can honestly say it was difficult to open the door and hang on to it. The wind was that strong I felt like I could be blown away. Plus the clouds were making everything damp and so even colder……

Plus, it was FREEZING! I could not face the direction the wind was coming from as the cold wind was painful! It burned my eyes and whipped my face.

As for walking, that was difficult! We had the option to walk up to the volcano refuge, which we could see through the cloud,

but it was an hour away and with the weather conditions that day we just walked around the immediate area. Which actually was fine as what there was to see was the view before you. 

Photos just do not do justice to the dramatic view from 15,250 feet. It was awesome looking out, just as if you were on top of the world, above the clouds at times. Up where the condors fly. 

On our way down the mountain we were surprised by an Andean fox otherwise know as a Paramo wolf. Its true name is the Culpeo zorro. It is not a true fox but more closely related to a wolf.

It was right in the road scavenging. Jose said that sadly tourists who don’t know better feed these animals and they then end up scavenging. It was such a pretty red furred wolf/fox and didn’t seem phased by us.

Further down the lane Jose stopped to show me the different flowers. I had been questioning him about all the differing colourful ones I could see. So Jose stopped the car and said come along let’s check out the flowers, get some photos and maybe find something special. 

There were the beautiful blue Lupins, the lovely orange Chuquiragua also know as the flower of the Andes, which is also the national flower of Ecuador. 

Jose spotted the Ecuadorian Hillstar hummingbird on the Chuquiragua. These hummingbirds are only found in this high terrain and the only hummingbird adapted to feed on the Chuquiragua, thus it pollinates these flowers. 

I was and am so very thankful for having  drivers/guides who knew all about everything we asked about, plus all the more for the knowledge they shared.

Lunch was at a small hostel restaurant situated in the same Cotopaxi park, El Gran Volcan.

A quiet, outpost where guests stay, can hike and enjoy their surroundings. Lunch was a cooked meal of chicken with rice and salad for me. I was that hungry due to the cold that I ate nearly all of it. 

Our next stop was the picturesque Limpioungo Lake. 

Back in the car we looked out  at the amazing scenery and for wildlife …. we saw a deer. And horses!

Once parked we followed a trail that wound around half of the lake. The scenery was astounding, the colors always changing due to the sun and clouds shifting with the wind.

There were water birds nesting and high above Jose pointed out condors soaring the thermocline.

I think it was the sheer size of our surroundings that really struck me. You realize that you are just so insignificant.

After quite a few stops to enjoy the views we reached a small lookout, I of course took more photos, and we headed back. 

La Cienega Laso

We enjoyed another scenic drive before arriving at our hacienda, La Cienega Laso, where we were staying for the night. Both of us were blown away by our accommodation, it was amazing.

The architecture was old world Spanish colonial, built in 1695, our room was massive and the grounds are incredible. 

The very old eucalyptus trees that line the driveway create an impressive 1st impression.

The walls of the house were built of volcanic stone cut from the surrounding area and are incredibly thick. The house has a colourful past and has been the scene of important historic events. It is known as one of the premiere stately houses of Ecuador.

The doors of the church were hand carved and look as new even now. The furnishings are from the 17th century.

We had a lovely walk around the grounds, a quiet evening and an early night. 

“Traveling it leaves you speechless. Then turns you into a storyteller” – Ibn Battuta

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust

 

Off to Ecuador

PHOTO ALBUM —>>  https://photos.app.goo.gl/5f4rVYCKtqJFfm8M6

We flew out of Bocas Del Toro to Panama City, on a beautiful sunny day. Being so bright we were able to look down on the lovely Bocas Del Toro area, with its amazing archipelago of isles and long palm lined beaches.

The following day July 7th we set off from Panama City to Quito, Ecuador, arriving at 11:00am. Our driver Milton was waiting outside the airport for us. He grabbed our bags and off we drove to Hotel La Ribida. 

I found this drive rather odd, because we arrived in what Milton called Quito Valley or Quito Lower at 2,800m or 9,186ft. And then drove to the city which was above us at 2,850m. We literally could see the tall buildings up above us as we drove from the airport up a winding road to the city of Quito. I knew Quito was one of the highest cities in the world, but this approach really illustrated the fact.

Our hotel La Rabida was in a suburb of the business area of Quito. 

After dumping our bags we went for a walk around the neighborhood to try to acclimatize….yes, we could feel the altitude. It made me feel a slight pressure in the back of my head and a lack of energy.

The tiendas were quite typical of what we were used to, but the fruits on sale were for me was amazing! I saw star fruit the size of large papayas aka pawpaws. Plus there were quite a number of fruits that I had never seen before. The fruit vender tried to give me the names, but I had never heard of them.

We decided we would definitely try them over the next 2 weeks. We wandered back to our hotel and had a very early night…..as said, the altitude was causing us to feel exhausted.

In the morning of July 8th, we enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the hotel and then met Jose our driver for the day. The morning was bright and sunny so Jose headed to:

Pululahua Reserva Geobotanica

 This large valley was actually in the crater of an old volcano. The view was spectacular! Jose explained that there are 105 volcanoes in Ecuador. 84 volcanoes are on the mainland and 21 volcanoes are in the Galapagos.

From where we stood we could see several peaks of distant volcanoes, they were, Chiro, Pondona, and Pan de Azucar. Down in the crater valley were many lush farms, Jose pointed out some ruins which were from an old monastery. 

The Equator experience and educational tour.

Next stop was the “Middle of the World” park and tourist site. There we were greeted by a guide and set off to learn about the ancient peoples of Ecuador. Before the Incas there were various indigenous tribes the Valdivia being the oldest known, dating back to 3,500BC.

We went into a recreation of an indigenous home. We were told about how the men hunted. Shown the various artifacts, from the hunters.

The guide explained about the process of the ancient ritual of shrunken heads. We were shown a recreated shrunken head, quite nasty! After which we were told and shown the women’s role in the indigenous tribe of that time. There was a lady weaving the plant fibers creating a basket.

Following this we went outside to the equator exhibition. There our guide explained all about the equator and showed us different simple experiments. For example we stood one foot in the northern hemisphere and one foot in the southern hemisphere. Experiments that proved how water flows clockwise in the north and anti clock wise in the south, how the shadows vary, all entertainingly  shown and told. It was a fun half hour. 

I spied a beautiful long tailed humming bird flitting around, such a lovely bird. It certainly distracted me. And another unknown yellow bird feeding on corn.

Jose next drove and stopped at the official monument to the equator. This was just for a picture and a stroll around with Jose. 

Jose next suggested we try a locally made ice cream. It was a sherbert, made from differing fruits, frozen in layers. What an amazing treat, it tasted wonderful!

Our tour of the old colonial city of Quito

Across Quito Jose drove to park above the old city on the top of a hill. 

This part of Quito is home to one of the best preserved historic centers in the Americas. It is a one of a kind UNESCO World Heritage site. And of course the tourists attracted vendors, artists and musicians, of all types. We parked and walked to the:

 Basilica of the National Vow, the most amazing cathedral. 

The Basilica of the National Vow is a neo-Gothic style church, considered to be the most important in Ecuador in terms of style, and one of the most important in the Americas. This basilica was inspired by Notre Dame de Paris; its construction began in 1892, (when the first stone was laid), and was completed and sanctified in 1988.

The Basilica of the National Vow is known for its gargoyles on its façade, as well as animals endemic to the country and the region, such as: alligators, turtles, blue-footed boobies, monkeys, pumas, among many others.”

There are two towers which you can climb, but Jose had insider information and we passed along to the elevators and zipped up to the top level just below the stairs for the tip-top of one of the towers. 

From there, up we climbed to the very top. Oh, what a view of the whole of the old city, and the rest in the distance. Quito is a very large city with 2.8 million inhabitants. We were fortunate it was such a clear day and the view was perfect.

The architecture of this cathedral was incredibly detailed, just magnificent. 

The way to our next destination was down a narrow, steep, street. I was soon to find out all streets either lead uphill or downhill. We were both very entertained by all we saw along the streets. There was much happening, the old city is very popular and so busy.

We arrived at another important church: 

The Compañía de Jesús

“This famous church, known by many as the Golden Church in Quito, is a sample of the enormous cultural and artistic wealth that the historical center of the city holds. The Compañía de Jesús has magnificent internal ornamentation, topped with gold leaf that covers a large part of the church. In fact, the Church of the Compañia de Jesus “is the most representative and important baroque temple in Colonial America, having become one of the most important religious monuments in the historical center of the city of Quito” (Jesuítas Ecuador, 2020). Construction of this architectural jewel began in 1605 and was completed in 1765. Between 1987 and 2005, the church was completely restored.”

And, yes, everything about this church is wondrous. The detail in the works of art that adorn every space, the shimmering surfaces, the sheer size, it really is an amazing masterpiece. We visited and passed other quite amazing churches, with wonderful architecture and art works. It seemed at every corner and square there were huge, houses of worship. Jose told us that in this Quito’s Historic Center there were around 30, old churches, and monasteries.

After walking around looking at various sights, the Presidential Palace where there were guards on duty,

ice cream venders mixing their all natural fruit ice cream, musicians playing to the crowd,

and artist displaying their various arts we ended up at:

Yumbos Chocolate, 

here we were treated to a cup of hot chocolate and an amazing brownie. This is just one of the many chocolate makers that use the Ecuadorian cocoa for their special chocolate. 

Lunch was at Querubin restaurant, this was on the second floor balcony. There was a choice of many dishes, all looked tasty, but we both settled for a sandwich as the chocolate had taken the edge off our appetite. 

 The Basilica and Convent of San Francisco catholic church

was our next stop. It stands in the historic center and is the oldest and most significant religious site in Ecuador. The structure is the largest architectural complex within the historic centers of all South America.

It is considered a jewel of continental architecture for its mix of styles. The interior was absolutely amazing! It was just decorated with such detail. An awe inspiring work of art. One little detail I loved was an arm and hand reaching through the wall. 

 Independence Square, and the immediate area was where we wandered next. We both enjoyed seeing all the varied crafts for sale, plus the selections of fruits and other foods that venders had on offer.

Jose told us about the history, the culture and what we could see the next day when we were free to roam the city. 

July 9th, off to explore Quito 

After another great breakfast we set off to walk to the park that Jose had told us about.

The Parque La Carolina

This park is 165.5 acres and right in the middle of the central business district. We were both really surprised by all the different types of sport being played through the park. Everywhere there were areas for football games, volleyball games and other sports.

Large children’s play areas, picnic areas, walking and running paths, biking lanes, just so much on offer. Everywhere was wonderfully kept, families were barbecuing, picnicking and having fun. We walked the whole park, which seemed huge and then headed to the Botanical Gardens found near the middle of the park. 

Botanical Gardens

Here we walked most of the lovely gardens. Many folks were in photography groups enjoying the colourful displays. We entered the green houses, in the 1st one we found the most amazing display of carnivorous plants. 

The next green house was my favorite, it held absolutely wondrous orchids. Honestly these orchids were incredible, some truly looked like little faces. It was hard to believe they were simple, living plants, just magic they all were, of course I took numerous photos of these orchids. 

Lastly we looked in on the cactus. Once again there was a wonderful collection.

By then it was time to move on, so we found a taxi stand and went to the

old city for lunch and a wander. 

We didn’t go into any of the marvelous buildings, we simply enjoyed the streets. Again there were plenty of interesting venders and street artists to keep us entertained.

People to watch, painters, weavers and jewelry makers to watch. Such a vibrant, historic, city is Quito.  

That evening went to an Indian restaurant which happened to be close to La Rabita. There we had a wonderful curry for dinner. It was the best curry we had both had in quite a long time.

“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Augustine of Hippo

“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” – Dalai Lama

 

PHOTO ALBUM —->>  https://photos.app.goo.gl/4NZ9ZS4PuBHDnS8v9

Isla Escudo de Veraguas

These isolated isles lie about 24 miles east of Bluefields and about 17 km away from mainland Panama. They are uninhabited except for a few Guaymi fishing families. We had never visited before and we were hoping the weather would be calm enough for a few days there. 

We had a the most beautiful sunrise and could see the isles in the distance.

We anchored in an anchorage off of the long beach and sand spit at Long Bay Point on the western side of the isles. There were 2 other cruising boats already anchored. 

What an amazing place we found, incredibly beautiful, a stunning destination. We looked ashore and were just smitten by the beauty.

John went for his nap as he had just finished the night shift and I tidied up. Then we were off excited to explore the shore. 

We went to the small coves opposite where we were anchored and found them to be made up of little islets, tunnels, small lagoons and all so very different from any we had see before.

The shapes formed by the rocks, the rocks themselves, the pattern of errosion, the plant life, all was differing from the norm. Plus, there was beauty around each corner we turned.

We met up with the end of the long beach where there were the skeletons of long lost trees. We both noticed that the birdsong coming from the jungle ashore was quite different from what we had ever heard before.

We landed in just a gentle surf and walked along towards the sand spit at the end. The jungle off of the beach was dense and appeared quite impenetrable. Coconut palms lined the beach, we could hear many differing songbirds and cicadas from the trees in the jungle.

The beach itself was wonderfully wild, except for the regular plastic man made waste that had washed ashore. There was even a trail from a nesting turtle.

I soon found sea-beans in the seaweed, so many I had to stop myself from picking them up as my pockets were full.

It was wonderful to be walking and enjoying a beach once again. All the way to the end of the sand bar we walked and then back.

After which we both enjoyed a swim off the beach and headed back to Aeeshah. 

After lunch we headed out to ride in the dinghy along the shore towards the distant little isles we could see.

What an amazingly scenic shoreline. Again neither of us had seen rock formations as these before, with large fossils of tree trunks.

We decided the rock must be made from a mix volcanic ash and sandstone. The formations created small isles, caves and overhangs all of which had lush vegetation clinging to the sides.

The colors were spectacular, the greens, turquoises, blue hues all blending and contrasting. My camera worked overtime snapping shots.

We wove in and out of small bays enjoying every view. 

The reefs too were amazing, very different from any we had seen before. We went into a bay, tied to a palm tree trunk and headed off snorkeling. 

This was the first time in a year that we were able to have a really good snorkel. In the shallows the water was uncomfortably hot, yes hot! However further out and down deep it was a great temperature. The reefs again I say are like none I had ever seen.

They appear to be very large boulders which are covered in corals. There are no soft corals just hard corals of differing types, sea anemones and such creatures.

Between the coral covered reefs were tunnels and caverns with schools of fish hiding in the shadows.

We both had a wonderful snorkel, after which we just lounged in the water under palm trees. 

That evening we saw the same weather pattern of the previous evenings when in the river. The winds and clouds blew out off the distant mountains. There was a shower and everything cooled down, and we say, “thank goodness.” 

The following morning we headed off towards the other point passing along the long sand spit and across to the distant point.

We really didn’t expect to find much, so we were very surprised to find the same types of amazing scenery as the day before and if possible even more beautiful.

The colors are/were stunning! We could see that the entire outer shoreline was made up of these little isles, tiny coves, tree lined beaches and amazing scenery.

However we were low on dinghy fuel and so had to save that shore for another time n the future. 

We returned slowly along the shoreline enjoying the beauty, passing the area where the local fishermen have a small camp. Not a soul did we see. However that evening a fisherman in a kayoka came by with a smoked lobster to sell us. Yes, we bought it and had it for dinner the following evening and it was wonderful as lobster salad.

John and I set off next to fly his drone. We went to the flattest beach that was along the shoreline where he felt it would take the best pictures of the entire area.

John has been having problems with the drone as the batteries are swelling and other issues so he was only able to capture just a fraction of what he wanted. And basically he needs a new drone as that one flew its last flight. 

Meanwhile I strolled the beach enjoying the walk while swatting away the horse flies. Yes, there are numerous horseflies, they are really persistent and annoying, plus the bite is nasty. After my walk and his flight we enjoyed a wonderful swim to cool down.

That afternoon we went off to the reefs, next to the small cove, to snorkel.

Again it was a wonderful snorkel, amazing corals, lots of fish and varying types and very interesting underwater scenery. 

Once again that evening and night we had the same weather pattern, but this time with more thunder, lightening, wind and some rain. We set the anchor alarm and John was on alert in the cockpit till the early hours, however it proved to be a non event.

The following day we needed to leave. We both love the area and plan on returning, but we needed to get to Bocas for a number of boring reasons, dinghy fuel, wifi, etc. We will return……

We were very curious as to why these isles were just slightly different from the norm, almost surreal, looking at the rock formations, the jungle, the birdsongs and underwater too. After a bit of research I found out why …….

For anyone who is interested in reading more about this amazing gem of Isla Escudo De Veraguas.

Separated from the mainland for approximately 10,000 years their plant and animal life have developed independently from mainland Panama. There are several endemic species, the pygmy 3 toed sloth, various bats, lizards, trees and more. There was a study conducted by the Smithonian Tropical Research institute in 2017. This was the 1st in depth study. A book was written in conclusion to the study. The article and info can be found here: https://stri.si.edu/story/isolated-gem  

The extraordinary is waiting quietly beneth the shin of all that is ordinary. – Mark Nepo

Go back? He thought. No, good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go! – JRR Tolkien

 

 

 

PHOTO ALBUM—>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/8UQNXeHFMFHnMNRb7

We left Shelter Bay on May 23rd and headed out the breakwater with the hopes of being able to enter and anchor in the Rio Chagres. This river is one of the most important rivers in the world. It is where the Panama Canal is located:

Rio Chagres

“At 3.2 kilometres, (2.0 mi), from the river’s mouth lies the Gatun Dam, which created Gatun Lake and provides hydroelectricity. Created in 1913 by the damming of the Chagres River, Gatun Lake is an essential part of the Panama Canal, which forms a water passage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, permitting ship transit in both directions.”

The weather conditions proved to be just wonderful to enter the Rio Chagres. We rounded the bend with the old San Lorenzo fort on our port side. Passing the slipway where a few fishermen were relaxing with their rods and made way for the 1st bend, where we anchored in 30 feet of water. 

The river banks looked to be incredibly wild with thick jungle along way off into the distance.  Howler monkeys could be heard howling in the near and distant trees. Many differing types of birds were heard from the jungle and we caught fleeting glimpses of some such flying past.

All one hears there is the wind rustling the leaves, differing birds singing, cicadas singing, frogs occasionally croaking and the howlers. The constant colour is greens, with the river water, the differing trees and reflections and then behind the bright blue of the sky. 

The Chagres National Park borders the river and is one of the largest national parks in Panama with approximately 130,000 hectares. 

That afternoon we set off in the dinghy to explore the sides of the river near Aeeshah.  We went slowly along one side and then the other gazing up into the thick foliage looking for the birds we could hear.

The Green parrots make such a raucous, but to see them is near impossible, just silhouettes against the sky. Along the banks we looked for crocodiles, but none could we see. The scenery seen while exploring was just lovely.

That evening we definitely had to light coils, yep the no-see-ums were about followed later by the mosquitos, but we had a brilliant sunset.

The sky just lit up down river, which was in front of us, while to our stern, up river a very unusual cloud formation appeared. The clouds were split by a band of light, the lower band was bringing a shower of rain.

Meanwhile to the bow the brilliant sunset kept changing colour. This amazing sunset was a real treat!

Next morning we set off in the dinghy towards the dam. Traveling slowly up the left side of the river we looked for birds, especially toucans, crocodiles and anything else we could see. 

Well, we found the old bridge that was mentioned in a cruisers comment, but not any pathways mentioned. It’s history is that it was part of:

“El Camino Real, the trail used by the Spanish to transport gold, passes through the park and it is possible to retrace the path in a four day hike. However, local people say that the path is haunted by the slaves who built the trail and transported the undreamed of wealth of the Incas and the Aztecs across the Chagres valley.”

The bridge which was part of the path is now totally broken and over grown. However we did see bats that have cleaned the underside as home. Cute little black bats clinging to the underside of the bridge.

 

There were several tributaries we tried to travel along, usually logs and branches stopped our progress. The reflections were unreal! Of course I tried to get some shots, but the photos do not do the reflections justice.

It was very hot, very hot, however we slowly cruised the 3 miles and finally ahead of us we could see the bridge, weir and Gatun Dam. Not knowing where there was a landing spot we first approached on the left side and attempted to land on the rocks. This was not a good idea, we noticed on the other-side what looked like a road and guessed it led to the ramp.

So, off we went back down the river a ways and crossed through the shallow water, passed little islands and found the ramp. There were a few interesting fishing boats tied up, plus more on the ramp, and a few fellows wandering around. Everyone was friendly, but we just had a look about and then left to head back downriver to Aeeshah.

On the way downriver we chose to go fast as it was midday and incredibly unbelievably hot! 95F according to our boat thermometer and not a breeze to be found.

Along the way I spotted more wildlife than earlier. 1st a sloth hanging from the trees by the side of the river. Not sure what the fellow was up to, he had his lower section hanging in the river…..maybe he was just chillin. 

2nd, along further I spied a Jesus Lizard again we stopped to have a closer look.

3rd, finally, I spotted a crocodile resting on the bank under some branches. He was harder to catch with the camera, but I did get 2 quick shots before he was submerged. They move incredibly fast.

It was a wonderful, but very hot half day along the river. John was so hot he impulsively jumped in for a swim. He soon jumped out after being stung by many tiny little jellyfish. It is a strange river as it seemed to be tidal. The sargasum seaweed was floating by and we guessed that is where the jellies came in.

That evening we again were treated with a wonderful light display in the skies and reflected in the river. 

What an incredibly beautiful river, wild and wonderful.

The following day was a passage day/night. This time it was a wonderful sail to our next destination. Just a very quiet passage a few miles off the Panamanian coast with a lovely sunset……

and an amazing sunrise as we approached our destination.

“Life … is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious ambiguity.”—  Gilda Radner

 

 

PHOTO ALBUM—>>  https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cg23a1TmEDjzwVaf8

Off we went

heading eastwards towards Shelter Bay Marina to get Aeeshah hauled. We had an overnight passage which was not the passage we had planned for. It was quite rough, with seas coming from differing directions causing a confused pattern which meant we pounded, rolled and learched about for, yes, the whole way. As we had been in the shelter of Bocas Del Toro for the previous 10 months I was finding it tough going and so was not much help to John. Poor him, had to do the entire night watch.

In the morning we were approaching the canal entrance, we had covered over 140 miles in less than 24 hours. So for all the rough conditions it was at least a fast passage. 

The number of ships anchored and moving about at the canal entrance/ exit is truly quite unbelievable. Massive bulk carriers, tankers, freighters and others it really is quite an awesome sight.

We passed through the canal after a container ship and headed to the anchorage outside Shelter Bay Marina. John just went and passed out in bed. I cleared the mess. The floors were covered with all sorts that had fallen, shifted or just been placed there during the passage. Chico took care of the odd flying fish laying around the decks.

Shelter Bay marina

The next morning we had to go into the marina via the dinghy to fill out a mass of paperwork for 3 different offices, the marina, the slip and the stores, (for paint). Next we went out and brought Aeeshah into D32 our new home base,

which was a good location in the marina, near the outside and able to catch the breeze, because it is hot, in the top 80 degrees. We did hook up the AC but prefer not to use it, if possible.

We had last been in Shelter Bay in 2016, 8 years ago. The place looks the same but it has expanded. Also, there used to be just a few big sailboats and catamaran’s, but now most of the boats are large. We set up and then headed in for a nice dinner at the restaurant.

Around Shelter Bay Marina

One really nice aspect of this area is the walks one can go on. The old Fort Sherman US base is here. It has been vacated for many years now and nature is returning. The original fort was first started in the early 1900s. Then rebuilt during the world wars. 

Fort Sherman located on Toro Point on the western bank of the Canal directly opposite Colón. It was the primary defensive base for the Caribbean sector of the Canal, and was also the center for US jungle warfare training for some time. Its Pacific-side partner was Fort Amador. Both bases were turned over to Panama in 1999, and as said nature has reclaimed the area. 

On a side note about the US jungle warfare training: Was Agent Orange at Fort Sherman Panama?

At least nine witnesses have confirmed that the military sprayed heavily with Agent Orange in an area of Fort Sherman known as the “drop zone” in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 

Most mornings we hear the Howler Monkeys barking/howling away to each other n the nearby jungle. We head out for daily walks most days. Our first was around the old Fort Sherman accommodation area. This is/was quite large with many houses or blocks of apartments.

Now they are just shells and the insects have made use of the structures for building their homes. There are many reminders of the past, like the old fire hydrants and the road signs. 

Our second walk was off on the San Lorenzo road, which is also part of this area, to find Playa Diablo. The road has changed since we last saw it, as it has been resurfaced.

We found that where the old bridge used to be there was now a new, recently built bridge and drainage system. It seems that there are plans for the area.

We followed the pathway to Playa Diablo, but were somewhat disappointed with the piles of trash. The entire area is only accessible through 1 gate which has security. Only authorized folks are allowed inside, so only authorized folks could have left the trash and they are the ones who should know better.

Across from the marina was a marshy flats where we went for a morning stroll. It was quite lovely in its own way, with lots of birdlife,

but extremely hot with lots of bugs. I did come across a bright green snake which slithered out of sight ever so quickly.

Our favorite walks turned out to be along a pathway right next to the haul out yard. This overgrown lane leads into the old over grown fort area and batteries.

There are these very spooky old ruins

with some interesting graffiti.

There one can climb above them and then follow a steep pathway, even using a rope to traverse down a cliff to the shore.

However the best part are all the animals we see. The capuchin monkeys are numerous, they watch and follow us chattering away to themselves.

We saw a coatimundi family. We were walking along the trail when 2 adults crossed the path. We stopped to look at them when, on the other side we saw about 7 tiny little babies scurrying off to hide.

We moved away, and I watched as the parents ran and leapt back across the pathway to their young.

 

Into Colon for groceries

The marina offers a shopping bus into a mall area near Colon. We went on the morning trip one day. Once we got there we found most places did not open until 10:00am. We killed time by walking around sort of doing a recon of the mall.

Other than the supermarket/grocery there really wasn’t much that interested us. Now, the Supermercado was excellent! It had everything and more than one needs. This was our first good grocery store since Florida, nearly a year ago. However we only got what we needed for the immediate future.

Haul out

We arranged with the marina for Aeeshah to be hauled on the Monday at 10:00am. So around 7:00am Monday morning I was somewhat surprised to hear local voices outside on the dock. John being a late riser was still in bed, but by 7:20 when I could hear the fellows again I roused John. He found that, lo and behold, yes, it was time for us to move to the haul out bay. Obviously there had been a misunderstanding about the timing. Within 10 minutes we were ready, no time for tea, or getting washed just straight off and within 10 minutes we were getting hauled.

The crew were excellent, and by 10:00am we were power washed and getting sanded.

Our haul out “berth” being right next to the haul out bay as they anticipated we would be finished within a few days. Right after lunch we were being painted and the 1st coat was completed by 1:45. 

It was incredibly hot, and sure enough clouds gathered and soon after we had thunder followed by a cooling blast of wind and a downpour. 

The crew managed to finish the work by Tuesday afternoon. The mechanic came and replaced the cutlass bearing with our new one. The painters had the second coat of paint applied.

Aeeshah looked wonderful. On Wednesday morning they shifted the stands, applied the paint underneath, had us in the slings and then the water by noon. An excellent job by Shelter Bay marina. 

Fort San Lorenzo

Located near the mouth of the Chagres River, stands the remains of the mighty Fort San Lorenzo this is within the same area as Shelter Bay marina. There are actually over 30,000 acres of protected rainforest in the jungles around this area of the Panama Canal watershed.

San Lorenzo Fort was built to protect the entrance and exit of the main route to the Americas, the construction of the fort was ordered by Spanish King Felipe II in 1598, with limited effectiveness. In fact, between the years of 1596-1740, the fort was under almost constant attack by now-famous pirates such as Sir Francis Drake, Sir Henry Morgan and the English Admiral Edward Vernon.

Recognized today as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the massive fortress was made by the Italian engineer Juan Bautista Antonelli, and is considered an extraordinary example of 17th and 18th century military architecture.

We had, 8 years ago ridden our bikes to San Lorenzo, visited and ridden back. The bikes were still packed away and as we are not staying here we decided to get a taxi to the fort, look around and walk back. The taxi driver was quite skeptical of our plan to walk back saying, “it’s 12 kilometers and has uphills to climb” he left his number with us just in case we needed him. 

When we arrived at San Lorenzo we could see that 2 whole bus load of students had also arrived, we both groaned and looked at each other with concern. However, these students were the most polite well behaved kids. They were the graduating classes from a high school in Panama city out for the day.

San Lorenzo had undergone a facelift. The walls have been cleaned, all the growth taken off all the turrets and very nice pathways laid. We enjoyed walking around, checking the views across the Rio Chagres and the seas below. The battlements are quite high above the ocean and the river. 

Next came our walk back. The road too has been restored. It used to be just a pot-holed mess, but now it is a well surfaced road.

Not many folks visit the area and so the road was very quiet with hardly any traffic. The howlers were the ones making the noise. From one side to the other side of the road they were howling at each other. We would stop and listen, trying to spot them, but with the thick jungle foliage it was difficult.

Finally we managed to spot a couple who quickly disappeared, but I managed to get a few pics. Overall the walk was hot but enjoyable, shaded, with many birds to try to spot. It took us 2hours 15 minutes and was 17,000 steps, 7.9 miles long. 

On on….

We started making plans to head back to Bocas, it was just too late in the season to head to the San Blas. We continued to enjoy daily walks. Each day around and about the old Fort Sherman we would see different sights, lots of monkeys, some being quite cheeky throwing berries at us

or banging trees to try to scare us away.

The ruins too are still revealing unusual buildings and questionable stuff…..cages, cells, an old church……makes one wonder about all that went on here.

On our second to last evening there was a pot luck bbq at the palapa. We barbecued some sausages and took corn salad to share, while enjoying others contributions and company. Some of these folks have been sailing/traveling for many, many, miles and years. Take Fred, in his eighties having circumnavigated the whole world 3 times. He’s a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. It was a fun evening, but again the bugs were crazy.

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go. That’s what a ship is, you know. It’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails. That’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what it really is, is freedom.”

 

 

PHOTO ALBUM—>>> https://photos.app.goo.gl/6WyNWYcAqDv7yJYJ8

Back in Bocas 

Our return journey was just how we like it, straight forward, no complication.

Well other than John waking up with an incredibly swollen face. For some unexplained reason he had an allergy attack in his sleep, maybe he dreamt of bees. 

Our plan was to head off as soon as possible, but things did not go as planned. The propane regulator sprung a leak and drained us of propane before John realized what was happening. So we had to order a new regulator – 2 weeks to arrive, plus refill the propane tanks – 10 days to get them back. 

In the meantime we had several delightful walks:

our first walk was along our regular route upon which we has seen very little wildlife. I had just remarked to John that,

“It’s unusual that we haven’t seen much today.” 

When he grabbed my arm and said, “Snake!” 

Sure enough there was a huge black and yellow snake moving quickly along and up the bank towards the tree.

Grabbing my camera I managed to get a few quick shots of its length, but of course in a picture it doesn’t look very impressive. After slithering up the bank it quickly climbed around and up a tree. It positioned itself looking right out of the limbs at us,

while flicking its tongue in and out. Really it was fascinating to watch. A lovely creature, so attractively colored in yellow and black with such glossy scaly skin.

We watched it and it watched us for quite a while, until finally we moved off. 

One walk took us along a trail we had never walked before through the jungle and out to the Polo beach trail.

Again, the jungle was wonderful. Once we emerged I was so sweaty that I suggested we take a path to the beach where we stripped off and went for a swim.

The water was just lovely!

In another memorable walk we came upon a confrontation of monkeys.

There were quite a number in the trees having a full out fight, screaming at each other, jumping from branch to skinny branch, chasing each other. Next they jumped from the tree onto the open lane where we were, glared at us kept screaming, and ran off to the trees on the other side.

The Red Frog beach had changed its face again:

Gone were the huge surfing waves crashing up into the tree line. Where all the rocks and tree limbs had been exposed, there was now lovely white sand.

The beach had expanded and was just gorgeous.

We enjoyed a lovely walk with Yvette and her sweet dog Ungla, all the way to the far end of the beach. There we found the beach was covered in seaweed. Ungla also made friends with one of the local strays, they had a grand time chasing each other up and down and around the beach.

On our last walk:

We took Yvette and Ungla to show them our regular route, plus along the zip line trail to the top and down. Again we saw several troops of monkeys, they seemed quite interested in Ungla. 

Our regulator arrived, my glasses arrived and the propane bottles were finally back ……. It was time to move along.

Out to anchor:

First in the Red Frog anchorage where John cleaned the bottom. Next off to Saigon Bay where we had easy access to a dock at a grocery store so as to stock up with our essentials.

Also, we could walk to Vet Gloria to get Chico his special diet food for obese cats. Yes, he’s still trying to loose weight. 

The next morning we were able to walk into Bocas town and enjoy a wonderful breakfast at JJs.

I adore their breakfast sandwich. It’s also a pleasant walk along the lanes between all the colourful homes and businesses. 

The weather was looking great to head off shore towards Shelter Bay, where we planned to have Aeeshah hauled. We think tomorrow we will be underway……..

“Wherever we want to go, we’ll go. That’s what a ship is, you know. It’s not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails. That’s what a ship needs. But what a ship is, what it really is, is freedom.”

 

 

 

PHOTO LINK —>>  https://photos.app.goo.gl/X1ZhN3t964g1P9Xb9

Nana and Papa’s Easter camp

Our 3rd week was a Nana and Papa camp for the Grandchildren May, aged 7 and Quest aged 5 both arrived before 8:00am, keen to have fun. I planned to keep them busy as occupied as possible.

Monday started off with some math activity workbooks that kept both John and I quite busy…. Then we headed off to feed Jessie, he is Kate and May’s horse.

Well, Kate’s horse really, she’s had him since she was 15, but May now counts him as hers. At the stable May was quick to get out the fork and wheel barrow while John did the feeding.

Quest and I filled the water barrel. After a couple of mornings May had Quest nearly trained picking up the poop with the rake too.

Fort Hamilton was our next stop: 

This fort is found atop a hill behind the city of Hamilton. From its border wall we had panoramic views of Hamilton Harbour. The kids enjoying the flag pole too??

The fort is a relic from the Victorian age. It was built by the British in 1870 to protect Hamilton, however the fort never saw any action.

There are massive, 18-ton artillery pieces which were never fired in defense of the city. Quest and May had a quick look at the huge guns but we’re far more interested in the tunnels that led to the moat.

The moat has been transformed into a lush garden. The kids followed the moat around and then we explored more of the underground passages and dungeons. 

Blue bird boxes

Upon returning home, after lunch there were the Blue bird boxes, that May and John had made together back in September, to put up.

Out came the ladder and all the necessary tools and up went the blue birds boxes. Climbing that ladder was such fun!

Tuesday, after our morning math activities and seeing to Jessie we headed off to the Botanical gardens:

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens was established in 1898, and consists of 36 acres. Lots of space to exercise two energetic kids. These gardens have been a popular area to walk, play and relax. We started off parking centrally near the show ring and headed towards what used to be the aviary but, finding just empty neglected cages.

Further along we came across a few workers sitting having a break from their work. One of them happened to know some magic tricks which Quest and May were happy to enjoy. 

Off to the climbing trees we went. These are huge rubber trees that children just love to explore and climb.

Nearby was the maze, which John had a look around.

Our final stop was the sensory garden for the blind, with Braille signs fragrant blooms and herbs. Again we found it to be neglected, rather sad as it used to be lovely.

Hog Bay Level Park

In the afternoon we headed out to Hog Bay Level Park for a walk. Hog Bay Park is 32 acres of open space, which is mainly used by local farmers. 

Where does it get its name? Apparently back in the 17th century passing Mariners dropped hogs off in this area as a future food source should they become shipwrecked on Bermudas’ reefs.

Quest and May headed off along the side of fields and along the pathways, uphill and then downhill to the shoreline.

It wasn’t a particularly sunny day but Westside looked as lovely as ever. Back uphill we were all flagging, turning back along the sides of fields,

passing a derelict farm house where we looked for a ghost , but never saw one, and then to the car.

Wednesday was the regular math activities yet again, and seeing to Jessie. Our visit this day was the 

Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo. 

Located in Flatts Village, BAMZ is one of the world’s oldest aquariums, founded in 1926. It features hundreds of fish species, rescued sea turtles, harbour seals and a 145,000-gallon coral reef exhibit with sharks and black grouper. The zoo part has more than 300 birds, reptiles and mammals from islands around the world. Plus the Bermuda Natural History Museum which is found there has interactive exhibits for children and adults too.

This was a rainy day, so we were there with several other groups of children off of school, plus quite a few tourists.

We started in the Aquarium where I tried to ask Quest and May questions about each exhibit, both of them are quite knowledgeable about the fish species, corals etc. Plus we would hunt each tank to see where the creatures were hiding and match them with their names.

The museum Papa took over going around the exhibits, they enjoyed the interactive ones.

Out in the zoo area most of the animals and birds were tucked away out of the cold, rainy weather. The flamingos were huddled together, as flamboyant as ever.

In the afternoon we had to move into Gavin and Katie’s home to housesit and care for Amy. The kids loved the move as they had lots of space outside to play outside, plus May was particularly happy to enjoy riding all the bikes around the driveway.

Whales and a shoreline amble

Thursday after Quest and May arrived John had to head out, I was with them doing our regular math fun activities when ……. we saw whales from Gavin’s dining room glass door.

The kids flew out to the rocks to watch, I grabbed my camera and scurried behind them. Unfortunately all my camera caught was the beautiful blue swell….

When John returned we headed out for a long walk to the peninsular that can be seen across the bay from Gavin and Katie’s place.

It was a wonderful few hours walking the rocky shoreline, examining rock pools, finding shells and crab’s exoskeletons,

peering into rocky crannies, climbing the steep boulders at the end of the peninsular.

After all of our explorations the kids raced back along the rocks for lunch with no complaints of being tired. 

Kite making

The afternoon activity was kite making. Bermuda kites are a very special tradition. John built the frames and then together we taught May and Quest to paper the kites with tissue paper.

This is quite a delicate art, May found it way easier than Quest, who elected to do artwork instead.

We did quite well this first afternoon, managing to paper half of Quest’s kite. 

Exploring the East End

On Friday, we were off to the East end.

Gates Fort, was our 1st stop.

The kids were happy to clamber all over this tiny fort which sits right on the edge of St Georges Town Cut.

This is a channel that was created for ships to enter the St. George’s Harbor. 

Fort St Catherine, was our next stop.

Quest and May were excited to explore this fort with all of its displays, neither of them having been there before. Fort St Catherine was first built from wood in 1612.

This was replaced by a stone fort in 1614. It was one of a number of forts built immediately following the Virginia Company being given official sanction in 1612 for its possession of Bermuda, which it had occupied since the wreck of the Sea Venture in 1609. 

The fort was actually rebuilt five times, the last time at the end of the 19th century, by when Bermuda had become the premier base for the Royal Navy in the Western Hemisphere.

But Quest and May weren’t interested in that info, they enjoyed the displays showing life back in the day and all the large bullets/explosives displayed. 

Outside we walked around the entire perimeter from which there are some lovely views, (if you ignore the ugly hotel that was recently built).

Tobacco Bay was our stop for snack time.

This area is quite scenic with little bays and rock formations.

May and Quest were ravenous so they quickly ate their snacks and then headed off to clamber over the rocks.

The area is reputed as the backdrop for the Gunpowder Plot of 1775, in which Bermuda locals helped American revolutionaries steal a supply of British gunpowder from the Town of St. George. 

St Georges town was our next stop.

We started off walking along the dockside, across the little bridge and over to the stocks.

These are models of the real ones used back in the day of public humiliation for wrong doers. May and Quest enjoyed taking turn being stuck in the stocks. 

St. George’s is known for being the Bermuda’s first settlement. It is full of reminders of the past with its Colonial buildings around the central King’s Square

These include the 18th-century town hall. Nearby, the Tucker House Museum is a typical home from the 1700s, with displays of crystal, silver and period furniture. Other notable landmarks include St. Peter’s Church, founded in 1612.

We just strolled through the square making our way to the Supermarket to buy some much needed water. The kids were happiest to walk through a bubble machines bubbles! Yes, small things entertain them the best.

Off we drove to Southside for lunch,

and a playground. Quest and May devoured their lunches quickly and were soon playing on the equipment. So we figured it was time for a walk to Cooper’s Island Nature reserve. 

Just along the lane from Clearwater is the old deserted US Naval Air Station. The beaches here, believe it or not are both manmade beaches created by the U.S. Navy when Cooper’s Island was used as a U.S. Naval Air Station.

Since 1995, the area has become the Cooper’s Island Nature Reserve, and just inland from the beaches you find walking trails and a pond that are great for birdwatching. However our walk with Quest and May was along the remains of the little roadway above the beaches.

Stopping first at the old tower to look out from the top.  

Down and along the rest of the way to what is left of a breakwater. There the kids had fun examining what was in rock pools.

We went off looking for ice cream cones but found nowhere open, so I bought frozen chocolate fudge bars instead. 

Back at Gavin’s they enjoyed their fudge bars, rode bikes and there was just enough time to finish Quest’s kite as this was his last day with us.

Overall we had a terrific Nana and Papa Easter camp!

On the weekend we were able to go back to Langata to continue with our maintenance projects and then on Sunday afternoon we had few old friends come to Gavin’s fora get together. 

We actually hadn’t seen each other since before covid, so it was great to exchange news and catch up.

Week 4 our last week

On Monday, we just had May, as her school got a second week holiday.

Back to Langata we went where May helped Papa with the painting. And for much of the week each day was a home maintenance day with May helping. Plus we finished May’s kite!

Bluebird boxes had a pair of nesting birds!

Amazingly we saw that one of the Bluebird boxes had a pair of nesting birds residing within! I am sure the other boxes were also being used, but I just never had the time to walk in the woodlands and watch for them.

Good Friday

Every Good Friday, Bermudians of all ages fly kites, usually of traditional Bermudian type (though plastic, store-bought kites can be seen), These kites were originally flown to symbolize Christ’s resurrection, but nowadays it’s just a very important, fun family tradition. 

Our Good Friday was held at Gavin and Katie’s home. We all arrived around noon, and there were so many of us. The only grandchild missing was Rhianna, even Ethan came to fly kites. 

Most of Gavin’s friends are fellows whom we have known since they were children and now they were there with wives and their many children. Plus for me even a few of the wives I had taught when they too were young school girls. 

The kites were mainly flown by the Daddy’s, the Moms were chatting and watching while the many children enjoyed the hot tub and pool. Most of the kites were the traditional Bermuda kites. The two kites made with May and Quest were both flown. 

Bermuda kites are typically hexagonal, though larger ones, may be octagonal, or have even more sides. They are constructed from flat sticks we call kite sticks, arrayed like spokes of a wheel, with a nail at the axis. A string passes around the ends of the sticks, marking out the edges, and concentric strings are arranged inside of this, all contributing to the rigidity of the structure and creating the pattern. Colored tissue paper is glued into the spaces created between strings and sticks.

Using different colors, patterns are created. The kite has a single stick secured at one end to the axis, which rises at a shallow angle from the plane created by the other sticks. This stick, forms the head of the kite, thus the head stick. It extends considerably beyond the perimeter of the hexagon. It actually passes over the midpoint of one side of the hexagon, and a string creates a triangular shape from the corner at one side of the head stick, to its tip, and back to the opposite corner. Strips of paper are folded and glued along this string. A long, cloth strip tail is fitted to the kite via a loop of string at the bottom. This is the tail without which the kite would not be able to fly.

Good Friday is also a time for traditional Bermudian Good Friday special foods. For most of us there’s codfish cakes, hot cross buns, and Portuguese beans. At Gavin and Katie’s most folks had brought some of each dish. The lunch was delicious. And for several days after we enjoyed the same fare.

Wonderful Bermuda Good Friday 

“In the end nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.”

— Daphne Rose Kingma

 

 

PHOTO ALBUM ——>>>  https://photos.app.goo.gl/wFMP4prPvhkETfyC7

Before we headed out

As usual we continued to enjoy Red Frog with our walks. The weather had been quite rainy so many of the walks were in the rain, under the trees.

John took up harvesting coconuts, they are so delish!

We saw our version of Tarzan on the beach again. And we ended our time in Bocas with a lovely evening and South African friends aboard their boat for dinner.

The challenge of getting home:

The 1st stage of our journey to Bermuda was the flight from Bocas airstrip to Panama City. We arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare. We check in and then as we were check by immigration we were faced with a problem. Basically, we had been misinformed by the harbour authorities that we had 6 months in Panama, apparently that was false information. We only had 3 months, we were 3 months overdue to leave.

And they take this very seriously….we had to go into a tiny room with a female officer who took all sorts of weird info from us. Like, my mother’s name, (she’s been dead for 30 plus years) my height, weight, just such random info. They also needed the same crazy info from John, so that by the time we finished our plane had long gone. On the plus side the authorities were very nice and we were put onto a later flight.

In the city we had a good evening and restful night. We enjoyed breakfast and headed to the airport, everything going very well…..until we sat on the plane on the runway for over half an hour. This put us back by half an hour for our Miami flight. Miami airport was hellish. It was Spring Break weekend, festivals were on and the crowds in the airport insane. We had to get through Immigration, walking up and down those ridiculous long lines, stewing as time was passing. Then we had to get to baggage claim, (yes, even on connecting flights), where our bags were not found. We were told to go through without our bags, but the lines to pass via the safety checks had signs saying a 2 hour wait. We tried every which way to get ahead, we did all we could, but when we got to the gate the plane had left 10 minutes previously. And I found that my glasses were missing, somewhere in security???

But, I managed to find some magnifiers to make do with

To cut a long story short, we got rebooked for the next day and found a airport hotel, but we had no clothes, toiletries etc A very sweet receptionist at the hotel supplied 2 tooth brushes and packets of paste. The hotel was fine for sleeping at, but very basic so the next morning we headed to Miami airport to spend the day before our 6:42pm flight. In the airport we were able to find some basic toiletries, hairbrush, makeup and at last we felt half decent. 

In Bermuda, back home:

We had been assured our luggage would be in Bermuda waiting for us. Well after the flight we found, nope, no luggage, and they weren’t sure where it was located. It’s about then that you realize how much one relies on getting your bags ~ clean clothes for a start would have been nice. It was 11:00pm when we arrived at Langata, everyone was asleep, so we made do with what we could find tucked away. The next day AA still had no luggage news so we went off to Hamilton and purchased some only in Bermuda expensive necessities. Back home we walked in the door and what met our eyes, but our luggage! Apparently it had been to Charlotte, sent to Bermuda and delivered to us. Life was good!

Week 1

Our first week was spent with a few morning walks; walks to the dunes with Winter. She’s Chrissies very sweet dog who lives upstairs. 

Of course seeing family, was a priority, they were all working or in school, but some visiting was managed.

We started some chores, for example Ruben had his power washer going around the walkways and porches, John behind and in front moving whatever needed to move.

I cleaned and tidied cupboards, and all the areas our guests get into. Plus I had to empty our big walk-in cupboard for the carpet cleaners. As doing this entailed emptying a large cedar chest I found the old family bible.

This time I carefully went through it and was amazed to find it had listed births, marriages and deaths going back to the 1800s.

On the 1st Saturday we met up with our son Gavin and his two youngest Lily and Evie at Warwick Long Bay.

We had Quest, Mason and Winter with us, so there were 3 adults, 4 kids and a dog.

We started at Warwick Long Bay, close to where we live and headed along the rocks, bays, trails and dunes towards Horseshoe Bay. It was a really fun outing that the kids led at a quick pace.

They loved to climb as many rocky slopes as possible, run down and back again along all the trails, chase butterflies in the open spaces, hiding from each other and us.

Dash along the beaches, chase the surf and of course get splashed was fun too, Winter running right into the waves.

By about the time we reached the Bay Grapes on the dunes behind Horseshoe Bay they did show signs of slowing down so that the stroll back was at a sedate pace.

I am sure they all slept well that night! 

Week two 

John started the scraping, chipping and patching of our front wall. There was a nasty crack and he was determined to start the painting, but first the preparation had to be done.

I was trying to get on with the general maintenance, but my allergies were giving me hell which made cleaning difficult. However we both had made progress by the week’s end. 

May’s Mermaid party

May’s party was on that Saturday afternoon at Gavin’s house. Off we all went with our fingers crossed that the fine weather would hold for the afternoon.

And what a lovely afternoon it was…. May had several friends attend,

there were most of her cousins, uncle, aunties, grandparents, and others there.

The children had fun on the fun castle, enjoyed water balloons, riding bikes, playing on the swings and slide while the adults watched. It was a colourful, fun mermaid party.

(Following shortly will be Part 2 Nana and Papa Easter holiday camp with many outings and some surprises.)

I believe in one day and someday and this perfect moment called Now. – Jacqueline Woodson

 

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.

The purpose of life, after all, is to love it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience

 Eleanor Roosevelt