Friday, January 22, 2010

Well it took us over 2 weeks of our trip to Panama to find the destination we came here for. As we had to be out of our hotel by 10:30 am, I frantically searched for a VRBO (Vacation Rental By Owner) to spend the next three days. We searched through at least 20 possible properties and narrowed it down to two. Our first choice was close to Bocas Island, about 5 minutes water taxi away. Luckily, we had no response from the owner and made arrangements for a home on the far side of Bastimentos Island, about 45 minutes boat ride from Bocas. We agreed to meet up around 12 at a local restaurant. In the meantime we spent the morning swimming at the hotel pool and then at their beachside pool. I got some breakfast at a small restaurant consisting of Coco bread, bacon, eggs, steak, and some scones. The eggs and bacon were delicious and the rest was not.

We took a taxi with our entire family fitting into the back seat of a Toyota pickup truck. I was surprised at how easily we did it too considering there are 6 of us! We did some extensive shopping for food and basics as we were on our way to a home that sits alone with just 8 other homes on the far side of a large island in the middle of the ocean. When Michael Garcia showed up, he took me around to 5 different stores for the best prices and quality of food. We found meat and other items of far superior quality than anything we’ve seen in Panama yet. I bought two racks of ribs, two pork loins, hamburger, and a rotisserie chicken. We had the ribs for dinner tonight, roasted in the dark on the BBQ. They were absolutely delicious and perhaps one of the best meals we’ve had yet if I do say so myself.

As I mentioned earlier, the house we rented sits alone on the south east side of Bastimentos Island inside the National Park of Archipeligo Bocas del Toro. There is no commerce or roads or cars for that matter on the large island. There is a small tribe of Bogle Gnobe Indians with about 300 members just a few kilometers from the house, but that is the largest group of people inhabiting the island. They survive much like Indians in the US, with their own lands and governing their own people. To get the house, we were in the property manager’s small boat for about 45 minutes. We passed miles of mangroves that are protected and illegal to touch by humans. We were able to get close enough to see the details of the roots and the hordes of fish swimming in them. The coral reefs were also amazing as we passed over them. The water becomes so clear that you can see down at least 20 feet. We are excited to snorkel!

As we rounded the southern tip of the island we saw our beach. The sand is the whitest we’ve ever seen and the palm trees form a perfect row for at least 2 miles to the north. The water is almost still with just a perfect gentle roll onto the fine white sands. The home is approx 2000 sq ft on two levels with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The décor is simple but very tasteful and well crafted, which is rare in this country. What makes the home very unique is that it is ‘off the grid’ with it’s own solar power, rainwater, and sewage recycle systems. The walkways around the house are lined with Conch shells indicating how much sea life is at our doorstep. The backyard is reclaimed swamp land that has been formed into a small pond of constant moving water. The pond is home to thousands of crabs, fish and caiman crocs up to 4’ in length from what we’ve been told. I hope we get to see them! Despite no Air Conditioning, we are plenty cool now in the late evening and excited for a good nights rest on quality mattresses as the hotels from the night before would offend a homeless person.

The ribs I bought were two full racks for just $18 so I decided to grill them all up at once. With so much surplus, we invited Michael over to partake. Moriah offered our prayer and after some short discussion we found out Michael is a Jehovah’s Witness. He had even traveled to Orem Utah to preach the gospel. He spoke very highly of Orem and the people he met there back in the late 80’s. He was very impressed with how clean the towns were and how kind and friendly the Mormons had been. We had a great discussion around the table and hope that we were able to continue the good impression he has had of ‘the mormons’. After dinner he asked the kids if they wanted to light some fireworks. He came out and proceeded to set off at least 10 huge rockets lighting up the night sky above the palm tress and the bay. The kids loved it, and so did I. It’s no surprise that this has been a tough trip in many ways. Toting around the four kids in this 3rd world country has been very taxing, primarily for Liz. She’s been trying so hard to keep her spirits up and not give in to stress of it all, but the last week has almost broken her. Finally she seems excited again and loves this house, the beach, and seems very upbeat about the next few days. We both agree that to do it over again, we would likely come directly here and spend at least 2 weeks if not the entire time. It’s just too amazingly pretty and so peaceful here. This is the place we all dreamed of when planning our trip to Panama!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Sleeping in this Caribbean Paradise was great our first night here. We even had to turn the ceiling fans off as it was quite cool. I don’t think anyone stirred until this morning which is unusual and wonderful. We arose just as it was getting light outside. Moriah ran out with the camera to take a picture of the sunrise but missed it as the clouds rolled in and gave us a cool morning. We had Grandpa Harell’s famous French pancakes for breakfast with PB and Nutella, two delicacies down here at over $5 each for a small bottle.

Moriah and I took the Kayaks out for a long ride this morning. We rode down around the near point into the Mangroves and found our way up some winding corridors into some very dark and creepy forests. The water was just a foot or two deep but very dark in the shade of the thick trees over head. The roots of the trees are above the water level and reach down through the salt water to the soils below. As we paddled up the narrow straits hundred of small crabs would zip up the roots of the trees like little soldiers. We were seeking out some sloths that had been seen earlier, but had no luck. There are supposedly caimans in the area as well but we’ve yet to see them either. We decided to try our luck snorkeling and so we paddled about a mile out to sea to the reef. The bay is just 5-8 feet deep all the way out to the reefs where the corals grows up to just inches below the water. Moriah stayed in the Kayak while I got out and snorkeled around the reef spotting a few dozen fish from 2 inches to about 12 inches in length. Nothing spectacular, but fun and exciting nonetheless. Moriah went next and had a ball swimming around the reef. The waves picked up temporarily and I had to right the Kayak so as not to get rolled. A few came over the bow and a little got inside the dry chamber wetting the camera case, but not the camera luckily. Moriah slipped into a panic and started yelling that she wanted back into the Kayak, but soon calmed, swam out of the waves and was out of the danger of the sharp reef. Throughout the day we collected half a dozen large starfish, 2 huge conch shells, and an assortment of urchins.

As we didn’t plan for enough diapers to last the four days here miles from civilization, Elijah is back on potty training. He’s done pretty good today as long as we keep reminding him. Changing two kids diapers is a non stop thing nowadays and it’s high time he learned. He’s been adorable this trip and his language if finally coming along. He’s got an incredible vocabulary suddenly even though his pronunciation is still course. The family joke is that Kennedy will talk before he will. She’s uttering what resemble about 5 different words right now the most interesting is her excited expletive that resembles “Oh Shi_”. She’s been great the last few days. Seems like everything about our trip has improved this week. Kennedy is at the point of walking but just wont take the steps alone. She goes to standing positing and can balance easily, but still drops to the crawl to get around. I keep hoping she’ll walk in Panama so she can brag to all her friends later on. Her hair is blonder than ever and her eyes are bluer as well. She has the lightest complexion of all the kids but has a great color and hasn’t burned yet. She is also proudly sporting the Collings Mullet now and if she follows suit, wont have much hair on top until about 2.

For dinner I made hamburgers from the ground beef we brought along. They were surprisingly tasty and everyone enjoyed them. We’ve had no shortage of good food here and everyone has eaten more than their share except Liz who has the most self control in the fam.

Moriah had an open juice box in her backpack which was left all day on her bed. It leaked through the pack onto the bed sheet which incited an Ant festival on her bed. She will likely sleep in another bed tonight. Dresden is as hooked on Super Mario Bros as I was when I was a kid. We have the Nintendo DS along which she dominates and will play every chance she gets and until I make her turn it off. She’s a super fun kid to have along. She’s very helpful and a good sister although she suffers a bit from Younger Sister Syndrome. She always wants what Moriah has or to do what Moriah is doing etc. Moriah is a super tease which only makes the situation more tough, but for the most part they get along very well and enjoy being around each other.

I met a local from the GnÖbe tribe who offered to take us on a tour of the fruit bat caves nearby. He taught me a few words in GnÖbe which they still speak in their community. I may take Moriah and Dresden on the adventure where he claims we’ll see hundreds of roosted fruit bats hanging in the recently discovered cave.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I woke Moriah up at about 6 am to go for a sunrise Kayak trip. We went south again towards the mangroves and looked for some more inlets but ended up going up the same one from the day before. This time we went up the right fork until we reached the Indian village of the Gnobe tribe. We didn’t go beyond the first few houses and docked boats but what we saw was quite intriguing. It was a nice overcast morning and a fun ride back to the beach house. We had a great breakfast of French toast and greasy eggs that were tasty. Liz likes the eggs here less than at home, but I think they have more flavor. She says they have a more ‘fowl’ flavor…

At noon, our new friend from the tribe showed up to take us on our exploration hike to the village and the bat caves. The village is just a 5 minute walk along muddy paths strewn with old timbers, coconuts and other items to keep you up off the mud. It was fun for Dresden to practice her balance on the miscellaneous items. About half way there we saw a male 3 toed sloth about 15 feet up in a tree slowly climbing upward. In the village there is just a 3 foot wide concrete sidewalk up to the field they use for sports in the center of the pueblo. The houses are mostly traditional in style with thatch roofs and about 4 feet up off the ground. There was no rhyme or reason to the layout of the village but there were quite a few huts that we passed and we’re told there were many more than 300 members of ‘the community’ as they call it. From town we had another 40 minute walk up and down hills, through dense jungle and hot sunny fields. We crossed 2 barb wire fences and a few deep creeks till we entered the Bastimentos National Park. The trail became very dense jungle with the expected sounds filling the air from various birds, frogs, and who knows what else. The island is famous for the poisonous red frogs that live here. Smaller than a quarter in size, they supposedly excrete enough venom that a dipped arrow could be used up to 7 times to kill, including humans.

We saw 3 caves at our destination. The first was small but fun. Covered with Stalagtites/stalagmites of a very grey color and hosting about 30 quite small fruit bats. The second cave we opted not to climb into as it was very slippery and quite treacherous. It was said to host white bats. The third was the feature attraction. Apparently the caves were just discovered a year ago which is very suprising as this village has been here for more than 60 years and the island is not all that large. Anyway, the entrance to this cave was long and narrow and you had to crouch through a Dresden sized hole to get into the big room. Once inside, our guide had an old LED headlamp that was low on batteries making it not all that fun to see, but the camera luckily landed some good shots of the host of bats inside. These bats were said to be of a variety of species including the vampire bats that have been known to drink blood of cows and horses and even humans. The girls forgot their misery from a long, slippery, HOT, and tiring hike and were fascinated by the bats. The walk back was better luckily and I only had to carry Dresden ¼ the way. We also saw numerous birds including the Oretunda(s) de Montezuma and two red headed wood peckers that put on a show. Alfredo told us there were Boa Constrictors on the island that get up to 25 feet in length, Caimans, and even Large Crocodiles in the bay where Moriah and I had Kayaked 2 times now, yikes.

Back at the house we gifted some food items to our guide and ran to the refreshing Ocean water to cool off. After a rest Liz made us a Pineapple smoothie and she and I took Lijah and the 2 kayaks out to the reef where I snorkeled about for a good 30 minutes. The water was very clear and I saw at least 200 fish and endless coral and other sea life. We even found Patrick Star (from Spongebob) which Elijah had to keep till we got to shore. As we made our way in, he was insisting that he bring the Starfish in the house but was afraid to pick it up in the shallow water of the beach. I told him he could pick it up and bring it in after he whined long enough. As I had just walked up the stairs and into the front doors of the house we heard screaming and Moriah spotted Lijah floundering in the water and screaming between mouthfuls of it. He had on his Lifejacket which may have saved him, but also may have been his demise as I floated him just high enough his toes couldn’t contact the sand which is only about 18 inches deep. Liz screamed and we all took off out the front door. I all but dropped Kennedy on the floor and flew past Moriah down the stairs hurdling the plants and sprinting across the beach front. Had Moriah not seen him and yelled, it could have been a different ending. Luckily he was fine and although terrified, he calmed down soon enough. Daddy was reminded to pay better attention to his little babies!

For dinner we had some delicious and huge Pork Chops we bought in Bocas. Liz made some spaghetti to go along and it was truly yet another feast. By 8 pm we are all winding down and working our way to bed. Moriah says she never wants to leave Panama, but I also hear small comments here and there about how she’s excited to get back to friend and family to tell them about our trip. She’s especially looking forward to doing a special presentation to her Spanish Immersion class on her adventures here as is Dresden.








I love you daddy nice job ! (comments by Moriah who has taken an interest in reading my Journal at night)

Monday, January 25, 2010

Today may well have been the best day of our vacation. We hired Michael Garcia, the house property manager, to take us to the Zapatilla Islands. The two islands are uninhabited and are now part of a National Park. They lie northeast of Isla Bastimentos and about 25 minutes in boat. We packed a nice lunch thanks to Liz, as well as our snorkel gear and headed out to sea around Noon. On the way we saw almost a dozen porpoises breaching for air. We got some good video of them before they dove again apparently on a hunting trip to the deep.
We soon arrived at the most beautiful and scenic Island beach any of us had ever seen. The water was amazing clear and warm. The small Island is surrounded completely by white sands and blue green waters of the Caribbean. We immediately found 2 Conch shells and each of us saw hundreds of good side fish swimming around the corals just 30 feet off shore. Liz saw a somewhat rare Lion Fish and I saw a Morey Eel with just his head protruding from his hole in the coral. It was small, but was a little creepy nonetheless. Further out, I swam into dozens of different beautiful fish which I can’t really identify, but in one spot I came into at least 100 football size fish all in a large school and just feet away from me. The corals were beautiful and endless. We decided to walk through the heart of the island on a nice pathway through the jungle and meet Michael on the far side. We saw some beautiful vegetation, but Moriah was most impressed with “the tree that refuses to die” as translated from Spanish. The tree’s trunk rose about 3 feet out of the ground where it split into two trunks, one going vertical the other horizontal. After about 30 feet it had the same 90 degree split one into the ground the other rising vertically. It was the most odd tree I’ve ever seen. The trunks were at least 24 inches thick. Along the horizontal trunk, there were another 3 trees shooting up vertically again. It was a two trunked 5 part tree.

On the far side we swam for a while in the gorgeous waters and then took the boat towards Zapatilla 1. On the way we threw out the fishing pole lines, but had no luck unfortunately. On Zapatilla 1 we found a beach surpassing the last one. The water was gorgeous and the sand went out a good hundred feet. It was fun to learn that one of the last Survivor episodes was shot on the beach just up the way from where we are living, which gives credit to my claims of these being perhaps some of the most amazing beaches in the world. After some great swimming, spotting a stingray, finding a 5 winged sand dollar, and goofed off in the surf with Michael and the kids, we headed home happy as clams.

At the house, the water pump was not coming on so I went to fool around with it. I finally figured it out and we got water on, but not before I got the shock of a lifetime form the wiring. Maybe because I was standing there wet in my swimsuit and in a small puddle of water it seemed so intense, but my finger was numb for minutes after and I felt the shock all the way to my toes!

Tonight we ate leftover pork loin and rice and made up some scones for dessert. This was a perfect day for everyone of us and we can now work our way home content and grateful for a wonderful dream vacation in Paradise.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Today was strictly kids play day. We had a delicious pancake and eggs breakfast by Liz while sitting out on the front patio. A bit later we loaded up and went to Charley’s house about 4 km back towards the South east, but on the same road. Charley is a friend of Jim and Karen Dertien that we met while at their house in Panama City. He was very kind and generously offered to let us go use the pool while we in Portobello. He has at least an acre of beach front well manicured property and a perfect swimming pool in the middle of it all. The kids were in heaven. We swam for at least 5 hours and the kids never got tired of it. He also had internet so I got caught up on some emails which is always bitter sweet. I still dread checking all my voicemails despite my message that I would be out of the country.

For lunch I ran next door to ‘Octopus Garden’ for some cheeseburgers and chicken fingers. We all wolfed it down in a flurry of grabbing hands. When we were ready to move on, we drove into Maria Chiquita for a few grocery items and then found an inviting dirt road headed east into the mountains along a large river. About 2 miles up, I stated that a rope swing on that river would be a ball. 10 seconds later we pulled over next to a huge tree with a great rope swing begging for some fun. I took a few turns out and back and finally dropped into the river. Moriah was next and swung out but dragged her legs (and butt) and fell into the shallow. We all laughed. Next she got to the high perch and I moved the wood handle up 6 inches so she wouldn’t drag. Sadly, it slipped a bit when she took off and caused her to slip off and land face down in the very shallow water. She slammed her knee into some rocks and got a good gash as a result and a dozen more scratches down her leg. She screamed enough to wake the natives ¼ mile away who were looking from their houses wondering what was going on. She was brave however until we got the rubbing alcohol and cleaned it up when she screamed and moaned all over again.

We made spaghetti again tonight with some French bread and made Flan for dessert. By 7:30 we are all tired and ready for bed. Poor Kennedy took a dive off Liz’s bed onto the tile floor headfirst again and is now sporting a golf ball size bruise on her forehead. Right now the girls are reading their books while Liz and I try to relax a bit before dozing off for the night.


Saturday, January 16, 2010
We drove out to the city of Colon on the Atlantic side and close to the Gatun Locks on the Canal today. We stopped into a large shopping center where we found some delicious pizza, roasted chicken and milk shakes. The kids had a ball on some coin operated stuffed animals with wheels that they drove around the place. They ran over my foot two times with the thing while I was filming which was not so fun.
We drove over to the Gatun locks which lie on the Atlantic side of Panama and drop the ships 85 feet in 3 chambers back to sea level. It just worked out that our good friend Jim Dertien was piloting a ship that was coming through. We waved at a giant cruise ship as it passed and dropped through the chambers. Then Jim’s cargo ship came along and he walked out onto the front bow to wave to us. He walked the entire length of the ship talking to me while the ship taxied into the second lock. He has been a tremendous friend to us and has made this adventure so much more than it would have been otherwise. He has let us use his car, his beach house on the Pacific, the beach shack on the Atlantic, a local cell phone, and an internet phone while we have been here. Most of all perhaps is the 2-3 phone calls every day to check up on us, tell us where to go and not go, and recommend restaurants and sites to see.
After the locks we drove through the dense jungle out to Fort San Lorenzo built by the Spanish to protect the Chagres River from Pirate invasion. All the gold coming out of Peru was being trekked across Panama and shipped from the Atlantic shores to Spain which attracted all kinds of riff raff as you can imagine. I read that 1/3 of the entire worlds gold passed though Portobelo Panama at one time.
The fort was amazing. It sits on a 150 foot cliff jutting out into the bay in front of the mouth of the giant Chagres River. The river is the same that was damned in the early 1900’s to create the tremendous Lake Gatun, one of the largest man made lakes in the world. The fort was attacked and taken 3 times by various pirates and finally the British Fleet. The underground chambers are at least 20 feet high and wide enough to drive a semi truck through. It was a little unnerving to have the little kids there with the huge 20 foot moats, 150 foot cliffs, and many other hazards surrounding the place. As impressed as we were, we had to hustle away as it was incredibly muggy and hot. On the way out Liz spotted a monkey in the trees and soon we were watching a small family of spider monkeys just 30 feet away. They are more difficult to find apparently, but not as fun to listen to as the howler monkeys we saw in Costa Rica.

Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sunday we decided to head on to our next destination. We drove to Panama city and then west on the main highway to El Palmar to rendezvous with the Dertiens at their beach house and drop off the kayak. They made us lunch and begged us to stay the night before continuing on but we wanted to make good time so we continued driving. It took us some 5 more hours of driving to get to Boquete and we were exhausted and ready for bed by arrival. The town lies high in the mountains skirting the Volcano Baru and right on the Caldera river. It’s quaint and hosts dozens of tasty restaurants, but doesn’t offer a whole lot to do for a family with small kids. The mountains surrounding the valley are overgrown with huge trees and jungle vegetation. The jungle is cut away on the steepest slopes it seems for the acres and acres of coffee farms checkering the landscape. They also grow cabbage, onions, and strawberries on the hills which seems odd to plant on such severe slopes, but must have benefits I’m un aware of, or perhaps the land is cheaper.

Our hotel is called Villa Marita and lies on the North end of town overlooking the valley. The grounds are marvelous and the cabins are small but cozy. Ours walks out onto a balcony that drops a good 100 feet down a vine covered slope to the valley below. Kennedy has stayed away from the edge so far! The room includes a delicious breakfast and best of all, they have a hot cocoa machine that we’ve all but depleted in the days we’ve been here. I think the hot cocoa is the only thing keeping Liz from throwing in the towel on this vacation after 2 full weeks!



Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Today we had another great breakfast here at the Villa Marita Hotel in Boquete. We then loaded up and drove south a ways to a small town called Caldera right on the Caldera River. In just 10 miles the scenery changed significantly and we drove through vast fields of dry vegetation. The acreages were surrounded by hand stacked lava rocks for miles. When we crossed the first river we came to, we pulled off and found a trail down to the river about 100 feet below. The water was crystal clear and the gorge was smothered with tropical vegetation. Elijah, Moriah and I hiked down and Moriah waded across the river to stand under a chilly water fall for the camera. She is a brave soul that little girl! Such a good sport about jumping into ice cold rivers, daringly attempting a good size rope swing, and more. She is certainly fun to be around!

We then continued our drive out through the small town of Caldera. There was no garbage on the streets! It was as if we were in a new country. We took a dirt road out to the Caldera river and drove across a cable suspension bridge that had us all a little nervous. From there we took the trailhead about ½ mile to some farmers land and a couple of very hot, but otherwise not too impressive springs. After less than an hour we made our way back to the car and down the road a ways to a sandy beach spot on the gorgeous Caldera river. Moriah and I jumped into the river a couple of times and swam around in the cold water. Elijah and Dresden soon joined in. The kids then discovered hundred of tiny toads hopping about and collected about 40 of them in the fold of Moriah’s shirt. As we loaded up to leave, Liz realized she had left her backpack at the hot pots parking lot so we hustled back for it, but of course, it was gone. We searched around and asked a few people about seeing it, but with no luck. We are happy there wasn’t anything too valuable in it, although Liz was sad to have lost a few bracelet souvenirs, a baby carrier she had recently bought, and some miscellaneous clothes. Worst of all was we had no more diapers for the two babies and they had to ride without bottoms for an hour till we made it to the market to get some more.

We got some more food at the cafeteria in town (rice, beef, chicken, fried bananas, etc) and then just relaxed back at our bungalow for the rest of the evening. Moriah took Kennedy up to the main house to get some hot cocoa and Kennedy pulled the cup over on herself. She let out a loud scream but wasn’t burned luckily. The kids were otherwise good and without too many mishaps today.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Today we had breakfast and drove a gorgeous and steep loop up onto the slopes of the Volcano again. It’s hard to hike with the two small kids so we had to choose not to do “the quetzal trail” which ascends up to 3 large waterfalls in the mountains. Maybe nextime. We did still drive past a giant fall and an amazing rock climbing cliff where we messed around with the kids. We also stopped off to wander around Jim’s property along the river. It was all manicured and had it’s own stream running through it. We picked a few oranges and played in the stream with the kids.

We had lunch at the Boquette Bistro and were all quite pleased. The owner, an American, took Kennedy the entire time we ate and put her to sleep which made lunch that much better. I had a fantastic Blue Cheese burger with bacon that I want to go back for already just 3 hours later. She makes her own blue cheese and dressing and it was mouthwatering!

Thursday, January 21, 2010
We decided to leave the perfect weather and climate of Boquette in search of more adventure. We packed up and drove down the mountain to the city of David where we walked the Baru Shopping Mall to stretch our legs. Moriah and Dresden each got a pair of shoes for $5.99. We hoped to see a Matinee of Avatar, but it wasn’t till later in the afternoon. With some good snacks from the grocery store we left David and headed for the Caribbean side of panama once again. The highway traversed the gorgeous mountains of panama winding back and forth again and again. There was significant road work being done to repair the washed out roads and bridges from severe flooding. We failed to snap any pics, but the damage was incredible. Rivers seemed to have washed out entire valleys taking everything in their path with them. Boulders the size of trucks had been rolled down and deposited everywhere. Luckily they had made good progress and we were able to get past every section of damage without having to wait.

We passed through Fortuna National Forest and the Fortuna Reservoir which was created as a huge hydro electric dam. As we descended off the mountain we suddenly hit stopped traffic. I talked to a few people who explained that the local ‘Indians’ were holding a strike and wouldn’t let any traffic pass. We waited about 30 minutes till it finally subsided and we could continue on. We stopped at a roadside buffet and had more Panama style food. It was all average except for the fish called “Dorado” which was delicious. After some 4 hours of driving we finally arrived in the small town of La Mirante where we secured a water taxi to transport us to Boca. We parked our car with most our luggage in a fenced in yard and paid $3 per day for a woman to watch over it and the other vehicles packed into her little fortress. After I dropped the car and hustled over to the taxi, I found Liz and the kids being pushed onto the already packed full taxi boat with some 30 other passengers. She had a horrified look on her face as we loaded up with the rest and smashed our backpacks into any nook we could find. The taxi drive was quite nice I thought as we passed from the mainland between various Islands in the massive bay of Chiriqui. Moriah sat on my lap, Dresden was up one isle between a kind local and his young daughter, and Liz held the two babies just behind me. At one point the water spray was high and Elijah was laughing hysterically as it slapped off his outreached hand. I looked back to realize he was drenching the man behind him. I couldn’t help but bury my head into Moriah and have a good laugh with her.

In Bocas del Toro we unloaded the boat and hoofed it down the main road passing every kind of tourist and local on the busy street. Most of them are surfers come to check out the scene. We checked into our hotel ‘The Swans Cay” which is one of few with a pool and therefore our first choice. We got two rooms adjoining each other and poolside making for some very happy kids. They were in the pool in 3 minutes flat where they stayed for at least 2 hours. The kids were super troopers today and did a great job at keeping busy in the car reading books and playing games.

January 11, 2010
This morning we slowly rolled out of bed and only because Kennedy was ready to get up. We stayed in El Palmar and spent the morning on the beach. We took the Kayak down and I paddled Elijah all the way to the west point of the beach against the cliffs. He is a good boy and fun to have along. Moriah took it out with her new friend Ingris and had a ball until she paddled it near the beach and got rolled by a wave pinning her underneath. She got some fun little scrapes on her legs to show off, but in no time was back to having fun again.

Later we drove west on the Highway and explored a few other beaches. We first hit Playa Corona where the girls unloaded and played in the surf while I stayed in the car with the sleeping kids. It was a gorgeous beach and somewhat remote feeling. However, an average sized house in the area, half way remodeled and seemingly abandoned was still expecting $540 K. I called on another property even more remote later on with less house for $1.5 M! We continued west again to Playa Blanca passing Noriega’s Airstrip which actually cuts across the main highway. There are no fences or signs at all, just a big airstrip where an un cautious pilot could easily find himself being smashed by an oncoming semi. A terribly bumpy road lead us out to a beach access with a small fleet of fishing boats blocking the way. We loved this beach! Liz went for a jog down the way while I played with the kids. Moriah and Dresden just cant get enough of the Ocean. Finally we drive into Farrallon looking for some grub. Talk about overdevelopment. Just off a terrible asphalt road we passed golf courses, hundreds of condos, and high rise buildings on the coast. There was even a Hard Rock Café in the middle of it all. Within a ¼ mile we were onto a sand road again weaving in and out of tiny beach huts and commoner housing. What a contrast. We found the end of the road where Pipos beach side restaurant sits. We had a good meal of Jumbo Shrimp (heads still attached) and chicken fingers, then ice cream. We sat under a thatch hut with our bare feat in the sand just 100 feet from the gorgeous ocean. It was seemingly right out of a movie.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Today we had another leisure morning here at Palmar. After messing around the house and beach we decided to load up and go explore some more. We drove out to Santa Clara and found a gorgeous beach with bungalows for rent for $5. We spent a few hours there soaking up the sun and enjoying the warm ocean waves with the kids. We invited Moriah’s new friend Ingris along and they had a ball. Having Moriah speak Spanish constantly with a native is priceless. It excludes Dresden a little, but she does great on her own splashing around in the waves and collecting shells for her 1st Grade class back in Utah.

We couldn’t resiste driving back up to El Valle again. It is the most gorgeous place I have ever been. We also couldn’t resist another small restaurant offering the basic foods of the area. Liz had stewed chicken and rice, and I had to order a Peruvian chicken and rice that was delicious. We hurried out the the hot pots in town that turned out to be not so hot. In fact they were cold so only the kids bathed in the pools. After they played on the swings there at the park, we continued back over to a local privately owned zoo. We didn’t expect much at all, but were very impressed and pleased with the results. Up front and personal with all kinds of amazing animals including monkeys, crocodiles, turtles, tapirs, hundreds of amazing birds, kinkajous, ostriches, sloths, Jaguars, Pumas, and Ocelots. Our guide was fearless and would nearly get bit by many of the animals which was very entertaining all by itself. We tipped ‘bobby’ $10 and left very happy.

We drove back to the house on the beach where I had planned a beach bon fire. Sadly, things went south and the water was off completely, we were out of drinking water, the upstairs bathrooms were flooded, Kennedy fell on her head off the bed, and Dresden was sobbing for having flooded the bathroom! We went to bed tired grouchy and ready for a change of scenery.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Today marks one week since we arrived in Panama. It’s also 1/3 into our adventure. We arose this morning, had breakfast, and packed up our goods. We bid farewell to the caretakers Carlos, Yariela and their daughter Ingris. We left them a generous tip and what food we had left in the house. We also exchanged addresses so that the girls could write to each other.

Moriah had a sick stomach again the night before and was in real pain when we left. We stopped at El Rey grocery store and pharmacy and got her some ‘pastilla’ that was recommended by the pharmacist. Not sure what it was to be honest, but if nothing else the placebo also has a great shot at helping. We made two emergency pit stops on the way back into Panama City, but otherwise we made good time and without mishap. Jim and Karen welcomed us to their nice home near the canal where he is a Pilot. They are incredibly gracious and generous with their possessions. We exchanged their car back to them and went into town to pickup our rental van, a Kia, at Alamo. Liz and the kids stayed at Dertien’s house and relaxed. Jim outfitted us each with snorkel gear for the Caribbean beach house in Portobello. The drive was quite effortless and less than 2 hours on a well paved highway which was welcome to us after the bumpy windy road that makes up the Pan-American highway and connects east to west Panama. We found the ‘Dive-Dump’ just a few minutes shy of Portobelo. It’s a little shanty with two small bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. It’s definitely a dive which is a huge understatement, but with the ocean just 10 feet from the front door, they lodging is amazing. We unloaded our gear, set up the hammock and beach chairs, and played around the small yard and pier until the sunset. Senora Chon is the restaurant cook next door and also the caretaker of the property. She cooked us a delicious dinner of “Pollo Filete” or Filleted Chicken and Rice. It was yummy and we all attacked it despite not being hungry as we had just eaten.
We cleaned up the rooms a little in preparation for sleep, which included disposing of a giant arachnid that resembled a crab with long whisker looking legs in the front. The sleeping arrangements consist of 4 bunk beds crammed ino two small rooms. There is just one AC unit in the entire house, but it cooled off quickly enough. Surprisingly everyone is excited to be here in this very third world shack with no TV, no internet, and not a whole lot to do.

Thursday, January 14, 2010
Last night was rickety and squeaky trying to sleep in the wood bunk beds. We were tired enough that we all still slept well enough. I awoke to the sound of a rogue dog rifling through our garbage, the rain beating down suddenly on the tin roof, and Dresden having nightmares about spider monkeys. In the early AM we headed to Portobelo just 10 minutes away. It’s a very small town right on the water and what used to be a collection of forts protecting the gold being carried back to Spain from Peru and Panama. The forts were interesting and fun to experience with the kids. They were built from cut coral blocks originally which is as solid as rock and still in tact. We saw dozens of original cannons in place which lay partially on the ground continuing to rust away. Sadly, the locals live all around the ruins and garbage is strewn everywhere detracting from the sights. I ordered 4 scones and some fried salami from a very questionable kitchen with amazingly terrible service. It was quite tasty and worth the experience.

We toured the Cathedral of the Black Christ with the kids and got a kick seeing their reaction to the inside of a very pagan Catholic church. The statue wasn’t all that bad however, since the depictions and other pictures we’ve seen so far look to be a little disturbing. The kids were intrigued with a pet monkey on a leash belonging to a local. The monkey was most interested in Elijah and Kennedy however and at one point grabbed onto Elijah’s legs with an arm and tail which caused him to panic, trip and fall as he attempted to get away.

We loaded back into our van and drove another 20 minutes Northwest to La Gauira and hired a boat to shuttle us to Isla Grande. The Carribean is quiet tempestuous currently and therefore the waters haven’t been clear enough for snorkeling. We still had a ball on the white sandy/coral beaches. Moriah found a rope swing where we spread out our stuff and played for a few hours. An old black gentleman approached us and offered us fresh coconut milk. He pulled out his machete and hacked open three good size coconuts. The girls each handled a swallow or two but no more.

We took another boat back to the mainland and drove out to Nombre de Dios and through a few more small villages along the way. The country was absolutely incredible and quite virgin for the most part out that far. The towns were plain and didn’t offer much, but the drive gave time for everyone to take a nice nap while I drove.

Upon returning back to our hut, we went out to dinner at Los Canones just a few hundred meters down the road. I ordered fried chicken with coco rice for the kids, and Ceviche and Octopus for Liz and I. The Ceviche was good, and the octopus was even better in my opinion. Liz could only stomach a bite of the octopus, but I thought it was great and would definitely get it again. Currently we are all in good health with stable tummies. Moriah has had a go of it for the past few days and is still not quite regular, but we hope her bug is gone and won’t return!

January 10, 2010

Sunday was great. Without a church nearby, we decided to do a littel driving and explore a local highland called "El Valle". It is a small town just 30 minutes inland at about 2000 feet and is nestled inside what was once an active volcano some 3 million years ago. Click here to locate on Google Earth. The air was significantly cooler and the vertical mountains surrounding the town were reminiscent of Hawaii. We drove to a nice hiking area called Chorros Macho where we explored some local rivers and ended up at a large pool diverted from one of the rivers. Moriah jumped in first despite it being a tad chilly but I soon followed along with Dresden. We played and relaxed there for a good hour before loading up and going back into town to walk the street market and eat lunch at a small locals style (non touristy) restaurant. I ordered the plato typico of bistec picado which was beef strips in a teriyaki sauce with rice, fried bananas, and split peas. It was delicious. Liz ordered some corvina (sea bass) which was also tasty. We were all quite pleased with our food, and at $3/plate it was cheaper than any other option. I wont write much about food, but I know how much Mom Harrell likes to hear about it. Back to the street market where the girls got a souvenir of choice and Elijah set his heart on a blue race car that he hasn’t let out of his sight since. Best $1.50 I’ve ever spent on him.

We loaded up again and went exploring in our Toyota SUV up the mountains and on some grades that you would never find in Utah. Some of the driveways here make ours at Bear Lake look like childs play. We found some small roads leading to the top of some of the hills overlooking the valley and found ourselves driving through clusters of Orange and Banana trees. We also saw dozens of coffee terraces lining the steep hills around. When the girls were tired of driving around, and the babies had finished their naps, we explored a little more of El Valle town where many Gringos have retired to. One street is called Avenida de los Millionarios. The houses are gorgeous. Not many were overly large, but the yards were immaculate and filled with gorgeous trees, plants, ponds, streams, and gorgeous soft grasses. We unloaded and climbed on a a handful of bony horses for a quick ride well worth the $4 dollars per person we paid. We continued out to see La Piedra Pintada which shows carvings from Pre-Columbian times (they claim) but really looks like a bunch of graffiti etched into a huge rock wall. The best part of the short hike was the waterfall just minutes further up the trail. Moriah and I jumped into the inviting pool and swam around for a bit. We hiked up the river to the next set of falls as the dark was rising. As soon as the light dropped, frogs everywhere around us filled the air with their songs. We hiked out, tipped our 10 year old car watcher 2 bucks and headed back to the Pacific Ocean. What a great day.

PANAMA!!
On January 6, 2010 we got up at 4 am and loaded up the car with the kids, suitcases, backpacks and car seats and headed for Panama. Dad Collings was kind enough to take us up that early and bring the car back. We made it right through ticketing and customs and onto the plane easy cheesy. The kids were great. Well except Kennedy. She was a tired and writhing little thing for a long time until I finally got her to stop screaming and sleep on my shoulder. Elijah, Dresden and Moriah were all great though and just watched movies, read books, or played Nintendo most the way to Atlanta. The flight was just 3 hours, but felt like 5.

In Atlanta we had a 4 hour layover. We were all tired at this point and Liz and I took turns napping on the seats in the terminal. 4 hours went by fairly quickly thank goodness. Elijah and I walked down the hall to the bathroom and on the way back, her just couldn’t resist pulling open the fire extinguisher door. An alarm sounded and about made me fall over. I quickly shut it and stopped the alarm (it was loud) and smiled foolishly at some black ladies nearby. They were dying laughing at little Elijah who had a hilarious and mischievous grin on his face, likely because of the embarrassment he caused his dad.

On the connection flight to Panama things were much smoother. Kennedy still threw a couple fits, but fell asleep on my shoulder again and stayed that way for a good hour or more. The rest of the time she was playful and cute for the most part. She gets us good mileage with the flight attendants and people nearby with her big blue eyes and playful personality.

In Panama City we landed around 9:30 pm. Customs and baggage claim were fairly easy and the hotel we stayed at, Hotel Riande, sent over the shuttle to pick us up. Almost as soon as we walked in the lobby, Kennedy slipped off a chair and landed flat on the tile floor. After a good scream she was fine luckily. We checked into the room, threw on our suits and hit the pool in the dark. It was hot and muggy, so the pool felt wonderful. Liz was exhausted at that point and by the time we were in bed trying to get feisty Kennedy to sleep, she slipped a tear and asked me if we could go home…

We all slept well enough, with Elijah and Kennedy on the floor and didn’t get up until 10 am. Again we headed for the pool and ordered some poolside breakfast of eggs, toast, ham, fruit smoothie, etc. While there, Elijah found his way off the invisible ledge from the kiddy pool to the deep part. Liz, in full clothing, responded to her Lifeguard training and flew into the pool saving Lijah and the day. Leaving the hotel, Dresden walked into the road without looking and was just about hit by a car. Needless to say, it was an eventful morning and we’re glad we are all alive and healthy.

We drove through Panama city and after getting lost 3 or more times, made it to Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal. It was amazing. To see the structures and engineering marvels from the early 1900’s was inspiring. We watched 4 or 5 shipes pass through the locks raising and lowering in the same systems and same iron doors that were installed 100 years ago with ease and not the slightest sign of wear and tear. Some 3 million gallons of water fills a chamber 1000’x110’ in minutes, just as fast as we fill a bathtub at home…Wow.

We watched a movie and viewed a couple more ships from the top of the building. There were some 100 people on top of the building at the time when the guide asked everyone to say hello to his new friend “Moriah, the next Miss Teen USA” and her beautiful Mom and sister (Kennedy).

Our drive out to Palmar took us across the Puente Centenario over the Canal and along the highway about 45 miles. The roads are terrible with all kinds of deep pot holes hiding along the way. Still, there was less traffic and better roadway than Costa Rica for which we are grateful so far. We stopped at Quesos Chela and got some fresh local cheeses and a few empanadas that were delicious. Liz and my favorite snack was tomato and mozzarella slices just like Mom Harrell makes occasionally. Yum.

We stopped at El Rey in Coronado to get groceries for a few days and after getting lost for about 30 minutes we made it to the beautiful home of Jim and Karen Dertien. It is beach front with open patios and yard running right into the ocean. The home is about 3000 sq ft 4 bed 5 bath with a gorgeous master suite with balcony and view to die for. It feels like we have our own little private paradise here and it will be hard to want to leave. Dresden already requested that we move here for good. She said she would except that then she couldn’t play with Sidgy.

We got a little dinner at Bay View Hotel and Restaurant and then made it back to the house to relax and head for bed. Life is wonderful right now. My phone is off and I’m checking email on a limited basis and trying to focus on just my little family.