Isla Taboga & Panamanian BBQ Blunders

This past week James joined a few of his co-workers at the USA vs. Panama Friendly.  When they got there, they had to push their way through crowds of fellow Panamanians (and under the interlocked and raised arms of police) just to get into the stadium.  While it was "Panama-demonium" on the outside of the stadium, the inside was totally normal.  One of James' co-workers spotted a guy selling American flags for $5, talked the guy down to $3, and bought James one to wear around his neck (see picture below).  While this was actually the US's 2nd string team playing Panama's 1st string team, USA still won 1-0!  Panama sports stadiums do have a leg up on US stadiums when it comes to drinks...James bought a tray of 12 beers for only $15.  Take that $9 beers in the US! 

(From right to left) James' co-worker Eligio and his wife, his co-worker Leslie, Eligio's friend (not a co-worker), Santiago Campana :) 

We'd originally planned to go to San Blas this weekend, but as usually, things changed!  Several other people from James' work want to go to San Blas with us, seeing how they have never been, so we are now planning a big day trip for the last Sunday we are in Panama.  At the last minute we decided we would check out a nearby Island in the Pacific ocean, called Isla Taboga (Island of Flowers).  We left for the Amador (Causeway) at 7am.  There, we stood in line to buy tickets ($12 for adults, $8 for children ages 1-12...geez).  Once we had our tickets we got in another line for the ferry.  While in line, we met another US couple (from Baltimore, MD) who were living in Panama for a few months for work.  At 8am we were rather quickly loaded onto the ferry and on our way to the island.  It was about a 45 minute boat ride before arriving.  Once there, they had a drug sniffing dog checking out every one's bags.  This was officially the most security we'd seen while in Panama and it was quite random that it was on this little island.  Genevieve however enjoyed the dog and made "oooff ooofff" noises at it!  We followed the crowd down to a beach spotted with umbrellas and beach chairs.  All of these were for rent for the day.  Luckily for us, we had our own umbrella and blanket for the beach!  The beach was nice...well, if you don't mind some trash and sea glass (shattered glass made smooth by the ocean).  It was NO San Blas!  Once again, Genevieve enjoyed playing in the sand and the water and flashed many a toothy grin to surrounding Panamanian families!  It was definitely entertaining for a day trip, but compared to some of the other beaches we've seen while in Panama, it isn't one we'd rave about.  

On the left are the beach umbrellas and chairs for rent.  On the right is another small island that can only be reached at low tide.  You can see the small strip of beach leading to the island.  Lucky for us, the tide was on its way out as we were on our way in!

a closer shot of the beach

G and Daddy playing with her shovel and rake

Father-Daughter walk on the beach :) 
**We put all of our "valuable stuff" in the backpack just to be safe!

"C'mon Dada...Take me to the water!!"

Looking back at the beach from the small strip of sand connecting the two islands.

Love them :)

Playing hard!

You can stay on the island, but we aren't exactly sure why you'd want to...there doesn't seem to be too much to do here...

beach babe!

clearly I wasn't getting a smile...it took 5 minutes of calling her name for her to look up from her playing in the sand just to snag this picture!

big ships at the end of the Panama Canal in the distance

While on the beach, the beach bar behind us started playing some really loud music...Genevieve took this as her cue to stand up and start dancing!

Of course, the only picture of me on this trip and I am talking...

G does this new "Chicken" dance where she puts her elbows out and her hands at her chest...we aren't entirely sure where it came from, but it is pretty hilarious :)

G and Daddy!

The school on the island.

Taboga

While waiting on the dock for the boat to take us back to Amador, there were several puffer fish swimming in the water below.

Apparently, it really does take a whole village to fish...

G enjoys some pretzels while we wait for the ferry!

The Calypso Queen, our trusty ferry boat.

 When we got back from the island, some of James' friends from work had given him some invitations to a "pre-carnaval" Coors Light event taking place at the Amador.  There was free beer from 4-7 so we figured we'd go and meet up with his work friends for a drink or two before heading back to the apartment.  When we got there, there were TONS of people walking around, many of which were already super drunk (the drinking age here is 18).  From the parking lot (about 50 yards away from the craziness) we could see what looked like a mosh pit of kids in a fenced in area that were double-fisting coors light while dancing to blaring music and being sprayed with water from people on stage high above them.  We were by far the oldest people there and for sure, the only ones with a baby.  We promptly headed back to the car and went home! :)

On Sunday, we spent our day running errands.  To start, we headed to the fish market to get another couple pounds of shrimp and a few pounds of squid... we've decided to try to make our own Calamari when Crafton comes...this should be interesting.  Then, James' co-workers had also told him about a BBQ Challenge that was taking place back at the Amador on Sunday from 11am-4pm.  You paid $5 at the door and then could eat all the BBQ samples you wanted.  We decided to check it out.  Once we finally found it, we were really confused as to what we were supposed to do to get food.  It seemed as if only 3 or 4 tents that were set up actually had samples ready, and even then, we weren't entirely sure if we should just go up and take them or not.  No one seemed prepared and there definitely didn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to who was "competing" or who was actually making food...we still aren't sure what the deal was.  We stayed for about 45 minutes, got a few samples, and then just decided to go on with our day.  Back at work today, James' co-workers who ended up going to it later, said that it was a huge disappointment.  At least we weren't the only ones who thought so! 

Well, we have 2 weekends left.  Crafton comes on Thursday and then we are off to the Pearl Islands (where they filmed two seasons of Survivor).  Can't wait!

At the BBQ Challenge thing...

I bought Genevieve a box of chunky crayons because she loves pens and pencils...but we didn't have any paper so she got to draw on the end of a roll of wrapping paper.  Pardon the ghettoness :) 

G's first work of art :)  And no, she did not write her name :)

Just the three of us...and lots of mail

We are down to our last three weekends here in Panama and can't believe how quickly it has gone!


After having James' mom here for two weeks and then my mom here for two and a half weeks, it feels very strange to not have visitors sharing our days with us!  (That is, until Crafton comes next Thursday!)  Until then, Genevieve and I are back to taking our long walks along the Cinta Costera.  However, we've had to alter the timing of our walks as it is now "Summer" in Panama which means 1/100th of the rain and hardly any clouds in the sky, making for some pretty scorching afternoons!  Genevieve and I have been heading out around 8am, the same time James is off to work.  I think walking in the morning is much more entertaining for Genevieve since there are tons of other people out getting their exercise as well, and many of them with their dogs...all I hear from Genevieve is "oooffff ooooffff" when she sees them.  There are also several feral cats that are often resting or hoping to score a fish carcass from the fish market.  In either case, Genevieve is delighted to see them and points at them as if she spotted them first. :)  I am already starting to feel really bad for Skills when we get back to Phoenix...she has no idea the baby that left several months ago is coming back a cat crazed toddler!  Sorry kitty!

Thank you to everyone who has sent us cards, letters, and packages!  We have loved getting them all!  Unfortunately, the mail system in Panama is a bit crazy...no wait, totally insane.  My mom mailed a "test" letter to our apartment building back in November, just a week after we'd arrived in Panama.  While she was here (just last week), we came home one day to find some letters slipped under our door.  One of those letters was the one she had sent 2 months prior!  The other was a letter to the previous tenant of our apartment...clearly, she was not so lucky to get her mail before she left!  For the majority of you who sent mail to James' KPMG address, we have found that on average, it takes about 20-25 days to arrive.  James received 10 envelopes in the mail yesterday at work, all which had been sent either before Christmas or just after.  That being said, while we love all the cards, letters, and packages, if you send us anything else, we will not get it!  We only have 21 more days left in Panama so if you really want to send us anything, you can send it to our Phoenix address in the good ol' US of A! 

That's a wrap for now!  I leave you with something that brightens my day, in hopes it will brighten yours as well :) 

She is singing along to Elmo who is singing "book book book"...she however says "gook gook gook" :)

San Blas Islands: Isla Iguana

When we went to Bocas Del Toro, we were told that it would be one of those places that makes you pinch yourself because you can't believe you are actually there.  Well, Bocas was beautiful and all, but it doesn't even compete with the amazingly picture-book islands in San Blas.  The San Blas islands are controlled by another one of Panama's 7 original indigenous groups, the Kuna Indians. 

This is what you may find in our bed at 5:00am!

We were out of the house by 6:30am on Saturday morning (1/21) and on the Panamerican Highway heading towards Darien. Our goal was to find the road leading to Comarca Kuna Yala, more specifically, the port of Carti. Since we have been here we have heard numerous rumors that the road is too treacherous to drive, that the Kuna have closed the road, or that the Kuna will turn away anyone who shows up in a private vehicle. Wrong, wrong, and wrong! In fact, the road leading to the port of Carti was actually in better shape than the stretch of highway on which we were traveling!  We did need to rent a 4-wheel drive car and will do it again when we go back to San Blas next weekend...the road is paved (in most places) but there are ridiculously steep hills winding through the mountains.

Unpaved patch of road...

Once we made it to Carti, we bought our tickets ($20 per person) to Isla Iguana.  There were 3 islands that they were taking people to today...I think James picked Isla Iguana because he liked the name :)  Once we had our tickets, we made our way to the dock and onto a motorized canoe of sorts.  The water was pretty rough on the way out to the island and we were soaked by the time we got there due to the spray from the boat!

Life jackets on and ready to go!

We made a quick stop off at this Kuna village on one of the islands closest to the mainland to drop off some people.

sail boat made from what looks like bed sheets!

boat naps :)

There were so many islands that we could see while on the boat, we weren't entirely sure which one was going to be the one we'd be inhabiting for the day.  As we got closer, this is what we saw:

Isla Iguana was breathtakingly perfect!  The water looked and felt amazing!  Pinch me...am I dreaming?!?  When we got off the boat, the "owners" of the island came and welcomed us and we had to pay $2 per person to use their island for the day.  Not all of the islands have someone living on them, but quite a few do.  We lucked out because this island actually had huts where people could stay (basically like camping on the beach) and a kitchen with cold beer, sodas, and hot lobster for lunch!  Paradise!

Genevieve loved playing at the beach!

she found a stick to use as a shovel

Genevieve tries to take whatever Mommy is eating

Back to the water!

Nap on the beach?  Yes, please!

Annie and James!

Mom soaking up the sun!

Genevieve and Grandma Steph!

it wouldn't be a vacay without a self pic!

G goes swimming with Daddy

Balboa Beer!

"Genevieve, what does the doggy say?"..."Ooofff ooooffff!"

Mom and I take a walk around the island (it doesn't take long)

This darn pelican up in the palm tree managed to poop all over G and I!  Sick!

Best lobster I've ever had!! 

James got a $2 coconut with rum in it.  After he ordered it, one of the Kuna scurried up a coconut tree and picked on for him...unfortunately, it just tasted like a shot of rum from a coconut!

Annie gives it a try....

G, Grandma Steph, Mommy

James Bell? or Tom Hanks?

At 3:00pm, our boat pickup came to take us back to Carti.  We were all sandy, a little burnt, and exhausted after 6 hours on Isla Iguana.  James and I have plans to go back next weekend with some people from his work.  We will be checking out a new island then. 

As for Grandma Steph, we took her to the airport this morning and wished her good luck on catching her flight in Houston (she had less than an hour to get her luggage, go through US customs, and then make it to her gate to catch her flight to San Fransisco!  We had a great time with her here and wish the time didn't go by so quickly!  However, it won't be long until we are packing our bags and heading back to the US ourselves!  Only 24 more days!