Bocas del Toro, Panama (February 26th - February 28th)

Scott and I upon arrival immediately found our way to the Bay Area Native owned Hostel Mondu Taitu where we were initially pleased to discover our roommates would be five cute Argentinian girls. After dropping off ours and taking some much needed showers, we went to Starfleet Scuba to arrange for some diving the next morning.
The boat started off at Hospital Point and then Coral key. Between the two locations we came upon a pod of dolphins who swam around our boat while breaching every couple of minutes to show off. On our diving trip was a "move guy" from Southern California who was here to do some land development. Scott and I started talking to him about wanting to go out partying on Isla Basimientos to get some real local flavor. He said he knew the islands main drug dealer Coco and he would introduce us. At the time, he gave off a very weird vibe, but Scott and I just shrugged it off. There are not may forty something single men tromping around a backpacker island chain. We took a two dollar boat ride over and found one bar which was not packed and decided to explore the dimly lit streets of Basimietos. We wandered around finding nothing and ran into the guy, Ruben from earlier that day. He bought us a beer at his hotel and preceded to tell us that he went to Cocos party but had to leave. As the story started to unravel, it became clear that Ruben was homophobic and in denial of his own sexuality. Coco was his boy toy and when Ruben grazed Cocos arm at his party as would a lover, Coco flipped out and started threatening him with death. I guess its not good for a drug dealers image to be a homosexual with a older American boyfriend that could be your father. Scott and I decided to leave shortly after this tale, and get home safely.

The next day, we decided to go and find the Berkeley High Residents who were living in Boca town and building a house. I was expecting Tom Parsley, but was pleasantly surprised to see Mika and Owen Simms as well. The guys were all exhausted from working, so Mika and some of the other girls came over to Mondu Taitu for some pre drinking.

Cahuita -Bocas del Toro (February 24th - 25th, 2007)

Cahuita - The small town of Cahuita located 1km off the main road is a sleepy laid back community where north of town is a black sand beach, and north is the Cahuita National Park, a narrow strip of beach protection with a Coral Reef. The trail takes about 3 hours
We arrive around mid afternoon and find shelter at Bobo Shanti; a colorfully painted hostel in red, green, and gold. A rasta-relax place with four two-bed rooms with fan, shower for $12.00/night. We went to eat at Miss Ediths' which was described by the lonely planet as almost legendary with nice people, good food, and plenty of Caribbean style. I ordered a coconut vegetable curry and the only thin legendary was how long we had to wait to eat. The curry was very bland.

The next morning, Scott and I awoke the next morning and went to explore the Parque National Cahuita and were greeted to a loud tribe of howler monkeys in the canopy above. As we ventured further along the beach path, a Seattle native, and her two young sons joined us we viewed Basilisk lizards, the lizards that can run on water, and some friendly white-faced monkeys. No snakes so far, whew. Later in the day, we caught the bus to Sixapla on a twisty windy scary pot hole infested trail where the passengers behind us vomited at will. At the border, we walked across an old United Fruit railroad bridge and paid $5.00 for tourist visas to cross. From the border, Scott and I bartered with a private driver to take us to the dock to catch a boat to Bocas del Toro.


Bocas del Toro (Bulls' Mouth) - Northwest Coast of Panama
Panama's Caribbean banana-growing region has historical links with Columbus's fourth voyage and with the black slaves imported to work the plantations. Ports of varying age and activity lie on the Laguna de Chiriqui, provide the alternated land route to Costa Rica. The banana railway that was wiped out in the 1940/50's by disease is now the small commerical port city of Almirante, which today, serves as a transit point for tourists heading to the Bocas Archipelago. United Fruit with newer disease resistant bananas is still very active her. Across the bay from Almirante are the rain forests, reefs, and beaches of the Bocas islands. The most important of which is Isla Colon. The protected bay offers all forms of water sports and diving, beautiful sunrises and sunsets. All the islands, Isla Colon, Isla Basimientos, Isla San Cristobal, Isla Popa, and Isla Carenero harbour plentous wildlife but especially those east of Colon where tropical birds, butterflies, red, yellow, orange frogs, and a great variety of other wildlife abound. For some, this is being called the new Galapagos, but as in that fragile paradise, attraction and concern walk hand in hand. Formerly a major banana producer, the industry failed to revive alongside the mainland plantations and the major sources of income are now fishing and tourism. Bocas del Toro town, where most visitors stay is on the southeast tip of the island. Most activity takes place around the broad main street - Calle 3 - and the leafy square of Simon Bolivar. English is spoken by most of the black population and is home to the largest Panamanian population outside of the canal zone.

Costa Rica - El empieza de mi viajes (February 23rd, 2007)

I just arrived to the Costa Rican capital city of San Jose to meet up with Scott on his Central American Exodus for the next two weeks. After finishing my last clinical rotation of radiology at UCSF thursday, I feel like I can finally relax. Hopefully with a good book, hammock and tropical sun as my constant companions. I spent the day walking around the small capital city of San Jose before having lunch at one of the local sodas´ which serve beans, rice, and some meat for around $1.50. I then returned to our hostel Tranquillo Backpackers for a nap before we met up with some of Scotts backpacking buddies to hit the town. Around 6pm, we started drinking with the Canucks and made our way over to the El Pueblo, an area filled with small dance clubs. We met a group of bankers who we danced with at the first club before leaving to explore a couple more of the clubs. We stayed there partying until about 3am then headed back to fall asleep before heading out to Cahuita the next day.