Day 3 - Fishing in Panama Chronicles Continue

Monday was the day we were all going on the boat and we were really looking forward to it!

Ken reads the orders: Ares, the resort manager, gave us the 'shopping list' - 2 snapper, 4 dorado, 2 tuna (no less than 105 pounds each) and a picture of each of us with a blue marlin. Those were tall orders...remember, we are catching to feed everyone at the resort!

The Hickorywood Hookers together again for a day of fishing. :) And oh yes, the guys were along too.

Felix, the Mate and Louis, the Captain did a fabulous job in getting us to 'the spot' which was about 23 miles from base camp. We had a fun day on the water and while we didn't check everything off the list, we brought back dinner!

Ray & Lily took the prize for the catch of the day, 2 Cubera Snapper (Lily's was 30 pounds and Ray's was 28 pounds).

Dinner was fresh mango salsa, snapper ala Bruce, peas with mushrooms and onions and baked potato preceeded by a scrumptious eggplant soup! Needless to say, we have not gone hungry!

Day 2 - Chronicles of the Bay Crest Buddies in Boca Chica

Sunday was our first full day in Boca Chica and everyone was extremely excited....This was THE day we'd all been looking forward to! It was the first day of fishing in Panama!

Frank, Ken, Ray (not in the picture) and I were ready for breakfast at 6:30 and on the boat at 7:00AM!

It's pretty amazing the rock formations that line the coast of Panama! Not something we're used to when fishing in Stuart.

Frank taking a much deserved break after fighting and landing the biggest Dorado (mahi mahi or dolphin, depending on where you are) of the day....within the first 20 minutes of lines being in the water.

Captain Bruce said women are great fishermen...they are patient and listen to directions. :o)

More rocks.

The Three Amigos!

While traveling from one fishing spot to the next, we saw so many magnificent structures. Makes you wonder how many years it's taken to wear car-sized holes in the rocks.

Yes, you could say it was a good day of fishing, but we think it was a GREAT day!

Lupe, the wonderful cook at the resort, made the most delicious meal from the fish we caught. Not only did the fish we caught feed the 6 of us, but the other guests at the resort, the owners and employees as well as anyone who had stopped in. Talk about pressure!

Each night, the menu includes the 'Catch of the Day' and some other meat, just in case... When Lupe presented the options for the ways she could fix the fish, we couldn't select just one. So, she generously served our table family-style with a sampling of each: from lower left - garlic, lime; coconut battered; soy-teriyaki with fresh veggies; rice and beans along with the sweetest plantains (cooked to perfection in pineapple and her homemade jam). Needless to say, if anyone left the table hungry, it was their own fault!

We called it an early evening and headed off to bed for another early morning of fishing.

Day 1 in Boca Chica

Some technology hiccups have prevented computer access for a few days....along with very full days of fishing. With out further adieu, we begin the Chronicles of the Bay Crest Buddies in Boca Chica:

Six very excited people at the 'little airport' in Panama City, after we've checked our bags (all weighing less than 30 pounds), confessed our weight and age and convinced the nice guy in line behind us to delay his check-in a few more minutes to take our picture.

A view of the Panama coastline along the Pacific from the puddle-jumper.

Donna, proprietor-extraordinaire of the Gone Fishing Panama Resort, greeting us at the airport. Little did she know what she was in for!

A view of the landscape on our ride from David (pronounced Da-Veed) to Boca Chica. Who knew Panama had so many mountains??

Victoria, Ken and Lily wasted no time before hopping into the vanishing edge pool overlooking the lagoon below the resort. Ahhhh, so nice!

El Barko (the boat). Fortunately, this is the smaller boat used to taxi us to various locations around Boca Chica, not the one we would use to go 20+ miles offshore. Yes, that's a hammock in the boat. Surprised not to see Frank in it?

The evening began with a cocktail at sunset.

Dinner our first night was 'surf and turf'. We stocked up on the turf part before departing for Boca Chica and feasted on African lobster. Delicious!

Paradise Gardens in Boquete

One of the things Boquete is known for are the beautiful flowers, gardens and birdlife. It was recommended that we visit Paradise Gardens. Turns out, it is more than a garden. There are beautiful gardens, but the real treasure is the rescued birds and native animals that call Paradise Gardens home. Three years ago, Jenny and Paul came to Panama from England where he was a master stonemason and they both had a strong affinity for feathered creatures. Most of the stones in the Centre were imported from England and Paul seems to have found the perfect spot for each one of them.

Upon entering the gates, you are surrounded by beautiful flowering plants and trees, whimsical garden statues, and the cheerful chirping of many birds. Before beginning the tour, you are asked to make a $5 donation. You can see from just the short walk to the gathering area there is a lot of work with the gardens and animals. Most of the labor is provided by volunteers. But there are a few paid gardeners. Many of the veterinarians offer their services gratis.

This margay (a medium-sized jungle cat) was confined in so small a space, that its tail is permanently crooked. It will never survive in the wild because it needs a fully functioning tail for balance, etc.

Our guide shared a story of how some of the locals would sell birds, the canaries fetch a higher price. However, the canaries they were selling weren’t yellow or canaries, they were ordinary green parrots that had been bleached, and then dyed, so they could be sold for more money.

This tamirin (monkey) and his 2 brothers are affectionately called 'The Gangsters'.

Toucans. If you look closely at the one in the back, you'll notice that he doesn't have many/much tail feathers. This is because he was stuffed in a cage and in order for him to fit (considering his beak is so big), his wings and tail feathers were clipped. Hopefully they will grow back.

In the beautiful Japanese garden.


A very friendly Capuchin monkey.



You can't help but smile when you see this pretty pink cockatiel.



These Macaws have a good life! They have a long 'run' where they fly back and forth all the time.

The highlight of the visit...getting to hold the two-toed Sloth. He and a sibling were just babies when their mother was killed by a local for food. His fur is so soft, but watch out for those nails/claws!

Our experience was amazing and I'm really glad we spent the time we did visiting the Rescue Center!

No visit to the Paradise Gardens Rescue Center is complete until you've stopped up the road at the Strawberry Shack. We had been talking about it all morning and in spite of the weather being a bit cooler (due to unseasonable winds), we were looking forward to strawberry ice cream! We get to the counter and alas....they are out of strawberry ice cream! So, we opted for a strawberry shake, strawberries with whipped cream and a couple of cones with flavors other than strawberry. It was yummy!

Upcoming adventures in Panama....Cafe Ruiz Coffee Plantation!

While in Boquete...

While in Boquete, our home was the Boquete Garden Inn. Tom & Raquel stayed there on a previous trip and had a wonderful experience. At the end of last year, this area of Panama received an extraordinary amount of rain, causing the rivers to swell and considerable damage to the homes, businesses and hotels situated along the river. Huge boulders rocks and sand were washed down the mountain by the river waters. Fortunately, the BGI was spared and received only a small amount of damage to their property and walls along the river. It was a different story for another hotel that had only been open for 6 months....it was left hanging by a thread, cracks all throughout the building and well, closed.

The beautiful grounds of the Boquete Garden Inn.

Our suite...the netting, while a lovely touch, was a bit claustrophobic. Lots of windows for light and breezes. Unfortunately, upon our arrival, there was no water. A bit of an accident with a excavating machine and water supply pipe. It came back on a few hours later after the hotel's proprietor sent his work crew to help with fixing the pipe. It didn't last long as by morning, it was back off again.

But how could you be upset about there not being any water when looking out your door were two beautiful rainbows?

Raquel, Tom, Leann & Frank enjoy the first of several Happy Hours in the gazebo.

This was one of a bazillion birds that spend time in the BGI's gardens. We met a couple from Alaska who are avid birdwatchers (and have all the latest birding gizmos) and were amazed at the variety and quantity of the birds there.

While Frank found the hammock, he only had time for a few quick winks before we headed off to explore Boquete. Stay tuned for the next installment of 'Traveling in Boquete'.

On the road to Boquete, Panama

Our adventures around Panama continue and from Santa Clara beach, we headed north on the Pan American Highway toward Boquete in the mountains.

The Pan American Highway is the ONLY major road in Panama. Some places it is four lanes and paved, others it is two lanes paved, but with potholes. The countryside is very pretty, and as you get into the mountains, the beautiful flowers and shades of green start to appear. While there are many people in the country of Panama, there are really two groups in Panama, the 'haves' and 'have nots'. The farther away from a town or city you get, the more you see the indigenous people and the way of life they have become accustomed to.

On two different occasions and two different drivers, we were welcomed to the area by the local law enforcement officials. Fortunately, Raquel is Panamanian and as such she was able to help the gentlemen understand there really wasn't a need for a ticket. Actually, it was a relatively pleasant experience, the officers were doing their job, were very friendly and helped us be a little more patient. All in all, it took us about 6 hours from the beach to reach the mountains where the temperatures were MUCH cooler!

The stone walls are the original property lines/boundaries.

View of the volcano/mountain.

With all the traveling we do around the US, we have become very accustomed to the blue and white 'REST STOP' signs along the highway, or a McDonald's. No such thing on the Pan American highway. These were the only bathrooms, and it cost a quarter!

In Panama, there are many indigenous people. The Ngobe Bugle indians are the group we saw the most of while we were in the Chiriqui region of Panama. The Ngobe Bugle Indians (also called Guaymi) live in Panama both on and off the comarca (reservation). They have their own indigenous language and the children learn Spanish in schools. The vast majority of the Ngobe Indians live in poverty. Although many do hold jobs they do not get paid enough to survive only on their pay. The women make the bright colored dresses and jewelry and sell them at the roadside shacks.

A view of the countryside.

Sugar is another export from Panama. Sugar cane fields fill many of the farms along the Pan American highway headed toward the mountains.

Sugar cane processing plant.

Tom & Frank commented the countryside (trees, vegetation, etc.) reminded them alot of Vietnam. Sure enough, Vietnam and Panama are just about on the same latitude.

We had a very pleasant drive to Boquete and were really looking forward to exploring this area...along with the cooler temperatures!

Buenos Dias!

Buenos Dias! We are still having a wonderful time exploring Panama with Tom and Raquel. The next part of our adventure took us from El Valle (the Valley) to La Playa (the beach) of Santa Clara. Tom & Raquel have stayed at these little beach cabanas for a number of years and now we can see why! It is beautiful!

The 'beach place' is called Las Sirenas (The Sirens - as in mermaids).

View of the bohio (tiki hut) and gardens that overlook the Pacific Ocean. The bohio was home to coffee in the morning and cocktails in the afternoon.

Front porch of our 2 bedroom/2 bath cabana. Can you guess Frank's favorite spot? (yes, the hammock on the left.)

To get from the cabana to the beach, you had to walk down the hill (relatively steep) and under the canopy of bouganvilla. It is quite warm, ok downright hot, at the beach and there is very little breeze, but it is beautiful! We really enjoyed the morning walks on the beach!

All along the beach, we would see the local fisherman, many times with their nets jam-packed with fish. Lots of pelicans, frigats, and gulls hang around waiting for the boats. It only took a few hours of being at the beach and we are REALLY looking forward to our fishing trip!

This iguana called the crazy ficus tree outside our cabana home. It was a real treat to see him during the day.

Given that we don't have our 'base tan' yet, we opted to wait until later in the day to head to the beach. Surprisingly, the Pacific Ocean was relatively calm and the water wasn't too bad. But, you have to be careful as the 'sneaky waves' can get you!

We were all looking forward to getting to the beach and enjoying lots of delicious seafood... especially the 'shrimp as big as your head'! Keep in mind that there are no Publix grocery stores on every street corner. In fact, we had to do most of our provision shopping while we were in El Valle. They have little kiosks throughout the neighborhoods for staples like milk, a few canned goods, sodas, etc. but these stores are probably 1/8 the size of a 7-11 and more like a concession stand at a football game. One of the locals told us about the 'fish man' and that he would probably have whatever we wanted. So after a few stops to clarify directions, we found Senor Miguel and his fish market....which was more like a garage where the back door opens to the beach, the brother manages the scale, the sister or wife takes the money and Senor Miguel cleans and filets the fish. The fish of the day was 'corvina' which is a big fat sea bass. So, we put our order in for 3 filets.....well, something got lost in translation and we ended up with filets from 3 fish!

Before.

On the grill.

After...with rice, home-made salsa and tomato-cucumber-onion salad....and yummy wine! A very simple and relatively inexpensive but oh so delicious dinner.

Raquel and I cleaning up after dinner. Everything about these cabanas is very practical....tile floors, concrete counters, 'sofas' with removable cushions.

Sunrise from the bohio overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

"The Rock" is also home to a bazillion birds.

The macaw is Panama's national bird and can live well into their 80's. We think this one was the 'grandfather' and was hanging out at a little beach restaurant along with a collection of tropical birds, including toucans, parrots and some younger macaws.

A jovial round of post-Valentine's dinner dominos. :o)

It was an enjoyable, but short stay at the beach. The next part of the adventure includes a 6 hour drive on the Pan American highway to Boquete, in the mountains. Stay tuned...the Crazy Travelers are hitting the road!

Hasta Luego!