Bocas del Toro, Panama

I crossed the border yesterday into Bocas del Toro. A part of me breathed a sigh of relief to leave Puerto Viejo behind, though there´s a chance I may spend a night there when I pass through it again on my way back to San Jose for my flight home on Wednesday. I travelled with an English bloke and a Canadian military man, leaving behind the Floridian girl with the autoimmune disease and the first year med school student in Puerto Viejo. They decided to spend an additional day there. The boat ride into Bocas was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. The people here ride hollowed out tree trunks that they use as canoes. The speedboat we were in seemed somehow alien and not at all in sync with the surroundings. The Panamanian people of Bocas have a more Asiatic look about them than the Ticos of Costa Rica do. Snorkeling yesterday was infinitely more enjoyable than the snorkeling I did at Montezuma, and half the price as well ($15 for a full day). We also stopped by Zapatilla Caye, which the guide told us is the island where a lot of countries come to film Survivor. I like Central America because everyone seems to be responsible for their own actions. We were left on the beach on the island to our own devices. There was no "swimming area" marked out, despite the undertow, there were no lifeguards stationed, and when we snorkeled, they just handed us goggles and tubas and we waded out on our own to find the reef. No instructions. Being here has made me more aware of America´s culture of fear and constant caution.

Bocas, interestingly enough, has the widest street I´ve seen so far in Central America. Complete with yellow lines to mark lanes!! Imagine that. I´d say the favorite parts of my trip so far have without a doubt been Nicaragua, Osa Peninsula, and Bocas del Toro (Panama). My Spanish has improved ten-fold, though it is still sadly in a broken state. I did notice that the guy to girl ratio in Bocas is significantly more equal than I´ve seen it anywhere else in Central America. Not only that, but the girls are also significantly prettier. With pretty dresses that they packed in their luggage, and beautiful earrings and necklaces. Yes, I feel slightly intimidated and competitive. If only because I haven´t cut my hair in almost 8 weeks now and really, baby mullets are so last year. The 86 mosquitoe bites on my body aren´t helping, nor are the ant bites on my hands that made my fingers swell up all fat. Though I´m a bit relieved to not have to fend off advances in the style of New York bars, hearing comments from guys like,¨"You know, you´re a great conversationalist" turned out to make me feel a little funny. Sure, it´s a compliment, but it felt oddly like someone telling you, "You know, you´re a really nice guy."

A few characters I´ve met so far:

1) a juggling French Canadian with an avid interest in tarot cards, ESP, and astral travel. He joined me for a 7 dollar dinner and told me all about how astral travel can be done. 7 dollars is quite extravagant by Panamanian and backpacking standards.

2) the owner of Mondo Taitu, the hostel where I´m staying. A recent Emory grad, he´s spending his post-college years running the most hip hostel in town. And to think, I spent my post-college years in a cubicle.

Today: Isla de Bastimentos (currently on Isla de Colon) with the Florida girl who showed up here in Bocas one day after I did. Red Frog Beach is on our list.