Panama – Our introduction to Central America

First stop on this winter’s northern climate nomadic escape: Panama, and more specifically Panama City with weekend trips to explore the country more broadly. From our view on the 45th floor, Panama City is a magnificent place to work from. Similarly to Auckland, most things are a short ten or twenty minute drive. We had stunning views of the variety of ships queued up to apparently transit the canal, overlooking the main thoroughfare of traffic with the occasional marathon or parade taking the place of the cars and trucks. Outside the city we’ve taken a couple of trips to the Caribbean coast and explored a few of its many many islands. And our latest escape from our winter escape has been to see the jungle half way along the canal, near Gamboa, where we daily heard the call of the howler monkeys.

Our first Caribbean stop was Bocas del Toro, a group of islands popular with partiers and expats, but that also promised decent snorkeling and a jungle along with the beach.  We arrived in Bocas three hours delayed because of an airport closure due to a fierce thunderstorm. We thought it rained in Seattle! The days here were filled with walks along the beach, renting a motorbike one day to go checkout the fabled “hollywood beach” named, apparently, for the starfish that feed here. Being honest, it was not very nice, lousy with little popup stands selling booze and tainted food and playing various sorts of overly loud music. We took a day trip out on a private boat to the two Zapatillo islands, which we would recommend for a more pristine setting and okay snorkeling, with an emphasis on the “private” boat tour (avoid the group boat tours).

Not sure this was the Bocas highlight, but our resort “Oasis at Bluff Beach” put on a Thanksgiving meal that we thoroughly enjoyed. One could choose the more traditional turkey offering, but we went with the fresh fish course in coconut lime sauce that was followed by one of the best creamy coconut cheese cakes I’ve ever had. Okay, it’s the only one I’ve had, but it was so so good.

Our next Caribbean island stop was the one we were really excited about, the San Blas islands.  We’d read that you shouldn’t visit San Blas before going to Bocas because Bocas does not compare to San Blas.  We agree.  This trip turned out to be quite the early adventure. We awoke in the morning with our alarms at 4:30 and promptly got ourselves ready for the 5:30 scheduled departure. At 5:20 however, we were notified that the road was closed after the night’s storm had brought down a tree over a powerline that was now sitting in the middle of the road.

Some details later, we rushed to the private part of Albrook airport to load ourselves and the small amount of luggage we were allowed into a 4-seater, Cessna 172. Denise was in her element here, being a former pilot, but she also quickly noted that this was her first time riding in the back of a Cessna 172. About an hour and a fair bit of turbulence later, we landed at a tiny airport on a tiny island in the middle of the Autonomous region of the San Blas islands. Panama has 7 different Autonomous regions, or comarcas, which are governed by the relevant indigenous group.  The San Blas area is governed by the Guna Yala people, who not long ago at all used coconuts as currency.  Back to the adventure.  We were ushered to a small building where we were processed with our passports and the entrance fee. After that small formality we were whisked away on a transit boat to our awaiting 43-foot sailboat “Antigoni” and her captain, a petite and very Italian woman named Mira, where we were to spend our time.

Pilot and crew preparing for takeoff

Flight over Panama City in our little 172

The trip, four nights with five days, was an absolute delight leaving us with lasting memories of small, near-deserted islands and fisherboats rafting up next to us with offers from the daily catch: lobster, conches, and all sorts of fish. The days wound down slowly but filled in a relaxing way. The steady and strong breeze kept us comfortable in the heat and humidity. Our shoes were stowed away for good.There was some great snorkeling throughout the archipelago where we saw large crabs, blue nosed trumpet fish, schools of different tropical fish, and huge starfish without the loud music and tainted food of Bocas. The Guna Yala people also make intricate, multi-layered textiles completely by hand.  Only the Guna women are allowed to wear them, but they sell the panels to be used by others as pillows, bags, etc.  We bought several from a man named Venancio, who visited the sailboats one by one in his dugout canoe.  His were the highest quality we’ve seen in Panama.  We highly, highly recommend San Blas.

Mola buying process with the seller Venancio.

Denise’s mola haul

The next weekend’s trip after the San Blas sailboat was a bit of a mixed bag. Our Airbnb host, Spanish-only speaking, was a fantastic teacher where we got to practice our Spanish at all times, whether I wanted to or not. We did a day trip out to the Gamboa National Forest Reserve and climbed a tower up to over the canopy. We didn’t see much, but there was a small building where we could see a few hummingbirds which is always a treat. But the entrance fee! A practice of highway robbery at thirty dollars per person and for what you could see as easily or better just outside the reserve along what they call the pipeline trail. Gamboa itself was kind of neat though. History tells us that it was the base for the dredging crew for the canal, and indeed we saw several large container ships going along this section of the canal when we drove out exploring the area.  And another highlight was hearing howler monkeys each morning. You know you’re in the Central American jungle when you hear these amazing monkeys from miles away.

In looking for the essential difference between Panama and Costa Rica I find that Costa Rica is simply a more curated experience. Excellent eco lodges and guided tours through the very many national parks. Panama on the other hand, you feel more dropped into a living society and experience as the ordinary lives of the Panamanians continue with or without you. So you’re more an observer rather than looking for a specific experience.

Crocodile in Panama City

Sloth in Panama City

Cheeky monkey ripped out the screen in the airbnb and is now eating our stolen bananas

San Blas bliss

Fisherfolk selling fish.

Typical hut interspersed throughout the islands

The thieves who stole our masks and snorkles!!

Little kids came over on this boat to ask our captain Mira for some salt.

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