Pocas Del Toro, Panama
Here is where we are for the next two days (see map); Pocas Del Toro, Panama,
an island about a 45 minute boat ride off the coast. It's another funky destination spot with beautiful beaches, restaurants, live music and lots of people, travelers and locals, wandering around. It's in places like these that you see 20 something backpackers from Europe and Australia. They tend to be out on the road for many months at a time, sometimes years, staying at hostels, meeting up with each other, exploring the world. A nomad existence that looks fun at times, aimless at others. I could see doing it for a few months but would probably wear out after that.
Today is a non-riding day for us. Everyone is free to do what they want but we are sticking together. We have hired a boat to take us snorkeling. We'll be going to a couple of different reefs and stopping at a couple of other islands. It's stifling hot so it will be good to be out on the water. Of course we'll need to be relentless in our sum protection. I'll need to buy another hat. Somehow I lost mine, along with a few other things along the way.
We arrived last night after a night in the seaside town of Puerto Viejo. Puerto Viejo had the same "vibe" as this place, artsie, a bit touristy, full of young travelers with a population of poor natives trying to get by anyway they can.
During our sweltering 35 mile, challenging, mostly up hill ride yesterday, we stopped at a local cocoa farm where we were able to take turns making chocolate. Chocolate making is a more intensive process than I had anticipated; roasting,
shucking, grinding, and more. The end product, without sugar, was still pretty good. We sliced open bananas length-wise, wiped the chocolate on the flat sides, put them back together and
enjoyed the banana/chocolate treat. While there we also got a nature tour, seeing poisonous red frogs and shooting a homemade bow and arrow. They tried to sell us pottery but the stuff was too fragile and honestly, was pretty unimpressive.
We then continued to the Panama border where we said goodbye to our driver, dropped the bikes, paid Costa Rican exit fees, filled out departure forms, walked across a long bridge into Panama (it felt like we were crossing a DMZ), waited in long line to get through Panama customs, filled out more forms, walked across the road to pay an entrance fee, and then found our new driver and bus. What an operation!
Monday's riding was nearly 40 miles, but it was nearly all tarmac, a nice reprieve from the rocky, dusty dirt roads of the previous week.
Upon our arrival, David and I walked two blocks to the beach for a sunset dip in the Caribbean. Beyond gorgeous!
Lunches along the way have been sketchy.
We tend to stop at places that have glass sneeze protectors above pans of chicken, pork, beef, fish, beans and rice. The stuff usually looks like it has sat there for days, grease coagulating around the sides, flies buzzing about. I usually refrain and opt instead for some crackers, or the like. Others are more adventurous with their eating. No one has gotten sick yet. Thankfully.
I'm off to snorkel. Have a good day everyone.
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Location:Bocas Del Toro, Panama
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