Panama/Costa Rica

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Hello my friends. In my final night in Bocas del Toro. Fantastic place,
highly recommended. Bus driver F'd me and didn't tell me my stop. So I
went 30 minutes too far and had to get another bus back. Not a big
deal. Had an early dinner at an over water bungalow, fantastic lobster
sandwich. Met some Brazilians at the hotel and joined them for dinner.
They are here for 3 weeks surfing twice a day. Called it a night after
dinner.

Friday was a fantastic day. Rented a beach cruiser and rode 7
kilometers to a sweet beach hut restaurant, half of which was riding on
the beach and dirt road. Passed some amazing surf and saw a sloth
hanging in a tree. Half way back I turned and rode another 5k up and
down some decent hills through the rain forest. Paved road, awesome
ride though as there were hardly any cars. Ended up at La Gruta, a sick
cave tunnel with water running through it and fruit bats. I did have a
headlamp, but it was pretty sketchy cruising the cave solo with nobody
around. Got buzzed by a bat and screamed like a girl. Good thing the
hundreds on the ceiling didn't get spooked and start flying around.
Great experience.

Returned the bike and stopped for some ceviche and a few beers. Ran
into Charles, a 60 y/o man from Boulder staying at the hotel, who is
building a house down here. Met two of his workers at a pool hall for a
couple hours. Good time, many beers, we won most of the games of
course. Although his worker was probably better than me. That got
Charles started, so we went home to change and came back out for dinner
and hit two crazy bars right on the water until 2am. One bar had an
opening on the deck where you could jump right in the water, and people
were.

Slept like a log, finally got up and headed to red frog each on
Bastiemento, another island about 10 min away on a boat taxi. Cool
beach, relaxing day. Came back and had pulpo, octopus, for dinner with
Charles again. Very good. Watching NFL playoffs now, good Saints game.
Probably heading to Aqua Lounge with the Brazilians later, the popular
bar on Saturdays which is on our little island.

Debating whether or not to stay another night as we haven't had any sun
yet. But probably heading to Porto Viejo in the morning, about 3 hours
away, across the border in Costa Rica.

Weather still looks good back home. Hope you are all enjoying. BTW, for
those of you who don't know already, Dre's baby boy was born. Congrats
to the new parents!

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Photos

Hotel Tierra Verde
Cookie's place

La Gruta
Bat cave