Bocas del Toro

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We are staying on one of several island making up a small archipelago in the northeast corner of Panama, far -- very far -- from the glittering center. Not much of the $1 billion that supposedly comes from the canal seems to be spent here. "Bocas Town" is the center of business, with the airport, restaurants, little hostels and hotels, grocery, souvenir, and crap stores, plus water taxies and ferries to the other islands. We rented a four-wheeler/quad for the five days from a man with one leg -- auspicious, huh? -- which, from my point of view, was a great idea. No cars are rented here, because the road along the beach very quickly becomes the beach, and it's at least five miles of sand/coral/mud/rock road we'd otherwise be riding on coaster bikes. Hurray for quads!

Our lodging is a B&B, the Bluff Beach Retreat, built by a man from Toronto and almost completely off the grid. We have a two bedroom cabin with full kitchen, gourmet breakfasts, heated swimming pool, laundry -- run with solar power, cisterns and propane. Ron's wife is in Canada with a new grandchild, so his only assistant is a young man named Cassius Clay. See photo.

We've spent a fair amount of time driving on some very muddy roads to find beaches and to get back and forth to town. Today, we took a fairly long boat ride and saw everything from starfish to sloths to a cacao farm. Both our backs are tired from bouncing.

We heard today about Jay Campbell's glider crash at wave camp. Our best wishes and thoughts go to him for a speedy recovery. We don't have much info down here, but are worrying with the rest of you.

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Photos

Tom at Sea
We call this the felony flyer position.

What?
Do you wonder what this might mean?

Baby Chocolate
Cacao Pods at a plantation run by a retired dentist from Oklahoma

Wandering Jew as Medicinal Herb
I learned that tea made for this is good for arthritis.

Innovation
Propane tank converted to chocolate roaster.