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Published: November 24th 2005
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Costa Rica was a great place to visit and the unbelievable amount of different flora and fauna was a treat every day, but when I travel I am just as interested in getting to know the people and cultures as I am the land. Costa Ricans are good people but they seem to be verymoney hungry and not very friendly in comparison with all the other countries I have been to thus far and by the end of my stay there I was looking forward to meeting people who didnt look at me with dollar signs in their eyes.
As I approached the Panama border I began to think about my knowledge of Panama...I couldnt come up with anything. Now I kind of wish that I knew nothing about every place I go to because Panama became the biggest surprise to me yet.
I arrived on the island of Colon, which is just off the mainland of North East side of Panama. The water taxi takes you through a lush canal to the main town on the island named Bocas del Torro. I chose to come here first and foremost to study Spanish at the Dutch owned Spanish By
beaches of Bocas Del Drago
Located on the island of Colon...30 min.bus fromBOcasDel Torro. The Sea. I booked 20 hours of class that began on Monday the 14th and my Spanish at that point was pretty much non existent. I was really looking forward to learning, that is until I started. Learning how to calculate complex circuits and vectors seems easy in comparison to remembering the different words for why, who, where, when, and what in espanol. Learning Spanish is much more difficult than I thought. However I did manage to soak some of it in and I am learning more and more every day...and probably making an ass of myself every time I speak but thats the only way to really learn.
The best part of Bocas was living with a host family during my time there. Alfredo and his familia were great. They were warm caring people who loved to laugh and usually it was at me and my horrible Spanish.
Luckily while I was on the island I was treated to what is one of the biggest days of the year for the islanders. It was Bocas day...A provincial holiday in which the island draws in people from all over the country including the Panamanian president to watch marching
Marise
3 year old inmyhost family. bands perform on the streets all day. I can say that I was truly amazed at the precision and sound that was displayed in front of me. The loud drum beats in spite of a wickedly painful head ache(love/hate realtionship with Panamanian beer) were impressive as they marched all day through intense sun shine and later pounding rain.
Do you know that feeling of leaving a place that is so good you just aren't sure if it going to get any better? Well Friday I said goodbye to my host family and made my way to the water taxi to make the quick trip inland to Almiranta where I would take a 3 hour bus ride to the city of David, where I would transfer buses for Panama City. The water taxi was 40 minutes late in departing and I automatically started having that feeling that I should just stay. With just too much anticipation of Colombia I decided to press on. After the short water taxi ride I boarded a small over crowded bus to David at 6:30pm and 2 hours into the trip we came to a stop. We were stopped for about an hour but I
Rocendo
The 5 year old little troube maker of the family. really couldn't see what the problem was and no one could really translate to me what was going on. Luckily I had a bench seat to myself so I decided to take a little nap. 6 hours later I woke up. The bus was silent but the random bits of snoring on the bus. We were still stuck...I went back to sleep, and shortly before 6 A.M. I awoke and the sun was breaking upon the valley we were sitting in, revealing the source of our problems. LANDSLIDE. A giant section of earth bacame loose from the rain and slid on to the road about a kilometer in front of us. A few minutes later one High Ho arrived to start cleaning the area. I made myself comfortable again. 3 hours later the driver had organized us a bus on the other side of the spill and we walked over the big pile of mud and brush to a waiting shuttle...the bus driver of course was in no hurry and wanted to get as many passengers aboard as possible. Once again I made myself comfortable. Long Story short...the 7 hour trip turned into 26 hours...but a free nights accomodation on
a cold vinyl seat isn't so bad.
I finally arrived in Panama city and along the way I met an Israeli guy who was on the same route as I was. Putting our money together we found a descent hotel got cleaned up and hit the town. Oh Panama.....what a marvelous city. By far the classiest city in C.A. The restaraunts are second to none and the night life there leaves you wishing the sun would never come up.
The Panama Canal is located right close to the city and it is only a 10 minute bus ride, except of course when you miss your stop...it then becomes an hour bus ride. The buses by the way are all public transport and theyare nick named chicken buses (you never know when you will be sat nextto a chicken). The buses inside are falling apart in every which way...the one I took yesterday was almost like a fred flinstone car as I could see the road passing beneath my feet. On the outside however they are painted quite impressively, usually with really nice crome bumpers, a thumpin stereo system pumping out regatan or salsa tunes, and of course the
fuzzy dice hanging next to the driver.
I finally arrived at the locks and they really didnt impress me much until I was able to watch the ships pass through. Watching the massive cargo ships wade through the canal and drop 50 feet in front of your eyes was something that has to be seen to appreciate. Truly an engineering marvel.
I was loving Pan city and really wanted to stay but Colombia was still calling. So I booked a flight on Sunday for yesterday and at 2:30 I departed Panama. Oh I forgot to tell the best part. They put me in first class.....Yup there's me the grubby back packer sitting right at the front of the plane sipping champagne in my nice leather reclining seat. As I watched all the rest of the "meager commoners" board the plane I began to feel butterflies in my stomach. I was finally leaving for the place I had been dreaming of for quite a while now.
I arrived in Cartagena yesterday with little daylight left. I grabbed a taxi and headed for my hotel, and enjoyed the never ending feeling of being in a strange new place. I
dont have any photos of Cartagena yet so I will save the descriptions for another time. But I am definately not dissapointed thus far. Cartagena is Muy Bonita!!!!!!!! Adios
Troy
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Mom
non-member comment
That's a long bus ride!!
Hi Troy I love your stories. I didn't realize you were so creative when it comes to writing. Anyway it is snowing here and we miss you big time. Have a great week. Talk to you soon. Love mom