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Published: June 19th 2006
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Our room
Our room at Tio Tom Isla Bastimientos is about a five minute boat ride from Isla Colon (Bocas del Toro) but it is a world apart. Most of the people here are African in descent and many speak a dialect called Ngobe-Bugle. The feel is very Caribbean rather than Panimanian and the food and music reflect this. We are staying in a hostel over the water called Tio Tom which is run by a German couple. Our first night we shared a dinner of Schnitzel, cabbage and potatoes with them. After settling in, we went for a walk to the end of the settlement, (it is about 500 meters from end to end) and then took a trail through the edge of the jungle by the water through a coconut grove and to a series of beaches. Here the fish were so thick that at first, it looked as though the water was cloudy. However, as we later realized, there were literally millions of sardines that came right to the waters edge. We dove in the water and the sardines encircled us and quickly spun around us. In fact they were so thick, that I accidentally caught one in my sandle as I swam in the
Red Frog
No bigger than a quarter dollar shallows and had to take of my shoe to let it out. Before heading back I knocked a coconut from a tree and used a small knife to cut a whole in the top and Marianne and I drank some coconut juice.
Early the next morning we caught a tour that brought us to Dolphin Cove to watch dolphins, then to Cayo Zapatilla, which are two uninhabited islands that look like two huge footprints in the ocean (hence the name) to snorkel. Later in the afternoon, at Coral Key, we snorkeled over coral that was thicker and more varied than I have ever seen anywhere. We saw coral of every color and size as well as an Angelfish that was about 16" across. Next we went to Red Frog Beach, a pristine, private beach that has one bar with swings for seats that you can laze around in to beat the heat. Marianne and I bodysurfed and had a great time.
At night, we and another couple (an English dude and American girl)staying at Tio Tom´s went to the Roots Cafe and had a Caribbean dinner. We were then solicited by a man who claimed to be famous for his
music in the area. We were hesitant at first but decided what the hell. Well, lucky for us he turned out to be truly a great singer and we were able to listen to some authentic Panama-Caribbean music. Not to mention, he was a pretty happy-go-lucky guy. Before he started singing, he asked Tony and the English fella the following question ´If your mother and wife were both drowning in the ocean, who would you save?´Lucky for Anthony, the English fella was put on the spot, which was pretty funny cause he and and the American girl were on their honeymoon. Of course he was wise and said he would save his wife. Meanwhile, we´re thinking, ¨Why would he start out singing with such a dark question?¨Well the catch line of his first song was ¨You can always get another wife, bt there is only one mother in your life¨. We laughed a lot. His name was Joe and we found out that he is the lead singer of the Bastimientos Beach Boys. He knew a million songs. At one point, about six of the locals joined him and sat around us playing songs. The instruments they used were so
Red Frog Beach
Red Frog Beach in Isla Bastimientos basic but created the perfect beat. One guy played a cheese grater with a fork, another guy played the drums on a plastic barrel, and a woman played with a glass coca cola bottle and spoon, and a couple people just sang. It was truly amaying and we had a great time.
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JJ and Deb
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Can't wait!
We are on our way down there in December through April to explore Panama. We were out there a couple of years ago and visited most of the places you wrote about and love seeing someone else is enjoying it as much as we did. We would love to ask you guys some more questions about your adventures if you wouldn't mind and get the message. It would really help us in preparing. Hope to hear from you soon! J&D