Puerto Viejo - Bocas Del Toro - Panama City

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It´s been a while since I´ve updated. Since my first day in Puerto Viejo. It is hard for me to remember. I´ve done alot and seen alot since then.
Puerto Viejo is always a good time. Rocking J´s, one of the hostels, had a good crowd there. I stayed for 3 nights. I got enough of a break in the rain to see some nice beaches and waterfalls and such. A guy from Vancouver island and I ended up getting mugged while we were walking home from a bar. A couple local guys came out of the forest with there faces masked and big shiny machettes in hand. The worst thing for me was that I had gone to the bank before the bar and was carrying 40,000 colones, which is $80 U.S. Luckily I wasn´t carrying my camera. It wasn´t all that scary either. More of a big expensive hassle. Lesson learned. I guess that sort of thing happens alot in Viejo.
I crossed the Panama border and took a boat taxi out to Archipelago De Bocas Del Toro. This place was amazing. I stayed in the main town of Bocas for a few nights. Then in the tiny town of Bastimentos, which is the only town of the island of the same name. Survivor 2003 was filmed on Bastimentos apparently. I ended up doing much chilling out. And some walking through the rainfores barefoot (it is the only way unless you are wearing hip waders). Bocas is famous for its snorkelling and diving but it was raining so hard that the waters were murky. So I think I will go back later.
I felt like I needed an emmediate escape from the rainy weather so I took a flight to Panama City on tuesday. Panama City is a bussling Metropolis. It´s way bigger than San Jose and there are alot of things for a traveler to do. Everything is really cheap. A 15 minute taxi ride costs $1 beer is 35 cents a can. I´m loving it here. I think I´m going to stay for a week. Though I got invited to join some people on the San Blas islands. So I might go and do that. The problem is that it is a very expensive place to go. I´m staying in a very nice part of town where its safe to walk around at night. There are some extremely dangerous parts of the city. Hopefully I don´t wander into one. I went and saw Panama Viejo which is the ruins to the old city built in 1519. It didn´t last long though, It was destroyed by Henry Morgan in the 1530´s. Theres some pirate tivia for ye swashbucclers.
Thats all for now.

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Photos

Guys from the island(Neil & Lynden)
The one on the left is the one I got robbed with. He was luckier. He was carrying less than a dollay

Rocking J´s
A big hammock, a sheet, and a locker. $5 a night

Bocas Del Toro
In a brief moment of sunshine.

Downtown Bastimentos form the hotel
no cars.

Panama Viejo
who´s that

Suzzane from Austria
Artsy heh.

Comments

[Raven Lunatic]

Looks Like Fun
I've been trying to submit a comment for a while, but it has not worked. Sorry to hear about the robbery. You've got to watch yourself Gringo! I think you should go to the San Blas Islands - I have heard very good things about them. I am really enjoying your blog - keep it going. Love You Lots, Mom

[Sarah]

Hola!

[Sarah tu primera...]

Hola!
Bueno Matt! Como estas? Soy asi, asi pero estoy muy feliz para tu. Te gusta Costa Rica mucho? Creo que querer ir a Costa Rica. So how is the Spanish bien o mal. If you don't know it already you will pick it up. I am so excited for you it sounds like you are having a great time. I loved going down to South America, it was nothing like I thought it would be. Good luck on the road and be safe! Cheers!