Back from Bocas

Friday, May 20, 2011.

So we got up about 7 this morning. We probably should have gotten up earlier, since we decided to have breakfast in the hotel cafeteria over the water. We had the cappuccino and some dried pina Danny had given me for sofi.

So we left the hotel about 8:30, then went to the water taxi place. We wanted to catch a 10 am bus, but we didn’t leave the hotel til 8:30. So we went to the water taxi place and had to wait for it to fill up. After it did, it took us to Al Mirante. The water taxi driver had called ahead to get a car for us. The driver was there calling us by name when the water taxi pulled up. The idea was for him to take us to the border where we’d find ourselves ahead of the bus from Changinola, which was where we had tickets from. It’s a little insulting to me, as an American, that I have to show proof of departure when I enter any Central American country – though I guess people have to show proof of departure when entering the US – they just don’t depart…

At any rate, the guy had issues with his car. There was something wrong with the electrical current to the gear shift, so there we are going up the mountain with me (sitting in the front seat) using some immigration officer’s knife to try and take the electrical tape off the gear shift. While the guy was driving. Central America is just different.

He finally pulled over and fixed the car. I think it needed a new fuse. With all that, we probably still would have gotten to the border in time to catch the bus to SJ – except that we had to go through Panamanian customs. Don’t go through Panamanian customs at Gubita or wherever we went. They never have electricity. They didn’t have electricity when we entered, and they didn’t have electricity when we left. Which means that the person working has to manually write down your name and passport number and then stare at something to pretend they’re checking (how could they check with no electricity? And the AC seemed to be working inside. Maybe it wasn’t the electricity. Maybe it was the internet). So there is always a line at the immigration office at Guabitio. Plan on being in that line from 20 minutes to an hour. And I swear I got a better sweat there than I get in the sauna at the Y.

After you go through immigration, there’s “customs.” Which simply involves taking your passport to the guy in the next office, paying him $3.00, and having him put a stamp in it. Note about Panama: They use US dollars, but have their own coins. So anyway: On the way in, you have to go buy a ticket to show you’re leaving, get your immigration stamp, then get your “customs” stamp. On the way out, you have to get your immigration stamp and then your customs stamp. How serious do they take it? I went through immigration and customs for both Sophi and me, because I had the passports. Both times.

So we got to the other side of the boarder and flagged down a bus, but it was going to Punto Viejo. We’d missed the SJ bus, of course. So we decided to get a bus to Limon, and from there get a bus to SJ. Of course, they wouldn’t cross-honor the tickets, so Sophi bought two tickets for us to Limon and I bought the two to San Jose. And of course, once we got to Limon it wasn’t as easy as just getting a bus to SJ – we had to go to a different terminal.

But we did it, and I got a WONDERFUL cappuccino in the bus station, along with 10 grams of unsalted cashews. We’re now on the direct bus to SJ. It’s a bit cramped, but there’s AC and we both have almost enough room to have our computers out and working on them.

Sophi wants to move to Bocas. I don’t know about moving there, but I am going to look at whether it would be easier to take a flight directly into Panama City. Yes, there will definitely be a next time: Panama is much cheaper than CR, you don’t have to change money, and Bocas has some of the cheapest diving in the world. Since scuba is on my bucket list, and since you can get open water certified in Bocas for $200.00 (compared to at least $1,000 anywhere else), I think coming back and planning to stay for a week or so in Bocas Is something I need to do. I will try to look up Starfleet or Starfleet Academy Scuba. While in line in Panama I met some guy -0- older, blonde, surfer dude type, who 20 years ago took his son on the son’s first scuba dive. The son now teaches at Starfleet. I think the son’s name is Sam.

So I’ma go back to Bocas and get my Scuba open water certification. And I’m going to find and bring my underwater camera! The old guy said there’s something called an octopus where you can just go down and they pump air down to you – you don’t even need to be certified for that. I’ll check it out. I would like to get my certification if possible, though.

Tonite we should hit SJ about 6. I’m going to go back to the mall and get the Speedo suit in Knicks/Liberty colors. And maybe some more Britt chocolates.

That’s about it for now; gonna shut this down before the power dies.

But it was a great trip to Bocas del Toro, Panama. Now we hope to head to Quepos, on the pacific coast of CR, tomorrow for ziplining and monkeys. It’s already been a great vacation, though!!!