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Costa Rica and Panama seem to have the wealth ( if only a bit ) of Cenral America.. the roads are nicly paved and the tranportation is more upscaled...not that I dont appreciate the chicken buses Ive riden w/ amimals and people smushed together so close that using a stangers shoulder as a head rest for a four hour ride is the norm. But its just a bit more confortable in the bottom two countries.
My first stop in Costa Rica was in Tamarindo a surfers paradise and a Gringo heaven ...I think there are more surfers from San Deigo here then there is in SD. The night life is fun and beachy...one bar is on the beach and sets a bond fire at night w/ all the revialry surrounding it. I surfed the most here.. the best local spot was on playa Grande which you can omly accsess by paddleing accross an estuary ( they say has alligators...although I saw none) which has a lowtide that sweeps you into the estuary...towards the Alligators and a high tide coming back that sweeps you out to sea....its the hardest Ive paddled to go nowhere. The surfing was great for me ..building my confidence, and haveing great fun. The waves were small by local standards but 3-5 feet were ideal for me. I surfed most days w/ a few new friends..Zipo and Willem from the Netherlands, a married couple Koerie ( Japanesse) and her husband Scott (Assie ) and a fellow american John from none other then San Deigo. Running all over Tamarindo are Iguannas the size of small dogs..frieghtning at first then elusive later..they scurry away at record speeds. I spent about seven days relaxing..thare before...the Dutchies and I went up to Santa Elana in the mountains to ride the zip lines...100 feet in the air you ride 13 lines that go for a total of one and a half miles flying through the jungle like Tarzan at break neck speed....Zipo nicknamed "breaky boy" for his proclivity to break far to early and have the guide go back to retrieve him....actually it only happened once but we cant let him live it down. The dutch boys were just that ..both 19 and full comments to hammer the old American guy... but great fun to hang with. They got a kick out of it every time a waitress asked if I was their father. Anyways it was on to Mai Pias, Costa Rica to meet up w/ Scott, Koerie and John again for more surfing and adult conversation. Mai Pias is a beautiful albeit quite little town, good surf and not too far from Montezuma...which offers more nightlife..which John and I took advantage of one night. While I was in Costa Rica I was trying to hook up w/ Mark Smiths brother, Gene, who now resides in Mia Pias...after much tracking down we hooked up for the Superbowl and a day of Surfing...great fun to talk to someone who knows the people and places where Im from. The next place Pablo woke up in was San Jose the Capitial....nice urban city w/ pleanty of night life..
My final stop in central America......Waking up in Panama!! Panama offer a wide variety of siteseeing. I began w/ a little problem at the boarder..but w/ the help of one of the entrace guards..made it to David, Panama for the night. David is as a Panamaian Friend describes it the Gate way to hell...it is scorching hot by day and unconfortable by night..but once again the charm of the people made me really enjoy it. I danced the night away w/ the two lead singers of a band..everytime they went on break they were draging me to the dance floor.... and the Casinos were good to me also...actually every where in Panama I had great luck in the Casinos....its all relitive my daily limit was $20...1/2 of my $40.00 a day budget.....on $2.00 tables one time I walked away w/ $135.00...not bad for peasent pablo. The following day I headed to Buoqette, a hill village that has such fertile grown that anything will grow there.
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I went on a hike on afternoon to walk through fields of orange trees, Banannas, onions, cabage and not gardens but acres of flowers ..mostly roses. Boquete hosts a flower feastival which I missed by a week but the exhibits were still on display.. apsolutely amazing. One night I went out and met a few great local folks that after a few beers invited me to join them to party in David..about a 37 minute drive from Boquete...I accepted and off we went 5 of us in the front cab of a pick up....a bit of romance w/ the omly woman in the group and one of her friends, who was with us graduated from Univ. of Oregon..and spoke fuent english....we rolled back to Boquete at 6am..
I soon was off to Bocas Del Toro on the Caribean side of Panama....the feel is like Jamaica.....largle African decendents..speaking Creole..actually a dirivitive of it..which is a English-local mix. The islands have majestic settimgs andbrightly paimted homes..however poor..still esteticly pleasing. The bar of choice is the Sunken ship bar that essencially is a dock w/ a sucken ship below it that attracts all kind of fish. Durring the Day you can swim and snorkle and by night drink and dance. Off one of the islamds thay were filming the French version of Survivor...so all the film crew would stay on our island and party hard at night and shoot durring the day.
Arter Bocas...it was on to Panama City...the most city looking city in all of Central America...layed out beautifully on the Pacific Coast. At one end is the towering highrises of modern archetecture while, jetting out at the other end is the old historic section of town....slowly being restored to its once prominate beauty. The city offers everything...tradition , nightlife and culture. I spent an afternoon at the canal seeing American inivation at work..the locks are a site to be seen.....huge frieght ships accending and deccending w/ the release and addition of gallons upon gallons of water...very cool!! My friend Racqeal who worked at the Panamaian embassy in DC was kind enough to introduce me to her friend in Panama City ( Maria ) who took me out for fantastic local cuisine and showed me the veiws at night from the Causeway....once owned by the US and part of the Canal zone it was all handed back to Panama in 2000, and has beed turned into a resturante and bar waterfront property....scenic views everywhere.....once again...Latino hospitality astounds me!! The next you here from me Ill be waking up in the world of Brazil......Adios Mexico and Central America...youve been phenominal!!!
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