Tag: Contadora

Cold Beer and Cock Fights

Thanks to Sea G. Ryder for reminding me to post.  click here to visit freerangerodeo.com

It’s Sunday morning on Isla Contadora and I am finally a little bored.  I have seen every beach, eaten at every eatery, and had my fill of rum.  I remember I saw a blurb about how the archipelago got its name and decided I should make an effort to buy some pearls.  I inquired at the office of my B&B Casa del Sol and off I went to meet a man with gold teeth on the beach.

Somebody had warned me not to go on Sunday afternoon as it was the day to drink but the man I was meeting said it was not correct.  Off we go into the beautiful waters of the Archipelago de las Perlas!

One of my favorite things about being out in the open water is speed and the air blowing on my face and through my hair.  Well “Goldie” did not see it that way.  I agreed to pay him by the hour having general knowledge about how long it would take.  I had a vision of arriving to a quaint island and picking through the shops for an hour and finding  a few rare black pearls for me and my besties then zipping back to the home island with my finds.

I did not know a boat could go that slowly and stay afloat.  When I agreed to pay by the hour I should have agreed to an actual amount of hours.  So after a one hour boat ride that should have been 20 minutes we arrive.  The island is a wreck and I ask him if I can walk to the shops.  He just laughs.  There are thousands of shells lying about and my hopes are high.

He gets me as close as he can on the jagged beach and I walk on waiting for Goldie to join me.  My bubble is popped pretty much on arrival to this dirty and barren place.  Two rows of shacks are erected from scrap and there is literally nothing else in sight.  I am beginning to believe that the row of quaint shops is not here.

Come to find out this is Goldie’s home island.  He is related to everyone and I am not exaggerating.  He starts asking around to see if anyone has any pearls but they do not.  We walk along the dirty path and he asks all his uncles, aunts, cousins and brothers if they have a pearl to sell.  Finally at the end of the path there is a hut serving some food and a bar with loud music.  There are some strange apparatus that I do not recognize.

I decide it is in my best interest to buy beer for Goldie and a few relatives so I do.  I thought if this was my last beer at least it was freezing cold.  I did not feel safe.  Oh Lordy I have to pee!  I ask for a bathroom and am directed into a shack with a bucket.  It’s time to leave.

There is a ruckus and we head over to see what is going on.  The apparatuses are being used to weigh the roosters to begin the cock fights.  In Panama they breed the roosters with a crazy wild pheasant to make them meaner and more aggressive.  I told Goldie I was unwilling to stay for the big event and that if we had no pearls to buy that I am done here.  Finally one of his cousins comes up with a small black pearl which I purchase for thirty-five dollars.  And we are off.  Slowly we putt putt putt off into the distance back to civilization.

I am on my boat now and do not have the ability to post pictures of the black pearl which is tiny and misshapen.  When I say “my boat” of course I am talking about the four hundred passenger steamboat on which I live and work most of the year.  The American Queen is a perfect specimen of beauty and luxury.  Next post probably about living aboard an American Icon.

 

Part Tres: Panama, Boca Brava, Venao and Isla Contadora

My sister Sally joined me in Boquete and we braved bad weather together drinking rum and giggling on the beautiful patio and Hotel Central Boquete.  Looking forward to better weather we headed south to Boca Chica for a small boat transfer to Boca Brava.  This was a part of the month-long journey I looked forward to most and was I ever right!

View from the suite
Little Sally Big Tree
Great swimming spot

Lovely and charming but not for the faint of heart.  Hotel Boca Brava boasts a long narrow row of steps straight up to the stunning view.  Pack light, or like us, opt to leave your things at the bottom and incentivize one of the staff to retrieve your bags.  Little or sometimes no water and electric it is still completely manageable and in some cases enhanced our experience.  Great views, semi-cold (ice rations) beverages and awesome food were ours.   We settled into the big suite and headed out for a hike.  Beautiful swimable beaches, hilly trails, and lots of monkeys and other wild life.  I love this place. There are so many beautiful birds.  Don’t forget your bird identification book and decent binoculars.  More on Hotel Boca Brava

A small side note.  At this point in my adventure I get a call from work saying they need me to come to the boat.  I have not yet written much about my job but it is the reason I am afforded this lifestyle.  I love it and would happily and instantly leave any vacation to get back to it.  They were able to make other arrangement with another crew member.  I work aboard the American Queen and the American Empress.  Two stunning and luxurious river boats in these great United States.  More on that later.  Everybody wants my job.

Sally left me in David after three fun nights in Boca Brava.  I had a full day of travel ahead to get to Eco Venao.  Remember Planes, Trains, and Automobiles?  This was Boats, Busses and Taxis.  Eight hours later, starving and rattled I arrived Eco Venao.  This was “braving it” for me.  You see, I have been living a pampered lifestyle completely losing touch with my authentic self.  For thirteen years I had been sitting still, waiting for something to happen, stagnate, unhappy, frozen.  Now as I headed up this remote road I felt my soul reviving, starting to revel and I breathed it in.  I am returning to me and I am elated.

Surfers, skater dudes and socialites unite!  All accommodation options in one lovely spot.  That is what makes this place one of a kind in my mind.  I had amazing sessions with both Derek and Jade.  They are an amazing couple that run the Spa at Eco Venao.  They are both very gifted and Derek does amazing energy work.  Just what I needed.  Monkeys came for a close visit, spent lots of time reading in the hammock, restful sweet peaceful nights.  Relaxed and really not wanting to leave I headed out after 3 nights.

A relaxing intermodal day from Venao to Panama City’s Albrook Airport and a short flight to Isla Contadora was in the works.  Great little island if you love the beach and great food at Casa Tortuga (see map).  This restaurant is the gem on the island.  They offer pizza or the dish of the day.  I love everything about this restaurant.  I was longing for an adult beverage but could not make a decision.  The gentleman who I believe is the manager offered me a freezing cold glass of Prosecco.  It was perfect and delicious.I would go back to this island just to eat at Casa Tortuga. Casa Tortuga info and reviews

I once had a boss that said, “you can’t go to the store for a coke without something crazy happening”.  This has been true most of my life.  It is entirely possible that this is something I manifested.  When I was growing up I was constantly telling exaggerated stories and fantasies as fact.  It was my way of trying to make myself more interesting and popular as I was for the most part ignored at home.  I conjured up people, illness, talents and love that had no roots in reality.  It was a sad existence and probably the reason I have chosen to live a vagabond lifestyle…but again…I digress.  I cannot lie to my readers.  These digressions will be frequent as I have a story to tell that is just beginning to surface at age fifty.

I’m not sure about the next post topic yet.  For sure I will tell you about my trip to buy Pearls in the Archipelago de las Perlas.  Teaser…don’t go on Sunday.  Suggestions and questions welcome.  Thanks for reading!