Por fin.. ¡el caribe!

Yes, finally, finally, finally I am on the Caribbean. Clear, clear water; white, white sand. I'm in Bocas del Toro, a province in northeastern Panama, on Isla Colón. I have yet to see much of the island (urgent laundry needs and evil freezing night bus from Panama City and epic journeys yesterday on bumping diabolically painted former US school buses). I spent part of Carnaval in Panama City; it's not extensively celebrated there but the city does block of part of a major road that is lined with food and beer vendors, blaring awful reggaeton in competition for one's business (how this is meant to attract anyone is a little beyond me), where little and not-so-little kids throw confetti and spray silly string in your face. Fun for awhile but old very quickly. Next I went to Portobelo, on the Caribbean coast. It was pretty awful to get there: in an effort to avoid Colón, I got off the stop before, Sabanitas, in order to catch the bus from Colón to Portobelo. Brilliant, if every other panameño hadn't also been trying to go from Sabanitas up the coast. After missing 2 buses by not shoving children out of the way fast enough--as everyone else seemed to be doing--I got on the bus. In the midst of a very intense argument between two women about the shoving, I believe. It quickly degenerated into personal insults about each other and their mothers, while everyone waited for them to calm down. The bus ride was fairly awful as it was one of the brightly painted former school buses, and me wearing my huge bag in the midst of a pushing crowd on a crammed bus. Eventually it cleared enough for me to set the millstone on the floor. I met some Canadians who were headed to Isla Grande, a little further up the coast. I arrived in Portobelo to trash everywhere and pounding reggaeton (f'ing everywhere) por todos lados. Emily and I had reserved a room but it was about 2 feet from the main square with the music and we had to shout even in the room. Fortunately, there was another hostal away from the music. Portobelo would probably be a nice place to visit not during Carnaval, with ruins from the colonial fort. We had planned to go to Isla Grande for the day but was told (mostly incorrectly) by a Swiss guy at the hostal that the last bus returned at 1pm. Decisions decisions: to return directly to Panama City or hope to find lodging on the isla. Swiss guy said go to the isla, which is what we ended up doing. Isla Grande was picturesque, with tons of Panamanian families on vacation. There were very few white people, the exact opposite of my current location. We met up with the Canadians, who all attend McGill University in Montreal, who all then convinced me not only to visit them there but also to attend grad school there. This entry is going nowhere fast so I hope to move on to a slightly less touristed island tomorrow, perhaps. I did not make a fool of myself during Carnaval, for the record.

Panama City

I am so glad the second farm fell through (I guess that's relatively accurate?)--I am enjoying Panama so completely. To think: I didn't even consider the possibility of coming here. I must admit, most of my preconceived ideas (disease and bug infested) about Panama come from partial truths about the construction of the Panama Canal and the many people who died of malaria and yellow fever during that period. Yeah, fully aware of how stupid that is. Anyway. I spent one night in David, the third largest city and dreadful, before heading to Boquete, near Volcan Baru in the mountains. It's a beautiful area and unfortunately couldn't really take advantage of all the hiking in the area due to misinformation from an absolutely insane hostal owner and a storm that closed a trail. Still, enjoyable. Walking the pouring rain, lots of hitching rides back to town. After that, the original plan had been to go directly to the Caribbean side to Bocas del Toro. However, as often happens, other places started to sound too good to miss. I went to Boca Brava, an island on the Pacific, for several days. I'd heard about it from about 6 different people who all told me just to show up, that I'd only have to sleep in a hammock for a max one night. Emily and I were so close to sleeping in hammocks (we even set up the mosquito net, makeshiftily) but luckily found someone with an extra double bed in his room. It was nice to be back on the coast, I hadn't realized how long I'd been inland (weeks and weeks and weeks!). Some of the best fish I've ever had, too, at the restaurant in the hostal. The plan had then been to go to Bocas del Toro, but so many people recommended Panama City, so here I am! Home of the canal, seen briefly from the bus. Carnaval starts on Friday, so I'm excited to see how Panama celebrates! (Hopefully not a repeat of last year, Badajoz...) I walked around the Casco Viejo today, the colonial part. Some areas are completely run down and some are filled with beautiful buildings. I went in the Teatro Nacional, and later returned for a "ballet show" which no one could (or would, perhaps) describe. Emily and I decided that it ought to be good no matter what it was, being in the National Theater, inaugurated in 1906 (!). Shit, it was a ballet recital for ages 2-18. It was terrible. And hilarious. Because, really? As Emily pointed out, this kind of event is hosted in a high school auditorium. Not a National Theater for $10! Not really worth it (in any way) but so funny.

Panama is much cheaper than Costa Rica in almost every regard (salvo transportation). It's really strange to be using the US dollar again, especially because our dead presidents are on the official currency of this country. Panama mints its own coins (balboas), although half seem to be American as well. It was strange to see an Oregon quarter.. so far from home. The money seems so much more real to me, as opposed to spending thousands of something for a meal. I've met a lot of people who are continuing on to Colombia from here. There is no passage overland (in theory, yes, but passing the Darien Gap between the two countries sounds suicidal--FARC, anyone?) so everyone either flies or goes by boat. As happens every time I travel, I want to go with. Go to Colombia and just continue south to see the penguins. Alas, I restrain myself and will reluctantly (hah!) return to Costa Rica via the Caribbean coast, travel for a few days with Jenny (!) and then head to Nicaragua. For a third currency in my wallet. I like it.

A man, a plan, a canal, Panama

So, change of plans. Emily and I are going to Panama tomorrow. The farm situation--fatal (in the Spanish sense, not the English). The owner confused our dates and sent us to her friends' farm for a few days before she'd have room at her own. We (Emily convinced me) decided to persevere and give it a try. Then we got extremely lost trying to find her friend's farm: partially our fault here but also partially hers. We got off in Rivas, where we thought the farm was, then had to walk and hitchhike halfway back to San Isidro. Once we were in the general area, many people misdirected us and we ended up walking up and down a certain hill 4 times, vowing never to continue on to the real farm. Then the owner showed up at the farm we were staying at and tried to bully and guilt us into going to her farm later. It was really unbelievable and aggravating. So, we spent 2 nights at the farm and have now returned to San Isidro (pleeease let this be the last time here!) to plan the voyage to Panama. We have almost no knowledge of the country, so this should be fun!

Chirripó

I'm back in San Isidro (again- it's starting to feel like Cáceres to me), waiting to go to the next farm. Last night was spent in a sketchy hotel where Emily was convinced there were bed bugs. I'm not so sure, as I have tons of mosquito (and other) bites so they all kind of blend together. The adventure to Chirripó was that, an adventure. The hike up, 14 kms strictly uphill, was as difficult as I thought it would be with the altitude. By the end I could barely breathe and it was pouring and extremely windy. Upon arrival at the ranger station/lodge I was soaking and freezing. Emily and I had to rent blankets from the rangers because we (obviously) had come unprepared. I lived in the blanket. The storm got worse through the night, with sideways rain, howling wind. The plan had been to hike the remaining 5 kms to the top that day, but instead we spent it huddled in the common area of the lodge, begging hot water from various groups who had brought camp stoves or gas for the stoves provided (we had neither, of course). Apparently, the storm is the 3rd of its kind in 25 years. What luck. We hiked back to San Gerardo the next day, in light rain and wind in the beginning, and sun at the end. Of course. It was so beautiful and I was angry for most of the descent, thinking about what the view could have been like atop Chirripó. There is next time! Hah, hopefully more prepared, too. The whole experience is ridiculous, to the point of being absurd, and thus hilarious!

La puta gallina

I just finished two weeks at Finca Granadilla Silvestre in Quizarrá. I can't believe the time went so quickly; I've been here in Costa Rica for a month now. Oh, and it's February. Unbelievable. I caught myself wondering if I had ever lived in Seattle--did that happen? Another thought shocked me: everyone, all my friends, family, acquaintances have been living their lives while I've been gone. Obviously. But it hadn't occurred to me. And, could it possibly be winter at home? Seems unlikely.

The farming situation was... hmm. It was a wonderful experience, but definitely not in the way I expected. Emily and I arrived to Quizarrá in the dark, walked halfway to the farm, got a ride for the other half. There was utter confusion when we arrived at the house of Pancho and Rocio, the tico family that takes care of the farm while the rich Canadian owners, Elizabeth and Warren, go between the two countries. We ended up staying in the ticos' cabin, right next to the chicken coup. Basically, we worked 4 hours per day, 4 days per week, starting at 6am. The work was, shall we say, unrewarding. The farm itself doesn't really produce anything to sell, as the shade grown coffee hasn't been producing enough to be profitable. We basically were assigned various tasks to aid in the conservation of the farm and its land (terraces to slow erosion, composting, etc.). Some of the jobs seemed pretty contrived, and it really seems that the farm is funded by WWOOFers. A little awkward. But! The tico family was amazing! Rocio, the mother, is so sweet and patient and hilarious. She would swing by our cabin and teach us to make various tico food: gallo pinto, tortillas, empanadas, plátanos, etc. Basic food was provided: rice, beans, bananas, plantains, oil, sugar, salt, plus whatever came from the garden and we could buy eggs, cheese and milk (from the cow, Tontina). So, there was a lot of experimenting with the limitless food (hmm, should we add some chives, too? dill?). Rocio also showed us how to milk Tontina. Difficult!

The area is beautiful. Quizarrá is in the hills near Chirripó, the highest point in Central America. It's so green, and a lot cooler. The higher hills are constantly shrouded in fog. There are rivers everywhere. One day we hiked up the river to a waterfall. It's incredible. We also spent a lot of time sitting on the porch of the cabin listening to Rocio and her three sons yell at each other, while the youngest, Adrián, abused these puppies. The word "puta" was thrown around a lot...

So, I'm excited to see how the next farm will be. I'm hoping that there is more meaningful farming (by meaningful: productive?) and more to learn. I'd like to improve my milking skills. I'm definitely getting better at dealing with bugs here, as they are a fact of life if your abode is not sealed at all. I only squealed a little this morning when there was a little scorpion (alacrán, love that word) near my bed. I do feel a bit relieved to be staying in a hotel for the night; three stories up and sealed! The next adventure will be an attempt at the summit at Chirripó. Not quite that extreme but Emily and I are going to hike the tallest peak in Central America minus Guatemala or something (it's not saying much) if we can get the reservations. Ought to be funny. I don't know, Corcovado was a success so this should be fine too. Less snakes.

Anyway! I am completely tired of this sweltering internet cafe. I miss everyone! (yes, yes, it's true, once I remembered that everyone still existed.)