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[C.America_Trip_05]
Another Adventure to Central America - May 12th till whenever
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| Airlines: LACSA Airlines 1-800-400-8222 http://www.taca.com SURFBOARDS: Checked as part of regular baggage allowances Up to 2 surfboards in one bag permitted per passenger Charge of US $50 per bag, each way No charge between Miami and San Jose for first 2 surfboards per passenger If checked as part of regular baggage allowance in lieu of a piece of excess baggage, overweight/oversize surcharges also apply. $100 Flight Change Fee to Extend Stay: 1-800-400-8222 Bus Schedule from Costa Rica 750 SIXAOLA (express bus
from San José - gateway to Bocas del Toro, Panamá) - DEP. ev. day from
Caribe at 6:00, 10:00, 13:30, 15:30; RET. 5:00, 7:30, 9:30, 14:30. 240
km; 5 hrs. You can buy tickets in advance, $6.00. Auto-Transportes Mepe
S.A. company. Tel. 257-8129
CHANGUINOLA PANAMA from San José - DEP. ev.
day from opposite terminal Alfaro (same as route 505) at 10:00; RET.
10:00; 225 km; 8:00 hrs. Alfaro Bus company. Tel. 222-2666 |
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mailing list & get a daily message May 12th through the 26th 2005 from my next
adventure to Costa Rica. with photos.
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Map of Panama
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Links:
Info:
Bocas Del
Toro Budget Hotels
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So
far it has been the adventure of a lifetime. JB and I have done so
much in Costa Rica, Puerto Viejo that it feels like we have been here
forever. We saw howlers monkeys, a sloth, hiked Manzanilla trail,
rented scooters and took them over a mountain through heavy rocks, huge
inclines, over rivers to Sixola the border of Panama and Costa Rica.
JB took a digger and scrapped up his arm and leg. He broke the
mirror and tore of the side of the bike but he is ok and we masked the
repairs well enough. It was my fault, I was coming in a little hot
on a dirt pass that came from pavement. A Tico kind of swerved my
way and I took JB out. No hard feelings. 
I have so many stories, I plan to write them all at once and spend a few
hours on the computer. What an amazing trip it has been. Words and
these photos can not show how beautiful this place is and how much
character is here. It booming down here so get to Bocas ASAP to take
advantage of the low prices and pristine conditions.
Looking at more land today. I want to start a corporation and buy land
here to develop as a resort. If any of you are interested the minimum
investment will be $10,000 and you will be investing in 49% of the
corporation. Plan is being designed over theweekend but its basically
to invest in land here first to develop as a resort. The very best property
I found so far is $175,000 for 5 acres on the water on an island called
Isla Solarte. It is right across from Bocas Town which is under very
aggressivedevelopment and it is between Bastimento Island and Isle
Carenero, two very developed areas for this part of the world.
There is a very nice resort that just went up adjacent to the property which will add traffic. The Island is very rural jungle ready
to be explored. I am thinking of mountain bike trails, kayaking, surf trips to local breaks and of course a nature reserve for
biologists and students from around the world. There is another property for $75,000 on Bastimento with a large waterfront
property to dock a boat and to build out on the water which includes 3 acres on the highest point of the island with 360
degree views of all of the Bocas Del Toro area islands but I have not seen the top land yet.
Waiting for images to transfer from my camera to the PC so I can burn a CD. I have over 900 photos so far and its only been
9 days into this adventure.
JB leaves tomorrow on a mini adventure of his own back to Costa Rica with a stop in Puerto Viejo for a couple days before
returning home on Monday. I am going to stay here another week and figure out the real estate game, hopefully catch some
waves here then bus to Panama City for a day or 2, then to the Pacific side of Panama to some well knows surfing spots that
show swell right now. Looks like its been raining on that side for 2 weeks though but as long as there is surf I can handle 85
rain water. From there I will enter Costa Rica from that side and check out Pavones and then bus up the coast stopping a few
places I visited last year when I was in Central America.
Ok so here are more photos for you
I
saw a soccer/football game yesterday in town. A local girl had a huge
cooler filled with ice selling chilled Atlas beers for .50. The
photos are not attached but others are of the land I talked up earlier
for $170k. It is the semi build house with the torn thatched room
and the canoes on the land. You can see Bocas across the water
from the property which is a huge advantage to draw people over for the
bar/restaurant. Lots of land and HUGE tress to build tree cabins
on. This land is truly a money maker but I am not giving up on find
$3000 lots. 
Along the way I saw a rodeo and took some good photos. Went into town and tried to |
return the bike but it was closed. SO I went to watch the soccer game. They ran out of
beers before I got there. The locals were all fired up and boozed up yelling at the
players. It was a scene to say the least. I again was the only white person there as it
is normally for me here. After the game I went to the bike place again and tried to find
him but he was no where. I even had a local help me but he was no where to be found.
So, I went across the street to the Billiard bar to have a few beers and listen the
Reggaeton music playing. Met some local girls, hung out and they talked about the
lore of this place and their familias.I got allot of good info from them. I bought them 4
rounds at .60 each. What a bargain. Took off at 7pm, saw the bike guy and told him
about my predicament on the 6th bike. He told me I destroyed his entire fleet of bikes
and that I was not getting another one. I pleaded to please reconsider but he said,
" NO MORE BIKE FOR YOU", like the soup Nazi in Seinfeld. I don't blame him but
now I am without transportation. A taxi ride to town is $10 the cost of a nights stay.
I am not sure if I will stay here much longer. I love it here but there is no surf and I am
getting bored. I am going to try and take a bus to the other side and check it out. I
know it is not as beautiful as it is here but I need surf and I am ready for another
adventure. I plan to leave in the morning for Admirante then bus it to Playa Las Lajas.
This town shows swell and it is far from Panama City, off the beaten path. I will go up
to Costa Rica from there to Pavones and then up the coast towards San Jose where I
will depart on June 11th if all works out.
The
surf was 20 foot today. It was so big I took three waves and got
the hell out of there. The last wave was so big it knocked the wind
out of me. I was so amped going down this bomber that I forgot to
breath. The waves are 100 yard rights and that means a very
lonnnnnngg paddle back to the break as well as the longest wave I ever
rode. Even after all the running before I came here and the 4.5 mile
sweat feat bike rides in Bocas, all the walking and pushups I have been
doing to prepare myself every night I was still way under shape for
these waves. Yesterday it was 6 to 8 foot and perfect. On shore winds
definitely hindered the true potential of these enormous giants but it
was not noticeable yesterday. The waves yesterday were so perfect I
could not get out of the water till my arms hurt so bad that I had to
float back into shore which is about 200 yards away. I actually had
to kick my way back most of the way. Huge off the lip, long bottom
turn, easy tube rides that forgave you for being inside for so long.
I felt as though I was in a cave most of the session yesterday with
the sound of hollowness all around me. I love the waves here but the
crowds well. This the best place in Panama for surf so of course it
attracts the best surfers from all around the world. As I mentioned
yesterday the books were signed by Australians, French and Brazilians
to name a few countries. I found two other Americans here. One from
California and another from Florida. 
I
helped some kids down the beach past where most people go move their
hand built canoe up to their shore line. Since it was very low tide it
was huge task for me. I think I lost 10lbs moving that canoe. It was
heavy as a car. The kids could not have been more than 8 years old
and naked. It was like a scene from a move. I was going fishing so I
bought my tackle with me in a small box. It was like they never saw
anything like it. they were so excited I gave them a few items. I felt
like I was effecting the rest of their lives, it was crazy. They caught
a bird of some sort. It looked like a seagull. They were
going to eat. It was tied up by the neck with a rope. I wondered
if they did this type of hunting often. Crazy stuff but no photos.
I wish I had my camera. I will go back and try and find them again
and bring more things I promised them. I will take photos then.
Moving
on today to find some surf that's not to crazy and less crowded.
Its supposed to drop today as well and pick up on the 31st so I
want to be in a place that's not so crowded and so BIG. I am not
afraid of the big surf I just don't want to share it with others and
have to duck under them when they are riding these giants. It gets
super dangerous when you have to rely on their abilities to not hit
you in the water. I would much rather rely on myself not hitting the
bottom than them running over my head or my back. NO need to hit any
hospitals when I am here. I would rather avoid injury but will
sacrifice good surf for a few scratches any day. 
the extra pounds in the water and see it with my shirt off all the
time. Americans would pay HUGE dollars to lose weight this fat
in the USA. Maybe I should setup a fat burning camp here, hummm
another idea. The people could just sit around and sweat their
fat off. Perfect for the fatties out there like me right now. 
I
was trying to get to Nicaragua today but it does not look possible so
I am going to go back to Costa Rica and get to Pavones or Dominical
before the big swell gets here. Looks like we are going to get a big
one. California is going to get hit as well. Get out there JB. 
Hawaii
has its Sunset Beach, Puerto Rico has its Rincon, Panama has its
Santa Catalina, California has Rincon Santa Barbara and Costa Rica has
Pavones. The longest Left in the World I think. Its is the best
wave besides Rincon, PR that I have ever surfed. I love a reef
point break. I hope I never have to surf another beach break
again, but I will in Newport. I forgot how awesome a point beach is. I
forgot how awesome a reef break is. I always loved a reef break and I
now I remember why. Feed cut and bruised, arm sore, body brown, smile
on my face at all times. I already prepaid for 12 days at $5.50
per night on the water at the breaks tail. Pavones is what I
have been looking for the past 3 weeks. It always works out that
I find the best spot the last 10 days of my trip. Thank god it
was the last 13 so now I have more time to enjoy this place. 
I
left Golfito yesterday after waiting at the bus stop for 1.5 hours
only to take 4 more buses to finally arrive in Dominical where I was
floored to find it has been taken over my gringos like myself. So
many new. I hated it so much I arrived at 7pm last night and took off
at 5:30am this morning for Playa Hermosa to meet up with Ron. I
figured if Playa Hermosa was crap I would still have time to save my
soul and get to the Caribbean, Puerto Viejo for a few days. So far its
been raining, I had to pay $30 a night for my place. The surf is
closing out. I had to walk to Jaco from Playa Hermosa today because I
missed the bus. Its about 4 miles up and down hills in steaming 100
degree heat. 
I
am sorry but I don't have any photos for you today. I walked here as
aforementioned and its raining so its a good thing I don't have my
camera. Ron and I will hopefully find some good surf later on today.
Oh yea I hooked up with Ron Kaplan. He is staying right next door to
me in another set of Cabañas on the beach break that is closing out.
Hopefully tomorrow or later we will hit it good.
Playa
Hermosa has been ok. I love my cabana and its great to have a friend
to hangout with from my hometown in Newport Beach, Ron Kaplan. As far
as surf, I got drilled in the morning by the biggest set waves of the
day. I was dragged down to the bottom and not let up for a spell
before I rose to the waterline to get drilled again by another bomber.
This time I swallowed my share of water and saw the dark light of the
tunnel. I pushed my way to the top and tried to make it back out to
took it as a sign that my surf adventures might be coming to an end
here in Costa Rica. I waddled to shore, licked my wounds and laid
there praying to Zeus to allow me to go back in the water. 
We
got out of the water, went to look at few spots by our place then
decided it was Imperial O clock. We took a bunch of cold Imperial
brews up the top mezzanine over his place on the water, Ron pulled out
his ipod, we talked story, watched the waves get better as we got
drunker and drooled over the crowd of surfers getting good waves in
front of us. At 7pm or so we called it quits, took showers and Ron
went to meet up with some friends he met in Mainland Mexico a few
weeks prior who he hooked back up with here in Playa Hermosa. I met
them, good guys, and a few were great surfers, one runs a surf camp
here and knows all the best spots. No wonder Ron made friends with
them. He is good like that. 
so far in my lifetime. From Costa Rica's Caribbean coast across to
Panama's Bocas Del Toro Islands, through the wide open countryside
onto the pacific of Panama where I made many stops and back up the
pacific side of Costa Rica. Many stories you have already read and
many that cant not be explained simply in an email, especially when it
is all dial up access here. 
I
found a room in a Tica house for $20 a night near the airport. Ron
drove me and a buddy Johnny to the airport yesterday since he wanted
to leave and so did Johnny due to the fact that they could not get
good surf in Playa Hermosa. I told them to go to the Caribbean and
play in the warm blue waters of Puerto Viejo for a few days before
they have to leave on Tuesday. Smaller surf was forecasted but that
place is heaven compared to the Pacific side in my opinion. I wont
come back to the Pacific unless its Pavones. Next time I come this way
I will make sure to assure the surf on the Caribbean side is firing. I
love that coast. 
name
but not the hotel. (Ron already left me on the street to drop off the
rental car.) This Mango Hotel was $100 a night, out of my budget.
Luckily the girl at the front desk was nice enough to help me get a
local Tico to drive me to the right hotel. When he gets there he
advises that the place only has shared room which I was not going to
go for. He says I have a friend who has a nice house you can rent a
room from. I am into adventures, as you know, so I go for it. It turns
out to be a little old lady and her cute old husband who have a house
with nice rooms. They call it a bed and breakfast and even have a
website. I have use of their living room, kitchen and a nice room with
my own bathroom. I think its $20 but I am not sure since I haven't
paid yet. 
