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Characters Welcome…in Bocas del Toro

DB – This travel article by Linda evoked many memories. Like many of you, even though we had traveled extensively overseas, decades ago we always looked forward to the next International Living magazine.  At the time, IL was pushing the Bocas del Toro area. You could buy beachfront land cheap then plant, I believe, mahogany trees and noni plants. Never bought any of the land but I wonder how the parcels are doing now.
By Linda Ferguson
We had been looking forward to this trip for several months, especially knowing we would be escaping the heat of April in Granada. Panama, here we come! The planning involved the use of two separate airlines and the booking of 2 different hotel rooms in order to be in the right places at the right times. So we had to stop over in San Jose, Costa Rica, for two nights of the trip. The hotel I booked in Bocas on Isla Colon I had found via internet. It purported lovely rooms with balconies/patios and looked to be situated on a pristine white sand beach. WRONG! Talk about false advertising – the nearest beach was either all the way across the island or on another island altogether!
And why is it that every time my husband and I book a hotel room in paradise it is always the last room down right next to the maid’s area? We slid open the glass doors to our patio and saw our lovely view of the back end of the deli next door. But, the room and bath were nice and comfortable. We went to the front of the hotel for breakfast where the view took in a warehouse across the street next to a garbage dump. One morning I had to laugh, though, as the view included two tiled benches, three Chinese men sitting on one bench and three Guatemalans on the other.
The small town of Bocas had only one main drag lined with bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and artisan shops. There were people from all over the world either walking the streets or working in the establishments. Realizing that to find a beach we would have to take a launch to a neighboring island, we did so. We swam in the bathtub temp waters of a beach, finding an occasional sandy bottom spot amongst all the sea grasses. But the shrimp and margaritas at Bibi’s were most enjoyable.
The next day we walked all over the town stopping at the occasional “watering hole” and met a whole host of interesting characters. Mainly American expats or Canadians or backpackers, their stories kept us entertained. A couple from Texas had moved there 10 years prior, and after turning down any real estate on Isla Colon, bought their own island! Our new Texan friend had broken his back 3 times and was wearing a brace. He explained that he had broken it twice via the military and this last time via a fall from his boat!
We met another couple at an out of the way “authentic” Mexican place who had moved to the northwestern part of the island 20 years ago. They chronicled to us all the changes they had seen over the years as they suggested we try Gary’s margaritas. Gary, the owner of Gringo’s Mexican, was yet another character, and one of his waiters was a pretty stoned-out looking Rastafarian who never stopped grinning. At Gary’s place we also met two young female backpackers who told us about their journeys. They had met up recently to fly back to Canada together, glad for each other’s company, especially since two Dutch girls had gone missing on the mainland a month earlier.
Then there was Fabian, a waiter from the neighboring hotel, who became our fast friend as he served us one of the toughest steaks we ever ate. His dream of going to San Jose to culinary school was all he could talk about.
One of the most interesting evenings for me was our foray into “Barracuda” restaurant situated on a dock overlooking the sea. It was being run by a mother-son team of Italian descent, and the dynamics of their interactions made me both wince and smile. He would roll his eyes whenever his mom barked an order to him. I noticed that whenever he had to make a drink, he made sure to “test” a glassful of the concoction to make sure it was customer suitable! I guess that made it easier to get through yet another shift with mom.
Bocas may not have been the most beautiful place we’ve ever been, but the people we met, “the characters”, made it all worthwhile. However, it made me wish we’d been there years ago when our bodies could have weathered better all the water sports, boating, ATV’ing without having to worry about aching bones, joints, hips. Not to mention the fear of falling after one too many of Gary’s margaritas! Oh, and did I mention that it rained our last two days there? After four months of a rainless Granada, we had to go on vacation just to experience rain again! Ain’t that always the way it happens? Oh, and did I mention that upon our return home there was no water, power, gas in the tank, or minutes on my phone? I think I’m ready for another vacation….
Linda Ferguson

 

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