After three days, we had become surprisingly fond of Bocas Town. There’s something about the place that charms you despite the all the drunken tourists, all the trash on the street, and all that noise all night. It’s a lively and friendly place. We were particularly sad to leave the wonderful staff at the Bocas del Toro hotel, particularly our favorite, Johayvi at the front desk. We were originally supposed to go today spend two days with a group of Embera people, but at Carlos’ suggestion we decided to spend another day on Isla Colon, this time about a half hour out of Bocas Town on Playa Bluff or Bluff Beach. A taxi came to pick us up a little after ten. There was already another passenger there, a handsome but somewhat taciturn Swede named Adam. He lives in Stockholm and works in mergers and acquisitions. Like us, he had spent some time in Panama City before coming here, but he stayed at the Waldorf Astoria. We move in different circles.
The road to Bluff Beach turns into mud and ruts only a short way out of town. We were surprised when the cabbie told us that it had once all been paved, but that a large earthquake some years ago had caused the coral reef to drop and that exposed the road to the surf, washing it away. We had always heard that Panama did not get earthquakes. I guess they only get the less frequently than some of their Central American neighbors.
I am not sure why that call it Bluff Beach because there is nothing that would strike any Californians as anything that even looked passably like a bluff. But it is the longest, loveliest, and emptiest stretch of Caribbean beach you can imagine. The sand in soft and a striking reddish-gold. John and I enjoyed walking up and down it.
The waves here are notoriously treacherous and there are deadly riptides. So the only people who go in the water are surfers. It’s one of the best surfing spots in Central America.
John and I decided to walk through the jungle to see if we could see howler monkeys or sloths. We did not, unfortunately, though we did hear and see some fantastic birds.
At the end of one of the trails we found these basalt outcroppings. These began to suggest to us a little of the geological history of this area.
The hotel is fairly isolated, but it surprised us - and not always in a good way - what are party scene the area is. The Playa Bluff Lodge had a restaurant and bar on the property. There were a steady stream of surfers and other stopping by for a drink - well, we should be honest and admit that most had more than one - and maybe a bit to eat. There was quite a stir when these three showed up. We learned later that the one on the right is Felipe Beloj, a famous Panamanian football star.
The bar at our hotel has made some effort to be kid-friendly with a pool in the back. This allows mommy and daddy to get a little sloshed while the kids were relatively safe.
There was a second bar located right next to our hotel. It was a much wilder scene and the loud music was still going strong well after sunset. I think the drinks may have been cheaper and stronger because it was filled with surfers. The special tourist police also paid a visit while we were there.
The rooms at the Lodge are pretty spartan. The best party of the property is the garden behind the hotel. There are a remarkable number of tropical plants. While some are planted like trophies, many others have been artfully combined to create an effect of great tranquility and beautify.
We were assured that a sloth lives in a tree there, but we never managed to see it. Nor did we see any howler monkeys who are also known to pay a visit. We did see the resident alligator.
By late afternoon the crowds on the beach began to thin and John could not only find one hammock, but two. He found this a perfect spot for listening to the sound of the waves and his Andrew Byrd playlist.
At dinner we met a young couple from Ontario. They were staying at a nearby hotel. It turned out they had both trained to be PE teachers, so we were able to talk school shop for a bit. We also talked a good deal with Michelle who manages the restaurant and helps with hotel. She moved here recently from Toluca Lake. She really likes living in Panama, but admitted that the lack of internet service on Bluff Beach is giving her major Facebook withdrawals.
We also met the owners of the Lodge, a Dutch couple named Helen and Dieter. Helen has a lot of energy! She speaks Spanish fluently but with what even I could hear as a strong Dutch accent! They have a house in Bocas town and return there at night with their daughter.
Tomorrow we have to get up early because we are headed inland to Silico Creek to spend some time in a indigenous community.
