June 26, 2014
Today is day 6 of our Bocas del Toro adventure 2014.  Since my memory tends to fail me from time to time these days will try to get this blog up and running while I am still able to do so.
Day 1- Was, of course, the flight down.  Uneventful.  No delays, missing luggage, etc.  We took a cab from the Panama City airport to the Milan hotel which proved to be quite comfortable.  ($66) Had a nightcap in the bar before heading to bed.
Day 2 -.  A cab to the bus terminal where we purchased tickets to David (pronounced Dah- Veed) $15 each, 7 hour trip.  Double Decker bus and we had the premier seats up top in front!  The route to David (Dah-Veed) is surprisingly straight, passing through a wide valley of what appears to be mostly farmland.  From the bus terminal we took a taxi to the Alcalar Hotel. Again quite comfortable. ($41)  Another nightcap before bed.
Day 3- A small bus to Almirante this a.m.  The scenery over the mountains and across the continental divide was spectacular.  An interesting trip became even more so when we realized that we qualified for chicken bus status with chickens in a cardboard box across the aisle from us and a potato sack with what must have been a couple of wiggling piglets flung on top of the bus as we left the terminal.  Along the way we picked up and left off many travelers , some of whom were firmly pressed, one against the other, in the aisle leaving the bus helper hanging off the side of the bus. It was an even more interesting  trip than the day before.
We were met at the terminal in Almirante by the people for whom we are house sitting and taken by boat to their home (lovely home!)Pictures to follow! Dinner at Rana Azul. More details to follow on Rana Azul as well.
Day 4- We followed Jan and Brent around trying to learn the dos and don'ts of off grid living.  Dinner included  an incredible meatloaf that I will have a recipe for at a future date.
Day 5- We took  Jan and Brent to Almirante to catch a bus and then back to the house where we did nothing.  Stayed home and enjoyed the absence of anything that needed to be done!
Day 6- Off to Bocas del Toro for a shopping trip early this a.m.  Had some difficulty figuring out the GPS but made it into town fine and bought supplies for the next week.  Only forgot a few things!Heavy rain coming back but as an Oregonian, that is never a problem!