MY BROTHER GINO'S VISIT

This really has been a wonderful year, especially for me with my family visiting. First my niece Tiffany, then my brother Marco, Barbara, Felicia and Ramon, then my niece Stefania and just 3 weeks later her dad, my brother Gino arrived. This was really exciting as we were not as much in contact as with Marco. And he came alone so I had him all to myself. This has been the furthest he’s ever traveled, not to mention by himself. Since Cindy had to go into Panama City she offered to do the driving. We spent the day shopping and at 5pm drove to the airport to pick Gino up. 

By then the skies over the mountains had darkened and it was getting darker by the minute. There was no doubt in my mind that we would get a thunderstorm. It did not take long for Gino to get out of customs and oh gosh was it good to hug him after some 8 years. The second we stepped through the doors the clouds let go. There was one crack of thunder after another and we watched several lightning bolts hitting right at the airport. Even though the walk area to the parking structure is covered and still we got a pretty good spray of the rain and were wet by the time we got to the car. The drive from here to the Metro Mall where our turn off is turned into a nightmare. There was so much rain, alongside the road was one waterfall after another and the street was flooded with up to 12 inches that the traffic came to a standstill. The normally 10 minute drive to the turnoff turned into 2 hours. Pat was on the other side of the road from us and it took her 2 hours to get to the airport where she arrived just on time for her son’s arrival.

Us, instead of arriving at home at 8 we arrived at 11. Poor Cindy I felt bad for her having to do the driving while Gino and I sat in the back seat sipping on champagne and catching up. I have to admit thought it was nice having a chauffeur.

Gino was impressed with his home surrounded by jungle and ocean for 10 days and of course first thing he wanted to do is meet Mr. Dooger. He indeed is a very unique creature and Gino was in awe.

Walk along Puerto Lindo

Found this beautiful property but unfortunately it's not for sale

His fist day was spent in Puerto Lindo so he could acclimate to the humidity plus to get over jet lag. While walking along the boardwalk we ran into our neighbors from Luxemburg, who own the dive resort next door. They were just getting ready to jump into the boat and go over to Mame Island for a couple of beers at sunset and invited us to join them. So Gino got to see the best part of this area on his first day, which was on the agenda for his second day.

Would you like some of this or......

This?!!!!

Our neighbor Patrick

and Partner Patrick with friend

Gino enjoying it

Mario my langostino guy

Beautiful Sunset

That did not stop us from going anyway. Just like Stefania he was taken by the beauty of Isla Mame. This time we brought Ollie, he was still with us due to his injury and you could tell he wanted to go run again, so this was a treat for him. The second his paws hit the sand he turned into a puppy again. It was so funny when I came out of the water after snorkeling I saw something like a head stuck in the sand. Ollie had dug him into the sand, too funny. 

It was a glorious day hiking the island, snorkeling and just sitting in the water cooling off. Debbie joined us and as always she finds all kind of underwater creature, this time another coral banded shrimp plus a huge puffer fish.

Debbie caught a lion fish

Cute puffer

Gino found a banana flower for salad

Gino could not wait to see the Panama Canal so that was the next day’s itinerary. On our drive to the canal we noticed these huge condo looking like things. It hit me right away what is was since I had just received an email about it. I was so excited and found the next dirt road that went out to the area of the gigantic new gates for the locks of the new canal. My guess is that one of those gates is the size of 4 old canal gates.

After that little detour we arrived at Gatun locks and I could not believe my eyes that the parking lot was full and there were hundreds of people heading up the stairs and stuck on the stairs. I realized then that Friday is not such a good time to visit as they unload busloads of tourists. I did a quick U-turn and instead drove across the canal to the Fort Sherman side and out to Fort San Lorenzo.

By the crossing of Shelter bay and Fort Lorenzo we opened the window so that we could hear howler monkeys and it didn’t take long when they started complaining about us driving through. I stopped and when I stepped out of the car I could not believe that they actually were right above our car. It was a family of 4 adults with at least 7 babies. 

They looked just as interested in us as we were in them and they never attempted to throw anything at us what they usually do, especially being this close. At the park’s entrance the guy that collects the fee recognized me and did not charge me as tour guides don’t have to pay. So I am now officially a tour guide LOL. After walking around Fort San Lorenzo and taking many photos we took a side road I’ve never driven. It took us to the bottom of the Chagres River which was really pretty plus we learned that the beach there is the home of crocodiles.  We did walk the narrow somewhat beach but did not encounter one.

Then it was off to Shelter Bay Marina for lunch and after that back to the Gatun Locks which now belonged to us, all the tourists had left. Gino was fascinated watching the big ships getting lowered into the Caribbean, we were there for a good 1 ½ hours.

The following day our Luxemburg neighbors took us on a boat ride around the corner to Playa Blanca. Sid and I haven’t been to yet. We drove the whole coast to the corner of Portobelo and checkout our every bay. One of them was so incredibly beautiful with an entrance through a mangrove which was hidden by an island that you would never guess is one. Too bad there are some reefs to get to this bay but I think we will check it out if it is possible to get with our boat into the deep mangrove bay which is totally protected.

Does not look like an island does it?

Looks how clear th water is

I'd love to anchor here

 In Playa Blanca we hit the beach and feasted on shrimp, cold cuts, cheese, champagne and beers I had brought, and then enjoyed the cool water.

Another Paradise found, what a beautiful bay and beach. Unfortunately the water and beach was littered with hundreds if not thousands of little puffer fish. The worst thoughts came to our minds, like local fishermen using bleach to catch fish or some boat having spilled toxins. 

I brought some lunch

Gino is still having fun

So is everybody else

Wonder what he is thinking?!

 We were curious what had happened to these poor little fellers. I took some photos and sent them into the Smithsonian Institute in Panama and a few hours later I had some responds  that these little puffers are not that hardy when the temperature of the water changes. With just 5 degrees of a difference they can die. A few days later I took Gino on the back side of Isa Linton snorkeling and there we also saw many dead little puffers but all the other reef fish were unharmed. That put our theory of man involvement away.

The 10 days Gino was here went by rather fast. We managed to go to Portobelo and hiked the ruins across the bay and the water taxi took us up the river, then Gino got a horrible stomach ache, we returned home and went back a couple days later to finish off the tour of Portobelo which left him with one day. 

He chose to go snorkeling on his last day, that’s when I took him to the back side of Isla Linton also a first for me. Wow, what a beautiful reef, then I found a hole in the reef with an underwater cave, I followed a crack in the reef then it dropped off by at least 40 feet, just beautiful.

The whole in the reef

Driving Gino back to the airport I asked him what impressed him the most. He didn’t hesitate saying snorkeling but then his thinking for a few seconds he said that he really was impressed by the Panama Canal, a must see. As I always say you have not been to Panama if you haven’t seen the canal.

On his last day he also did get to see a baby boa slithering up the drive way and just one day after he left Sid found a scorpion and a very weird flat spider.

It was just wonderful having Gino here and he promised to come visit us next year when we are in the San Blas. I can’t wait.  By the way he couldn’t have asked for better weather, it only rained a couple of times on his arrival and on his last two days.

Here a few of Gino's photos:

Langostinos baked over with Bechamel and Parmesn

Chateaux Briand

Road trip with Reg and Deb

Gino's first lobster

Giant crab

Noodel

By far the best Seafood Meal we've ever had

Hair cut in the jungle

Ping Pong Sunday

Add caption

Gino's bacon wrapped Lechees grilled

Leg of lamb

Smoked Lox, Tuna and Mero

Dinner table at the Boatbumms

Vietnamese Soup

With Gino leaving the sun left us too, we are getting the daily rains again and occasional very strong thunderstorms.

This was awesome having my brother here!

 The Domino Divas still meet every Thursday afternoon. I don’t play Mexican Train often but I do go meet them after they are done and join them for potluck and drinks. If one of the Diva’s has a BD it is celebrated. It was Pat’s turn and since I know that she loves  Fondue Bourguignon I suggested that and organized it at Binnie’s new apartment. It was a huge hit, she loved it and so did all the other Divas.

Green Papaya Salad, Banana Flower Salad, Cucumber Salad, Waldorf Salad, Blue Cheese Caulsalw

Chicken, Turkey, Pork filet, Fillet Mignon, Mushrooms and Shrimp

 

A while back Anita brought me a whole bunch of trains, which I turned into Necklaces with matching earrings and every time a Diva has her Birthday, she gets her train jewelry:

CLOD life goes on with Sid varnishing  the teak on Paradise plus all the work with the hard dodger. He was so frustrated when he screwed the top to the frame the fiberglass cracked and he has to patch it up again but not to worry he has been practicing for a long time now and is learning. We had to get some more primer and oh well the painting will have to wait a while longer.

But life is good and the saga on land continues….. And so does bird patrol.

Breakfast with Dooger. I love this little guy!!!!!