After
our Costa Rica trip we did another Transit through the canal Sid’s 7th
and my 6th time, this one was
a challenge as the owner of the boat we were on was tough to deal with, the
advisor was pretty upset by the time we were though, as I said each transit is
a new adventure.
It was a smooth transit
and of course was celebrated with some champagne, then we headed for Pizza
night and from there Sid and I took a taxi to the bus terminal to catch our bus
to Costa Rica. The bus left at Midnight and luckily the two seats next to us
were unoccupied so we spread out and managed to sleep a bit more comfortable
than in just one narrow seat. There were two stops along the way to the border,
the second at 6am. There we waited and waited not knowing what was going on but
the bus just didn’t seem to want to head on. Then we finally realized that we
were at the border. Imagine the border not opening until 7am, so we waited. 2
other buses were there already so we knew it was going to be a slow border
crossing. Sure enough at 7 all our luggage came out and we had to move with
them into a small room with tables along the wall with just enough room to
stand behind the table and the wall. When all were in the sweaty room they let
us sweat for about 5 minutes while customs agent stared at each one of us then
he pointed at the door and said “go”. So all the luggage without inspection was
put back into the bus hold and we were pointed to the windows where the
immigration agents sat. Of course only one window was open and a gazillion
people standing in line. The bus took off and headed across the border to wait
for us in Costa Rica. Once the passport was stamped out and a photo of us was
taken we had to walk at least 5 minutes along a gravel road with lots of water
filled potholes until we reached the Costa Rican immigration border. There we
stood again in a long line and waited out turn at the only open window to get
checked into Costa Rica. Once done we had to get our luggage out once more and
like cattl stood in line in a caged area waiting our turn for the custom guy to
briefly search our luggage. The whole ordeal took 3 hours before we continued
our journey towards San Jose. No wonder the trip takes 19 hours. By the way
there are guys trying to sell Movistar sim cards don’t buy one they only work
in San Jose and a very few places, Kölbi is the way to go.
If you are planning to
take the bus from Panama to San Jose I would suggest taking the Tica Bus as at
the San Jose Terminal when you exit the bus you are in the lobby of its own
hotel. Simple rooms but clean for 37 dollars but not the best area to walk
around after dark. We bought a rotisserie chicken found some rum and wine and rested
for the night. The bus transportation in San Jose is very interesting; there is
not one Bus Terminal there are hundreds depending where you have to go. They are
in all corners of town which is a little intimidating. Luckily the bus terminal
we had to take to Mansion was just around the corner from this one.
After 6 hours of traveling
we arrived in Mansion and conveniently were let off the bus next to an open
window bar. Since Jeanette wasn’t anywhere to be seen we ordered a cold beer
and there she was stepping out of the little convenient store across the road.
It was a happy reunion.
Jeanette lives about 19
miles from Mansion a place a few miles from Hojancha. At 2200 feet above sea
level with had the most spectacular view over the Golfo de Nicoya. What a
beautiful place, house, view, everything. The house sits in the middle of
Jeanette’s coffee and orange plantation. Unfortunately she is going to put the
house on the market after her husband’s passing and she will move back to
Australia. If anybody is interested in her property get in touch with us.
We had a wonderful time
catching up with Jeanette and time was running away. She drove us to Samora
where we met her friend Angel again we had met in 2000.
The roads of Guanacaste, Costa Rica:
 |
| Guanacaste Roads |
We were just done having
lunch when Kathy and her boyfriend arrived. There is never dull moment when you
get together with Kathy! There are two ways to get to Nosara from Samora, the
unpaved main road or the unpaved road which crosses several rivers. We took the
river road and at the first river we pulled off the road and drove on the rocky
riverbed, stopped and out came the cooler with beer, rum, vodka and sodas and a
pellet gun and so we started shooting a few targets until it was Sid’s turn
when the gun broke. Back on the road
across several more flowing rivers then onto a beach and a fun drive along the
beach dodging horses and fishing pangas, it was a fun ride to her house.
 |
| Ready for the Party? |
We drove miles and miles
on nothing but dirt roads to beaches north from her place where we found some
coves that might be suitable to anchor and definitely will be investigated. I
have to add that when we were in this area 14 years ago the government promised
to tar the road. 14 years later they still are promising to tar it but nothing
has been done and nothing will be done, such a shame.
One day we just hung out
the south end of Playa Guiones and watching locals catch fish in the surf while
pelicans had a feast themselves.
We celebrated Valentine’s Day at Dolce Vita and
had the best Italian food since I left Switzerland in 85. Costa Rica is very,
very expensive canned beers at a restaurant/bar cost 3 to 4 dollars.
We ate burgers
for 14 dollars; it was excellent but hello 14 dollars so we were pleasantly
surprised to see the fair priced menu of Dolce Vita. I ordered the Tuna tartar
for an appetizer it was big enough for a main dish.
 |
| These trees were blooming everywhere |
We did so much in such a
short time it seemed we were there for weeks. Kathy was leaving for California
the same day our bus was back to David so we took a shuttle together to San
Jose. Since our bus would have arrived in David late at night, I searched the
web for flights and found an incredible deal to fly from San Jose to David 211
bucks for us both. I booked the flight and later Kathy printed it out for us
and I stashed it with our passports. We arrived at the airport 3 hours too
early for the flight went through the airport tax line, paid 28 dollars each
and were going to the Air Panama counter, but there was none. So we asked at
the information desk were it was, they said there is no flight out of San Jose
today not till Thursday, which was two days later. Really?!! We showed him our
ticket, he looked at it and said you’re ticket is from Panama City to David!!!
I tell you when I booked it, it said San Jose. After Kathy had printd the
ticket I placed it without reading it with our passport. So we were at the
airport, at first I called Air Panama and was told to come to the office on
Paseo Colon to return the tickets. Yikes the taxi wanted 30 dollars to get us
into town. Since we knew there were buses we found the bus station a bus was
already there and told the driver to let us off at Paseo Colon Plaza Mercedes.
It cost us 3 dollars combined. It was about a 20 minute bus ride to Plaza
Mercedes and just before we arrived there I told Sid that I wished I knew where
that cute Bed and Breakfast was I stayed in 2000 when I had to pick up the heat
exchanger while we were in Quepos. Just about done telling him we drove by the
DHL store and just a couple houses passed I saw the Bed and Breakfast and the
next crossing was Plaza Mercedes all within a short walking distance. We got
our tickets refunded expect for 20 dollar each for processing and were told it
would take 3 months to get the money back, hmm? Then we headed to the BB which now
is a Hotel. It was exactly the same as I had seen it in 2000, they even put us
in the same room but we seemed to be the only people in the hotel.
We had
dinner at the same Chinese Restaurant I remembered and the food was as good as
then.
I had changed our bus
ticket twice already, the last time from David to Panama City and now I had to
change it back. The hotel clerk told me that there were other buses that went
directly to David and the Taca Terminal was just around the corner. She gave me
directions to it, two blocks down and one over. I followed her directions and ended
up at the Tico Terminal where we had spent the first night. Wow, it’s just
around the corner, had we known we could have had a nicer dinner. I found out
that the Taca bus terminal was a 20 dollar round trip so disappointed I went
back to the hotel. When the clerk heard that she grabbed me by the hand took me
outside stopped a taxi and told him to take me to the Taca bus station for the
regular 5 dollars. He was so nice he waited until I had the tickets and drove
me back to the hotel and didn’t charge for the 10 minutes he had to wait. So
next morning early we were on a direct bus to David.
In David a 30 minute taxi
ride took us in front of Larry and Dotty’s house in Boquete.
We haven’t see Larry since
Venezuela. Dotty visited at Sandy and Dale’s in Marathon, she flew in in her
private plane and took us for a spin around the keys and let me fly her plane.
They are settled in Boquete and love living there.
We had planned to just
spend a couple nights but Dotty talked us into staying 3 extra nights on top of
that. On Sunday I was volunteered to be a volunteer at the clinic. Wow what an
organization. The clinic is a one room building with kitchen, separate bathroom
and storage room. A covered patio was the waiting room.
An animal entering for the
procedure was first weight then Dotty adjusted the anesthesia and administered
it to the pet, the pet was place on a mat until asleep then transported to a
table where one person was shaving the area for surgery, one person either
clipping the ear (stray cat) or tattooing inside the ear N or S for neutered or
spayed. By the way each time an animal needs to be transported from one area to
the next “Taxi” is called out and the transporting guys would show up. Next
station was the waiting table for the surgery where the animals are covered
with warm blankets and monitored.
Then as soon as an
operating table was open the animal was taxied for surgery.
There were 5 Veterinarians
that each last Sunday of the months travel from Costa Rica to Boquete and 2 US
volunteer veterinarians, which one is Sandy of Little Bit we met at Binnie’s.
She lives part time here and the other in Puerto Lindo.
After the surgery is done
they are taxied to a station where the wound is cleaned. Next station is the
recovery area. Along the wall are plenty of blankets spread out for bigger
dogs. 6 tables are available for smaller dogs and cats and one table with
heating pads for pets that have too low temperature. Each pet gets a nurse and
every 15 minutes they measure their temperature and cool them down if fever or
put them under the heating pads if cold. Each animal is rubbed down with loving
care and brought back out of their narcosis. It’s a really rewarding
experience.
My first job was cleaning
the instruments which gave me a good look at the surgeries itself and now and
then when an animal woke up to soon I’d rush over there to hold their little
paws down and the head until another anesthesia was administered. There were a
couple of pets where the anesthesia did not work, poor things. When Dottie’s
big dog was fixed I changed my place and helped him in recovery. It took him
forever, I think he liked the attention and just milked it. Then I helped a few
more dogs at one time 2 at the same time that was a challenge until one of the
parents proudly told me: this is my dog. I invited her to sit next to her dog
and rub him down, she was overjoyed. The parents of the animals are more than
welcome to watch or assist.
I headed back to the
sanitizing station again as I really enjoyed watching the surgeries. Larry took
me to one of the vets and together we watched up close the surgery together and
he in details explained what the doctor was doing, after that whenever I saw it
was needed I jumped in to assist a vet.
This was an incredible,
incredible experience I would volunteer any time again.
 |
| Dotty administering the Anesthesia and Taxi holding the little critter |
 |
| All fallen asleep and labeled how much anesthesia they received |
 |
| My favorite station to stylize the instruments |
 |
| Preparation for the surgery, shaving and tattooing |
 |
| A parent by his dog's side |
 |
| Doctor Sandy at work |
 |
| Cleaning and sterilizing the wound |
 |
| Recovery area for bigger animals |
 |
| Smaller pets recovery on the tables |
 |
| Heating pad table |
We had a great time and
promised to visit again. There was no way to change our ticket for the 5th
time which was an overnight bus arriving in Panama City at 3am, so we bought a
new ticket. 11 bucks each wow. We made it on time to Sixt car rental place
before closing and since we were the last customers they had run out of the Kia
we reserved and got a double upgrade.
This the most fun filled 3
weeks we have had in a long time with so much to remember.
Stepping into the cockpit of
our home we immediately smelled the odor of cat urine. Two days before we left
a French derelict boat came floating into the marina; side towed by his wife in
the dinghy and for sure would have crashed into our neighbor across from us who
just bought his catamaran. We helped the boat safely on the dock. They had a
cute and very friendly cat onboard but unfortunately the owners neglected to
neuter that little critter and as we came walking back from the shower we saw
it come from our boat. Too late, he had marked our cockpit already. Of course
we complained and were told that the boat would be moved to another slip as he
was in an emergency slip. Two days after we left they did move the boat about 5
slips down from ours.
So we’re home and again
and as I went down below I found balls of fur on the floor and the odor
intensified. We have a small porthole that can’t be closed and Sid secured it
with a towel but the stupid cat found it anyway. The smell was so strong I
could not pin point it. I woke up every time I turned over to this piss smell.
The boat smelled like a urinal, no wait…….. it was a urinal the cat even pissed
on the bed I slept in.
We cleaned the best we
could but did not want to have our rental car sitting in the parking lot
wasting our money away due to the cat, so we dealt with the smell.
 |
| Chateau Briand |
 |
| Torta Marquesa a recipe I got in Venezuela |
In the mean time the cat
odor is gone, the owner received a laundry bill and I promised him that I would
fix the cat. It was kinda funny when I told him. With his limited English he
asked “Fix???” and I said “cut his balls off”. His eyes got huge and he said: “but
he’ll die!!!” After explaining what I meant he said oh no that is mutilation.
Anyway, since there is a population of wild cats here I decided to organize a
spay and neuter program still in mind to fix his cat. A donation box is sitting
at the Mini Mart and in just 2 days we collected over 60 dollars.
The tom cat I found out
had his way with the young kitten already and Uli a Swiss guy decided to take
her in to get her spayed. As she was on the operating table the vet called him
in and next to her lay two kittens and he asked if he wanted to go ahead with surgery
or put the babies back. After she was spayed she recuperated next to our boat
in a huge cage and was spoiled with lots of affection an yummy treats. This
little kitten is so cute and so friendly; I wished we could find a home for
her.
Since the Tom cat had his
way with her already we realized he probably did have fun with the other female
as well so she was next to be brought to the vet. Both female cats when they came home from surgery I took care of them. The marina had a big cage we put on the dock next to the boat. We had each for three days before releasing and wow I was able to pet them both, they loved it. When I let the second one go, Ueli was standing by. She got out of her cage and went straight to the oldest male and they schmoozed each other up then she went to each other male and rubbed noses, that was so kewl but then I heard a little meow and OMG there was a little kitten coming out from under the trailer the cats live. Mommy walked over to the kitten sniffed it and walked away. Ueli had fed the cats for several months and didn't realize she was pregnant and when she disappeared 10 days ago and showed up again 5 days later didn't think she may have kittens. Had I known I would have never fixed her, not yet. I took the baby home as she rejected it. Sid asked if I was sure there was just one kitten, I went back and sure enough there was a second one, it could not see yet so with making noise I attracted it and finally it came to me. So we are kitty sitting two about 3 week old kittens and NO we will not keep them. Found a home for one and I think it's not going to be tough to find one for the other. In the mean time we are making sure they make it OK until they are about 6 weeks old. Can't find a kitty formula on milk here in Panama, Dr. Sandy said to mix 1 small can of evaporated milk with equal amounts of water, add an egg yolk, a Tps of veggie oil and 1 Tbls of active yogurt, they love it.
More about them later.
With Dr. Sandy's help we also will fix the 4 males.
In the mean time we have
ordered our new AGM Master Volt batteries and also a heat exchanger to fix our
motor. We ordered the heat exchanger on the 6th and paid 68 bucks for
3 day shipping with instructions it needs to be at destination on the 10th.
On the 9th we still did not receive an email with order or delivery
status so we called the company. The part had not been shipped yet and he
offered to overnight it for an extra 89 bucks. So we missed out on our shipment
on the 11th and have to wait until the 25th, bummer, two
extra weeks in this expensive marina. We were promised to get a refund of 30
dollars as they now would ship it ground, which was neglected too and was
shipped 3 day priority. We’ll remember that next time we need a heat exchanger.
So here we are finding
exotic places again to fix our boat. Sid started doing some varnish, I got busy
with the cat project, computer stuff, shopping and had a fun girls outing with
Debi and Ida. It was a last minute decision to join her in town and spend a
couple nights in her house. Since her BD was coming up Debi and I took the opportunity
and surprised her with a birthday dinner and presents at her house. The
funniest about this was when she picked us up. On our way to her house we were
stuck at the canal for 1 ½ hrs and since we had cold champagne in the car and a
crab quiche Debi made we enjoyed it in the car. Although we had no knife to cut
the quiche, I went through my purse to see if I had my Swiss Army knife with me
but nope, so I found my Trident chewing gum which is in a carton box and that
served as well as a knife. Problem solved.
At the marina store at
Shelter Bay they had one Saturday a BBQ, a cooler with beer and sodas and a
sign on the window with 20% off on everything in the store bought that day. I
asked if the dinghy’s were 20% off as well. They sure were. We are in need of a
new dinghy and the one we want is the 10 foot ultra light from AB. This store
quoted us last November 3750 for the dinghy, same in January and so we asked
again. The price was still the same so we said we would buy the dinghy. Now they
backtracked and said they don’t have one in stock, we said no problem we are
not in a hurry. So they told us to come back on Monday that they would honor
the sale and 20%. OK, Monday came and we went back into the store, now they
told us they had to get the real price for the dinghy, really and the battle
started. After 10 days there still was not a price, in the mean time I had
called Baranquilla myself and knew the retail price which was $300 less so I
told the girls I wanted to talk to the boss. Of course she did not let me and
she was the mediator. Day 14 still no price so I ordered the girl to dial his
number that I wanted to talk to him in person. Well it worked we finally got
the dinghy after I told him I knew what the retail price was and I give them
the amount they promised us they would honor.
He OK’d it and so I gave the phone to the girl for him to tell her what
the deal was and so we paid half down. They have no idea when it will come in
but as I said we are not in a hurry. We bought us a good dinghy for $3000, a
great deal.
Now we are waiting for our
shipment so Sid can install the new batteries and fix the motor, so we can head
back to the San Blas and have fun in the sun. My brother Gino worked over time
since his visit 1 ½ years ago and accumulated 2 weeks of vacation. I can’t wait
to spoil him in the San Blas.
In the mean time Sid is
doing some needed varnish and stainless steel stuff. I’m busy with the cat
project and also have some sewing projects ahead.
Never a dull moment in and
on Paradise!
Some fun in the Marina Bathroom:
 |
| Pedicure |
 |
| Facials |
 |
| Hair coloring |
 |
| Nail Polish |
 |
| and a lot of laughter |
 |
| Relax after Spa Day |
 |
| At the Marina Pool |
Some photos of a fun day with Ida in town and her surprise BD party:
The coffee in this region
is a coop organization. Everybody brings the coffee here they get paid half
then over the rest of the year they earn more money.
.jpg)