Looking for Leatherbacks

One might think that after seeing so much wildlife on my night hike with Brian, I would be ready to sleep in a bed at night instead of prowling around looking for critters. But not so fast! There was one big animal on the list that I was dying to see, and I needed to take advantage of the fact that I was in one of the best places in the world, at one of the best times of the year to see it. I am referring to the almighty Leatherback sea turtle.

These gigantic marine reptiles can reach over 2 meters in length (7 ft) and weigh up to 650 kg (1,500 lbs)... that's a lot of turtle! Unlike other sea turtles, the chances of seeing them while scuba diving are nearly impossible since they prefer wide open water and can't be found cruising along reefs like green, hawksbill,  and loggerhead turtles can. So when I figured out I might have a chance to see one while here in Costa Rica, I knew I had to jump on it.

The nesting season for the Leatherbacks runs from February to July according to most sources, but the "high season" is in April and May. Perfect. Also just so happens that one of their favorite beaches for nesting is located right along the border between Costa Rica and Panama, not far from where I was hanging out. This area is known to humans as the Gandoca Manzanilla Reserve, and it protects a massive stretch of southern Caribbean beach from any development so that the turtles can come ashore without being disturbed by light pollution. 

So the stage was set. I had just arrived back into Puerto Viejo from Brian's place, and it was about 3 pm. I had to decide whether to check back in to the hostel that evening and arrange my turtle expedition for the next night "con calma" as they would say here... or I could act on my feet and try to figure out a way to find the turtles that night. I couldn't bear to think of missing a chance to see one, so I hurried down to the ATEC (Talamanca Association of Ecotourism and Conservation) office and chatted with the woman about my options. 

She answered my pleading question, "Yes, they have seen turtles there recently." I knew I had to go. First she tried to sell me expensive packages where someone would drive me there and back. I explained I had no money, so she leveled with me and told me how to take a bus and a taxi in order to find myself in the tiny community of Gandoca... where most residents make their livelihood from protecting the turtles. After calling around to a few different people, she arranged a guide for me and the cost was $35. This seemed like a lot, but I was really hoping to see one. Going alone would not only be illegal and dangerous, but it would also divert necessary funds to these guides and organizations that are working so hard to protect these majestic animals. So I paid up.

The last bus left at 4:30 pm so I had to act fast. I gathered my belongings, begrudgingly yanked more colones out of the ATM, and then hopped on the bus just in time to head down to Sixaola, the same border town I had passed through only a few days before. When I arrived it was dark and I was definitely the only gringo wandering around with a large pack amongst grungy convenience stores and locals standing around drinking beer in the streets. Sixaola is about 3/4 of a block of actual open businesses. The rest is just run down buildings, the border, and the bus station. Not exactly the sort of place you hang out in at night.

 I knew I needed to get out of there, but I bought some snacks first. Food took priority, especially since I had sacrificed dinner to catch the bus and I had no idea how long I would be awake walking the beach that night. I asked the guys drinking beer in the street about a Taxi, and they seemed to enjoy the mission. 

The taxi they found me turned out to be a local guy who was heading back home to Gandoca with his friend, but that worked for me. Plus it was cheaper. He took me all the way down to the beach, which involved bouncing along down a dirt road full of pot-holes for about 30 minutes. We passed very few signs of humans along the way. A couple simple houses, one church that also served as the town meeting hall, and a school... that was about it. 

At the end of the road we started asking around for my guide, Giberto ("he-berto"). Eventually one of his neighbors told us where to go, and the "taxi" driver dropped me off at a large wooden two story home, with an expansive open air porch on the top floor. Giberto greeted me in English and showed me to the room where I would be staying, complete with mosquito nets and fan. Then we quickly switched gears and discussed our turtle plans. 

Giberto was a very kind man, and if you are looking  for a turtle guide... I would highly recommend him. He spoke English well, but when he realized I could speak Spanish, he switched back to his native tongue. I arrived at his house around 7:30, and by 8 pm we were out on the beach with another French couple that had also booked a tour, ready to begin our search for sea turtles.  

Giberto gave us some basic facts about all the different turtles that nest in the area, when to expect them, and how the residents of Gandoca are working to protect them. He told me earlier, while we were waiting for the French couple to show up in their rental car, that he used to help the guards that patrol the beach when he was only 9 years old. Turtles have been his passion ever since, and he is concerned not only about their conservation but also their habitat. With sea levels rising, much of this prime beach habitat is beginning to disappear underwater. The community has built a hatchery where they keep the eggs from turtles that lay later in the season, to protect them from poachers,  predators, and rising sea levels. Any eggs we found tonight, would be collected for the hatchery. 

The Rangers that patrol the beaches all night, along with a few dedicated volunteers showed up only a few minutes after us. Giberto chatted with the Rangers for a bit,  while the volunteers spread out along the beach. 

The idea was if a volunteer saw a turtle leaving the water, they would signal with their flashlight so that the others could come and help, and we would come watch. So we waited and waited for someone to find one, but nobody did. After an hour, our guide told us we would walk with him down the beach, instead of just sitting around under a shelter trying to avoid losing all of our blood to mosquitos and sand flies. 

This walk started around 9:35/10ish,  and within only 15 minutes of walking, we came upon a large gray blob on the beach. Giberto instructed us to stay put while he went to check it out with his red light. The red light is not intrusive to the turtles, but a normal flashlight could scare them off. Seconds later he returned with his hand up in the air, eager for us to give him some High-fives. "ES una!!" He exclaimed. 

TOO COOL! The thinking on my feet had paid off. We were especially lucky to have found a turtle so early in the night, since guides are only allowed to take people out on the beach until midnight. If the turtles come ashore after midnight,  the Rangers will know but we would miss out. Earlier Giberto had told us that 4 turtles came shore yesterday, but all after midnight.  So this was a treat.  

We were eager to take photos, but Giberto informed me that we could only take photos without the flash. I tried, but it turned out completely black. So you will simply have to take my word for it. 

The massive turtle had already begun digging the hole for her eggs, and it seemed she was pretty much finished and getting ready to start depositing the eggs when we showed up. Giberto signaled to the others that we had found a turtle, and then instructed me to hold the red light while he dug around the hole the turtle had created to widen it a bit. He would use that extra space to squeeze his arms in with a sturdy plastic bag, to catch the eggs that the turtle laid. 

Leatherbacks can lay around 110 eggs, so you need a fairly big bag to collect all of them. The female will lay infertile eggs as well, to provide extra cushioning for the viable eggs. These nonviable eggs will decay, leaving important air pockets near the top of the nest that the baby sea turtles will use as a refuge while waiting for their bodies to consume the yolk after hatching. 

The Rangers and volunteers quickly showed up with a bag, but the turtle had already begun to drop a few eggs into the soft sand. Because Leatherbacks don't have hard shells like other sea turtles, beaches with soft sand are important to avoid damaging their skin with rough rocks and fine particles. I thought about this as I dug my feet into the  soft, cool black sand, leaning forward with the light to peer into the hole. 

Giberto quickly slipped the bag under the turtle and also collected the eggs that had already fallen, placing them in the bottom of the bag. The turtle seemed to sense our presence (I don't know how it could not) but it continued laying eggs, perhaps somehow realizing that we were trying to help. 

The laying continued for maybe 8 or 10 minutes, each egg gently coddled by the turtles tail into the bag. Giberto pointed out that catching them in the bag was important, since the mother turtle also secretes a fluid with the eggs that is believed to act as a protection against the bacteria that live in the sand. Digging the eggs up afterwards would mean this vital fluid would be lost. 

When the bag was full, Giberto hoisted it out of the hole and handed it to one of the Rangers. At the top were a bunch of small eggs, about the size of ping pong balls, instead of the typical billard ball size. These were the inviable eggs. 

The show wasn't over yet! The caring mother would spend the next 40 minutes carefully filling in the hole. At first she used her back flippers to push the sand down over the hole. Giberto gave her a hand by pushing some sand into the hole with his hand. I did the same. 

After most of the sand had been packed down with her back flippers, she took her front flippers and spread them out in front of her. In a quick sweeping motion, she flung a large amount of sand backwards towards the hole... some of it pelting us in the shins. I was surprised by the force, but I shouldn't have been. These turtles can swim over 9,700 km (6,000 miles) a year in search of food, and their huge flippers can reach a span of over 2.75 meters (8.9 ft). This turtle's were not that big, but they were impressive. She continued sweeping sand backwards, almost as if making sand angels. 

She continued this process for quite some time, slowly shifting her body then sweeping and covering until she was 2 or 3 ft away from where the actual hole had been dug. This meticulous covering of her hole was done to hide the location of the eggs from their many predators. 

Raccoons, seagulls, dogs, crows, and many other creatures find sea turtle eggs a tasty treat... so this mother must be extremely careful to make sure they are not found. The most dangerous predator of all, Giberto proclaimed, was human beings. 

Central Americans have long had a tradition of eating turtle eggs, and turtles as well if they are lucky enough to catch one. Originally collecting the eggs simply for food, the drive for the eggs today has been fueled  by the false belief that turtle eggs are an aprodisiac. Unfortunately this has created a black market for the eggs, despite efforts to end this tradition. Egg collecting is illegal in Costa Rica, but it still occurs in Gandoca where it can be tricky for only a few Rangers to keep track of over 26 miles of beach. This is one of the major reasons we were collecting the eggs. 

We sat crouched behind the turtle as she continued to fill in the hole. If she turned to the right, we moved to the left so as to stay behind her and avoid spooking her. I figured she probably knew we were there, but who knows. Leatherbacks have pretty poor vision, which is why they prefer beaches with dark forested jungle behind them, like the ones in Central America. They exit the water towards the dark forest, and return to the moonlit sea... using light and dark to guide them. This is why light pollution from beachside buildings can be so devastating, confusing the turtles -- which often results in them choosingnot to come ashore.

At last, the turtle turned to head back out to shore. We watched it go, feeling lucky to have seen such a wonderful, elusive beast in its natural state. I asked Giberto about taking a photo of the tracks, but he told me I'd have to wait until the morning. 

So I went back to Giberto's house with him and his young son, who had also joined us on the turtle search. We saw some frogs and owls on the walk back, and he pointed out some cows that are typically preyed upon by vampire bats. Tonight the moon was almost full, so the bats stayed away. 

The next morning I went to the beach at dawn and took some photos of the giant tracks that seemed as if heavy machinery had passed by. I reminisced about the turtle that had made them only hours before. Feeling unusually inspired and also curious,  I went for a jog along the beach to see if I could find other tracks. I did not see any more tracks, but I did find something even more fascinating... a turtle egg! It was just sitting on the sand as if someone placed it there. I picked it up and felt it's leather soft texture, much different from a bird egg. 

Later, I asked Giberto over breakfast about the egg. He told me the turtles commonly squeeze an egg out while leaving the beach... maybe the exertion causes it, maybe it's just for luck ;) , nobody knows. 

As I was preparing to leave, Giberto called a taxi for me... but no one responded. After waiting awhile, he offered to give me a ride to the border on his motorcycle for half the price of a taxi. SOLD! I was immediately reminded of the motorcycle taxis in Thailand. Off we went, bouncing along down the dirt road. The thrill quickly wore off as my ab muscles were working very hard to keep me straight on the bike with the heavy back on my back. Really need to pack lighter! Every pothole I winced a little bit. But we made it, and I said goodbye to Giberto at the border... thanking him profusely for all he had done for me. He wished me well and I took off, bound for more adventures!!

Entering the reserve

The beach in the morning

Turtle tracks!

Turtle egg

Jogging along the beach 

Riding to the border in style

The Costa Rica Amphibian Research Center

When I was talking to Edgardo about my plans to visit Costa Rica, he quickly offered up a suggestion. "If you're going to Limón you should go visit my friend Brian. He has an Amphibian Center there, and he really loves frogs."

I did some research on Brian and his Costa Rica Amphibian Research Center (C.R.A.R.C.) and quickly he discovered that he didn't just love frogs. He was a genuine amphibian genius, and a true naturalist with a strong interest in fish, reptiles, birds, and plants as well. So visiting him became my mission while in Costa Rica. 

Soon after Edgardo mentioned him, a couple days later some friends sent me a link w with a clip from the today show discussing a new species of frog discovered in Costa Rica that looked like Kermit. Brian was responsible for discovering it.

The more I learned about Brian, the more excited I became to visit him. He and his wife have found over 50 species of amphibians on the reserve where they live, and I wanted to see as many as possible.

I sent Brian an email, and I made arrangements to stay there on Tuesday, April 28. Brian lives on a large plot of land in the Central Caribbean highlands, one of the most biodiverse areas for amphibians in the entire country, and arguably in the world.

The plan was for me to go out with Brian on a personal guided night hike on his property, searching for amphibians and any other cool critters we may come across. Brian also runs a small lab where he keeps a handful of species in captivity, most notably moss salamanders from the genus,  Nototriton. All eight species within this genus are native to Costa Rica. As Brian would later tell me, he and his wife are the only living people that have seen all eight in the wild. Anyhow, I was obviously looking forward to checking this lab out and comparing it to our operation at EVACC.

To get to Brian's property, I had to explain about a million times that I was going to Siquirres... a town who's name was impossible to master. I kept saying "Si quierres" which means "If you want" in Spanish. So the conversation at about 3 different bus terminals went something like this, translated.

"Where do you want to go?" 

"If you want" 

"Huh??"

"Ifff you... want" 

Puzzled look. 

"S-I-Q-U-I-R-R-...

"Ahh- Siquives" 

"Siii. Por favor."

Eventually I got off the bus in Siquirres, and Brian met me at the bus station. He is a straight shooting guy, with a casual demeanor that belies his incredible intelligence and passion for the natural world.  While we drove up the windy mountain road leaving If you want behind, Brian began to calmly rattle off facts about the geology and climate of this region. He explained that this particular week had been unusually hot, and dry. Normally the highlands where he lives receives up to 6 meters of rain a year! This makes a week without rain extremely rare. Despite the fact that it was unusually dry, which is not the best time to see amphibians, he assured me we would still see plenty.

Arriving at the reserve, he showed me inside the simple yet luxurious guesthouse where I would be spending the night. Well, the few hours of the night left after we finished our hike.

The first thing Brian showed me was his captive lab, since it was right next to the guesthouse. In a large open air concrete building with a tin roof and plastic panels that let in plenty of sunlight, he showed me a variety of terrariums filled with various species of poison dart frogs, salamanders, and even a few aquariums with baby clown fish. A little side project that his wife is working on, he told me.

Outside there was a greenhouse of sorts, with pitcher plants and various other tropical species spread around on metal shelves. On the floor there were 6 small buckets containing overripe pineapple pieces. Fruit flies buzzed excitedly around each bucket. Frog food. This is a stark contrast to the fruit flies we raise, which live their entire lives from egg to adult sealed in a plastic container. He showed me how he collects them using a net, then tossed them in a small cup and banged the cup against his hand, stunning the flies so they would crawl instead of fly making them easier for the frogs to eat. There were at least three different species of flies in the cup. A healthy part of the frogs' balanced breakfast.

I rattled off questions as fast as I could, eager to learn about all the success Brian was having here with breeding these amphibians. I quickly learned that Brian's perspective and purpose for keeping animals in captivity was in fact much different than our mission at EVACC.  Brian keeps mostly species that are not endangered, using captivity as a tool to learn more about their natural behaviors in the wild, where observing their habits can be quite tricky.

As we chatted, he explained how he believes in in situ conservation first & foremost, which means working to help frogs while they are still in the wild, by putting out buckets for them to lay their eggs in, creating pond habitats, etc.

He opened my eyes to other things as well... such as how incredibly arbitrary the conservation status of species listed on the IUCN can be. "It's really just a bunch of people sitting around a table making decisions based on the data we have from previous sightings," he clarified. He has personally been responsible for delisting quite a few species here in Costa Rica, especially those that are found in the highlands. Because their habitat is so difficult to access, many people assume they are rare. But they are still out there, he informed me, and many of them are thriving. This was a nice change of perspective from all the doom and gloom that is so common in the Amphibian world.

When I asked Brian about Chytrid, the deadly amphibian disease that is the primary reason the EVACC exists,  he nonchalantly replied, " Oh yea it's here." For Brian, finding a cure to chytrid is not his goal. Instead, he believes that increasing the numbers of the amphibians that are still around in the wild will help these animals to naturally combat this crisis. He let me know that you can see this sort of thing happening all throughout history - a population crashes, but a few individuals survive. With time, they slowly begin to return. Brian's goal is to give amphibians a boost in the wild primarily, rather than trying to save them in glass boxes. I couldn't help but feel a little jealous when I realized how simple and effective his strategy of using almost entirely natural materials has been. At EVACC anything brought in from outside must be thoroughly bleached and decontaminated to eliminate the risk of Chytrid. This makes introducing moss or delicate materials practically impossible. Here, Brian will just go out and collect more moss or plants from outside whenever necessary, never even bothering to think of Chytrid. Keeping amphibians in captivity is not his primary focus. "I'm a field guy," he declared. So into the field we went.

After I cooked a quick dinner in the guest house, Brian met me at 6 pm sharp and gave me a pair of boots and a flashlight. He instructed me to take off my headlamp, so as to avoid blinding him.  "I don't believe in headlamps," he reported. I found it a little strange, but I obeyed.

Within minutes of walking down the trail behind Brian's house we had spotted 4 or 5 different species. The resident one-eyed Leptodactylus savegei that hung out in the path, and scores of beautiful calling Agalchynis callidryas (red-eyed tree frog) and Dendropsophus ebraccatus (hourglass tree frog). This list went on. In fact, the list would eventually have over 25 different species of amphibians on it, most of them brand new to me. It was an incredible evening, and gaining a small window into Brian's mind was an experience I will never forget. His drive and passion for these animals is truly inspiring, his ability to spot frogs and identify them from a distance is unbelievable. He was patient with me when I needed to ask two or three times where exactly that frog across the pond was, and he always made sure I found it.

We took a few breaks and chatted while he shared his snacks with me. I learned so much about the land and the water here, the life cycles of these amphibians, the history behind who discovered them, what their Latin names mean, and that was only a small fraction of it. He pointed out other interesting creatures to me as well, showing me a cool invertebrate known as a velvet worm, which would shoot out a sticky goo like Spider-Man when he bothered it by rubbing it's backside. Fascinating!

We saw a variety of snakes as well, such as a coral snake and a few snail eating snakes with huge eyes. He told me about the various mammals that have been spotted on the property, including ocelots,  tapirs, and monkeys. I learned about how he found himself in Costa Rica and how he went about aquiring the land. "Never buy land from a newspaper," he advised. "If you see a piece of land you like, just start asking around and figure out who owns it and what they want for it. You'll find much better deals that way, before they have had time to think about what it is worth." I filed this away with all of the other pieces of useful information he'd given me that evening.

After all the buzz over the new "Kermit look alike" frog, (Hyalinobatrachium dianae) of course I had to ask Brian how it became such a big deal. He chuckled. "It's not my style," he revealed. "Those that know me know that." That didn't surprise me in the least. Brian seems like he has a lot more important things to do than spend time drawing comparisons to Kermit. He told me didn't even plan to bring the discovery to the attention to the presses, but one of his wife's friends works for a local paper and thought it would be neat to draw some attention to Costa Rica's amphibians. From there, another Costa Rican paper spread the story, and then the Daily News did a story on it... and Brian believes someone there in the states was responsible for drawing the Kermit comparison. Soon after that, the whole thing went viral. "We got over 200 emails in one day," he divulged. The president of Costa Rica called him up personally to congratulate him. He admitted that it was all a bit much for him, but in the end, he agreed it was nice because it raised awareness about how many frogs are still out there that we haven't found yet. That's the important part. Amphibians need all the help they can get.

On one of our snack breaks, I asked Brian for new batteries for my flashlight since it had started to become quite dim. This had caused my eyes to become rather tired, straining to find things and I noticed my eyes were beginning to shut more than I wanted them to. "You doing alright, not getting bored or anything?" Brian asked, obviously noticing. "Yeah I'm fine, but I think I need some new batteries" I replied, slightly embarrassed. The new batteries did the trick, and with the new light we trekked on for a few more hours.

By the time 2 am came around, we were just beginning to arrive back at the cabin. We had spent 8 hours walking through the woods, and I loved every second of it. Although there were the shameful moments when my eyes had begun to droop, I followed Brian's lead and used searching for animals as my caffeine. It had paid off, and I felt so thankful to have had this opportunity. If you are into wildlife, and especially if you are interested in amphibians... visiting Brian's center in Costa Rica is a MUST. I extend a huge Thank you to Brian for taking the time to teach me so much in a short period of time, and I look forward to visiting and learning more from him in the future!

Amphibian Species list

Allobates talamancae

Rhaebo haematiticus

Sachatamia albomaculata 

Teratohyla spinosa

Craugastor bransfordii

Craugastor crassidigitus

Craugastor fitzingeri 

Craugastor "rearki"

Pristimantis cerasinus 

Pristimantis ridens 

Dendrobates auratus

Oophaga pumilio

Phyllobates lugubris

Diasporus diastema

Agalchynis callidryas

Agalchynis lemur

Agalchynis spurrelli 

Cruziohyla calcarifer

Dendropsophus ebraccatus 

Duellmanohyla rufioculis

Hylosciritus palmeri 

Smilisca phaeota

Tlalocohyla loquax 

Leptodactylus savagei

Lithobates vaillanti

Lithobates warszewitschii 

Again, this was written on my phone so it lacks many of the frog photos that I took with my camera and I am only able to upload pics at the end. I will update as soon as possible. Peace ✌

The captive lab

 The amphibians of the reserve

Inside the guest house

Hourglass tree frog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus)

Amplexing pair of red-eyed tree frogs (Agalchynis callidryas)

Agalchynis spurrelli

ID pending on these snakes... 

Pura Vida en Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

In one word, Costa Rica is Lush. The ticos use 2 - Pura Vida. The Costa Rican version of Hakuna Matata, it means "pure life." Fitting for one of the greenest countries in the world. 

I'm in here in Costa Rica because I have to be, believe it or not. My 6 month tourist visa in Panama has come to an end, so I needed to leave the country to avoid a fine. Costa Rica was the easiest and cheapest option, plus I'd already purchased a bus ticket to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica way back in October for immigration purposes.

I used the bus ticket and found myself crossing a rickety wooden pedestrian bridge into a very different country. This small southern Caribbean town of Puerto Viejo is a warm welcome after so much time in the mountains of Panama.

The differences between Panama and Costa Rica are fascinating to me. Granted, I have only been in Costa Rica for a few days, and only 1 place so far, but after 6 months of learning the Panamanian way of life... I feel qualified to speak on the subject. There are pros and cons and just regular differences. 

1. CON: Costa Rica is (a lot) more expensive. This is something I knew ahead of time... but I didn't realize it would be this bad. It's almost twice as expensive as Panama. And panama isn't even that cheap. Plus they use a different currency, which makes everything a bit trickier to keep track of. PRO:  Their bills are beautiful. 

 An average meal is about $7 or $8.. or 4000 colones, at the starting price. The prices do not seem to reflect the fact that you are in Central America. Meanwhile in Panama, you can easily eat a solid meal for $3 and really shouldn't pay more than $5 unless you're splurging. This price hike is tough to stomach after such a long time w Panamanian prices. I feel like I'm getting ripped off, no matter what I'm buying. For this exact reason, many long term backpackers move through Costa Rica as quickly as possible, hoping to make it out before the money's all gone. But it is the second difference that gives them reason to stay.

2. PRO: Costa Rica is greener. Costa Rica has often been ranked amongst the top 10  "greenest" or environmentally friendly, countries in the world. But unlike many of the other "green" countries, most of which are in Europe (US wasn't even close) , Costa Rica is literally GREEN. The jungles teem with life, and they have been properly preserved... unlike many places in Panama unfortunately. 

In Puerto Viejo, you can walk along the beach and hear Howler monkeys howling and Toucans clamoring on. Much to my delight, Poison dart frogs can be found hopping around on the edge of dirt roads and along even well traveled paths. It feels alive, just as I imagine the first visitors to this central American paradise would have found it. Although today you will also find a throng of happy people, soaking up rays on the beach, surfing the waves, and searching for wildlife in the jungles. At times in the center of the small beach town, it feels almost like there are too many happy people, and I have used my rental bike to escape to quieter beaches, such as Punta Uva or Manzanilla only a few minutes right outside of town. If you are visiting this area, I would suggest the same. I'd also suggest staying in Pagalú hostel, a clean chill place with one of the nicest kitchens I have ever seen in a hostel.

In general here, good energy is all around. The sides of the roads are actually not littered with trash like I have become so used to seeing in Panama. The beaches are clean and beautiful with a backdrop of palm trees, not buildings. Throughout town there are not just trash cans, but recycling bins! They are colorfully painted with the images of monkeys, toucans and frogs, the other residents of the neighborhood. And people are using them! :)

It all seems to make so much sense. The people have realized they make more money by leaving their natural surroundings they way they are, rather than profiting from clear cutting the forest and installing beach resorts or large agricultural plots. In this way, everyone is a bit richer since anyone can enjoy the wealth that nature has provided. 

3. Costa Ricans speak more English. I also knew this before coming, but I had no idea how much it would surprise me. In panama English is relatively rare, even in many parts of Panama City.  Meanwhile, in even the small towns of Costa Rica there are plenty that speak English. Even attempting to speak Spanish as a gringo is often met with an English response, absolutely unheard of in Panama.

Why? They know that English is the language of business.  They want your money, and they will talk you out of it in English. And it works. As a result, the cycle perpetuates and more visitors come that can't speak Spanish, and more Ticos learn English.  Personally I always prefer to speak in Spanish whenever possible,  and it almost always gets me a better deal, more respect and often insider knowledge. Yet it cannot be denied that English speaking locals makes the place more attractive to visit for many. Giving the ticos more money and most importantly- allowing them to avoid cutting down the lush jungles for "profit".

4. Panamanians seem to be more friendly, well at least the ones I have met. They're not yet jaded by a flood of gringos. However, the Ticos seem to do a better job when it comes to customer service. It also seems that Panamanians have done a better job of holding on to their native cultures, although unfortunately respecting nature does not seem to be part of the mainstream attitude as it is Costa Rica. If this respect could be created and spread, Panama and the world  could benefit emensely. Meanwhile, ticos in Puerto Viejo could do a better job of smiling and saying "Hola" or "Buenos días" , a difference I noticed almost immediately. These are the sorts of thoughts I have been pondering while laying on the beach for hours, hiking and mountain biking through the jungles, and snorkeling through coral reefs. Pura vida, my friends.

P.s. this post published on my phone in order to keep it timely. I will edit and update it with more photos, etc once I return to Panama and have access to my laptop. :)
 

Cousins & Carnavales!

This is the story of one of the wildest parties I have ever attended. The best part of it all: I got to share this incredible Panamanian fiesta with 2 awesome cousins of mine. Only a few days after my immediate family finished their trip here (a story that still needs to be told…) I got a message from Jeff (my cousin), asking what I would think about him and Susie (other cousin) coming to visit in February. Yes, Please! (Head's up - almost all of these photos were taken by Susie, without them this blog wouldn't be the same. Thank you Susie!)

So happy these two came to visit! 

So the planning began, and next thing I knew they were on their way here. Susie is a natural planner who loves to take full advantage of her limited time off of work to travel. Jeff works as a flight attendant, and can travel the world for stupid cheap (I won’t tell you how cheap because it will just make you mad) – and as such is very flexible. Perfect combo for making the most of a week in a foreign country.

Primos en Panama City

The week they happened to have available to come see me turned out to be the same week as Carnaval – so I knew some crazy shenanigans were in order. Supposedly, only one other country celebrates Carnaval with more fanfare and hooplah... Brazil. Maybe you've heard of it? ;) For those that need a tiny Carnaval explanation – it’s basically the same thing as Mardi Gras, but it’s celebrated for 4 days beginning on Saturday (in some cases even earlier) instead of just on Fat Tuesday. It ends on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. Basically it's seen as a chance to get all your sins and reckless abandon out of your system before behaving reverently for the 40 days leading up to Easter. If you need more than that – Google it. The point is, Panamanians like to party. And at this point in the year, they go all out.

It's bout to get CRAY

Panamanians do it differently than other countries though, incorporating something known as “Culecos” into the day-time celebrations. Basically these are giant trucks filled with water, parked in the streets with people spraying water through a fire hose on a mass of dancing, happy people. In addition to this, everyone that owns a water gun (every kid in Panama) brings it out to soak their friends. Sounds Awesome right?? It WAS. But first let me explain how I got us there.

Staying dry is not an option!

So although Susie planned basically every other detail of their journey (major props to her), my job was to figure out how we were going to celebrate Carnaval while they were here. Naturally, I asked my roommates and co-workers for advice on where to go, what to expect, etc. While chatting with my boss Heidi, we decided the best strategy would be for me to go with Jeff and Susie to Penonomé – the local capital of the Coclé province (El Valle is also in this province), which is known for some of the wilder Carnaval parties in the country. The tradition of celebrating Carnaval actually began in the towns and cities of the interior provinces, not in Panama city. As a result, the parties there are the craziest. Most importantly, it wasn’t too far away – only about 1.5 hrs in a bus. 

From the blue dot (El Valle) to Penonomé – that’s like 1 cm, not far at all! 

The trickiest part of the whole plan to go to Penonomé would be finding a place to stay. So I sent out a couple couchsurfing requests, and waited with crossed fingers. The next morning, my wishes came true – but in a way I hadn't even imagined. At work, Heidi told me her husband Edgardo (co-founder of EVACC – major frog saver and all-around bad ass) wanted to take us to Penonomé for Carnaval to make sure we had a good time and stayed safe. He could drive us there and he had a friend in town who’s house we could stay at, and he’d accompany us to the festivals to make sure we did it right. JACKPOT!!!! Planning done.

The Carnaval Crew

So when Susie and Jeff finally arrived in El Valle, I was beyond excited. So was the entire country – well those that enjoy Carnaval that is. Obviously not everyone is a partier - some Panamanians don’t even leave their houses during Carnaval and others flee the country to avoid the mayhem that ensues during these 4 days. But we were headed right for the thick of it J

Hey, no fun allowed! 

The first night Jeff and Susie spent in El Valle, we headed out to dinner at Zapote – my favorite local pizza joint with my roommate Diana, so she could practice her English y mis primos pueden practicar Español. We caught up on all the wild adventures they’d already had in the city, taught them some fun useful cultural phrases (Rakataka = ghetto, Ayy a la vida = oh my god, goodness gracious, good grief, etc) and demonstrated to Diana what a southern accent was. After dinner we headed to the supermarket to stock up on beers, since we would be leaving town early in the morning. 

Dining out with Diana

Early in the morning turned out to be closer to noon, since Edgardo had a fair amount of errands and things to take care of before we left town. This worked out fine for us though, since it gave us time to charge our phones/cameras, while enjoying some coffee and delicious pumpkin bread at my friend Erin’s Butterfly café. 

Polariod Selfie at Bodhi hostel

Once Edgardo showed up, we stocked up on more beer and ice (Always be prepared) and hit the road. On the drive Edgardo explained to us a bit more about the traditions behind Carnaval, our plans for the day, etc. We wound through steep mountain roads to get to Penonomé the “back way” – avoiding the traffic of the Inter-Americana Highway. 

 Leaving El Valle via the "scenic route"

When we arrived in Penonome – we went to the house of Edgardo’s buddy, Ricardo, where we would be setting up camp for the next two nights. Ricardo and his wife have very recently welcomed a brand new baby into the world, so in order to avoid disturbing their peace and quiet our plan was to stay in tents behind their house. I got very excited (admittedly more than necessary) when I saw that one of the tents Edgardo brought for us to sleep in was an old-school green Eureka tent, the same one I used to camp in once a month for many years while growing up as a Boy Scout. They don’t make these things anymore (inner old man speaking) – so this was a nostalgic bonus.

Happy Campers

Once we polished off a couple cold beers and got to know our hosts a bit, changed into our bathing suits, slathered on some sunscreen, and mentally prepared ourselves with yet another beer… it was time for Carnaval craziness. Ricardo gave us a lift right into the heart of the madness, our heavy cooler stocked with a wide variety of Panamanian brews riding behind us in the truck bed.

We made it!

We disembarked and made our way into the soaked streets, Jeff and I carrying the cooler. Once inside the gated-off area, the cooler was lifted above our heads so that we could squeeeeze through the masses to find ourselves in a decent spot. All the while yelling, drinking, laughing and carryin' on :D

Bienvenidos a Carnaval!

Those around us gave us an extra centimeter of space since I don’t think they trusted two gringos with a heavy cooler full of beer on their heads not to accidentally drop it, and all of its ice cold contents, on their heads. Luckily for everyone, this didn't happen. 

Squeezing through the crowd

Eventually we found a spot we liked, set down the cooler, and spent the rest of the afternoon getting sprayed by water, taking photos, dancing (on and off the cooler), and of course drinking. That’s what Carnaval is all about! 

The more, the merrier!

Thanks to Edgardo and Ricardo, we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a true Panamanian celebration. So Panamanian in fact, that we were the only gringos in the entire sea of people. This made me very happy, since I’d much rather surround myself with locals as opposed to other foreigners while traveling – helps ya really get a true taste of the native flavor.

Susie's view from on top of the Culecos! Can you spot the gringos? ;)

Why drink only one beer when you have two hands??

Ayy a la vida - whitest award: won!

The madness carried on until about 4 pm, at which point the water was shut off and everyone pretty much headed home for a while to eat dinner, change, and prepare for the night time festivities. So we did exactly that. Edgardo called Ricardo who kindly came to pick us up and took us back to his place, where we dried off, cleaned up, and told stories of the insanity we’d been a part of.

Jeff found a friend on our way home

Riding back, in the back

 Once in dry clothes, I helped Ricardo cook a typical Panamanian meal using some of the skills I've picked up since living here.  Later we all sat down around the table together as one big happy family, blessed the food, and dug in. During the meal prep, lots of baby photos were taken and smiles were abundant.

Proud mama with her beautiful baby

Full to the brim with a delicious meal, we relaxed (napped) and let our bodies digest the healthy mix of sun, water, beer and grub for a while. Once the sun set and the food comas wore off, we rallied, put on some presentable outfits, and headed back into town in Ricardo’s truck to celebrate some more. 

Siesta time

The night celebrations were centered around a massive parade, featuring extravagantly dressed beautiful Reinas (queens) that rode on massive intricately decorated floats, full marching bands, and all sorts of wild costumes. Even most of the kids got into costume!

Mini Minnie

It was certainly a sight to behold. We payed a small entrance fee to gain access to a huge open air disco club that had massive balconies overlooking the streets, where we were able to get great views of the parade below.

The balcony admittance was totally worth the extra bucks, since we avoided having to fight to see over anyone’s head to get a glimpse of the action and the bar was only a few feet away.  We spent the rest of the evening watching the parade, dancing in the disco, and taking ridiculous selfies.

Cheesin'

Much, much later in the evening, we took a taxi back to Ricardo’s place, climbed into our tents/hammocks and crashed. In what seemed like a blink of an eye – I woke up around 8 am to the sound of Ricardo shaking my tent and telling me “Ya las cerevezas estan frias!” (Beers are cold!) I grunted, laughed, and rolled over while telling him I'd be there a bit later. I managed to rest another half hour or so before the sun became positively unbearable and forced me out of the tent.

A "Dude, where's my car?" moment

When I got up, Ricardo was busy in the kitchen whipping up a batch of Hojaldras (yummy Panamanian fried dough breakfast treat) and a huge pan of scrambled eggs. Around 9:30 or so we all gathered around the breakfast table for a friendly family meal and more story sharing. 

Yummo!

Before long, it was time for Round 2! By noon we were back in Ricardo’s truck, heading back to the familiar chaos of geting sprayed down with hoses, dancing wildly, and emptying our cooler full of beers all over again. 

Round 2 Babay!

Annnnd, Weeeee're Baaaaack!

Our second day, Tuesday, was the final day of Carnaval – so there was a bit more going on than the day before. On top of one of the culecos there were about 7 or 8 chicas throwing T-shirts, sun glasses and even tiny airplane liquor bottles out into the crowd. Needless to say, we all scrambled to snag a free souvenir/drink! 

Who wants a T-shirt?! 

I moved through the ocean of jumping Panamanians to find myself just on the outer edge of the T-shirt girl’s throwing distance. I leaped up to snag a knotted blue T-shirt and then just for fun, caught a second one only a minute later. The folks around me weren't too happy when I snagged the second one and told me to get out of there. Don't blame em!

T-shirt tossing twins!

So I laughed and obeyed, bringing the goodies back to the cooler, where Edgardo and Jeff had also stashed the shirts they caught. Edgardo deviously discovered that a T-shirt soaked in ice-cold cooler water made for an excellent tool to unsuspectingly soak Susie, and eventually all of us haha.

Primo Photo!

Now for a rather hilarious testament to just how crazy Carnaval is - something that an outsider would otherwise never realize.  Among all these soaked masses of people, there are pretty much no (read: absolutely none) easily accessible public bathrooms. This is not your typical American event with long lines and rank port-a-potties (Bonnarooo!). So what to do when you’re drinking all day, tightly packed in a mob of people, and surrounded by flowing water?? Simple – Pee your pants! Hahaa!

Water, water everywhere... but nowhere to pee

But seriously. When nature called we shamelessly answered and then waved our arms madly begging to be rinsed off. After all, we were wearing bathing suits so with a quick rinse... it's all good.  Trying to find a side street or corner to pee in was not an option, since cops could potentially fine you for this, as Edgardo warned us. Not worth it! Once you get over the initial awkwardness of this, it was actually pretty nice to be able to freely relieve yourself. How often is that socially acceptable?! Gotta take advantage of times like these.   If you find yourself in a similar situation, I would definitely recommend it ;) 

Peeing your pants, it's the cool thing to do!

Unfortunately, this day was also marred with a serious bummer. At one point Jeff and I were on the hunt for more free T-shirts and sunglasses, when suddenly he grabbed me and thrust his wrist in my face. “Dude, where’s my GoPro?!” Panicked, I immediately began to scan the beer can littered street. Warned by everyone not to take anything of value into Carnaval – Jeff and Susie both insisted on bringing their waterproof cameras and wearing them tightly around their wrist in order to document the debauchery. 

Hooray for water-proof cameras!

Thankful that they made this choice, I left my camera at home, and with it any sense of responsibility. Sadly, at some point while jumping up and down, Jeff’s camera must have snapped off of his wristband. Although we told everyone around to help us look for it (and they did!) it never showed up. We suspect some crummy, good-for-nothing, person (que maldito!) found it and rapidly disappeared. Edgardo rushed to get the police involved, and people were frisked – but no camera. L Please take a moment to recognize the grief this caused.

A second of sadness ;-(

But, in true Jeff style – he chose to look on the bright-side of life and appreciated how many of the surrounding locals rushed to come to our aid. We hugged it out and reminded ourselves that it was just a camera – the important thing was that we were fine and still in the midst of an incredible celebration. So we turned our frowns upside-down, took lots more photos with Susie’s camera, and carried on! 

Love this guy, his attitude, and that #hat

All too soon, the final day of Culecos was over and we began to make our way out of the thick of it. While munching on some street foods and sitting on the side of the road waiting to head back to the house, we saw some of the souvenir girls leaving the scene and heading our way. Acting quickly, Susie and Jeff chatted up these good lookin' ladies and we got them to take a bunch of photos with us. Fun times.

Locos!

Back at Ricardo’s house, we had another delicious dinner and spent more time relaxing. Soon after dinner though, Ricardo and his wife had to head out of town – since he needed to be at work in a different city early the next morning. So they left Edgardo with a key, and we took liberty of the shower and hammock to rest and rinse off before repeating another night out to watch the final parade of Carnaval. 

Rinsing off with an ice-cold T-shirt

We got a late start that last night thanks to some naps lasting longer than others (ahem, Jeff) – but around 9 pm or so we started walking towards town and eventually got a taxi to stop and pick us up. We caught the tail end of the parade, but saw many different things than the night before – including some crazy dudes with huge angry artistic masks that looked like something out of the Temple of Doom, as well as a bunch of high-stepping horses. 

Couple of Queens

Deviant Duo

As the night aged, I couldn't help but feel a certain subtle sense of sadness among the people, myself included – everyone knew the whole thing was almost over. It would be another year before these streets see this much action again, and lives will quickly resume their normal laid-back pace. Polishing off a few final cervezas, we people-watched a while before taxiing back home to get some much needed rest. After all, I had to get back to work in the morning! 

Cerveza!

So that’s the (rather long, drawn-out) story of Carnaval! To really know what it’s all about, you simply gotta go. See y’all at Carnavales 2016! Until then, Peace OUT! :D