This year we decided to take the little man back to his humble Central American beginnings. Feed him some mango, black beans, and corn tortillas, chase him through brilliant jungle bursting with bold flowers, boa constrictors, howler monkeys, and your average leaf cutter ants. We got a deal - unbelievably cheap airline tickets to Panama City - involving mulitiple flights- sometimes leaving without notice, in the middle of the night, with ocassional delays, requiring one to make deals with the stewardess to not leave until Auntie got on the plane - those sorts of traveling joys.
I tried to load these photos in order to build up the story, but lacking blogger saavy, they are not and so enjoy our mismatch. I'm sure you'll figure it out.
We stayed an hour truck ride away down a coral bed road to a jungle/beach area called Bocas del Drago. We've been spoiled with amazing journeys, but I must say this one was tops for seclusion, adventure, beauty, and relaxation. We really had it all and couldn't have been happier. I hope to somehow stay for a month next year. I tried this year, but no one wanted to join Rye and I for that long, and well, I wimped out on it. Next year, I don't care if anyone else is coming. The boy and I are in!
Our coral, seed, stone and stick mandala.
Rye's first shooter - orange juice (but the green kind which is a bit more grapefruit flavor), which gave him the proper wincing and puckering.
Mommy, do we have to make another flower arrangement?
Our view of many.
As always, a potty break shot.
Shrimp flowers
Wild ginger
Jungle hike love.
Those leaf cutter ants....
See them? Don't step on them leaf cutters.
The road to our jungle lodge.
Yeah, I'm a happy, wild-running jungle boy!
Lizard spotting.
Spiders galore.
Ahh, the best tiny bananas you ever tasted!
One of the sweet house dogs, Kenya, munching on a bone.
Right around rain storm time, you could just plop yourself in the hammock and gaze up in the trees and find a sloth or two. Today it's the papa sloth.
Here's my baby sloth after some rain shower naptime. Sounds like sleeping under a waterfall.
Dog treats...and dishes done...
Another view
Breakfast burritos, while the howler monkeys roared.
Airport waiting with the aid of the trusty dvd player. Which now is broken. Help us!
Flight from Panama City to Bocas del Toro.
Getting ready to land.
Exhausted mama, auntie and passed out Rye as we bump ourselves in the backseat to the jungle house.
After the outside shower.
We loved eating and hanging out at this table.
The house was beautiful, mediterranean style, all custom local woodwork and furniture, curved windows and archways, and all the spoils of home from oven to hot water and flush toilets. The house was also completely off the grid - powered by solar.
One day we took a boat ride, just the four of us and our guide, all around the many islands. That's bird island behind us. It was right off our beach and you could see it from the house. Crystal an Matthew kayaked out to it one day.
The island is a nesting ground for all sorts of birds, especially the blue-footed boobie.
Yes, it is fantasy island, isn't it?
Our homemade see-saw on our little beach down from the house.
Digging, of course, Rye required a vigorous digging regimen by all of us - daily.
You know these folks, don't you?
I think this is a torch ginger.
Sipping coconuts at the house.
Stirder, snacking on a coco. That dog was obsessed with fetching.
We forgot his lifejacket. What were we thinking? Looks like we went a little overboard here - adult life vest and floaties.
Rye's first real soda - fresca.
Just an ordinary tree...
Gramps, can you build me one of these?
I don't know; but don't they look alike?
The boy was throwing a wicked fit here, but we didn't care!!
Just after spotting a big starfish, Rye begins the hunt for another sea creature. He was very gentle.
A large 8 ft snake crossing our path home.
Open up!
Did we tell you? The owner of the house is Gundula and she gives amazing massages. Rye got maybe three and he turned to calm, sweet butter. Gundula, where are you now?
A mommy and popi break while rye enjoys a movie and hammock moment.Oh yeah, look up, another sloth!
This one was a mama with her baby.
Papaya. In the middle of March, you can't be happier than being warm, surrounded by amazing color-pop gardens, and gifted with tropical, juicy fruit.
Lazy times. We had a lot of them. We had 2 full weeks. Lucky dogs.
The sweet jungle lodge.
Headed out on our daily jungle trek.
Not too remote for cookies!!!
