Bocas del Toro

March 19, 2014

Bocas del Toro

After spending 24 hours in Panama City, I decided to go to the bus station and choose my next destination. I don't know why, but Panama didn't attracted me like other countries, so I bought a bus ticket to Almirante, in the north, near the border with Costa Rica. My last destination wasn't Almirante itself, but Bocas del Toro, an archipelago in the Caribbean Sea.

I took a night bus, so I had to wait at the bus station for about 6 hours. In front of the bus station there is a shopping mall, the biggest one I've ever seen, with every kind of brand shops. Not even in the US I saw such a big shopping mall.

The bus wasn't really comfortable (I was used to very good Peruvian buses for night travel), but I managed to fall asleep... till when a police officer pointed on my face his torch and asked me for my passport. He didn't move the torch till when I gave him my passport. It was 1:20 am. But, porca puzzola (sorry for this Italian expression), why the police has nothing better to do in the middle of the night rather than waking up passengers that with lot of difficulties managed to fall asleep?

After that I spent the night half sleep, half awake and when we arrived to Almirante at 5:30 am someone took me with his taxi to the port, then another one took me with his boat to Bocas Town (the main island of the archipelago) and from there another man took me to his hostel. In the meantime I was still half asleep.

I soon realised that Bocas Town is a very touristic place, lot of hostel/hotel and bars. But only from here you can get to other islands. The first day I took a collettivo to get to Bocas del Drago and Playa Estrella, where you should be able to see hundreds of starfish. I saw only one. Quite disappointing...

The second day I took a tour to get to Cayo Zapatilla, that is known as the most beautiful place of the archipelago. This time I wasn't disappointed at all, it was even better than what I imagined. At the beginning we stopped in a place to observe dolphins. We saw some of them, but of course it's very difficult to take pictures.

Then we went to the Cayo Zapatilla Sur, a little wild island. We had time to explore the island, a little forest and then to swim in this beautiful sea.

Then we spent another hour snorkeling at Cayo Coral. There were no many fishes, but lot of colorful corals.

On the third day I visited another island, Red Frog island. But also this time it was quite disappointing. The sea was too agitated to swim and the beach wasn't something like Caribbean style.

I was thinking to book again the tour to Cayo Zapatilla, I really liked it, but then I realised it was time for me to go.

Maybe I shouldn't write it here, there are things that maybe it's better not to write on the blog, but this time I'll make an exception.

Everything was fine in my hostel when I first arrived. The owners, Argentinans, were very nice people and the atmosphere was good also with the other tourists (Americans, Germans, Spanish, Argentinans etc.). Everything changed the second night, when a group of Israelis arrived. Suddenly you co hear only them in the whole hostel and unfortunately I could even understand what there were saying (they were cursing and complying all the time). Other tourists looked each other shocked about their behaviour. I had two of them in my room and in just couple of hours the room was a mess and the bathroom was completely dirty. They also monopolised the kitchen and the fridge that became unusable for other tourists. Another problem is that israelis, I don't know why, but barely leave the hostel, not during the day, not during the night. So even in the night they went on shouting till 2 am, without thinking that other people were trying to fall asleep.

I was very ashamed and upset for their behaviour. I took distance from them and I didn't say one word in Hebrew.

On the third night, another Israeli took a place in my room. At that moment I was there alone, reading a book. He entered and said "Hi". I answered him back only with "Hi" and I went on reading my book. After 5 minutes he went out from the room saying

" בת זונה, נעים להכיר אותך"

(translated in italian means "figlia di P... È stato un piacere conoscerti") .

He talked in Hebrew, having no idea I could understand, and it just came like this, from nothing, we didn't have any kind of talking before. This time I couldn't stop myself from answer him "you can call bat-zona (figlia di P. ) your sister. I understand everything you say, little idiot. It was nice to meet you too." Guys, you just had to see his face when he realized I could really understand everything. This had no price!

But the way they behave is very sad. So many tourists I met during my travel complained about israelis behaviour. Israelis are also the only tourists I had problems with. This is the second time I met a group of Israelis (I was very careful to avoid them ) and both time I had bad experiences. I must admit that I also met some Israeli solo travelers and they were very nice people, but when they are in group....

So after this, I decided it was time to leave Panama.

Next post from Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica, hoping I will be able to share nicer stories.

Bocas Town