HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM BOCAS DEL TORO, PANAMA

 

Bocas del Toro is a chain of islands on the Caribbean side of Panama, only 40 miles from the border of Costa Rica, and is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.  Christopher Columbus came here on his last trip in 1502. Today, most come for the surf and sun. There's a huge number of expats here (and who can blame them, I didn't want to leave either).  I actually remember surfing back home and talking to someone in the water who had set up a surf camp here. Bocas town is bustling, full of hostels, bars, restaurants. We stayed on Carenero, a calmer small island just across the way.

I had been told by many not to come for New Years because it gets too crowded.  Jill and Bill (our amazing hosts) kept going on about how many people were around, but to be honest I didn't think it was bad at all! I've spent New Years in places far more crowded. From experience, Floripa or St Barths are much more of a nightmare around this time. The only time it hit me was when the entire island ran out of eggs on New Years day.

Air Panama and Aeroperlas have multiple flights a day straight into Bocas town, or you can choose to go the long way and do what we did... drive! The 8-hour trip got pretty brutal at times, but we drove through the night and made it safe and sound. Panamanian directions make me laugh. It's not like in the States where you get on highway so and so and get off on exit 123 then make a right onto ABC blvd.  Here, you take the highway until it becomes a 2 lane road, then you make a right at the gas station that has good coffee, then you're gonna go down the really bumpy road, until you get to the fog, then pass the dam and make a left at the breakfast spot... That kinda thing. Nothing is marked, you just have to know where you're going.

 

We spent New Years day at Starfish beach, a beautiful stretch of sand with crystal clear lagoon-calm water, followed by sunset drinks, dancing, and laughs at Aqualounge on Carenero. Dinner was at the Cosmic Crab, a cute restaurant composed of tiny private bohios over the water.

orchid hunting and trekking through the jungle on Carenero...

 

LA ANTIGUA, GUATEMALA

Antigua used to serve as the colonial Spanish capital of Central America, and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in Guatemala.  It is a very small town (you can walk from one side to the other in 15 minutes), surrounded by the imposing Volcan de Agua, Volcan de Fuego, and Volcan Acatenango. Antigua's big, baroque cathedrals and convents were repeatedly damaged by earthquakes in the 18th century, and the capital was moved to Guatemala City.  We came here for a wedding that look place in one of the ruins, Convento las Capuchinas.

This charming, colorful town is full of great shops, restaurants, and bed and breakfasts.  We stayed at Posada Del Angel, a cute little boutique hotel with only seven rooms.  We were assigned to the Green Room, "a favorite for honeymooners and lovers of all ages," as they say on the website. Well, they certainly knew how to set the mood! We walked into this beautiful room to find the floor covered in rose petals, a bottle of wine and homemade chocolate truffles waiting for us.  The staff was sweet and helpful, and the decor was very rustic and homey.

These Muñecas quitapenas (worry dolls) were placed on our bed. They are like the Guatemalan equivalent of a dream catcher. You tell the dolls your problems and place them under your pillow before bed, and they do the worrying for you so you can sleep soundly.

antique mismatched silverware at breakfast.

I'm proud to say my Spanish is starting to come back! A long walk through the mercado artisanal and a good deal of bartering brought my Spanish confidence level back up.  Who knew shopping can do so much good? I even understood the entire ceremony at the wedding! Maybe it's not grammatically perfect but I can get my point across.  I just hope that my accent in Spanish is as charming as when foreigners speak English with an accent... Does that work both ways?

 

getting creepy at Hotel Convento!

The civil ceremony at Hotel Convento

Hotel Convento

Due to Antigua's elevation, the temperature drops down to the 40's at night, so remember to pack warmly and keep in mind high heels are a terrible idea because of the cobblestone streets. I learned the hard way, coming thisclose to twisting my ankle a few times. Poor Matthew's bag never arrived (later found out it took a trip to Punta Cana, D.R.) so he was stuck in his work clothes the whole weekend. We luckily managed to find a suit on the day of the wedding.

The wedding was the most beautiful I've ever been to. The venue was mind-blowing. Our jaws literally dropped when we walked into the reception. Congratulations Christian and Jessica!

Wedding ceremony at Las Capuchinas

hmm, wasnt quite ready for one of those.

PASSIONPIT

 

at the Hollywood Palladium, December 7th 2010