PANAMA CITY

We have finally arrived in Panama City.  We had an eventful trip down from Golfito in Costa Rica visiting a number of the Panamian Islands on the way.  We were in Coiba National Park anchored off Isla Rancheria in a fast flowing passage when asked to pay $200/night .  We said no way and left after one night – lovely anchorage but it wasn’t the Hyatt.  The trip up the Gulf of Panama was a bit torturous as we had 3 knots of current and a head wind of 25 kts against us – we felt we were good when making 4 knts over the ground.
We are gathering ourselves together here before we make the trip through the Panama Canal to the Carribean

EARTHQUAKE

We experienced an earthquake whilst in Tapachula of 7.5 magnitude - the building we were in swayed around us.  The epicentre was only about 200 or so miles away.  Interesting?

NICARAGUA

We are at Puesta del Sol Marina in an estuary just over the border with Honduras.  Had an interesting sail down the coast from Mexico passing Guatemala El Salvador & and a small portion of Honduras.
We spent a night in El Salvador illegally (not checked in) at and island in the Golfo de Fonseca called Meanguera - just lovely with a black sand beach a few pangs on the shore and palm trees beneath lush vegetation.  Cool breeze at night.
At dawn we saw the volcanos of Guatemala in the distance.  This whole coast is littered with volcanos - we even have one near the Marina.p

 HAVE RETURNED TO MEXICO

Back at the boat again and found it in good shape after the Mexican summer and 90% humidity.
Before we set off we decided to do a few local trips - one to a coffee plantation and another to Guatemala.  We are only about 15 mins from the border so we decide to get a bus to Guatemala City and then to the ancient town of Antigua.  We stayed in a delightful B&B and walked around this small town.   We took a day trip to Lake Atitlan which is surround by volcanoes.  We had our own moment with a 7.5 earthquake which made the building sway around us.
The coffee plantations (Fincas) are in the mountains behind Tapachula - they import Guatemalans for the work as the Mexicans wont do it.  It is much cooler there and we spent a pleasant day looking at exotic flowers grown for the flower markets .  This was started as a side line several years ago when the price of coffee fell.
 

RETURNED TO AUSTRALIA

After an interesting trip inland in Mexico, we have come back to Melbourne for about 5 months to see family and friends.
We have left the boat on the coast nr an incredibly hot place called Tapachula.  See on sidebar Google map where it is.  The daily temperature is early 30’s but the humidity is around 90%.  We are only a few miles from the Guatamala border.  The marina is new and well protected BUT the water is dirty because of all the factory emissions further inland,  Well, can’t have everything.

We travelled to San Cristobal de la Casas in Mayan country up in the mountains - interesting old town with a lot of the original town intact and Mayans walking the streets with tourist items for sale.  Side visit to Chumula - very much still a Mayan town with a main Church where rituals with chickens are still held for sickness, good weather, crops etc.  Then on to the Mayan ruins at Palanque which date back to 226BC.  They were discovered in the 18th Century but not until 1949 that excavations started and only now 10% has been explored.  It is a constant struggle to keep the jungle at bay and not covered the ruins now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palenque
 Mexico City next for a feast of Museums and churches - lots to do and see there with the Archeological Museum being the highlight.

I have put photos on the albums on the side bar

ANOTHER JUNGLE TRIP

Well,  jungle is what the American guide books call it – but to us Aussies it is a mangrove swamp.

It was another trip for Humphrey (Boggie) and Katherine – armed with crocodile fighting equipment ( so the guide books told us – don’t go swimming in the water – there are crocodiles abounding), food and water supplies in case we got stuck in the mud or worse still lost in the mangroves, GPS,  VHF radio, though who we would call is a mystery,  plus lots of fuel for the outboard.

We ventured in only to find benign surroundings, not a crocodile in sight.   The only danger was being run over by a racing panga coming from the other direction in the narrow waterways.  Maybe he was racing away from a crocodile.

Interesting trip none the less.

Boggie did marvellously when exiting over the bar at the entry to the estuary and didn’t even get one splash into the boat when waves threatened to engulf us.

STILL IN LA CRUZ

After two weeks we are still in La Cruz nr Puerta Vallarta - great little village - almost still in its original state despite a new Marina being here for 5 years. Cobble stone streets, people pull out tables and chairs in the evening and put them at the edge of the street and serve food virtually from their kitchens. Cheap, tasty and good.