I am back to the luxuries of Wi-Fi, real coffee, 
and bathrooms that are plumbed into a sewer system after returning yesterday from the San Blas Islands, which are still completely undeveloped and controlled by the Kuna Indians - at least for now (I'm totally cheering for the Kunas!). On Sunday afternoon I decided to book a flight to El Porvenir from Panama City leaving at 6 am Monday morning. I was staying in a hostel that night, and luckily everyone and their dog had an early flight scheduled to somewhere, so getting up wasn't a problem. Upon arriving on the island of El Porvenir, 
I did not have a place to stay even though I was forewarned by the Lonely Planet guidebook to make sure that all accomodations and flights on the islands were booked in advance since there are no phones on most of the islands, no electricity, and certainly no internet for any type of communication between islands or to the mainland. There are some 400 islands that compose the San Blas Archipielago, but being the 'fly by the seat of my pantalones' type of gal that I am, I had no place to stay upon arrival, nor did I have a flight back to the main land - I prefer to leave my options open you know. 
I find that the Universe always has a way of working things out anyway, so I figure why not just go with the flow? On the short 35 minute flight to the island, I quickly searched my lonely planet guide and found a recommended 'hotel'. Luckily Luchin, the 'hotel's' boatman happened to be at the airport and transported me via cayuco, a dugout canoe made from enourmous hollowed out tree trunks, to my new found paradise and 'hotel'.
and bathrooms that are plumbed into a sewer system after returning yesterday from the San Blas Islands, which are still completely undeveloped and controlled by the Kuna Indians - at least for now (I'm totally cheering for the Kunas!). On Sunday afternoon I decided to book a flight to El Porvenir from Panama City leaving at 6 am Monday morning. I was staying in a hostel that night, and luckily everyone and their dog had an early flight scheduled to somewhere, so getting up wasn't a problem. Upon arriving on the island of El Porvenir, 
I did not have a place to stay even though I was forewarned by the Lonely Planet guidebook to make sure that all accomodations and flights on the islands were booked in advance since there are no phones on most of the islands, no electricity, and certainly no internet for any type of communication between islands or to the mainland. There are some 400 islands that compose the San Blas Archipielago, but being the 'fly by the seat of my pantalones' type of gal that I am, I had no place to stay upon arrival, nor did I have a flight back to the main land - I prefer to leave my options open you know. 
I find that the Universe always has a way of working things out anyway, so I figure why not just go with the flow? On the short 35 minute flight to the island, I quickly searched my lonely planet guide and found a recommended 'hotel'. Luckily Luchin, the 'hotel's' boatman happened to be at the airport and transported me via cayuco, a dugout canoe made from enourmous hollowed out tree trunks, to my new found paradise and 'hotel'.
There were eight of us staying at the 'Hotel San Blas' for the week, located on the island of Nalunega, population 500. In company were a German Family, Nina, Dirk, and their 5-year old son Roco, 
and 2-year old daughter Nola (they too, will be traveling north through Central America from Panama); a British couple, Adam and Kate (traveling south through South America, began in Guatemala), another German named Dietmar (on holiday for a month in Panama and Costa Rica), and myself (wandering about the tropics aimlessly). I found it refreshing and exhilarating to hang out with a house full of travelers, having no exact agenda - only places on the map to visit - like myself. It's always nice to hang with other travelers and exchange info. on places to add to the list of travels, places to stay, and things to avoid. 
Photo Credit: glenfrysinger.com
The Kuna people live simply, tightly packed into their island with homes constructed next to one another and rooftops nearly touching, living as one body, sharing everything from every inch of space on the island, common bathrooms (built out over the ocean where everything drops straight down into the ocean), space, supplies, and food. They keep no secrets and are honest in their dealings with everyone. I have decided after spending time amongst this tightly knit group of people, that from now on, I choose to keep only friends who are honest, keep no secrets from one another, and are open in every way. This, I believe, is what I'd like to take away from the islands with me. Thank you Kuna Yala for teaching me how life is meant to be lived, for inspiring me to keep better company and to be better company in life.
and 2-year old daughter Nola (they too, will be traveling north through Central America from Panama); a British couple, Adam and Kate (traveling south through South America, began in Guatemala), another German named Dietmar (on holiday for a month in Panama and Costa Rica), and myself (wandering about the tropics aimlessly). I found it refreshing and exhilarating to hang out with a house full of travelers, having no exact agenda - only places on the map to visit - like myself. It's always nice to hang with other travelers and exchange info. on places to add to the list of travels, places to stay, and things to avoid. 
From our island, we were motored to at least one new island each day to swim, snorkel, and browse the islands different molas which are made of brightly colored shapes of layered fabric material sewn together. Molas originated from transfering the designs used for body painting to cloth, when the Panamanian government tried modernizing this traditional Kuna culture, and prohibiting them from wearing traditional dress. This was back when the Panamanian government took over for a spell.
Photo credit: galenfrysinger.com. Feel free to visit the website for more incredible photos of the Kuna women and the their amazing molas.
The Kuna are a proud culture, who have fought to keep the Panamanian government from taking both their culture and their land away. They do not allow foreigners to live on their land, and foreigners must pay the chief of each island in order to step onto the island regardless of whether that is for 5-minutes or the entire day. 
Photo Credit: glenfrysinger.com
The Kuna people live simply, tightly packed into their island with homes constructed next to one another and rooftops nearly touching, living as one body, sharing everything from every inch of space on the island, common bathrooms (built out over the ocean where everything drops straight down into the ocean), space, supplies, and food. They keep no secrets and are honest in their dealings with everyone. I have decided after spending time amongst this tightly knit group of people, that from now on, I choose to keep only friends who are honest, keep no secrets from one another, and are open in every way. This, I believe, is what I'd like to take away from the islands with me. Thank you Kuna Yala for teaching me how life is meant to be lived, for inspiring me to keep better company and to be better company in life.
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