From the Pacific to a Caribbean Island in a Few Hours
A night on an island of the San Blas archipelago
Words of the weekend: enfermo del coche (car sickness), la hamaca (hammock), la langosta (lobster)
Having woken up at 5:30am by the Pacific ocean in rainy Panama City I couldn’t quite believe that just a few hours later I was sunbathing on a Caribbean island. We took a roller coaster ride across Panama in a 4WD through the lush hills towards the Northern Coast to Guna Yala, which is an indigineous province and home to the Guna people. Guna Yala used to be called San Blas, but we were still referring to its archipelago as The San Blas Islands. There are approximately 365 islands, of which only 49 are inhabited. They lie off the north coast of Panama, east of the Panama Canal.
We were taken in a small boat from the north coast to Yansagladup island.
The weather was great and the boat skimmed over the shimmering sapphire waters, now and again you spotted an island — they just seemed to hover over the water.
Around 9:30am were were on our island. The four girls shared a room with two double beds in “Yansagladup Lodge”.
Then it was time to explore.
To give you an idea of its size, it took about 5 minutes to walk the circumference of the entire island.
There was a little eating area, many coconut trees and a couple of locals, but apart from that nothing to do except relax, read, sunbathe, swim and chat.
Our island hosts took us to some of the other islands so we could snorkel. There were a few starfish and schools of little fish. I nervously submerged my underwater camera for the first time.
There were hammocks between many of the coconut trees, in which some of us spent the night.
The colour of the sea changed as the day went on.
I saw a couple of the island’s inhabitants were selling beautiful molas. A traditional mola is assembled using reverse applique on several layers of colored cotton fabric. I am dying to try it.
The first foundation layer remains whole and uncut. The reverse applique method requires the use of several layers of fabric that will be cut in intricate patterns and the cut out of the top layers revealing the more colourful layers underneath. I understand how much work these are though I am still not sure exactly how to do you and I bought one.
The sun was scorching and we tanked up on sunscreen and water.
In the evening we watched the sun set and had a fish supper.
The next day we went island hopping again.
And I tried lobster for the first time — fresh from the sea. With coconut rice.
As we drove back to Panama City it predictably started raining again. But now we know where to find the sun :-) Thanks to Frankie for organizing this lovely weekend.
