We left Portobelo around 11:00 pm. We sailed through the night until we reached Porvenier of the San Blas Islands. We planned to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on the islands.

None of us were able to legally leave Panama because all immigrations offices were closed for the holidays. We tried briefly to get it taken care of in Porvenier. No luck, we’ll just have to handle it when we get to Cartegena.

December 24 th, Underway to the San Blas Islands

Jack and Paula (Leonardo’s Daughter)

The dread pirate Leonardo, told me that he had bad character

Mauricio was the renter of the hammocks

We spent two nights on this gorgeous Island. There is nothing here except some small wood huts and some of the local Kuna Indians. Only white sand and palm trees. Beautiful spot.

These islands have remained relatively untouched by Western culture, ah well, except for Mauricio’s clothes. Some say the peaceful Kuna were booted off the mainland by other warring tribes and Spanish conquistadores long ago.

Leonardo told us there would be places to get food on the island. There wasn’t. It was a pretty lean couple of days.

Homemade bread made from coconut. This kept us alive

The islands were beautiful

Relaxing on a Christmas morning

Isaac with a monkey on his back

The locals had a monkey tied to a tree. Tourist were instructed to pay for any photos taken of the captive monkey. This monkey like most monkeys from what I have been told was a little asshole. I love the idea of me having one as a pet but I know they are just rotten.

Our Christmas dinner

We spent a lot of the day gather and buying things to eat from the locals and other blows boater anchored off shore. We didn’t really have enough food but we were happy. And a little homesick.

One of the local women, Lisa, was actually born a man, cooked dinner for us. Apparently sex changes and general sexual ambiguity are traditional and quite common among some of these isolated tribal islands.

A Merry Christmas fire on the beach

Sleeping on a Christmas night completely roach free

The second night on the island I slept in the hammock that had treated me so nicely during my afternoon nap. I tied my bike cover to the tree as well in case it rained. I was glad I did!

Some of the guys rented a hut. During the night I woke up to a commotion and flashlight jerking everywhere from inside. Apparently Adam actually had roaches crawling on his face. At first he thought it was a bead of sweat sliding down his face. When he went to wipe it off he ended up whipping a huge roach off his face!

All four of them were up and spraying bug spray, cologne, rum, anything they could put on the beams that the hammocks were tied to. I was there laughing and lending moral support, by laughing some more. I could see the roaches in the rafters. It was really nasty.

My two-wheeled baby out getting some sun

The famous Lisa, renowned Mola maker