Camryka Land...

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Click this link if you want to start at the beginning:
FIRST BLOG ENTRY
If you want to start at the beginning of our trip:
START OF TRIP
If you want to see the story of our trip from South Carolina
(where we bought the boat)
 to Lake Ontario Click this link:
  SOUTH CAROLINA

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Yesterday (Sunday) we became house sitters here in Bocas del Toro at the home of our good friends, Mary & Carl in their home they call Camryka Land.  They are cruisers who have built a lovely home here on Dolphin Bay.  Blowin' Bubbles lays at anchor looking beautiful and content... (if a sailboat can look "content").

As I blog, I am sipping french pressed coffee looking at the bay wondering how the "other half" lives...

Last week we continued our saga with the Bocas Hospital.  As planned we returned on Friday to see the director, only to find he was not there and would not be back until next week....  Disappointed, we took our urine samples to the laboratory and were told there was nothing that could be done for us until we saw the doctor....  This time it was Shelley who was going to have nothing to do with that idea, and she just stood in front of the laboratory woman's desk until she looked after us...  Clearly, she wasn't happy, but she knew she was dealing with a couple of crazy gringos...

We never got the results of our blood tests, but the hospital now has our urine samples and we hope the director returns on Wednesday this week so we can get all our results and get started treating our Leishmaniasis.

The really good news is that the homeopathic treatment of hot compresses seems to be working on its own and both Shelley and my blisters look like they are beginning to heal...  I would be great if we don't have to take the traditional treatment, but hopefully we will know later this week.

As for my tooth, it still hurts but I know it will eventually get better.

The rest of our week last week was lovely.  We started distributing the school supplies sent to us from Canada and were even invited as "special guests" to a local community gathering.  See our Right to Write Blog entry for those details. Here are a few more pictures taken this week.  Some are from the village we visited, but not included on our RtoW page.

Some of the agricultural displays from the community....

The party was briefly interrupted when two big dogs couldn't play nice together...  The dog fight was broken up when young boys from the community started hitting them with sticks...  Yes Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore....

Shelley's favorite part of the day... Seeing a sloth close up!

The kids were fascinated with our camera....

The candy seemed popular too....

On our container shipment we received, besides the school supplies a few treasures for ourselves.  We received a replacement sail kit for the dinghy, An expensive item but worth it so we can sail the dinghy instead of burning fuel in the engine...

Shelley got a new coloring book... She is loving the relaxation these books are giving her...  who knew??

She also received a new pair of binoculars and a Panama bird book and has been in heaven here at Mary and Carl's looking at all the critters that live in their jungle...

We also got a new solar dehydrator.  this is something we found on Amazon and want to use it to dry herbs and fruit on the boat.  We will try it this weeks to see how it goes...

Shelley's garden on the boat has really taken off.  Who knew you could grow veggies on a boat?

On Saturday we were invited to join Mary & Carl at the home of another ex-pat couple in in Bocas.  Hank & Linda have a lovely home and we have a great time.

 A young male sloth joined the party...

Time to go home...

Before Carl & Mary left, I got a panga driving lesson. There is no road to their house so this is the only way to make the 8 mile journey to town.  I have to say I secretly LOVE to go fast! Their 24' panga is pushed along nicely with a 70 hp engine.

When we got to the gas station I remembered why I love to sail slowly...

Have a great week everyone.  Today I leave you with these few pictures that show just a few of the beautiful children that touch our lives as we travel...

Cheers!