On Our Way to Panama City:

 January 3, 2012

Today we leave the dust and beautiful warm waters of Playa Guiones behind along with my daughter, her wonderful partner, Chandy, and all our new friends.  I was just getting into the groove and becoming accustomed to the dust and laid back atmosphere!  I never worried about what I wore, or how clean my hair or body was for that matter. Washed by the ocean or a shower, not much difference I soon realized.  When you are in the ocean many times a day, why shower??  All one needs is a couple of bathing suits, a sarong and a cool dress to change into for dinner.  No fashion icons here!!  Although, in town, you can go to Desi, who makes the most adorable sexy, low back long dresses. Then to Jennifer who has the only fancy jewelry store that sells her beautifully creative designs.  Next, stop in the bathing suit store where you can have one made to fit your body perfectly. Then there is Nina, who is a wedding planner, formerly from Bogota, who is so busy she is currently booked through April.  Near the jewelry store is Robin’s, a wonderful homemade ice cream and sandwich hangout.  The food there is so fresh and good that the lines are long much of the time and pretty, but sneaky, blue and white birds position themselves on nearby branches to snatch some of the homemade bread as soon as it is left unprotected.  Then there is the Tica Massage place where I had two soothing massages.

So many wonderful things are in the surrounding area of Guiones.   One day we took a little excursion with a wonderful family that we met at our hotel.  We were on a quest to find “The Pink Shell Beach” that was purported to have many beautiful large shells.  Following directions from our host at the hotel is not that easy.  It reminded me of the directions I might have given to visitors in the small rural area where I once lived on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  “Go about 2 miles, make a left at the street with the biggest elm tree, go past the yellow house and turn right, then continue on until you come to the river, the house is on the left, you can’t miss it!”  With no real signs marking the way and every dusty road looking like the last, it is difficult to figure out if you were on the correct path or not.  “Go down the road for about 20km, and then you will go over a hill (there were several) then take the next right.”  The path, and that is all it was, hardly wide enough for a car, wove in and out of the jungle.  While it was beautiful, it was a challenge to keep the car in one piece as we traversed many large ruts and holes.  But at the end of the road we found a beautiful beach. 

The water was azure blue and picturesque, but alas, no shells to speak of.  However, what we did find was the “Swiss Family Robinson!”   Approximately 100 yard back from the water stood a two story open structure inhabited by a couple and their daughter who are originally from New York.  Michael observed Mr. “Robinson” cutting open a coconut and thought he had stumbled upon a restaurant.  But as it turned out, it was the family home where they have been coming a couple times a year for more than 17 years.  Sadly, it was to be their last year there because the government was taking over the home due to the regulations in existence prohibiting any construction closer than 500 yards from the beach.   Bill White (Mr. Robinson) and his family were very welcoming and informative.  We were given fresh oranges to sample along with coconut and mango juice.  It wasn’t long before we were hearing stories of their visits to this unusual home and forgot all about how we had struck out on finding shells.  What we found was far more interesting and will leave a lasting impression on us.  Yes, it is true, Tom and Mary Malone, you do find wonderful people wherever you go and when you least expect it!

To add to the jungle experience, we were treated to a very close up and nearly personal view of an adorable group of howler monkeys that inhabit the trees behind my daughter Page’s home.  So while relaxing on the side patio, we heard howlers in the trees nearby and then one at a time they traversed the trees and gathered in the tree limbs of her backyard.  Howlers of all ages and sizes munched on leaves and put on quite a show that I never wanted to end!  I was amazed that these wild relatives would come so close, but then I realized that actually Page is just a guest in their home! 

As we leave Playa Guiones, I am sad to leave my daughter, the warm water and the residents of her backyard.   Yet I know we will be back in April and in months to come in 2012.  The biggest Christmas present I was given this year is that Page and Chandy are expecting a monkey of their own August 22, 2012!  I am guarded and won’t count the grandchild before it hatches.  So much can happen in the early months of pregnancy.  But since I had given up any thoughts of a grandchild from my independent daughter, this is quite a wonderful gift!  See you next time in Panama City!