Spring Break 2007 - revisited, originally posted on Blogspot
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
We just had a family of four leave after a stay with us
of ten days. I have been communicating with this
family, mainly the dad, for almost a year now as they
planned their Spring Break 2007. This vacation was
different than they normally take and so they asked a
lot of questions in advance to make sure they were
getting exactly what they wanted in their vacation.
We helped them find a hotel in Panama City and also arranged for a guide to take them around the city. This makes the transition into the vacation so much easier as it is one less thing for one to have to deal with.
Once they arrived in Bocas del Toro Panama – in the rain – we got them fed the first of many meals and took them to their cabana. They got comfortable and the sun came out. They walked around the grounds to get a feel for everything, spent some time down at the dock and then came back up for lunch. After a round of questions and a great pizza, they were pretty sure they had made the right decision for their vacation. The adventure was about to begin.
Over the next ten days, they took numerous trips to the beach. They went fishing. They found dolphins. They made friends and most importantly they made memories. I am certain that the memories of this trip will last a long long time.
We helped them find a hotel in Panama City and also arranged for a guide to take them around the city. This makes the transition into the vacation so much easier as it is one less thing for one to have to deal with.
Once they arrived in Bocas del Toro Panama – in the rain – we got them fed the first of many meals and took them to their cabana. They got comfortable and the sun came out. They walked around the grounds to get a feel for everything, spent some time down at the dock and then came back up for lunch. After a round of questions and a great pizza, they were pretty sure they had made the right decision for their vacation. The adventure was about to begin.
Over the next ten days, they took numerous trips to the beach. They went fishing. They found dolphins. They made friends and most importantly they made memories. I am certain that the memories of this trip will last a long long time.
Water
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Water. I have been thinking about it quite a bit for
the past month or so. You see we are experiencing an
unusual draught these days. We haven’t had much rain
for some time now. The town closest to us actually ran
out of water for about three days. Not having water is
scary stuff. But it is the kind of thing that you
really do not stop and think about most of the time in
a developed nation. Water is just there. You can turn
on the tap and out comes the water.
The only time I remember being concerned in the least bit about water and access to it was when Houston was hit by a hurricane. I remember filling the bathtub with water so that we could be assured we would have water in the event the municipal utilities were harmed in any manner. We didn’t have power for several days following that hurricane but I do not remember actually losing access to water.
Life on Isla Bastimentos requires that we constantly monitor our water consumption. We have to make sure that we will have water to support our guests. Each of our cabanas is self sufficient with regard to the water supply our guests actually use. We never run into issues with consumption at the cabanas. And if we did, we can divert water from the main supply to a cabana. Instead we monitor our usage in the main building and in all of the support buildings. We have all learned to wash our hands and brush our teeth with a limited use of water.
I have learned to ration my use of water. I still have a long way to go. Water is very important to us all and yet we use and abuse it day in and day out. Where would we be without water? Exactly not a question one wants to answer.
The only time I remember being concerned in the least bit about water and access to it was when Houston was hit by a hurricane. I remember filling the bathtub with water so that we could be assured we would have water in the event the municipal utilities were harmed in any manner. We didn’t have power for several days following that hurricane but I do not remember actually losing access to water.
Life on Isla Bastimentos requires that we constantly monitor our water consumption. We have to make sure that we will have water to support our guests. Each of our cabanas is self sufficient with regard to the water supply our guests actually use. We never run into issues with consumption at the cabanas. And if we did, we can divert water from the main supply to a cabana. Instead we monitor our usage in the main building and in all of the support buildings. We have all learned to wash our hands and brush our teeth with a limited use of water.
I have learned to ration my use of water. I still have a long way to go. Water is very important to us all and yet we use and abuse it day in and day out. Where would we be without water? Exactly not a question one wants to answer.
Dining options
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
When you eat dinner on your vacation do you want to eat
by yourself with just your party or do you want to dine
with other people staying at the same lodge? We can set
it up either way. If you are on a family adventure
vacation, you may want to share stories of your
adventures with others at dinner each night. Or you
might want to share a meal with just your family.
We can arrange it either way. We frequently sit at communal tables and invite our guests to decide where they want to sit. The resulting conversation is interesting. To hear about an adventure from a variety of viewpoints broadens the experience. One person may notice fine details that others didn’t expressly remember but once they details are brought to the forefront then they become a part of the experience for the whole group. A different person may have noticed an unusual landmark and point it out to the group. The photographs that each person takes during the excursion also provide input into the discussion.
Then there are those who are celebrating their family time. They may enjoy the group dynamic during the cocktail hour and then prefer a private table for dinner itself.
We try to read our guests so that we can give them what they want. After all it is your vacation – make it what you want it to be.
We can arrange it either way. We frequently sit at communal tables and invite our guests to decide where they want to sit. The resulting conversation is interesting. To hear about an adventure from a variety of viewpoints broadens the experience. One person may notice fine details that others didn’t expressly remember but once they details are brought to the forefront then they become a part of the experience for the whole group. A different person may have noticed an unusual landmark and point it out to the group. The photographs that each person takes during the excursion also provide input into the discussion.
Then there are those who are celebrating their family time. They may enjoy the group dynamic during the cocktail hour and then prefer a private table for dinner itself.
We try to read our guests so that we can give them what they want. After all it is your vacation – make it what you want it to be.
Popcorn on the porch
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Simple pleasures. Today, on my porch here in Bocas del
Toro Panama, I shared an afternoon treat with a very
special young man. He educated me on the finer points
of popcorn. He went on about which animals could and
couldn’t eat the different parts of the popcorn.
You see when popcorn is fully popped just about anyone with teeth can eat it. It doesn’t require extremely strong teeth at that point – just that one has them. Thus an infant who does not have teeth cannot eat popcorn. Birds can snack on fully cooked popcorn as it makes a yummy meal for them.
However, the kernels that do not pop should not be eaten by humans or most animals. Monkeys are apparently equipped with teeth that can make easy work of an un-popped corn kernel.
I also learned there was an exact way one was to carry the bowl of popcorn and how to select the finest pieces when you decided upon the next bite. The popcorn should be nice and fluffy and preferably have just the right amount of butter and salt to bring out the flavor of the corn.
Who was this special young man? My three year old son. He has apparently gleaned all of this popcorn wisdom in his short years here on this earth. Lucky for me he is here to educate me about such issues.
You see when popcorn is fully popped just about anyone with teeth can eat it. It doesn’t require extremely strong teeth at that point – just that one has them. Thus an infant who does not have teeth cannot eat popcorn. Birds can snack on fully cooked popcorn as it makes a yummy meal for them.
However, the kernels that do not pop should not be eaten by humans or most animals. Monkeys are apparently equipped with teeth that can make easy work of an un-popped corn kernel.
I also learned there was an exact way one was to carry the bowl of popcorn and how to select the finest pieces when you decided upon the next bite. The popcorn should be nice and fluffy and preferably have just the right amount of butter and salt to bring out the flavor of the corn.
Who was this special young man? My three year old son. He has apparently gleaned all of this popcorn wisdom in his short years here on this earth. Lucky for me he is here to educate me about such issues.
Global Warming
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Why do we protect the environment? Each person has his
or her reasons. I just read an article about how some
of the ski slopes, Aspen, in particular are working to
reduce global warming and do what they can to protect
the climate. Auden Schendler, Director of Aspen’s
Environmental Division said something that I believe to
be extremely accurate. “If we protect the environment
out of greed, that’s even better,” laughing “Greed
works.” The entire ski industry loses if we do not
learn to control our climate.
I read in another magazine a story about a woman who left her SUV running the entire time during an hour long yoga class. When questioned about why she left it running it was because she didn’t want to return to a cold car. When further questioned about whether or not she thought about how she was contributing to global warming, she replied that she didn’t believe in that stuff.
Across the globe, there are people and places which are feeling the effects of global warming today and are learning what further problems we will have in the future if we don’t do something about it. Each of has to determine what we will do and how we will do it to help reduce the speed with which global warming continues.
I read in another magazine a story about a woman who left her SUV running the entire time during an hour long yoga class. When questioned about why she left it running it was because she didn’t want to return to a cold car. When further questioned about whether or not she thought about how she was contributing to global warming, she replied that she didn’t believe in that stuff.
Across the globe, there are people and places which are feeling the effects of global warming today and are learning what further problems we will have in the future if we don’t do something about it. Each of has to determine what we will do and how we will do it to help reduce the speed with which global warming continues.
What will you do?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
My family wasn’t sure what I would be doing when I
moved to Isla Bastimentos here in Panama. My aunts
found it very hard to believe that anyone would want to
move to a very secluded island in the middle of the
Caribbean Sea. What does it take to run an eco
adventure lodge? How will you make sure your children
are educated? Where do you go to do your grocery
shopping?
All kinds of questions are thrown at you when you tell people you are moving with your family to an island. There are those who believe you must be crazy to throw away a perfectly good life in the city: a great job, a car, a nice house, etc. What do you gain by moving away from all of that?
I gain all kinds of special time with my family. Each morning my husband and I spend about an hour with the kids before our day gets started. We just hang out together and talk and play. I gain remarkable sunrises and sunsets. I gain children who are bilingual. My son translates for me. I lose out on so many things in life that do not matter: traffic, sensational journalism, violent crime. So really I think the most important thing it takes to run an eco adventure lodge is a dream – the dream for a different life.
All kinds of questions are thrown at you when you tell people you are moving with your family to an island. There are those who believe you must be crazy to throw away a perfectly good life in the city: a great job, a car, a nice house, etc. What do you gain by moving away from all of that?
I gain all kinds of special time with my family. Each morning my husband and I spend about an hour with the kids before our day gets started. We just hang out together and talk and play. I gain remarkable sunrises and sunsets. I gain children who are bilingual. My son translates for me. I lose out on so many things in life that do not matter: traffic, sensational journalism, violent crime. So really I think the most important thing it takes to run an eco adventure lodge is a dream – the dream for a different life.
Can I do this?
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Can I really match my appetite for eco adventure with
my hunger for maintaining balance in my life? Can I
really let go of corporate America as quickly as I put
on my flip flops? Is it possible to embrace living on a
island and losing the “freedom” of driving a car? Can I
make new friends on regular basis and feel as if I have
known them for a lifetime? Can I free myself in this
process?
Oh yes – all of this is possible. My appetite for eco adventure is really no different than the appetite I used to have for excitement in my job. My job now is eco adventure and sharing it with many other people. Do I maintain balance in my life? For sure. As I sit down to do my work each day I am interrupted by the ebb and flow of my children’s daily activities and those of our guests. I will admit that losing my Blackberry was difficult in the beginning, but now the thought of giving of my flip flops to go back to corporate America is laughable. I am trapped in paradise if you will. Our island has no roads. To go anywhere you must get in a boat and head to another land mass. I can’t drive a boat. So if there are no boat captains around the only way I could get somewhere else would be to head out in a kayak – self propelled transportation. New friends. We have the good fortune to meet so many different people here. I meet people from all different walks of life. Oddly enough you learn quickly that there is some interest you share which then spurs interesting conversation and quite possibly a friendship which will last a lifetime. Am I free? You betcha.
Oh yes – all of this is possible. My appetite for eco adventure is really no different than the appetite I used to have for excitement in my job. My job now is eco adventure and sharing it with many other people. Do I maintain balance in my life? For sure. As I sit down to do my work each day I am interrupted by the ebb and flow of my children’s daily activities and those of our guests. I will admit that losing my Blackberry was difficult in the beginning, but now the thought of giving of my flip flops to go back to corporate America is laughable. I am trapped in paradise if you will. Our island has no roads. To go anywhere you must get in a boat and head to another land mass. I can’t drive a boat. So if there are no boat captains around the only way I could get somewhere else would be to head out in a kayak – self propelled transportation. New friends. We have the good fortune to meet so many different people here. I meet people from all different walks of life. Oddly enough you learn quickly that there is some interest you share which then spurs interesting conversation and quite possibly a friendship which will last a lifetime. Am I free? You betcha.
Celebrate the unique
Sunday, October 07, 2007
We set out to change our lives. We wanted to be able to
spend more time with our families and to work for
ourselves. We have attempted to build an eco adventure
lodge which allows others to do the same even if only
for a brief period of time.
We selected Isla Bastimentos for our location as it was an ideal location for people to experience nature at its finest. There are so many different eco systems on this island and the other islands in Bocas del Toro Panama. Multiple eco systems translates into lots of options. It allows us to present our guests with opportunities to see and experience the natural world in a sustainable fashion.
We like to celebrate what makes Bocas del Toro Panama unique. It has such amazing biodiversity. It has an interesting history. It has beautiful islands and waters. It has its own challenges and occasional discomforts, but it remains relatively undeveloped due to these limitations. If it was easy to get here or it was easy to build here then there would be a McDonalds, a Starbucks and a Marriott. Thankfully, for now, we leave those familiar brands behind when we come to Bocas del Toro Panama.
We selected Isla Bastimentos for our location as it was an ideal location for people to experience nature at its finest. There are so many different eco systems on this island and the other islands in Bocas del Toro Panama. Multiple eco systems translates into lots of options. It allows us to present our guests with opportunities to see and experience the natural world in a sustainable fashion.
We like to celebrate what makes Bocas del Toro Panama unique. It has such amazing biodiversity. It has an interesting history. It has beautiful islands and waters. It has its own challenges and occasional discomforts, but it remains relatively undeveloped due to these limitations. If it was easy to get here or it was easy to build here then there would be a McDonalds, a Starbucks and a Marriott. Thankfully, for now, we leave those familiar brands behind when we come to Bocas del Toro Panama.
Bad day in paradise
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
What do you do when you have a bad day? Do you dwell on
it and let it get you down? Do you try to turn things
around as quickly as possible so that you do not have
to deal with the sunken gut feeling any longer than
absolutely necessary? Do you have a favorite place that
you go to help you get out of the doldrums? Do you eat
something special?
I try and get over it as soon as possible. I remind myself that even in paradise there are bad days. I take a walk and absorb the beautiful tropical sunshine. I look up into the sky and watch all the different cloud formations across the deep blue sky. I peer up into the trees to see if I can find a sloth or a monkey as I walk beneath them under the jungle canopy. I take deep breaths and I peer out onto the view of the Caribbean Sea and the mountains in the distance. I find one of the quiet spots with a hammock and take a nap.
Generally my routine makes it a bit easier to give myself the push to try and make it a good day instead of a bad day. I work to formulate solutions rather than focus on my current problem. And if all else fails – I eat a piece of chocolate.
I try and get over it as soon as possible. I remind myself that even in paradise there are bad days. I take a walk and absorb the beautiful tropical sunshine. I look up into the sky and watch all the different cloud formations across the deep blue sky. I peer up into the trees to see if I can find a sloth or a monkey as I walk beneath them under the jungle canopy. I take deep breaths and I peer out onto the view of the Caribbean Sea and the mountains in the distance. I find one of the quiet spots with a hammock and take a nap.
Generally my routine makes it a bit easier to give myself the push to try and make it a good day instead of a bad day. I work to formulate solutions rather than focus on my current problem. And if all else fails – I eat a piece of chocolate.