Earplugs?
Monday, January 14, 2008
How sensitive are you to sound? Do city noises keep you
from sleeping? How about a snoring partner – does that
bother you? We have had many guestsl whom are sensitive
to sound. Under normal circumstances, they wear
earplugs to protect themselves from unpleasant noises.
Most of them find that they do not need to use ear protection in order to sleep here. Our natural jungle noises are a wonderful “white noise” for those seeking rest. Each evening you can hear the parrots returning from their day’s work. We have Majestic Oropendola who also spend a fair amount of time onsite. These birds also serve as the morning wake up call each day as they serve as the jungle’s alarm clock.
The sweet noises of the different insects blend together to make up a symphony of sorts for you to drift off to sleep. And let’s not forget about the rain which can range from a pitter patter to a downpour. Each change in tempo has a unique sound pattern on the metal roofs of our cabanas.
Now as far as the snoring partner is concerned, we can’t do much about that, but maybe just maybe he or she will be so relaxed that they will sleep without the regular chorus of sound.
Most of them find that they do not need to use ear protection in order to sleep here. Our natural jungle noises are a wonderful “white noise” for those seeking rest. Each evening you can hear the parrots returning from their day’s work. We have Majestic Oropendola who also spend a fair amount of time onsite. These birds also serve as the morning wake up call each day as they serve as the jungle’s alarm clock.
The sweet noises of the different insects blend together to make up a symphony of sorts for you to drift off to sleep. And let’s not forget about the rain which can range from a pitter patter to a downpour. Each change in tempo has a unique sound pattern on the metal roofs of our cabanas.
Now as far as the snoring partner is concerned, we can’t do much about that, but maybe just maybe he or she will be so relaxed that they will sleep without the regular chorus of sound.
Talamanca Range
Monday, December 17, 2007
We are fortunate here in Bocas del Toro Panama to have
a world heritage site. The Talamanca Range – La Amistad
Reserves were initially designated as a UNESCO world
heritage site in 1983 and then extended again in 1990.
The park lies on the edge of the borders between Panama and Costa Rica. The governments of Costa Rica and Panama declared their intent to form the park in 1979. Over a period of not quite 12 years the different parts of the park were established and inscribed in the World Heritage List.
The Talamanca Range is the highest and wildest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. This arc type mountain building was formed by a combination of marine deposition and marine volcanonism and the uplifting of the entire area to some 4000 meters above sea level. The area has gradually eroded due to heavy rainfall.
Tropical rain forests have covered most of the area since at least 25,000 years ago. There are at least eight different life zones in the park including lowland tropical rain forest, cloud forest, sub-alpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high altitude bogs. Nowhere else in Central America can you find sub-alpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high altitude bogs. The area also contains all five altitudinal zones found in the tropics. Species diversity is amazing. There may not be any other reserve of equivalent size in the world with so many different species, due to the convergence of the floras of North and South America and varied climatic and soil based factors. The park includes some 9,000 flowering plant, more than 4,000 non-vascular plant, 80% of the country's moss, about 900 lichen and approximately 1,000 fern species.
The park lies on the edge of the borders between Panama and Costa Rica. The governments of Costa Rica and Panama declared their intent to form the park in 1979. Over a period of not quite 12 years the different parts of the park were established and inscribed in the World Heritage List.
The Talamanca Range is the highest and wildest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. This arc type mountain building was formed by a combination of marine deposition and marine volcanonism and the uplifting of the entire area to some 4000 meters above sea level. The area has gradually eroded due to heavy rainfall.
Tropical rain forests have covered most of the area since at least 25,000 years ago. There are at least eight different life zones in the park including lowland tropical rain forest, cloud forest, sub-alpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high altitude bogs. Nowhere else in Central America can you find sub-alpine paramo forests, pure oak stands, lakes of glacial origin and high altitude bogs. The area also contains all five altitudinal zones found in the tropics. Species diversity is amazing. There may not be any other reserve of equivalent size in the world with so many different species, due to the convergence of the floras of North and South America and varied climatic and soil based factors. The park includes some 9,000 flowering plant, more than 4,000 non-vascular plant, 80% of the country's moss, about 900 lichen and approximately 1,000 fern species.
Embraced by nature
Monday, September 24, 2007
Once you step off the boat onto the dock at almost any
location here in Bocas del Toro Panama, you know you
are being embraced by nature. You almost feel as if you
are receiving a hug from Mother Nature herself. You are
surrounded by plants and trees which make up the rain
forest. You can almost feel the forest breathing. The
insects and animals make room for you to share their
space, but you never forget that you are a visitor here
in the jungle.
The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.
However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.
The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.
However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.
Panama Beach
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Zapatilla Cayes. These islands are the most famous of
all our islands here in Bocas del Toro. They are
beautiful little islands which are included in the
Bastimentos National Marine Park. As such they will
never be inhabited but for a park ranger or a select
group of people who stay on the islands for a brief
period of time to help the turtles during nesting
season.
Today we had a group of 13 people we took over to the first Zapatilla Cay. Besides us, I think there were maybe 15 other people there. Of those 15 other people, 6 of them were with a tour operator who parked near where we were and the other 9 people we saw as they took a walk around the entire island.
There are days when we take our guests out to these beaches and we do not see any other people. We have had several groups of guests ask to be dropped off at these beaches in order for them to play “Survivor” for a few hours at a time. Of course, we do send an igloo full of food and drinks, chairs, and a variety of other gear with them. So while it isn’t much of a trial at Survivor; it is a great day.
Today we had a group of 13 people we took over to the first Zapatilla Cay. Besides us, I think there were maybe 15 other people there. Of those 15 other people, 6 of them were with a tour operator who parked near where we were and the other 9 people we saw as they took a walk around the entire island.
There are days when we take our guests out to these beaches and we do not see any other people. We have had several groups of guests ask to be dropped off at these beaches in order for them to play “Survivor” for a few hours at a time. Of course, we do send an igloo full of food and drinks, chairs, and a variety of other gear with them. So while it isn’t much of a trial at Survivor; it is a great day.
