17/2/10

Friday, Panama

Well we are still here, sadly the water maker has decided to stop working again so our departure is on hold.  We now have a Water maker engineer onboard to see if he can find what the problem is.  Seafresh Water Makers do not have agents here, unfortunately, but we are hoping that as they are basically the same thing we can get it going via another agent.

Meanwhile.....The Carnival turned out to be great fun, got together with some other BWR yachts on Via Espania the floats (8 of them) and lots of dancers between came past at 8p.m. very good, lots of work put into them, a fantastic friendly atmosphere, everybody there to have fun, no sense of danger at all.  Everybody is checked at the barriers before being allowed to enter the carnival area so it is much safer than it used to be.

Last night we went into the old town and found a fantastic Tapas restaurant called 'Ego' in Bolivar Square, had wonderful Tamarind Margaritas, the food was excellent, and well worth going to.  People at another table had just come out of the Theater with a Guitarist who started playing and singing, the table joined in with singing and dancing and clapping (Spanish style) the atmosphere in the square with the lovely old colonial buildings was fantastic and has now changed what was a negative image of Panama to something a little more positive.

Shopping for 'soft' foods e.g. perishables has been put on hold as we are not sure of our departure date.  We have to buy most food to last us until we arrive in the Marquise Islands as there is not much in the way of supplies on the Galapagos.

Before we head off for the Galapagos we are hoping to go and explore around the Las Perlas Islands about 70 miles away.

The fishing is supposed to be very good between here and the Galapagos so hopefully we will be catching a lot of our food.

Allan has gone off  to have his Yellow Fever jab, even though he has not been in the San Blas area all the Pacific islands require a YF Vacination Certificate.  Allan has just reappeard and very pleased, YF cost him nothing at the Ministry of Health and comments on how very friendly the Panamanians are which is so true.  Water Maker was a wiring problem and is now mended, the 'electrician' from the other day had not done it properly this guy seems a little more switched on.