San Blas
Marita3
Mark & Helen Syrett
Tue 14 Feb 2012 23:56
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We spent a few days at San Blas firstly to recover
from our passage around the ''Northern Cape'' as it is known and also to see
something of these beautiful islands. They are just sandy mounds with palm trees
and surrounded by coral reefs. The navigation is tricky and we could only
move around in full daylight, watching the colour of the water for
reefs.
The islands are occupied by the Kuna
Indians who are only allowed to marry within their own race and as a result
there are some albino children being born. They are small being slightly taller
than pygmies. They live a spartan life but are obviously happy although
the number of visitors from the Western world is obviously having an
impact.
The first island we went to was Porvenir to clear
Customs and Immigration. All the paperwork was done on an old typewriter and
took for.ever
 the runway (left over from World War II) was being
extended and stretched the width of the island.
 You can fly from Panama and stay in the
''hotel''-----it will take about ten minutes to walk round the whole
island!
 but you can rest afterwards
 We then went to Chichime, two small islands
about 4 miles away
 We went ashore and bought some molas----- they are
squares of cloth reverse appliqued with embroidery.
Helen was shown a large number before clinching the
deal
 Granny allowed her photograph to be taken ----as
long as you gave her a dollar
 On the other island there was a camp which looked a
bit like a scene from one of the survivor programmes
 Then to Lemmon Cays, a group of islands with a
tricky entrance which an Italian got wrong on Thanksgiving Day.
 The Kunas make their boats out of tree trunks and
paddle around, baling out at the same time, selling their molas, lobsters, fish
etc
 .....and then to the entrance to the Panama Canal.
Goodbye to the Caribbean.
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