Azueros Peninsula / Isla Iguana


Yesterday we made our south along the Pacific coast of Panama. We stopped en route to visit a local artist who makes traditional devil masks first used over 500 years ago as a way of introducing
Christianity. The masks are still used today during Corpus Christi. Then some local people performed the traditional dance wearing the masks. We arrived at our villas yesterday evening and settled in walking the beach and watching the waves crash. The surf is a little of the rough side today as apparently we had a full moon this week. Our villas have full kitchens so Mica wiped up dinner while we set up the hammock and tried a Panamanian beer, Balboa.
This morning we drove 15 minutes into town. The road we take is past farms and lots of cows and horses. We even stopped to look at a few troops of howler monkeys in the trees. We picked up our snorkel equipment and rode to the beach. Our captain James (not Bond as he said) took us out about twenty minutes later there were four huge humpback whales breeching and jumping around us. It was one of the most amazing things any of us had seen but at this time it was raining quite heavily so cameras were away. Unfortunately there are no pictures but I don't think any of us will ever forget it!
We arrived at Isla Iguana and the rain stopped and the sun came out. We hiked around first and explored. Though I did see 2 iguanas I think they should rename the island Tropical LandCrab because they were EVERYwhere!! So colorful and look plastic. Bright orange and purple hard to believe they are real! We snorkeled off the beach and the water was so warm!!! After our picnic lunch and so relaxing we took the boat back to the beach where we bought a giant red snapper he had just caught. It was still alive. A 12 1/2 pound fish for $12. We are having a BBQ on the beach tonight and we are cooking it up then. I can't wait!!!

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