Surf has dropped a bit in Bocas. Caranero was allright this morning because it was uncrowded.
Tonight is Christmas Eve, obviously and the entire town is out in their finest clothes. Tomorrow, I´m sure there will be a traffic jam of kids on new bicycles.
The sun actually came out for a brief period today. The first time in over a week.
Not too much to report from Bocas del Toro, Panama.
We have been surfing a lot and aside from the rain that shows no sign of ever stopping there are no hassles.
We have started building an ark, and are preparing to load up the stray dogs, fleur de lis snakes, and perhaps a cockroach or two onto it. Nonstop rain since we arrived, but the surf has been nonstop, too. That is the most important thing.
Board troubles, again…
My board snuck away from me surfing yesterday and went into the rocks. So I have a hefty repair job.
The surf is a bit bigger today, and everything is good. Eating at the cafeteria and surfing. Only one session a day so far, I´m not used to the sun. I am going to start looking at property here, I think.
Today we surfed Caraneros, and caught it good for the first hour, till the tide shifted.
Bocas.
Arrived finally in Bocas. The travel down here was a bit of a pain, since they changed the bus shedules. But we got here. The surf is good, and it is warm and perfect. Todo bien.
I feel sorry for people that don’t surf. Not that I am encouraging them to join me in the line up. But it is nice when people ask, “What do you do for fun?” and I have an answer ready in my pocket. I don’t have to struggle and think of stuff about “movies” and “hanging out with my friends in bars”. There is always a modicum of sheepishness when people try to answer and realize for a fleeting moment, that they don’t enjoy themselves enough. I’ve felt that sheepishness when people, looking for common ground ask, “What else do you do?”. Uh. I read a lot of books. I snowboard. It is nice to have something you are passionate about. You can’t tell people about waves that were the best feeling on earth… because you sound like someone who drags their knuckles; or else you sound like you are selling religion.
Of course, I am geographically challenged right now.
I Had An Idea
Assuming that there are “evil-doers” out there, and that they are indeed intent on causing harm to Americans; I had an idea. What if the jingoist monkeys running the country aren’t complete idiots? It is a stretch, but it is a possibility.
{Go to Google and search for “Miserable Failure” and click the first link.}
So assuming that all the oil money has bought not only the most bellicose minds in America, but also some that can add and subtract. {“If the government spends more than we make, it’s bad…”}
This dawned on me.
If these bad guys are intent on harming American interest and they are not opposed to attacking civilian “soft targets” as well as military ones: then it might be smart to start a little war in their backyard. That way they can leave their homes and attack Americans. We will be in their neighborhood. The people won’t have to try and fly into America, or sneak in through Canada or Mexico.
And here is the best part, instead of killing a bunch of people who clean office buildings like their last attack. This way Al Qaeda (or whatever) can meet people who have guns and are trained to kill. The United States Military.
And it was so simple, all we had to do was put a media spin on a moderately oppressive regime in a country filled with oil. Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism and there are no weapons of mass destruction. I am terrified to think of what Bush will do to this country if he has 4 more years and without the accountability of an election at the end.
Eh hem… So, I am finishing my contract tomorrow and then I go to Panama for a month starting on Monday.