Apparently the police succeeded in opening the Pan-american Highway, and traffic is flowing. However, there are reports of rocks being thrown at passing vehicles. It sounds like the town of San Felix is in a state of mayhem with reports that protesters are trying to burn down the police station, while other reports say that San Felix police chopped trees into the roadway to stop riot police from entering town, and other reports that the Panamanian Representative for San Felix is asking riot police to stop firing tear gas into San Felix. It is also reported that more demonstrations and road blocks are planned for tomorrow in the area.

I do not recommend travelling through the area unless absolutely necessary, and if must, be prepared to get stuck at anytime. It seems to me that the road is open now, the situation is very tense and could change quickly.

Meanwhile in the Province of Bocas del Toro, police have not tried to clear road blocks, saying that for now their priority is the Pan-american Highway. In fact, I am told that new road blocks went up this morning between Changinola and the border, and more are planned for later today.

Caribe Shuttle was able to get passengers to their destinations this morning. If more road blocks are erected Caribe Shuttle may need to cancel service until further notice. We will do our best to provide alternatives where possible. At this point we recommend flying if possible.

Panama Guide seems to be a good source of information about the situation along the Pan-american Highway.

We need your help to keep us informed about what is going on around the Province of Bocas del Toro so that we can keep our clients and other travellers in the area informed.

According to the Director, the protesters warned that the tourists had been detained as a warranty. He further said that protesters would not let authorities provide food and water to the tourists.

However, from comments I have received, it seems many Panamanians and others are skeptical, indicating that the bus or the passengers on it could have left of their own free will.

A Costa Rican reporter from Teletica told TVN that Costa Rican President, Laura Chinchila, had been in direct contact with Panamanian authorities to coordinate the release of the toursts trapped in the protest.

Caribe Shuttle will not attempt to cross protest road blocks. We will go around them when possible or cancel the trip.

The full report can be read in Spanish at http://www.tvn-2.com/noticias/noticias_detalle.asp?id=68250.

The US Embassy for Panama sent out a correspondence this morning warning about strikes along the Pan-american Highway but did not mention the labor strikes around Changinola. In part, here is what the Embassy said:

“The U.S. Embassy in Panama City alerts U.S. citizens to continued disruptions and blockages along Pan-American Highway near the San Felix area in Chiriqui (Ngobe Bugle region) and El Higo in Veraguas due to ongoing mining law protests. Anti-riot police are stationed near the area. However, demonstrators have obstructed the road and are controlling access. Most traffic on the road is stopped and the Pan American highway in these areas is effectively closed. . . .”

For the latest information contact our office – contact info here.  You or your clients can find schedules, rates and online reservations HERE.

NatureAir offers 74 daily flights to 15 different destinations including

• Arenal
• Bocas del Toro
• San Jose
• Tortuguero
• Drake Bay
• Golfito
• Liberia
• Managua, Nicaragua
• Tambor

NatureAir has 20 years experience and is the worlds first 100% carbon neutral airline

Way down the list at number 41 is Nosara, Costa Rica, noted as a great place to learn surfing.

Check the full story at http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/travel/45-places-to-go-in-2012.html?pagewanted=all

Interesting that Oakland, California beat out Nosara by a bunch, coming in at number five. Oakland was noted in the article for it’s sophisticated restaurants and smouldering night life. You can experience Oakland’s coolest chef’s and Oakland’s hostess with mostest right in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica! Yamu and Poppy transplanted from the Oakland hospitality scene about ten years ago and are still cooking up some of the best food in Costa Rica in one of the most intimate settings at their Jungle Love Garden Cafe, junglelovecafe.com. You can find it just south of town in Playa Chiquita. And because Jungle Love is now open for lunch again, it is perfectly situated for a refreshing stop on your bike ride between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. Although Yamu’s cuisine is famous for it’s high class palette, his nachos are the best I’ve tried in all of Central America.
-john

Before the Banana plantations arrived, the Southern Caribbean was full of Cacao trees plantations. A disease (which still today is not fully understood,) led to many Cacao trees dying. Farmers turned to growing bananas instead. There are still alot of wild Cacao trees in the area and a few different plantations where people are continuing to produce chocolate in the traditional style.

I went on a tour in Puerto Viejo called the Caribeans Chocolate Forest tour. It was a lovely few hours spent walking through the forest where Cacao trees grow wild, seeing the beans drying in the sun and then eating as much chocolate as you possibly can manage whilst looking at the incredible view of the Caribbean coast. Caribeans uses the old Mayan style method to make chocolate, from the drying of the beans through to the  setting the chocolate.

What I found incredibly interesting is that chocolate is full of antioxidants and is incredibly healthy for you. We all know that chocolate releases a happy hormone, but I wasn’t aware of the anti-ageing properties or the thousands of antioxidants found in pure chocolate. So what happened that turned chocolate from a healthy super food to a fattening devils delight?

On the tour I learn’t that many manufacturers of chocolate separate the Cacao oil from the rest of the Cacao bean, and then sell the oil on to cosmetic companies in order for them to make Cocoa butter. This way is more financially rewarding for the chocolate companies. They then replace the Cacao oil in the chocolate bar with emulsifiers, all the bad fat that we shouldn’t eat! Que pena!Of course sugar is added to the mix, but Caribeans use natural cane sugar instead of refined sugar like other companies.

I got to try chocolate with chile, mint, cinnamon, curry powder, garlic and oregano to name a few. It was a real treat and I found myself really enjoying the chocolate with garlic! After the tour and eating my way through quite a bit of this healthy anti-ageing product, I found myself feeling incredibly high, happy and full of life. It was like I had drunk 2 coffees, and the feeling went on all day without that crash that you feel after drinking too much coffee.

I always find it a shame when profit comes before anything else and I am so glad I went and experienced the traditional way chocolate should be made. It is only $26 per person and the tours lasts for as long as you want to eat chocolate, but normally for 3 hours.
Written by: Emilie Witham.

Many people did not make it across the border before immigration closed. Many were caught in “No Man’s Land,” having stamped out of either Panama or Costa Rica but not able to get stamps in to the next country. All of those travellers will have to return to the border tomorrow to get immigration stamps.

Also, many more travellers missed the last boat from Almirante to Bocas del Toro and were either forced to stay in hotels in Almirante or Changuinola or to take an expensive private boats if they could find one. (The private boats may or may not be safe and legal with proper permission, lights, papers, insurance, etc, but, regardless, it is never a great idea to travel by small water craft after dark if it can be avoided, and this is why our official ferry boats are not permitted to depart after 6:00pm).

If you are travelling across the border this holiday weekend, go early and avoid getting stuck in No Man’s Land or missing the boat.

Better yet, let Caribe Shuttle help you reduce the stress. We will do the driving for you and our guides will make sure you get where you need to go safely and as efficiently as bureaucracy will allow. Our Bocas Shuttle leaves daily in the morning and the afternoon. For schedules, rateas and reservations click here:  http://caribeshuttle.com/rates-schedules/.

For those travelling independently, remember that immigration offices close at the same moment on both sides of the border in different time zones,  at 5:00 pm in Sixaola, Costa Rica (which is 6:00 pm Panama time) and at 6:00 pm in Guabito, Panama (which is 5:00 pm Costa Rica time).

The last boat from Almirante to Bocas del Toro departs at 6:00 pm Panama time (5:00 pm Costa Rica time). Don’t miss the boat!!

From all of us here at Caribe Shuttle, we wish you happy travels and a safe fun New Year’s celebration and all the best in 2012!

The masters championship is a gathering of the world’s top surfers age 35 and older. Surfers from different countries compete for medals in five categories, Masters (35+), Grand Masters (40+), Kahunas (45+), Grand Kahuna (50+) and Women Master (35+). Tica surfer Andrea Díaz placed fifth in the women’s category. Costa Rica finished the tournament ranked seventh overall in the world.

Schieber, who became a naturalized Costa Rican citizen 20 years ago, lives in the beach community of Puerto Viejo, on the southern Caribbean coast. He and the rest of the Costa Rican masters team are set to arrive back in Costa Rica on Monday afternoon.

Source: Tico Times: Costa Rican wins world surfing championship

“This legendary backpacker joint is reason enough to cancel your travel plans and post up in Bocas for weeks on end. Owned and managed by three fun-loving Americans, Mondo is a wacky tree house like building that is locally famous for its wild events. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the bar at Mondo hosts a variety of festivities, ranging from ‘Sake Bomb’ parties to ’80s Night,’ though you can kick back here any time with a beer in one hand in a hookah in the other. All of the usual backpacker amenities are on offer here including a communal kitchen, lounge area, laundry facilities, free bikes and surfboards.” – Lonely Planet 2008

Bar Info
Cheapest Bar on the Island
Weekly Theme Nights like 80′s Night and Jungle Party
“The” bar to start off the evening
Good tunes & Great Vibes Guaranteed

Hostel Rates
Dorm Beds:  $10
Air Con Dorms:  $12
Private Rooms:  $24
Treehouse Triple:  $36

10% discount for stays of three or more days

www.mondotaitu.com