Friends

Music in Nicaragua

After renting our car, we visited the music stores in both Leon and Chinendega, looking for guitars. We found two in Leon and gave them as gifts to our musical friends Ricardo and Pedro.You see Diane with some of the children in Asseradores. Ricardo singing and Ron and ricardo playing together at his house.

Trip to the country Nicaragua

We rented a car and found ourselves in the middle of cane fields, hiking into a small country community where we were the first gringos the small children have ever seen. Our friend Ricardo invited us to his house to meet his family. You will see the making of our traditional dinner, sopa de albondigas gallina.

Visiting friends in Nicaragua

After our two days and two nights traveling from Costa Rica, we entered the estuary of Puesta del Sol. It was great to see our friends again. We visited Tom's finca where Pedro is the hefe and saw what a great job he has done building the palapa and Casita and landscaping and planting trees and crops. Later we had a meal at Joe's where he has built rooms for rent and is now a destination for surfers! Nicaragua is lovely at this time of year, much cooler, which is wonderful for sleeping at night!

WE are in Tamarindo!! Thanks Sarana for the safe way in!!!

After leaving Boca Chica, we took two days and two nights to get to Bahia Ballena. A quick overnight with repairs to our bilge pump and then we sailed to Bahia Samara, a lovely little bay where the Papagayos blew up to 50 knts or better waking us up around 10pm. Now we are in Playa Tamarindo, had a surf landing after getting caught on a rock while in our kayak, whew-- near disaster, but we pulled it off and got to shore dry. Now we are trying to get in touch with our friend Ricardo and it looks like we will be taking a bus to Brasilito tomorrow for a nice visit. Papagayos are blowing here, and we hope to have a two day window to get around Cabo St Elena on Saturday and Sunday. Then we will be in Nicaragua! We hope to make a quick stop in San Juan del Sur area, afterwards its Puesta Del Sol for the Holidays.

leaving Boca Chica heading to Northern Costa Rica

Once again we are on our way, looking forward to seeing Friends in northern CR and Nicaragua.........

Batwing arrives in Boca Chica

Kelly and Brad from Hotel Boca Brava took these shots of Batwing as we entered Boca Chica on Monday Nov 22 after leaving Panama City Nov 17. The trip went well with two overnights, a stop at Pt Guanico and two nights at the lovely Seca islands.
We are seeing these islands for the last time before heading north---

Batwing has new saills!

Yes we finished the sails and here she is all decked out....

Mama Mia and babies need a home-Adopt a kitty Spay Panama

Here on the Amador in Panama we have colonies of homeless cats. In fact here in Panama and all of Latin America there are many homeless animals that need our help. Fortunately for the animals here there is spayPanama, a non profit orginazation
www.Spaypanama.org , that sterilizes dogs and cats with a purely voluntary staff for only $10. An incredible operation.
These cats shown here are in need of a home. I am hoping that we can find homes for Mama Mia, Maria! and Maria2 and Gustav, all babies of Mama and born near thePizzeria. mama is a very loving and friendly kitty just barely 10 or 11 months old, the babies are about 4 months. They are all neutered --cost: Donate to SpayPanama! One can contact
Diane at 61061013 or sybatwing@gmail.com.

Top to bottom: Maria, Gustav, Mama Mia

Mi Pueblito Traditional Dance of Panama

We visited Mi Pueblito near the Amador here in Panama and watched dancing and costumes from all the regions of Panama. The elaborate dresses are handmade and passed down generations in families and may cost thousands of dollars.

Our new sails are almost finished!!

Here is the finished bolt roped sail, roped hand sewn this week by Ron.















The bridge to Gamboa

















Another view of the sail
















Ron at work
















Size of sail folded using a baseball cap for scale















Our Piedmont sewing machine from Hudson's Bay