Quite possibly the best thank you ever

Jim, Ramon and Natalia received this thank you note from a young boy who stayed with us earlier this month. When you get a thank you note like this one, you know you are doing something right.

Zapatilla Week - Extra

Zapatilla Week - 7

Zapatilla Week - 6

Zapatilla Week - 5

Zapatilla Week - 4

Zapatilla Week - 3

Zapatilla Week - 2

Zapatilla Week - 1

We had an amazing trip to the Zapatilla Cayes a few weeks ago with several groups of guests. This week we will showcase some of these photos. Enjoy

Our princess

She is the only girl around here, which means that she is the princess. Of course many little girls are princesses, whether or not they are the only girls around or not. Look at her special necklace. Miss Linda from the Chocolate Farm bought it for her. She loves it. We must wear it all the time. As everyone knows that princesses need jewelry.

Big male green iguana...

Here are some more photos of the kids checking out the iguana from earlier this month. They loved it.

Did you figure out who he is?

Well, I am not going to tell you. But here are a couple of the photos from fishing while that crew was here.



Okay, it is Larry Csonka. And here are some shots of the fish that his friends and family caught as well.



This is Dennis' Tarpon. He caught the first one of the trip.



This is Audrey's Tarpon. Hers was the second one for the trip, but the first one on day two.



And here is Kristin with her Tarpon. Nice size don't you think? Not too bad for a few days fishing.

Motley Crew

Do you know anyone in this photo? There are of course the usual suspects: those of us who live and work here at Tranquilo Bay. Then there are four guests. These four guests came down to go fishing and had a wonderful time. Each one of them caught a Tarpon. They also caught several other species of fish. Do you recognize the gentleman in the center? The one with the kids? What about his lovely partner next to the kids? For those of you who are NFL fans - you should remember this former Miami Dolphin. For those of you who are fishermen, you might recognize him from his television show called NAPA's North to Alaska. What I can tell you is this - this gentleman, his partner and their friends from Alaska were great fun and super people. I am glad the suggested we get a group photo. We do not do this often enough.

Happy Easter 2009

Happy Belated Birthday to Nuri

Nuri is our wonderful cook. She and her younger brother work together to make all the delicious food we have here at Tranquilo Bay. She is a remarkable person. We are so fortunate to have her here.

One of my favorite blogs - and here is why

We were fortunate enough to have a neat family from California visit us two years ago for about a week right at the new year. The whole family was a joy to be around. They are super laid back, but not. The father is a professor at Stanford and an accomplished business writer. The mother is former managing partner from a large firm who now heads up a large Girl Scouts organization in California. Their teenage children are all accomplished in a variety of ways. Suffice it to say we had fun.

There were a number of things that fell into place in getting them to Tranquilo Bay. The mom originally found us on the internet. She decided they should try to come see us. The dad travels a lot for his book promotions and has used one travel agent to help him with all of his plans. So, dad told his travel agent about us. The travel agent then went through another company we work with to put the trip together. Prior to arriving at Tranquilo Bay, the dad, a blogger, began reading our blog to get an idea of what he might be in for down here in Panama.

After visiting us, the blogger, decided that our story was one that needed a wider audience than it had received thus far. He sent out a few emails to some folks he knew either personally or through his work in promoting his book. One of those people, Leigh Buchanan bit. She called and asked us more about our story. This ultimately led to the article about Tranquilo Bay that ran in INC. Magazine in May 2008. (See this post.) That article has introduced us and our story to a variety of other people over the past year or so. There is a television show airing on The Outdoor Channel - Randy Jones Strike Zone - in early May 2009 that is directly a result of the article.

The same family came down to Panama again last year for the New Year's holiday. It was great to see them again and catch up on all the things that have happened over the past year. I do stay in touch with them via email on occasion, and I read Bob's blog on a regular basis. There are two posts this week that jumped out at me.

Diego Rocks - this is a post about a post that a friend of Bob's wrote on his own blog and then ended up on Harvard Online. I like the post for two reasons, it is a sound argument and because it includes Travis Pastrana. Travis is a hero in our house. He is capable of all kinds of things according to my children. He is almost as cool as Superman. He and Ricky Carmichael are the bomb.

The Helicopter and Lemonade Story: A Favorite from "What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20" - Bob posted a few days prior to this post about a new book by Tina Seelig who is a good friend of his. He puts an example of a story in her book in this specific post. What I took away from it is that although Bob thinks he needs to be reminded of the things in Tina's book, he lives it more than he knows. His small acts of kindness that he has shown us have made a big deal in our lives.

Thanks to you Bob, Marina and the rest of the family for showing us the kindness that you have over the past few years. We really appreciate it.

Internal struggle

Right now I am struggling with really understanding the concepts of sustainability and geotourism. This is a good struggle. I believe one should constantly be learning and improving. I have had the good fortune to be in a position to work on two different efforts relating to sustainable tourism here in Panama.

APTSO (www.aptso.org) is the Panamanian Sustainable Tourism Association. APTSO is a non-profit association directed by a group of pioneers in the fields of tourism, science and development that intends to spread sustainable tourism across both the private and public sectors in order to improve the environmental and common development of Panama. It is open to any person, company, institution or organization that wants to support our commitment to conservation of the environment, preservation of our cultural heritage and local economic development across tourism.

The second effort is the development of a destination management organization (DMO) for Bocas del Toro, Panama (www.discoverbocasdeltoro.com - not active). As of yet it does not have a name, but it is guided by National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations definition of Geotourism. Geotourism is tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place - its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.

In order for Bocas del Toro and Panama to really succeed in the long term as a tourism destination I believe that we must be guided by both of these principles. I haven't found that either principle actually competes with the other. I believe them to be complementary. We must conserve and protect all of the cultural and natural resources within this country.

One set of resources is predominantly national. The other is facilitated by an international group but will ultimately belong to local players. We need to learn from the experience of others throughout the world and apply what we learn to our local and national situation. This is not easy. It does not happen overnight. However, it is necessary. We must begin and continue making improvements little by little. The benefit of doing so is huge. So we press on...and we do it together.

Iguana Hunter

So, Tres is an iguana hunter in the making. He found a baby iguana here on site several years ago. He came to get his dad and informed him that he needed his camera. This time, Natalia found the iguana - it wasn't hard. He had come down from the trees and was sunning himself a bit on the pathway between the main building and the ocean facing cabanas. She came back and got all of us at lunch and told us to bring our cameras because there was a big iguana. All of us went over to take a look. Both Scott and Tres did some takes with Jim describing the iguana, but this one cracked me up so it is the one I chose to use today. Boty also got in on the fun, but only in pictures, no video for her this time.



Over the past week, we have seen quite a few iguanas as it is the Spring mating season. They come out of the trees for a short period of time each year to do their thing. Earlier in the week Jim was photographing one making his way down in the mangroves outside the main building. It has been quite a treat.

Banana Trivia

This information is from an email that is circulating the world about bananas. I don't know if it is true or not, but it does make me stop and think a bit more about nature's fast food.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fibre. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't t he only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:

According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:

Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia:

High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure:

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:

200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:

High in fibre, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers:

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn:

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites:

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:

Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work?

Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and salty snacks. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:

The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:

Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use:

Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B 12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:

Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:

According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts:

Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a band aid or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'

Brothers and Friends

Stefanie and I were talking at dinner on Friday night about how much Scott and Patrick were alike. She sent me a few pictures of the boys that I put together here. We are pretty sure that they are going to be great friends.



[ Supplies: Ali Edwards and others from the kit: Bloom and Grow at Songbird Avenue. All proceeds from this kit go to benefit Autism Speaks. Word Art: Ali Edwards at Designer Digitals. Fonts: Official Ali's hand from Creating Keepsakes, Century Gothic ]

Slow down - take a look

Ramon and Natalia were out watching the night monkeys about a week ago. Here are a few of the photos that Ramon caught. Several nights later I was out with the puppies and I heard the monkeys moving about. They are difficult to actually see unless you take some time to find them. When I was putting the photos together I was reminded how fast life moves sometimes and that we need to slow down so that it doesn't pass us by. Actually getting to be in the presence of these monkeys is a treat. One that you don't get if you don't take the time. Have a great weekend.



[ Supplies: Ali Edwards from the kit: Bloom and Grow at Songbird Avenue. All proceeds from this kit go to benefit Autism Speaks. Orange paper by JEdwards - Everyday Challenge from Designer Digitals. Papertag from Scrapgirls. ]

Preschool begins in earnest

Boty began preschool in earnest last week. She has been going to school with Scott and Tres for about thirty minutes on Saturday mornings for about six months now. She basically informed us that she was going to go to school all those months ago. Now that the boys have moved onto first grade, Gina decided it was time to begin working with Boty a few times a week on her own. Boty loves it. Tres and Scott are each getting one individual session a week as well. The dogs are missing Gina in the afternoons, but the kids are thrilled to get the individual attention. As if only two kids in the classroom wasn't attention enough. Here are some photos that Gina snapped of Boty in school.



ETA: [ Supplies: Ali Edwards from the kit: Bloom and Grow at Songbird Avenue. All proceeds from this kit go to benefit Autism Speaks. Paper by M Terasawa from Shutterfly Digiscrap Blog. ]