Life at Cerro Velero

We have made ourselves right at home at Cerro Velero, quickly falling into our new routines.  I wanted to give you a quick tour around the house and show you what we've been up to...

This is the house from the front (water side).  Down below is the "garage" where we park Cricket (this is what the owners named their boat).

From the "garage" is the dock which ends at the beginning of the 105 stair accent up to the house.  The first time I climbed this I thought I was going to pass out.  I can now do it with ease until I try to carry a 40lb. bag of dog food with me, which I did yesterday...  Phew!  Talk about a work out!

This is the house from the back (jungle side).  It has a complete wrap around deck that is amazing.  The kids have fun running around in circles and there are multiple sitting areas for different times of the day.

On the bottom level of the house is the bathroom, outdoor shower and clothes line to hang our laundry.  The water tanks are behind the bathroom (you can see 1 of the 2 in the picture above).  To the right of this is a workshop area for building.

There is also a kayuko (kayak) garden in the backyard.  I spent some time today working in the garden and transplanting a papaya tree that had gotten to big for the garden.  There is basil, squash, cilantro and a few other herbs I haven't figured out yet.  There is also a few pinas (pinapples) planted just beyond the garden.

Here are a few pictures of the deck, the first being the back.  We often hang out back here in the late afternoon when it is too hot out front.  The second picture is the front.  Beautiful in the mornings and at sunset.

Not a bad view, huh?

On the second level of the house is the kitchen looking out over the water and the kids' bedroom.

And on the third level is the master bedroom with views of the jungle out back and the water out front... pretty spectacular in a lightning storm in the middle of the night!

We Made It!

Well after 26 hours of traveling we made it to Cerro Velero.  We spent our first night in Panama City after a smooth 6 hour flight.

 We stayed in the same hotel, Sevilla Suites, as 2 years ago when we were here because we liked the location and it was pretty comfortable.  After checking into our room we went for a quick dip in the roof top pool to, as my husband says, "rinse the travel juices off".  After our swim we went across the street to a quaint little Italian restaurant and had pasta and red wine.

The next morning, Saturday, we were up at 5am to catch our 6:30am flight.  The hotel was only about 15 minutes from the airport.  After a quick 55 minute flight we landed in Bocas town.  The current house-sitter, Graham, met us at the airport and re-acquainted us to Bocas since it had been 2 years since we were last here.  Not much has changed.  The main street is still lined with hostals, local cafes and little markets.   We had breakfast at a little cafe then headed to the market to grab a few supplies (beans, rice, tortillas, watermelon, a few veggies, water and beer).  From there we headed back to the boat, named Cricket, and Graham drove us to Cerro Velero.   We got the turn over from Graham & Rachel, then took them to a neighboring island called Carenero for their next house-sitting job.  Alex, the kids & I went back to town to cruise around, get a few more supplies and a bite to eat before heading back to the house.

Navigating the Cricket around the waters of Bocas can be tricky.  There are many soft coral reefs, mangroves and tons of turtle grass.  We are figuring it out though and have had a blast cruising around.
Yesterday, Sunday, we went to a little local restaurant called Rana Azul.  It is only open on Sundays at noon and Friday nights.  Most people come on Sundays because navigating in the dark around here is virtually impossible.  We followed our neighbors (we only have 2) to the restaurant.  Dave and Linda were kind enough to introduce us to everyone at the restaurant.  We ate homemade pizza fresh from the pizza oven, salad with what few local veggies they have here, and cold Panama's (our favorite of the beers).  The kids romped around out in the grass catching crabs while we socialized with everyone.

We are falling right into place with our new routines...it is VERY mellow here and we are loving it so far!

Beers Around The World

Over the years my husband and I have have traveled extensively, him more than I, but hey, someones got to stay home with the kids once in awhile.   It has become quite the hobby for us.  We are intrigued with new places and experiences.   Well, another hobby we enjoy is good beer.  We are not mixed drink kind of people, we drink wine on occasion, but there is just nothing that tops an ice cold beer.
 There are so many different types of beers; ales, lagers, porters, stouts, pilsners, etc...the list could go on & on.  Also, when you travel you experience different flavors in those types of beers due to the hops & barley (and other ingredients) grown in those countries.  Well we have put our two passions together and have started "Beers Around The World".   Throughout the remainder of our lives it is our goal to travel to as many countries as possible and to drink a beer in each country.  Well we have a good start....

IRELAND...the "drinking country" as I refer to it.  Guinness, Guinness & more Guinness!  I found out I was pregnant with my son just days before leaving on this trip, so I didn't get to enjoy as much Guinness as I'd hoped for, but I watched my husband & friends drink plenty!

COSTA RICA... I call this picture "fire & ice".  It is the perfect combination of a blazing sunset and an ice cold beer.  This particular spot in C.R. had the most brilliant sunsets I have ever seen!  We spent a month on this beach and had amazing sunsets almost nightly.

SAMOA.... Not a bad place to enjoy a cold beer!  Sitting on the deck of the fale, looking at the turquoise waves breaking and palm frawns swaying in the breeze.

FRANCE.... This was outside a cafe in Biarritz, France.  This picture was taken by a friend of mine who was also on this trip and is just a brilliant picture.  The architecture in the background, a glance at the menu, sunglasses, and standing tall at attention is the star of the picture, mostly full but has been shown a little love.  It was on this trip that Alex proposed to me;  sitting on the beach in Hossegor, drinking amazing red wine, watching the sunset, and eating a baguette with "stinky cheese" as my husband refers to it, he popped the question.  For this, I have a fond love for France (even though the language after a few weeks drives me nuts!)

NICARAGUA.... OK, so I didn't actually get to enjoy one of these in Nicaragua with my husband because I was confined to home on bed rest (again with my son), 8 1/2 months pregnant while Alex went on a boys trip for a few weeks.  Yes, I am that cool of a wife to let my husband leave for 3 weeks while having contractions on the couch.  But hey, if I delivered while he was out of the country I would get to pick "my" name.  Well, needless to say, he made it home, saw the delivery and he got "his" name (he offered to let me have it but I knew how much he liked the name Cole).  I did eventually get to try one of these beers while we were in Costa Rica and found some at a local market.

PANAMA.... Just looking at this picture is getting me excited for our upcoming adventure.  I can not wait to be back in this spot, enjoying another one of these beers, snorkeling in these amazing waters and collecting giant conch shells!  The Zapatilla Islands of Bocas Del Toro is one of the most picturesque places I have ever been too. With no one around but us and the few others with us, we had the place to ourselves.  Absolute perfection!

NEW ZEALAND.... If someone asked me to describe a beautiful country, New Zealand would be the 1st to come to mind.  Driving around this country in a camper van, it was ridiculous how many incredibly beautiful sights we saw.  So many that it was almost overwhelming.  Well I am fortunate to have a brother in law (and hopefully a sister in law someday...hint hint, Ian) that live in N.Z.  I am confident that I will be returning to this magnificent country in the future!

MEXICO.... I know, everyone has had a Corona but I had to include it.  It has been a staple in our household and we travel to Mexico often and love it there despite all of the craziness over the last few years.  We have had so many great times in Mexico with friends & family.  It's like home away from home.

CALIFORNIA (this is my choice for the U.S)....Cambria is one of our favorite "local" spots and this beer is one of my favorite "local" beers.  Located along Highway 1, just south of Big Sur is where this gem of a spot is found.  Cute B&B's and yummy seafood restaurants line the street.  The Firestone brewery is in Paso Robles not far from Cambria.  A great spot for a romantic weekend getaway, we have had a few here.
There are a few other countries that we have marked off of our list but didn't manage to snap a photo of it, so I guess we will just have to go back for that!  SALUD!