Skip to main content

Oh I wish I spoke Spanish...

Because then I wouldn't feel so bad....

3 weeks in and we're feeling the pain of not being able to communicate. Last night we went to a Chinese restaurant for dinner (in Bocas del Toro - where we've been for 3 days now). I don't think anyone in the establishment actually was Chinese but that's still what it called itself.

The menu was presented and as with Chinese places the world over we were presented with a menu which was comparable in size to the complete works of Shakespeare. Not to be defeated we ordered some beers (we have at least learned the phrase "cevesa" during our travels). Further study of the menu didn't really render much hope apart from the fact that I identified "chow mein" which I thought might make a nice side dish to share. When the waitress came we decided to chance it and order with our fingers crossed....

This was a mistake.

When the meal finally came we discovered we had ordered the following:

  • Strange crisps - sort of the Panamanian/Chinese answer to poppadoms I can only assume
  • Spring rolls - traditionally these are filled with beansprouts and other things. In this part of the world bean-sprouts are hard to come by and so the Panamians are using a bean-sprout alternative: cabbage. I don't consider it an unqualified success
  • Beef with rice noodles - a slightly bland main course for Lisette
  • Chow mein to share - but after a mouthful I decided it was better to leave it
  • A plate of fried rice. This was my main course. I distinctly heard the waitress cackling with laughter to herself as she strolled off. ("No tip for her", I thought at the time)

Depression and determination arrived in equal measure as I determined to eat the plate of fried rice. However, after many a forkful I finally had to admit defeat ... It was that or be riced to death. What a way to go.

We're now off to stay in our "eco-lodge" for 2 nights - out in the middle of nowhere!

It'll definitely be a change from Bocas town which is essentially full to bursting with young Americans ever in search of an "alternative lifestyle" - mostly expressed in the form of beads, bongos and piercings in unusual places. They have managed to furnish me with a second wooden wedding ring though (to replace the one that went under the bus in David). It 's a little on the unusual side this new wedding ring - it's in the style traditionally worn by "Ming the Merciless" (all you Flash Gordon fans). Though the I should say that the outlandish style of my new ring does not appear to have intimidated Lisette in any way - as yet....

In fact it's quite a nice town - particularly if you like dogs. (I do!) There are many many dogs that leisurely stroll the streets here, occasionally pausing to beg for food, stretch or scratch for fleas... There's one in the hostel where we're staying that sleeps underneath the sofa. It's also a nice town if you like vultures. Huge ungainly birds that stroll the roads looking like huge threatening bald ravens. I haven't seen them picking at any carcasses as yet - perhaps they live off rejected chow mein from the Chinese restaurant...

Take care people!

John and Lisette

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Faith and the Furious

It was the start of the summer holidays. The Reilly family had headed North to the Peak District to go youth hostelling, prior to heading East to Newark for the Focus festival. A good time had been had by all. We'd been staying in the picturesque and slightly remote village of Hartington. The weather had been typical of British summertime. Which is to say, a combination of not raining whilst looking like it might, actually raining and on occasion, being suspiciously pleasant. One must roll with whatever nature throws at you in this country. The UK loves a railway. We have many. But we used to have more. Back in the 1960s a man named Dr Beeching wrote an infamous report on the profitability of our forest of railway lines. And as a consequence there was deforestation; many of those railways became ex-railways. Death can lead to rebirth. Whilst many railways stopped being railways, they left behind them tracks, tunnels and paths that joined up destinations. By and large, these trac
Post a Comment
Read more

Cable Cars and Credit Cards

I proferred the binbag. "All the rubbish; in here please". Conor turned to his right, "Una, will you climb in now?" Una grinned and mimed throwing objects into the sack. "There's my hopes and dreams right there Conor." Conor, Una, Lisette and I have known each other for half our lives. Well; Conor's not quite there - he's the elder statesman of our group. We met when we were working for British Airways as students, and living in Hounslow's finest dodgy digs. Since that time we've been scattered to the four winds; Una to Ireland, Conor to Switzerland. Lisette and I, well, maybe 3 miles tops to Twickenham. In seeking a mutual meeting place we found ourselves reaching for the logistically logical location: Italy. (I know; like a stepladder where you least expect it.) In keeping with how we first got to know one another, luxury accomodation was not our priority. We decided to camp. Can there be a fuller way to challenge your fear of
4 comments
Read more

What would Phileas Fogg do?

It is June 2022. COVID hove into view back in early 2020 and radically adjusted all our lives. Part of that was the ability (and ease) of travelling abroad. Like so many, the Reilly family were effectively grounded since then. We have made trips, but we never left England. So when life started to seem less restrictive, we made plans. We found ourselves camping in a place called Cavallino in Italy. It looks on a map, as if it is near Venice. Looks can be deceiving. It turns out Swindon has better travel links to London than Cavallino has to Venice. However, links it has, and links we have used. You can travel from Cavallino on the bus down to Punta Sabbioni and then switch to a boat for the trip into Venice (or rather "Venezia"). This is the Reilly family on Burano, an island to the north of Venice. Having left the UK, where pretty much all COVID related mask restrictions were lifted some time ago, it was a surprise to discover that they are still in force in Italy.
Post a Comment
Read more