Portobello - waiting for the boat

I have been in Portobello for three days awaiting my boat departure for Colombia which is this evening.Portobello is magic.The town is 500 years old and at one time was the main port for the Spanish galleons taking gold from Peru to Spain.There are three main stone fortifications here - one of which I had to Kayak across the bay to get to.Lots of old bronze cannons lying about.In addition to an old church....within which is the "Black Jesus"...there is the 500 year old customs/storage house where the accountants used to count and store gold and trade goods.There is a strong air of history  about Portobello...Sir Francis Drake died of Yellow fever here and was buried at sea off what is now called Drake Island.Portobello was sacked and attacked numerous times notably by the Pirate Henry Morgan and British Admirable Vernon.Since a lot of slaves were used to build the town site there are many black descendants living here in addition to Panameno mestizos.It is hot and muggy and during December Portobello received a lot of rain...the wettest in memory.There were several landslides near and in town killing dozens of people.That and flooding are a serious problem now in central and south America.
Yesterday morning I hiked a muddy jungle  trail running into the hills out the back of Portobello up to a high clearing where amongst a heard of cows and cow pies where two old rusting cannons and a great view of surrounding hills and the bay.I could here but not see any monkeys..lots of leaf cutter ants and various birds.
Before I came to Portobello I stayed two days in El Valle de Anton... a few hours west of Panama City up in the mountains.The temperature was just right..California.The town sits in a valley within a 3,000,000 year old extinct volcano.I hiked up to the mountains and enjoyed great views.They also have a hot springs there.
In Portobello I am staying in a place called Captain Jacks.It is run by an ex patriot American from New Jersey.It is one of the few budget places in town and offers only dormitory beds..$11per night.It must have 20 odd beds.It is a local hangout for travellers coming and going to Colombia and has a real international air about it.In addition to Panamenos and other central Americans there are a number of sixty something American expats and numerous European and Aussie travellers.Last night I felt I was in a pirates den.Everyone speaking different languages smoking and drinking.
 Panama is going through a real building boom fueled by south American drug money and American..European investment and expats buying retirement property.I have met Canadians down here looking for retirement property.Panama city is just booming.But what booms eventually busts.Yesterday I was talking  to an Englishman about my age who just moved
 from Spain where apparently unemployment is high after the European influx of investors and retiring property buyers dried up.Anyway...there is lots of money to be made and lost. 
The boat I am on is pretty small..I kayaked around it yesterday.There will be six of us passengers and a crew of three.It will be interesting.I cannot imagine where he will put us all.We will be spending at least three days in the San Blas Islands which are run by the Kuna Indians.I'll need to buy some of their artisan works...I just hope I don't lose them...ha ha...After a few days in the san Blas Island we will sail to  a small Port close to the Colombian border where I catch a launch that takes me to Turbo in Colombia.From there I take a bus to either Medillen or   Cartegena.Due to the strong trade winds boats cannot sail directly to Cartegena from Portobello this time of year.
I will not be able to Email you for several days...There is poor Internet service in Portobello.I'm sending this note from Sabanista just outside of Colon.I came hear to get a new memory card for my camera and some oil for the captains boat.I came solo by bus...the buses hear are even more colourful than the Guatemalan chicken buses.They are literally works of art.The drivers cockpit is outrageously painted red with red bola strings strung about .I don't know how he can see out.Music is blaring loudly.Which reminds me.When I took the bus from Panama city to Colon they had this outrageously violent horror film playing in Spanish which really creeped me out as everyone warns about the dangers and hazards of Colon.