Kukho iziqwenga ezingama-365 zeparadesi ezisasazeke kwiCaribbean, kude nonxweme lwePanama: iziqithi zeSan Blas. Ngaphezulu kwama-300 kubo awanabemi, zonke zigqunywe ngamasundu ecoconut, kwaye uninzi lazo lincinci kwiimephu zikaGoogle ukuba ungazikhathazi ngazo. AmaKuna, uhlanga olungumthonyama ePanama, alawula iziqithi yaye aye awukhusela ngokukrakra umhlaba, inkcubeko yawo nokuzimela kwawo. Oko kuthetha ukuba akukho zihotele, akukho zokutyela, akukho nto ingumnini welinye ilizwe. Eyona ndlela yokufumana iselfowuni kukuyizingela ngephenyane.

Unokufika kwezi ziqithi ngesikhephe esihamba ngesantya esivela ePanama, okanye, nangakumbi nangakumbi, hamba ngomkhombe kunye nabasebenzi abavela eCagagena. Uhambo lweentsuku ezintlanu, lokuma kwezinye zeyona ndawo intle neziqithi ezikude kwiCaribbean malunga ne- $ 500? Ewe Nceda.

Kukho itoni yeenkampani zokuhamba ngeenqanawa eziququzelela olu hambo, kodwa enye ime ngaphezu kwabanye: isikhephe esinabanini baseFrance esibizwa ngokuba yi Isikhephe saseAmande . Indawo ithembisa i-barbecues yamalahle, i-lobster eninzi kunye nompheki. Ubumnandi bokupheka elwandle, kubonakala ngathi. Kukho isikhephe esishiya eCagagena ngaphambi nje kweKrisimesi. Ndiyabhalisa, ndihlawule idipozithi, kwaye ndibambe umphefumlo wam.

Kuyatshisa shushu ukusuka kwindawo yesibini yokuhamba ngenqwelo moya eCagagena, nangona ndifumana isiqabu kwigumbi eline-terra-cotta ICasa India Catalina . Ndizalisa iintsuku zam ezintathu esixekweni nge-ceviche, siestas, kunye ne-popsicles. Izitrato zingqubekile ngumculo we-merengue kunye nomculo we-salsa; Iindonga zifakwe ngombala kwaye zisongelwe kumatyholo e-azalea. Isixeko sinuka ii-arepas ezi-sizzling, kwaye ndiyabhadula, ngaphandle kobushushu, ndirhuqa kwikona nganye ngesakhiwo esihle ngakumbi kunesokugqibela. Ndijongile, ndidlamkile, indoda ichebe ibhloko yomkhenkce kwikona yekhephu; Ndidanisa eluphahleni lwendlu IMalagana Cafe kunye neBar , Ukukhuthazwa sisiqhamo esitsha sesiqhamo se-caipirinhas; Ndiyazipholela emoyeni wolwandle njengoko ndicofa iinzwane ngaseludongeni lwesixeko. Yonke ingcinga yexesha iyanyamalala xa ndingena kwintendelezo yehotele yaseSanta Clara, ndikhatshwa zincwadi zikaGabriel García Márquez kunye nokuntyiloza kweentaka, kodwa ndingoyena uthandekayo ndihleli ngaphandle IBaron Ngenye ingokuhlwa, ekukhanyeni okubonisiweyo kweIglesia de San Pedro, isela i-chartreuse-tinted basil cocktail. Busuku ngabunye, emva kokuba ndihambile ndisiya ekhaya, ukucofa ihashe lokuhamba ngefestile kundenza ndilale.

Kusuku olungaphambi kokunduluka kwam ndisiya eSan Blas, ndashiya ipaspoti yam e- Ukuhamba ngenqanawa eBlue , iarhente edibanisa zonke izikhephe ezihamba phakathi kweziqithi. Ngosuku olulandelayo ndahamba ndaya eManga, malunga nesiqingatha seyure ukuhamba ukusuka kumbindi wesithili sembali saseCagagena, apho isikhephe senqanawa sanyuka saya esikhululweni. NdinguVictor, umphathi, indoda enqanaweni ithi. Ujonge ubhaka wam wokuhamba intaba kunye neembaleki kwibhodi yendlela emva kwam. Ngokwesiqhelo amapolisa eza kujonga iibhegi zakho, kodwa ngekhe abekho kangangeyure. Ke ... unazo iziyobisi? Ndithi hayi. Kulungile, utsho, kwaye ndiyathemba.

Isikhephe, i-monohull, enendawo enkulu yekhitshi kunye nendawo yokutyela, inkulu ngokwaneleyo ukuba ingalala ishumi elinambini. Iikhabhathi zinamathambo angenanto njengoko unokulindela kwisitya apho indawo isitshixo khona: nganye inokulala ezimbini, kodwa kuya kufuneka uzimisele ukutyibilika kumatrasi phantsi kwesilingi ejingayo (isiphumo asifani neMRI umatshini, kodwa uyathuthuzela ngendlela engaqhelekanga ngendlela efana nenkuku). Kodwa kolu hambo, basixhenxe kuphela kuthi: abasebenzi abathathu kunye nabakhweli abane. Umpheki uneminyaka engama-27 ubudala waseParis ogama linguSophie oshiye umsebenzi kumabonwakude kwiiSan Blas Islands. Isikhephe, u-Esteban, naye uvela eFrance. Uchithe bonke ubomi bakhe kwizikhephe, utsho.

UVictor ucacisa ukuba silinde de kube li-2 kusasa phambi kokuba siqale ngomkhumbi ukuze sime elona thuba likhulu lolwandle olugudileyo. Kukuhamba ngeeyure ezingama-30 ukuya eziqithini, ezikufutshane kakhulu nePanama. (Kungcono wenze olu hambo usuka eColombia uye ePanama, hayi enye indlela, ngenxa yeso sizathu.) Malunga ne-11 ngokuhlwa, emva kweeyure ezimbalwa zokumamela amaza amakhulu, sonke siyangena, ngaphandle kuka-Esteban, othatha ukutshintshwa kobusuku.

NgeDramamine, ndilala kakuhle kwi-11 o & apos; iwotshi. Andiziva ndigula, kodwa andikwazi kuhlala ndiphaphile. Amaza andigungqisa kwakhona ndalala. Emva kweeyure ezithile, ekugqibeleni ndizinzile ngokwaneleyo ukuba ndingene kumgangatho. Sihamba amaqhina asibhozo ukuya kwelishumi, kwaye ulwandle, lutyhutyhwe ngeenxa zonke kuthi, kujongeka njengejeli ye-cobalt. Abasebenzi baloba. Baye balahla umgca ngentlanzi ye-intshi ezisixhenxe, ngethemba lokubamba iinyawo ezimbini. Umnatha weepinapile, ukuvuthwa kwelanga emva kwesikhephe, ujingi. Ndiyaqonda ukuba ndingasebenzisa iinanapasi ukuxelela ixesha: enye kwisidlo sakusasa sakusasa.

Iiyure ezingaphezulu zidlula ngokungxama. Ngentsimbi yesi-8 emva kwemini, emva kwesidlo sangoku kunye neesonka zesonka esine-lettuce kunye neetoni zemayonesi-ndiye ndaqala ukukhathazeka malunga nenxalenye yokupheka kolu hambo-wonke umntu ubuyela ekhayeni lakhe. Ubusuku obuhle, utshilo uSophie ngesiFrentshi. Ulale kakuhle, nditsho ukubuya. Sakubonana ngomso eparadesi, utsho. Ndihleka ndaya kungena ekhayeni lam. Hayi, okwenyani, uSophie uyandibiza.

Ngo-7: 30 ngentsasa elandelayo, yonke into incangathi. Sekuntsuku zimbini ndihlambile kwaye umoya ushushu. Ndilahla isuti yam yokuhlamba, ndizimisele, emva kosuku ndilahlekelwe bubuthongo, ndenza eyona nto ilungileyo. Ndihamba emva kwesikhephe. I-cobalt eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka itshintshile ekukhanyeni luhlaza-luhlaza kweglasi yolwandle Apho amaza axhokonxa isanti emhlophe, nangaphandle kwayo, ulwandle oluluhlaza olunqwenelekayo. Iziqithi ezithathu ezincinci, ezinje ngemilambo egudlileyo, zinyuka ziphuma elwandle: iCoco Banderos Cays. Ziyimifanekiso egqibeleleyo yesiqithi sasentlango, kufuneka ndihleke.

Sishiya i-ankile kwaye sipakisha i-snorkel gear kwi-dinghy ngelixa uSophie esenza inkanuko yeziqhamo-pear-guava tarts, evuselela ithemba lam lokupheka kolo hambo. U-Esteban usizisa kwesinye seziqithi ezingenabemi. Kuyamangalisa, kwaye sisodwa elunxwemeni. Nditshayela i-snorkel kwikhefu lekorale, ndikhangela (ezingenabungozi!) Ookrebe kunye ne-barracuda ekucingelwa ukuba igcwele kula manzi. Iqela lidada kanye phezulu, utshilo u-Esteban. Andiboni nayiphi na, kodwa kwi-cove encinci ndibaleka kwisikolo seentlanzi ezityheli zombane. Ndiyeke ukudada kunye nokudada, ndinqunyanyisiwe emanzini ashushu, ndihamba nentlanzi, ngokuvumelanisa namaza. Ndiyakuvuyela ukuthula endikulibeleyo ukuba ndifuna ntoni.

Emva kwesidlo sasemini esingacacanga ingxowa yerayisi. Sitsala iphenyane lethu elunxwemeni kwaye sihamba ngempahla sidlula ezindlwini ezibotshelelwe. Esi siqithi sikaRosalinda, ndicacisa uSophie. Yonke yintsapho enye enkulu, kwaye uyintloko yayo. AmaKuna alibutho labantu abatshatileyo — amabhinqa alawula imali yaye adla ngokuba ngabadala besiqithi sabo.

Singena kweyona ndlwana inkulu inemsi ephuma kwisundu. Inkwenkwana ivutha amadangatye ngegqabi lesundu. UVictor ubiza uRosalinda, kwaye ungena emva komzuzwana. Malunga neminyaka engamashumi amathandathu ubudala, umfutshane-engekho nakwiimitha ezintlanu ubude-kodwa ngugalali ongenakwenzeka, enomgca we tattoo ezantsi kwempumlo kunye nokugqobhoza kwegolide okujinga embindini. Unxibe izacholo ezenziwe ngamaso emilenzeni yakhe ukuya emadolweni.

Simnika ukutya, kwaye uphosa ingalo yakhe kuVictor, ekhazimla. Uyamtsala, ngovuyo, aye kwindlu engummelwane, enomdla wokumbonisa into: ifriji yakhe entsha entsha esebenza ngegesi. Kungenxa yeebhiya zokuthengisa kubantu bamanye amazwe, ucacisa ngesiSpanish. Ndikhawulezela ngaphandle ukuya kujonga kwaye ndibethe intloko yam emazantsi omnyango wendlwana. Wonke umntu uyahleka.

Buyela kwisikhephe, ezine zeKuna ziza nge intloko , iphenyana elenziwe ngesandla elenziwe ngomthi wehlathi laseKuna Yala. Baye bazisa i-lobster enkulu, ebanjwe mhlawumbi ngaphakathi kweyure yokugqibela. Bangoomatiloshe abomeleleyo, uSophie undixelela, kunye nabalobi abomeleleyo ngokugqithisileyo. UVictor uthenga isixhenxe ngeedola ezingama-25 zaseMelika. Ubabeka emnatheni wentambo, aze abaxhome ngasemva esikhepheni ukuze bagcine ukutya kwentsha ngeKrisimesi.

Ndivuswe kusasa ngeKrisimesi ngevumba le-crepes. UVictor uziphathaphatha, ingalo enye esinqeni sakhe, kwaye siyifaka kwi-guava jam ngokukhawuleza njengoko enokubenza. Emva kwexesha, siphakamise i-ankile kwaye sahamba ngomkhumbi iyure enye (kunye neekreyifishi zisamile ngasemva) kwiiHolandes Cays. USophie uthetha i-snorkeling apha, kodwa okwangoku indithwala ndisiyise ngaphesheya kwengqaqa kwaye isoyikise ukundityhalela kwii-urchins zolwandle. Ndiphumla elwandle endaweni yoko. Esi siqithi sikhulu kunesokugqibela — kufuneka ndijike intloko ndibone yonke le nto — enebhendi ebanzi kunye nehlathi elinamasundu ecoconut embindini. Ngaphandle kwamanye amaqela amabini abakhenkethi-usapho kunye neqela lase-Australia-esi siqithi asixinanga.

U-Esteban ubhengeza ukuba uVictor ulungiselela i-barbeque yokwenyani yase-Argentina. Silandela uSophie kunye nevumba lokutsha kwamalahle ukusuka elunxwemeni ukuya kwindlwana kaJulio-ungomdala waseKuna kwesi siqithi-kwaye sidibana nenkosikazi yakhe kunye nenja, uAchoo. U-Esteban uhambisa isaliti seembambo kumalahle ukuze enze indawo yokutyala. Uhlikihla i-steak kwi-emerald yeVictor chimichurri isosi kunye nokubekwa kwepelepele ebomvu ngaphezulu. Abasebenzi baqhekeza ibhiya evulekileyo. USophie uthulula wonke umntu iwayini.

Siyatya kwaye sisela kunye nabakwaKuna emthunzini wemithi yesundu de sibe sicinga-u-Esteban udlala i-footsie kunye nenkosikazi kaJulio-kwaye siyayilala elunxwemeni njengoko abasebenzi befaka izixhobo zabo. Kwiiyure ezimbini ezizayo, ndibukele i-pelicans zitshona zisiya kwintlanzi kwaye zibhadula kwihlathi lesundu ukuze zenze umdla wokutya isidlo sangokuhlwa ngeKrisimesi: ilobster etshiswe ngeklabishi kunye nesosi yesosi. USophie uyayilandela ngekhekhe efudumeleyo yetshokholethi, edityaniswe ngamantongomane eBrazil, edadayo kwi-crème anglaise enobungcali. UVictor ugalela i-champagne kwiimbande zegolide. Ipholile , siyachwayita, ukungqwayizisana omnye nomnye eKuna.

Ngentsasa elandelayo kuqala kwangoko. Sitsala ii-ankile kwiiHolandes Cays saza saya ePorvenir Island ukucoca imfuduko. Imizuzu elishumi elinesihlanu kuhambo, intambo yokuloba iyahamba, kwaye u-Esteban ubaleka ayokuloba ityhuna yesilivere yeBonnet ecwebezelayo kunye namaso olwandle. Isipho seKrisimesi! Utsho uSophie. U-Esteban uyibetha ngentliziyo kwaye ayifake ngasemva kwesikhephe. Emva kwenye iyure yokuhamba ngenqanawa, siye sahlangana kwiiChichime Cays. Inani lamaphenyane asezibukweni, kunye namakhoba amadala angakhange acoce ulwandle. Abambalwa abaKuna bayaloba kwiindawo zabo uhlanga mgama. Kukho, ngokuhambelana neli phupha liyiparadesi, kuba akukho mntu emhlabeni.

Esi siqithi siyamangalisa: amanzi e-turquoise aqaqambileyo, ulwandle olubanzi, olwandle oluqhelekileyo, kunye ne-photogenic huts ezinokuqeshiswa i- $ 40 ngobusuku, ndiva. Ndilibele izixhobo zam zokuhamba ngesikhephe esikhepheni, kodwa zezona zilungileyo, kuba ikhoyo ngoku isenamandla okuqubha ngokufanelekileyo. Ndihamba ndisiya kwiindawo zokulala endandizinqwenela ukusukela kusasa kwaye ndijijisa imilenze yam esanti kwisisu senye. Emva kwexesha, ndicela ikhokhonathi kwindoda yakwaKuna, kwaye ibuya ibaleka iphethe eluhlaza eluhlaza. (Imithi yekhokhonathi ingagubungela zonke iziqithi ezilapha, kodwa ndiyalumkiswa ukuba ndingazithabatheli enye. Yonke imithi, kwaye ke ngoko ikhokhonathi nganye, yeyomnye wamaKuna.) Unyana wakhe ulinda ngokuthobela kufutshane nebhodi yakhe yokusika njengoko esenza ikhoba elitsha. Ujija imela yakhe ende, ebhityileyo embindini wenathi ukusika umngxunya nje omkhulu ngokwaneleyo emlonyeni wam.

Sibuyela esikhepheni ngaphambi kokutshona kwelanga. Abanye bahlamba ngelixa uSophie elungiselela isidlo sokugqibela. Andikwazi ukunyamezela ukuzikhupha elwandle, isiqingatha kuba umsinga okhawulezayo uziva ngathi uthambisa, kwaye isiqingatha kuba ndiyazi ukuba lixesha lokugqibela endiya kuba kuloo manzi.

Ngentsasa elandelayo, ialam yam iyakhala ngo-6 kusasa ndize ndigqibe ukupakisha. Ndibaleka ndiye ngaphambili kwesikhephe ukuze ndilale ngaphandle kwempepho kwaye cwaka okokugqibela ngelixa silinde isikhephe esihamba ngesantya ukusisa kunxweme lomhlaba. Inyanga epheleleyo isabonakala ngasentshona xa kufika isikhephe esiqhutywa nguKana. Ukuhamba iyure kusithatha kulwandle oluvulekileyo ukuya kunxweme lweCaribbean ePanama: ngokungacacanga i-apocalyptic iyancipha ngeziqu zemithi kunye nomlambo owonqenayo, ojikelezayo ojikelezwe luhlaza. Ndilindele ukuba isiqingatha sengwenya siphume nangaliphi na ixesha. Sifaka iankile ngokudibanisa isikhephe neengcambu ezithi tyaba zisuka elunxwemeni. Ndiyenyuka kwaye umhlaba uyagungqa kukuhle, uchithe ixesha elide kwindlela yolwandle.

Ndiyaphuma, ngokunzulu, kwaye umzimba opheleleyo wokukhululeka uhlamba phezu kwam. Ndiyaqonda, kwinqanaba elithile, bendibambe umphefumlo wam lonke uhambo: ndinexhala lokuba ubudlelwane neKana ibiya kuba ngumboniso wabakhenkethi weDisney-esque. Okanye ukuba akunjalo, ke ukuba ezi ziqithi ziya kujikelezwa yinkunkuma egqobayo, okanye ukuba umsinga awunakundiphatha ngokukhawuleza ukubamba inqwelo moya yam ePanama. Kuba, ukunyaniseka, konke bekuvakala kukuhle kakhulu ukuba kungangqinwa. Uhambo olude lweveki kwisikhephe kunye nompheki ongafunekiyo ukuba ubhalwe phantsi ngumxhasi ngezimali? Inxalenye yam ayikhange ivumele ukuba ndikholelwe de kwenzeke yonke into, de iiglasi zam zacoleka ngokungangqalanga ngothuli lwasePanama.

Umlenze wokugqibela wohambo kukuhamba iiyure ezine nge-4x4 ngehlathi ukuya ePanama City. Iindlela ezijikelezayo ezisezintabeni ekugqibeleni zingena kwiivenkile zorhwebo, iivenkile ezinkulu ezinkulu, kwaye, ekugqibeleni, indlela ende exhonywe ngezibane ezazisa ukufika kwethu. Ukuhamba kwam ngenqwelomoya ngentsasa elandelayo, ke ndinobusuku obunye ukonwabela isixeko-i-cocktails zokutshona kwelanga kwizitulo ezijingayo UFinca del Mar , isidlo esimnandi kwiCasco Viejo ( Inkunzi yeBistro Panama ’Ityhuna emhlophe ethulweyo ityiwa ngecoconut curry risotto), kunye nokuzula ixesha elide kwindlela yebhodi ebusuku.

Kwisikhululo seenqwelomoya ngosuku olulandelayo, igosa lezokufika lijonga ipaspoti yam. Ujonge kum kwaye uphepha ngokukhawuleza amaphepha, ekhangela into ethile. Ekugqibeleni, ufumana isitampu sam sokungena kunye noncumo. Hayi, iSan Blas, utsho. Bellas, hayi?