Mondo Taitu is a very unique hostel, perhaps because of the people that stay there, although the energy of the owner is easily represented in the atmosphere. The bar is open every evening and is usually packed with locals by 11 pm. The building is an open-air type with bamboo bars, windows with no glass, paintings of all sorts with various sayings printed around the building. To get upstairs to the dorms you have to walk through the bathing area, which is sometimes interesting.
Each evening the bar has a theme, last night was martini night, tonight is 80’s night. Sunday was Smoking Sunday with free hookah. (research hookah) After a short time of socializing I was encouraged to participate in a drinking game with the guys from Israel (Amir, Ori, and Haim) and the couple from Canada. Flipping quarters isn’t an easy task. Here’s the game – each player pours a little of their drink into the community cup to say they are in the game, then each player attempts to flip a quarter hoping it lands in the community cup or one of the areas of the egg carton leaning against the cup. One side and you drink 1 to 6 shots, the other side and you tell others to drink the shots, if it lands in the community cup the last one to put their hands up to their head and yell ‘mouse’ is the one who drinks the community cup. Amazingly the mix of drinks had a nice flavor and I only had to drink it a few times through the whole evening, but you have to drink a shot each time you flip the quarter.
There are several hammocks to relax in the afternoons, a large table to eat meals or play games, a small kitchen to cook meals (the kitchen is usually very active with people cooking their own meals, which is less expensive than eating out.), however, several of the local restaurants have meals for around $3 to $4. The local food varies from Chinese to Jamaican, and of course there are the small carts with food cooked by a local woman.
The main area of the island, ops, yeah, Bocas is an island off the Caribbean side of Panama, actually a series of islands or islas. Isla Colon is the main island, Isla Carenero has a marina, and then there are assortments of other islands within short hops of each other. The water taxis only cost a dollar to each island and $4 to the mainland. Living on Bocas must be interesting, but I can see the reason people are drawn here. The temperature is consistent, the people friendly, and the ocean is beautiful.
Well, time to head out and see about lunch or something, I missed the tour this morning because it was raining, and although the clouds are still here and sprinkles of rain exist, it’s time to try to walk around some.
