Oct. 23, 2011 - San Blas Island

This morning we arrived at the San Blas Archipelago that is just east of Cristobal that is at the entrance of the Panama Canal. The San Blas Archipelago consists of over 365 islands strung along the Panama's north coast. In the morning we cruised by many of these islands. Only about 50 of the islands are inhabited. The islands are covered with palm trees even though some of them are quite small.
We arrived at Sug Tupu island at about 11 AM and this is the island that we were to be ferried to by the ships tenders. When we arrived the young Cuna men and boys came out in their dugout wooden canoes and dove for coins as we tossed them overboard. This was something to see and we were all taken up by the skill of the men to retrieve the coins tossed into the water

Dorothy and I had a ticket to go over to the island for 3 PM and had to make sure we caught the last tender that was to depart at 5.30 PM. The ship was scheduled to leave by 6 PM.
The island was very interesting. It was inhabited by the Cuna tribes that have a unique language and heritage. They are subjects of Panama but are allowed to follow their traditional way of life. Once on the island we were amazed at all the people trying to sell their wears or have their pictures taken for $1. Dorothy bought 2 interesting conc shells.
We also were shown a family unit by a man who had worked in the mess of the US army when it was still in Panama. He showed us how his family and relatives lived in a small community. We saw many of the elder women wearing their traditional dresses with their Mola blouses. They were very colourful and of course were also selling these Molas.
We stayed on the island for about an hour and we were happy to get back to the ship and enjoy our way of life on the ship.
We departed at 6 PM just as the sun was setting. Tomorrow we will be going through the Panama Canal.

Some of the 350 islands in the San Blas Archipelago

Cuna young men waiting for coins to be thrown from the ship

3 Cuna men dive for coins

Cuna family in a large dug-out canoe.

Docking area for Cuna boats at Sug Tupu Island

Dorothy at the stall in the market on Sug Tupu Island

Lady in traditional native dress with Mola blouse

High tech microwave antenna for TV and internet on Sug Tupu Island

School room in Cuna village on the island

Toilet over the water at end of a jetty

Cuna man who showed where he and his family lived on Sug Tupu Island

Dorothy and Con in Cuna village on Sug Tupu Island.

Sugar cane juice is being squeezed from a sugar cane

Docking area for Cuna boats on Sug Tupu

Large yacht moors outside Sug Tupu Island