Photo taken as we trek off to the unknown.

Today we decided to join Nancy and Brian and take our dinghies over to one of the islands we are anchored off and go snooping around. Being American's, they just dinghy right up to a well made dock and tie off. Being Canadian's, we follow suit...lol
We are no sooner secured when a small fishing boat approaches to wave us off. He says that we have tied up to the Presidents summer home and we must leave. We explain that we would like to take a walk and would love to see the island. He waves us to follow him and we do. We slide up to a small beach and with the help of several on lookers, we secure ourselves to the nearby tree and start to trek in towards land, leaving behind our unsecured, unwatched and unmanned dinghy's. We joke among ourselves as to worry about the dinghy's being stolen or the safety of ourselves as we are taken off to slaughter. Turns out, there is a whole village beyond the shoreline. We pass by several shack-like homes with bathing women and infants getting diapered, teenagers playing soccer, adults playing dominos and families gathering for dinner which has been fried in a familiar cast iron frying pan over an open fire. Our tour guide takes us down several paths and explains that there is no need for police here, the island is safe and everyone knows everyone and everything that is going on. He looks to be around 25 years of age and I find that he has 2 children and lives over there. He points but does not take us. As we follow behind, he points out the school and the disco. As we pass by, everyone comes to their front door to see us and we politely say, "Buenos trades" and they smile and return our greeting. As we pass a water pump Steve asks if that was installed and put there by Canadians and our guide grins yes and we proudly acknowledge that we are Canadian. As the tour ends he asks if we want to see anything else and Brian asks if we could see the other side of the island and if there is a beach. He takes us and finally, as we gaze out to the Caribbean Sea, he drops his knapsack and opens his bag. Yes, it's full of strung jewelry, all colours of the spectrum, from stone to beads of plastic and uncultured pearls. Nancy and I look at each other.. Here comes the spiel. We were going to give him something for his time, so we thought we might as well buy a sting of beads from him. Nancy spots this neckless and it is purple in colour. Our guide exclaims that is is amethyst and natural. The price 50,000 pesos ($25 US). At first we thought he mean't 500 peso's and we gladly accepted. When he explained our mistake, we declined. Too bad, because we wanted two. The price dropped. Now it was 40,000 peso's each. We must have acted so dumb, he reaches in his pocket and pulls out four 20,000 peso's and jesters that 40,000 for one and 40,000 for the second one. I grab two bills and suggest 20,000 peso's for each. He shakes his head and we express our sorrow, but we just don't have the money for that. As we walk away he say's okay, for you 20,000 peso's each. We agree. Brian and Nancy pay him, but Steve and I didn't bring money with us and explain that we have to go back to the boat have to go back to the boat. We suggest he come with us and we will drive him back; he suggested that he will ask his buddy to drive him out to the boat. They arrive. We discover we have less than 14,000 peso's (mostly in change) and I proceed to give him back the necklace. He refuses, gives me the necklace, takes the money and asks for 2 fresco's. Steve gives them two beers and they drink them down before starting the engine to head back home. That night, we prepared for our trip to Panama. Too bad we had to leave. It would have been a wonderful experience to become better acquainted with the village people.