Exploring Jamaica to Ecuador.

[drron29]

So the town of Bahia Solano with it's magnificent boulevards and top notch hotels-

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One of the small commuter planes comes in.Apart from by sea this is the only way in.No roads,just jungle.

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[drron29]

We keep walking towards the school-

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And we arrive-

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And how can you resist the children-

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[drron29]

This is the Primary School.It has 800 students so there are 2 shifts a day.The children seemed happy to see us-

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Not impressed with the maths standard!

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Good to see that they have a computer room.

[drron29]

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[drron29]

From their first year at school to the last-

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[drron29]

Teacher has spent a little too long in the classroom-

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Symbols of the church everywhere-

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On this cruise we were asked to bring school supplies to give to disadvantaged schools.This school and the Embera village were the 2 disadvantaged schools.On our African cruise there was always a little ceremony when everything was given out but this did not occur on this cruise.several passengers were a little disappointed that this did not happen.

Now we were off to the town's public library-

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I learnt a little geography.

[drron29]

A small library with a poorly resourced children's section-

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Next off to the church-

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[drron29]

As usual the church is the most modern and well kept building in town-

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[drron29]

The priest's accommodation-

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Now to an area where they have grown examples of edible plants and trees-

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The elections were on.Juan Carlos is also our Expedition Leader-

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I meet the candidate.

[drron29]

Now off to the fish market.A lot of interesting spots along the way-

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[drron29]

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[drron29]

This is where the fish are brought in.A bird watcher's paradise-

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[drron29]

And now the fish market.Basically the fish are cleaned,put in ice and flown out to Bogota or Medellin-

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[spinnaker2]

This expedition cruise pictorial is terrific.

Thanks drron.

[drron29]

Interesting carpentry-

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We now head back to the waterfront for a market and local dancing-

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[drron29]

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[drron29]

The market-

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[drron29]

These were the team from Colombia organising our excursions.Seemed pretty good.

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Recycling Colombian style.They even had a special bag for me-

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a few going back early.This ended up being our transportation back to the ship after the dancing-

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[drron29]

The horses had a bit of a roll in the mud just before the dancing began-

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[drron29]

So starts our bumpy ride back to the pier passing others who continue to walk the streets-

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And we hit every one of those potholes-

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The barge is bringing in some much needed gravel-

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[drron29]

Whilst we were having lunch the Explorer repositioned to an anchorage off Utria National Park.Another place not much visited.They are proud that the number of visitors for 2015 is likely to rise to 9000.about 255 are foreigners mainly German.There is some basic accommodation there plus a restaurant.But first we pas the Colombian coastguard-

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This afternoon was a walk on a boardwalk through the mangroves.there was kayaking for 14 but the Swiss family of 11 got in first.

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[drron29]

There is obviously a lot of food for lizards-

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Many orchids but only one species flowering-

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These people are watching monkeys.but you got only fleeting glimpses-

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[drron29]

Amazing numbers and variety of epiphytes-

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Only a few flowers but a mangrove flowering-

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