The Kuna Islands isthmus | June "...They ended up with a gorgeous Shire, and a sweet deal, and an almost impossible ability to live exactly as they always did. Their land includes both these 400 San Blas Islands stretching for 160 miles along the coast of present-day Panama, and the nearby Panama mainland with all of its mountains and jungles and fresh rivers. Their land is called the Comarca da Kuna Yala, and the Kuna live as if this is their country. Few Panamanian laws affect them." Read It
"...It takes them some time to get the coming-of-age girl to serve a coconut bowl of the liquid for me. Although it’s her celebration, she does more serving than celebrating. When the bowl does get to me, I notice they've offered me quite a serving. There are twigs and stuff floating around, but I take a good hard swig and find it’s delicious. Like a light, sugary rum..." Read It
The Philosophy of Monkey River Town isthmus | April "...They
are traveling long distances at age eleven, unguided, expected to make
a profit, to hitchhike with people of unknown integrity, to be able
to pay for their boat back home. They are inquisitive, polite, and comfortable
in the company of adults." Read It
Old Highways of Peten isthmus | April "...Army
and police officers in Guatemala have begun a new campaign of abuse
to cover the tracks of their past. Although from the left-wing that
supported the demands of the Indian insurgents, Portillo has been unwilling
to take steps against the new bloodshed. But all Guatemala's killings
and bombings seem silly for a country of farmers. Who needs an anti-communist
Gestapo when it's all mostly a matter of cutting sugar-cane and sifting
coffeebeans?" Read It
The Howling Coast isthmus | February "...When French-born agronomist Clemente Poncon went to The World Bank for a loan to develop the Morgan's Rock property, The World Bank conducted a report, the contents of which recommended that the best solution for the property would be a golf course hotel mega-development. " Read It
Granada Libre isthmus | February "...In the hotel’s small courtyard, there's these two age-ripened Canadians feeding the hotel's pet parakeets. They had lifted them onto their table, to let them peck at their butter and jam. Margaret, who was wearing a medic-alert bracelet, lit up a cigarette." Read It
Jungle in the Sky isthmus | February "...While the old toothless man describes the view, Ramón explains that to him, the old man sounds funny. He looks at him and laughs, and then looks back at us and whispers, “He is a country man, and his accent is very stupid to us city people.” " Read It
From San Jose to Ocotal Micro Update | isthmus | May "...Ocotal and the west coast are similar to central California geologically - Ocotal looks like Santa Cruz. The Gulf of Papagayo, which just about butts up to Nicaragua, is steep cliffs and long beaches..." Read It
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2008 Donation Project
