New Partnership with ATEC in Costa Rica and BSTA from Bocas del Toro, Panama

Yesterday four members of the Bocas Sustainable Tourism Alliance (BSTA) went with our Susana to meet the women from the Women’s Cacao Cooperative up in Shiroles, Miss Petrolia and her Cacao project, and Don Danillo and his eco-tourism project in Bambu.

Today was PACKED with a tight schedule:

4:30AM outta my bed.

5:30 in the ATEC office

7:30 at the Iguana Project in the KekoLdi Indigenous Territory

9AM meeting at the Biological Corridor, to hear about their projects old and new.

11AM meeting w the turtle protection people, WIDECAST. Que chicos mas intelegentes!

Noon tour the recycling center in Patino.

1PM ATEC’s beautiful board of directors all in one space with new friends from BSTA, who have opened their new tourist information center in Bocas Town on Isal de Colon. Mauricio shared his experience with the Farmers’ Market, Edwin a bit on the bio-fuel cooperative. Willis about life and eco-tourism on his “island” Tortuguero. y todos un poco de la experiencia con ATEC y los planes para Bocas.

4PM meet w Dolphin Foundation. Dolfi (Rodolfo) offered to bring some of his experience to the guides/ boat captains in Bocas.

Ahhh, 5:30PM beer with everybody, one guide from Manzanillo, the president of the Development Association, a boat captain from Manzanillo, friend involved with the life and culture of Manzanillo, and Miss Emily who has worked so hard for conservation and sustainablity in Talamanca at Maxi’s. 
!Gran Exito!
wow.

8:30 PM a dormir!