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."
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"...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..."
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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."
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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?"
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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. "
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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."
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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.” "
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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..."
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