Cholon Bay

We wake to the cacophony of boobies in the nearby mangroves. The morning is totally still; the winds don't pick up until early afternoon. Because of the stillness, we can hear the ever so strange braying of the donkeys, and somewhere over there, is the distinct sound of a peacock. Things have slowed down considerably since leaving Cartagena. We are in a big, beautiful bay that could easily accommodate hundreds of boats, but there are only 4 of us here at the moment, well, five if you count "Manatee", a big 68 ft. steel hulled motor cruiser recently been put to use as a happy hour bar. Yesterday, we heard the music coming from it & were curious as we had heard that there's not much in Cholon Bay. The self-professed "mayor" of the bay, Robert, (originally from the U.S. but living atop a hill overlooking the bay now) has opened a floating bar for those wanting to meet up with fellow cruisers. We headed over to appease our curiosity & we were instantly invited on board. Apparently, we just missed the pot luck dinner that the other boaters put on every Sat. night. Anyway, we joined them for a couple of beers & that has been our intro into life outside of the big city!
That & the fact that we've been pestered by locals paddling up to us on their boards with everything from papayas, mangoes, mangrove oysters, necklaces and they do not take no for an answer! Phrases such as "No entiendo" (I don't understand) & "No quiera nada" (I don't want anything) could matter less to them - it just means the challenge is on! We've heard that in the San Blas Islands, the women hang off the side of the boat for hours! One couple went down below for a meal & came out to find the Kuna Indian still perched beside their boat). Robert figured out how to say, "I'd like to marry your daughter" when a mother & her 10 year old daughter came up to him, & he claims that that chased them away every time (but one does have to worry that they may just take you up on your offer!)