Once you step off the boat onto the dock at almost any location here in Bocas del Toro Panama, you know you are being embraced by nature. You almost feel as if you are receiving a hug from Mother Nature herself. You are surrounded by plants and trees which make up the rain forest. You can almost feel the forest breathing. The insects and animals make room for you to share their space, but you never forget that you are a visitor here in the jungle.
The main reason you know you are in a beautiful foreign territory is because you are enveloped into this space where you are so diminutive in size compared to the trees which make up the rain forest canopy. Many of these plants and animals have been around much longer than you or I.
However at no point do you feel that you are intruding or that you are not welcome. You are in fact being embraced. It is as if you are the recipient of a great big hug from a wonderful new friend. A friend who will always be there for you and asks very little in return. It is important that we look out for our new friend as once we have made her acquaintance we are never the same.
