Starfish Beach,they were everywhere

Bat Cave lots of guano

Pete with St. Norberts professor

Jim, Bat Photograpy asst with Bob Howe

frogging behind cemetary

Bluff Beach

view from the bar La Carolina

Study group ready for snorkeling

Bird Island

before body surfing

We moved to the smithsonian marine station today.the uwgb group showed up after us,we had to talk our way past the guard. We are settled into the dorms,we have a cook who came out before dinner

and read us the riot act about being in time for meals,7am ugg I might not be hungry.

The boys are out catching bats with a researcher from Florida. James may get a chance to dive with a researcher and help collect data.

Yesterday we spent the day on a boat with a local.He took us snorkling and frogging.We saw 3 different poison dart frogs,they are very tiny.The red one was from Bastmente Island,he(erwin, our guide) had us tromping thru the cemetary looking for one. Erwin talked pretty much nonstop, I can't figure out if he is an enviornmentalist or a poacher. He claims he has discovered three new species. He breeds parrots to sell in the US and Europe. He was also a bit of a sleeze bag about the topless beaches, He said he has a special arrangement with his wife!
Also, here is a picture of some flowering object for Rose:

Ellen: We have had a whole day in Paradise(Bocas del Toro) The boys room is with the surfers,I'm in the main lodge. La Carolina has a resident monkey,Edgar, a very naughty Capuchin.
The food here is excellent,the view is excellent,the rum punch makes me forget what I was going to do next. We have been to Bluff Beach, a 2 mile walk, yesterday and today for body surfing. James has been boogie boarding. The waves have pounded me into the sand,ripped off Jims shirt,my shorts and I'm not wearing my strapless top there anymore.

Pete: What up everybody? Anyway we're chillin on the beach in Bocas! Yeah we love it. I saw six different species of birds. My favorite was a bird of prey I have yet to identify... Hope you are all jealous. Just kiding we wish you all could enjoy this weather. The food at the place we are staying is freakin awsome!! Good drinks good food and good folks! talk to you soon.

• Our hotel was on the Panama Canal, it was dark by the time we got there but the lights were beautiful. We had to be up at 5 am for our flight to Bocas Del Toro so we only had 5 hours of sleep 2 nights in a row. New years Eve in Chicago was very fun. We had hors'dorves and drinks at Italian Village thanks to a hot tip from Marilyn,it was excellent. Then went across the street to Jersey Boys. We saw the understudies in 4 roles and their timing was off,it looks like it could be a really good show but not that night. Then we hopped on the train and went to Lincoln Park and had dinner at Baba Re Ba! a Spanish Tapas place (pete and jim thought I said we were eating at a topless place) food was fun and good,but no asparagus fries like the Tapas place in Frederick that Melanie and Eric took us too. They brought out hat and noisemakers and champagne for midnite.By the time we got back to our hotel it was 2 am.
• One photo is of Cloud Gate in millennium park

We are in Panama,arrived last night after 2 very easy flights. We made friends in the Customs line and met some people who were staying at the same hotel. James went outside and negotiated a price of $10.00 for the seven of us. The guide book said it would be $25/per person, but he found a guy with a van and through an exciting ten min., was able to knock $15 per head off.

Our new cats

Here are some pictures of our new cats: Lynx and Roux. They, like our previous two felines, are bengels, as im sure you can tell. Roux, the female has a distinctive marbled coat that may not be seen in the photos. They have started to settle in much better than our others, with them investigating newcomers and sleeping with us after only a few months. They along with a few plants and the ever present look-around are spending the bulk of their winter break in the very capable hands of the Overly's.