We Are Getting Hungry

That's our total selection of fresh food.

Remember when I said that you wouldn’t starve in the San Blas even if you didn’t bring a good selection of provisions. Well, I was wrong! We came back to Nargana, the several thousand people village in the Central Kuna Yala, because we were down to an onion and our last 10 gallons of water. Filling up on water was not a problem, but food has been another story. We’ve been here for four days, and so far have been able to buy onions, potatoes, fake cheese (hey, it’s better than nothing) and green bananas.

Other than that, the shelves in ALL the stores are bare when it comes to vegetables, except for a few rotten peppers, and there are no eggs anywhere. Generally, the food comes in by boat, these rough Colombian trading vessels stacked with propane canisters, flats of Gatorade and a random assortment of vegetables, toilet paper, Ritz Cola and beer. But if the boat doesn’t come, you can be left in food limbo land like we are at the moment, living off of oatmeal, potatoes, canned food, dry goods and Kuna bread.

We’re not going to get scurvy or anything, but it does make me wish that we had stocked up even further when we had the chance. It also makes me wonder what it’s really like for the Kuna. They keep gardens on the mainland, but it must get pretty tough when the boats don’t show up on occasion. Plus, Vlad and I can’t stop talking about the economics of this place. People here want eggs and vegetables and all that goodness, but oftentimes they either can’t get it or they can only get what is available, as thought the laws of supply and demand have abandoned this place entirely.

Anyway, we’re hungry, but the veggie boat should be here soon. I hope.