We’ve just gotten onto what is probably the nicest bus I’ve ever been on. Currently, we are on Step #2 of the 5 total that will take us from the beautiful mountain town of Boquete to the beaches of Santa Catalina. I’m pretty thankful that the sun is shining and the forecast is looking good foe the next week, as we’ve been pretty soggy for a while now.
Our morning started at 5:45 after what turned out to be a garbage night of sleep for the both of us, Grant with what he mumbled were “soap opera dreams” and me with some non-specifized anxiety. Maybe that was due to realizing last minute that our plans to take a cush 4.5 hour direct shuttle were a no-go, and we were looking at 4 bus transfers over 9-10 hours. Ah, c’est la vie! We were pleasantly surprised with gorgonzola scrambled eggs and home made walnut current bread rather than the cereal our hosts had warned us was coming. Can’t complain about that!
We were kindly dropped off to a colectivo stop a few blocks down the road to begin our journey – it was a little crammed as during the morning the locals fill the bus, and we stupidly didn’t realize we could put our bags under the seat and kept them jammed on top of us for most of the ride. Arriving in David(2nd largest city in Panama), we were both pretty happy Grant had decided to double check where we needed to go to to buy our tickets to Santiago, as it would have been significantly more difficult to find if we had to ask with our basic-bitch Spanish skills. Fork! We need to practice.
I sometimes find it easier and more pleasant to write about the experiences a few days after they’ve happened, especially when in a new place. All things considered, our arrival from Bocas Del Toro to Boquete went pretty well. Our B&B was actually in Caldera, “25” minutes (40) outside of Boquete. In order to meet our host, we were informed it would be easiest to meet him on the side of the highway. The bus driver thought we were a little crazy when we mentioned this, and we had growing concern as we gained altitude, grew closer, and a light drizzle turned into a torrential downpour. Waiting on the side of a strange highway as the roads began to flood around us didn’t sound ideal, and I think both of us let out a sigh of relief when we saw the black SUV waiting for us on the side of the road.
Saying goodbye to the bus as our final piece of Bocas Del Toro, we quickly hopped into our awaiting chariot. On first impression, our host was a very straight forward guy in his 70’s that clearly didn’t feel any hesitation telling us what was what and being very up front about his wishes. This turned out to be spot on – he sometimes came off as slightly controlling (as the only bad review these people had mentioned) but ultimately was extremely helpful, kind, and interesting. If I make it to my late 70’s, I damn well better know what I want and how I like things by then, too.
I’m glad we decided to quickly move past the oddity of the guy telling us about his soulmate leaving him and him having to restart his life within 5 minutes. Information overshare from strangers is something that makes both of us uncomfortable, but really, a lot travel is about accepting discomfort and learning from it.
Our hosts turned out to be a wealth of information about not only Caldera/Boquete, but all of Panama. Over the course of our 5 days we enjoyed sharing meals and conversations with them, swapping stories and thankfully sharing a great love for dogs. I’m always a lot more comfortable with people who keep animals, and these guys had 3 sweet rescue dogs, along with a ranch full of cows, chickens, and a few horses. The property itself was beyond breathtaking with a view of the jungle below and the mountains beyond, always with the faint sound of the many nearby waterfalls. Rain or shine, the wrap around deck provided awe-inspiring scenery, and it was a great every morning to sip our coffee out there with the pups at our feet. The breakfasts made by the hosts were always carefully and thoughtfully prepared, and I now know I need a whole lot more gorgonzola omelettes in my life.
Our first afternoon was spent renting a car and going into the town to get our bearings, and to stuff our hungry faces. We made our way to our new home on the windy, bumpy road that reminded us both of the lovely conditions of our road to Chiniak, only with even more crazy drivers and people that had seemingly no idea of what they were doing. Dogs and people both dart sporadically around these roads, especially at night, so in the end it made sense the way most drove in the center of the road. On our last night, we actually saw a family lounging ON THE ROADSIDE fully equipped with some pillows for comfort. Completely bizarre!
I met two girls in Thailand earlier in the year, and one of them ended up moving to Panama to run a sailing charter. The three of us had discussed meeting here and unfortunately it didn’t work out as a group, but separately we all get to see one another! We met my Californian friend for dinner on our first night after settling into our new digs, and made tentative plans to explore the following day.
Everyone in Panama seems to tell us to make plans for the morning, because it often rains in the afternoon. We have somehow managed to frequently experience heavy rains on many of these planned mornings, and luckily had learned to expect it. Waterfall hikes aren’t so fun in a storm, so the three of us decided to do a little mini road trip around the area and take in some sights. While foggy and wet, the waterfalls and mountains were still incredible from the comfort of our car. After a brief stopover at a spa to use their sauna, we somehow ended up spending the remainder of the day watching American football at an expat bar. Not really our cup of tea, but my friend had taken a fall the previous day and the hot springs hike Grant and I had wanted to do was out for her. It was definitely a different experience meeting up here than Thailand, but I really need to stop comparing! Probably my worst travel habit of all.
I wound up drinking a few too many margaritas that night and not being the sweetest girlfriend, argh. Traveling can be stressful enough without added drama, and it’s SO important to continue to be respectful to your partner and not be a total butthead. I have a definite tendency to be stubborn even if I am wrong, and that’s something that is a work in progress. Strive to be better every day, right? Compete only with yourself.
Our second full day ended up shining a few rays of sun on us, so we took a day trip to Gualaca to swim in this beautiful canyon. We both actually had our expectations exceeded here and had a blast jumping into the rapids and floating through the crevass, especially as we had the whole place to ourselves. The second jump was quite literally a little rocky – as usual, Grant is a bit more adventurous than I, and wanted to try a more exciting jump. He tried to warn me it was shallow after he jumped first, and I opted out of heading this warning and smashed my tailbone into a big rock. Ouch!
Caldera Hotsprings was our final adventure, a muddy hike to some small rock-walled natural pools. It was relaxing and refreshing, but we were glad we made it there when we did, as a large group arrived upon our departure. The place is very minimally maintained and quite swampy, but we enjoyed seeing the peacocks, goats, and cows on the hike out.
We had a so-so meal with our hosts at a BEAUTIFUL restaurant overlooking a canyon and waterfall – the view made it worth it. After that it was time to pack, sleep, and get ready for the next adventure. Which brings me back to the fancy bus that I’m currently sitting on!
Overall, we really enjoyed Boquete and I would highly recommend a stop here to adventure, explore, and breathe the mountain air. People seemed a little more friendly here and the vibe was much more pleasant than Bocas. The temperature is also more comfortable! Coming into our 4th week in Panama, I think it’s safe to say I recommend getting an umbrella the second you enter the country. Every man, woman, and child carries one here even when it’s sunny, because they know what to expect. Grant actually admitted to me that he had never used an umbrella until we got to Boquete! We’ve refrained so far, as we’ve had a few loaners, and now we are just too far into the trip to be bothered. Maybe that stubbornness is still there, huh?
I’m going to get to working on that, but first, snacks.
Next stop, BEACH LIFE!!
(P.S. Hopefully can add photos soon, Wi-Fi here in Santa Catalina es muy mal)