Panama...the story so far

My first 2 and a half weeks in Panama Ive had friends visiting, so Im just now starting this blog. Heres a recap of the fun so far.....

We met my friend Ali in Miami and were all on the same flight down here to Panama city. My brother is living in a fully furnished 3 bedroom apartment so we each had our own room, which is nice. We spent the first day running errands with my brother to get a feel for the city, then had dinner in an old torture chamber turned fancy restaurant in Casco Viejo, the old part of town. It was nice eating ceviche in a place where a couple hundred years ago people were chained to the walls an tortured to death. Very romantic.



The next day we hopped on a boat and headed to Isla Tabogas, a small island off the coast of Panama city, just large enough for a beach and a small village. The boat drops you off at about 9am and doesnt come back to pick you up til 4:30pm. So you just have to sit on the beach all day. It was tough.




We were there for New Years, so my brother decided to have a party at his place. Thank god Ali was there, otherwise we wouldnt have done the balloons or confetti. We are still finding confetti everywhere. Thanks Ali.



We got up 'early' the next 'morning,' picked up our rental car and drove 4 and a half hours to a small town called Pedasí, where we stayed in a beautiful little hostel/guesthouse. From there we spent a day at a nice beach, then the next day went to Isla Iguana, named as such due to the plethora of large Iguanas that rule the island. Its a good 10 miles or so out there, and there arent any ferries or charter companies. We had to find someone with a boat to take us out there. It was just a small dinghy with a motor and we had to push out from the beach. Problematic due to the large swells coming in. So the owner of the boat, Baby, said it would be better if we drove down the road for about 5-10 minutes to a river, got in there, and cruised out the mouth of the river into the bounding waves. One of the coolest boat rides ive ever taken. Ali almost threw up.





The day Ali left, Natasha arrived. She and I spent a day walking through Parque Natural, basically a forest within city limits. We saw lots of leafcutter ants, a frog, some birds and some little monkeys. I wanted to try to catch a monkey and keep it as a pet on my shoulder but alas they were quick little bastards. And they didnt come down from the trees. It was hot and sweaty in this jungle, worse than New York City in August.




Paul and Julie arrived on Andy's birthday. Natasha and I went to the fish market that day and got a couple pounds of shrimp and 3 red snappers for about $20. Not bad to feed a party of 10 people. The night consisted of general birthday debauchery, we went to a pool hall and drank beer. Lots and lots of cheap delicious Panamanian beer.



The next morning we picked up our rental car and Natasha, Paul, Julie, and I headed to the canal locks before heading out of the city to our beach retreat. Paul and Julie ate some bad meat the night before so they were basically dead to the world the whole day. The canal locks were pretty cool, and are touted as 'the greatest feat of American engineering.' It would have been easier to believe had the power not gone out while we were halfway through the museum, and they didnt get it back up and running til we were on our way out. Thank god the locks dont use electricity, just water pressure, so we didnt have to miss seeing a ship go through.



We stayed the weekend in a little town called Santa Clara at a small hotel on the beach. We did nothing but sit on the beach all weekend.


After the beach we drove to the mountains to a town called El Valle, nestled in the crater of an inactive volcano. Its a small town (I guess they all are), and very beautiful. We went to a crafts market, had a wonderful dinner at one of the most beautiful hotels Ive seen, and went to bed. The next morning we got up early to do a canopy tour. We hiked up a mountain and did some zip lines down, the most amazing one took us right in front of a large waterfall.


El Valle also has some warm mineral springs. Access is $1 and you can rub some mud on your face thats supposed to be really good for your skin



We drove back from El Valle and went to Panama Viejo, where Panama City originally was, but to avoid being raped, pillaged, and plundered by pirates, the inhabitants burned their own city to the ground and moved it to what is now Casco Viejo.



We did one more day at Isla Taboga, then Paul and Julie had to leave the next morning



Andy, Natasha, and I went to the mall and to see a movie. Wednesdays are half price matinee so it was only $2 a person. Halfway through the movie the electricity went out. Twice. Maybe if they charged $3 they could afford to pay their electic bill. Natasha had to leave the next day, so we stayed in, had some seco (panamanian 'vodka' for $4.50/bottle), and ordered pizza.

Thats the short version of a nice long two and a half weeks, ill be adding more every few days or as things happen