Boquete, David, Panama City, Cartagena

We've had a long 2 days of travel! Driven from Boquete by the nice lady from Manchester, UK and dropped off at the new David International Airport took about an hour. Still under construction, it was not immediately apparent where the front doors were. Nevertheless, we walked thru the construction tape, past the saw horses and thru one of the glass doors and found ourselves inside.Almost completed is as good as completed. Our flight was almost 2 hours late. We were anxious, as this was our day to explore the locks at Miraflores.

We were picked up at Albrook Airport by our driver Jose, from Golden Frog Transportation.
(www.goldenfrog.net)   Our visit to the Canal Zone was much shorter than we wanted. Harvey and I were both amazed at the area. The old base housing has been transformed into a lush neighborhood. After a short visit to Miraflores, Jose took us to the Amador Causeway - a man made 3 mile, causeway into the Pacific, filled with "stuff to do". To our right were the ships waiting for the canal to open manana
and to our left were the marina's filled with yachts and sailboats of homeboys and international travelers.

This evening we opted to stay at a different hotel, The Toscana. (www.toscanainnhotel.com) We needed a soft bed and I needed at least 4 pillows. We slept as if on a cloud after our large meat meal. Morning brought us machiattos for breakfast and Jose's wife Lucy, to transport us to the Tocuman International Airport, the hub of Copa Airlines. Another airport being expanded and the international concourse was not yet finished, but why waste a gate? We follow the boarded up moving walkways, dodging electrical cords and worker dudes. Onward to Cartagena.

Colombia is the place where our Spanish will be everything. It will be rare to find folks who know a smidgen of English. Our taxi driver finds the apartment on Calle Moneda and we are met by Henry, the manager and tour guide extraordinaire. After ensconcing us in the nicely furnished apartment, he takes us on a guided tour of El Centro. For those of you who have been to Sevilla or perhaps New Orleans, you might have an idea of what this area looks like. Except bigger - much bigger and alive with locals. Teaming with locals. This morning we will explore further and have lunch at the same Cevicheria which was spotlighted on No Reservations!

Spay Day Sundays in Boquete, Panama

Today, our gracious hosts took us for a personal and up-close tour of Boquete and surrounding areas. Little did we know that today was special. It was Spay Day at the Boquete Gymnasium.

Once a month many brave souls from Boquete gather together, along with local Vets for a Spay Day Special. Bring your dogs and cats and puppies and kitties for a gratis grab at their little genitals. I'm not really sure why our hosts decided to put this on the short list of stuff to do in town on a beautiful sunny, Sunday morning, but here we are and most decidedly, it is an impressive operation (no pun intended!)

Every one is a volunteer, even the vets. The animals are spayed and shots given. Today, the lead organisers predicts at least 150 animals will be spayed. Last year, almost 3000 were spayed and neutered. Ouch!

Preop. Animals are shaved, sprayed with alcohol and sterile (ha-yeah right!) drapes applied.

This young fella is in preop waiting for the next surgical table to become available.

El Explorador Gardens

 One of the more curious attractions in Boquete is El Explorador gardens, where there are splendid and fantastical panoramic views across the valley from a delightful swing set.  The real attraction here are the eccentric gardens sprinkled with vernacular, artlike recycled items: old television sets, a sewing machine, boots used as planters, shopping carts, old bottles, and more bearing eyes and ears and mouths.

  Por ejemplo, there is a bush cut to resemble a imaginary animal, and in its mouth is a plastic doll. The gardens feature signs (in Spanish only) with uplifting quotes to boost ones self-esteem and increase your knowledge of spanish. (take that Hable Ya!)

 

As hokey as it seems, we left El Explorador feeling a little better.

Volcanos and New Cameras

The sun decided to grace us with her presence today. About time! We raced thru a breakfast of garlic toast, the monkey man frying himself a bright yellow yoked egg and head out toward the volcano. The maps are not great in Boquete.  While in the casita we can google, but out in the big world there is nary a web, nor road signs. Directions from locals can be tricky. In due course we locate the sign to the volcano, beautifully camouflaged under a cascade of flowering vines. Up; the road leads us past the ubiquitous coffee plants, greenhouses and roadside attractions all the while twisting and carpeted in mossy abandon littered with lazy black dogs sleeping on the warm pavement after days of clouds, rain and damp. Crude block homes of the local Indians dot the landscape dramatically interspersed with the castles of expats mostly empty of inhabitants. At an intersection a bus driver stops us to tell us the road ends. One can only walk to the volcano.

Most of the roads here are circuits. One cannot pass thru the mountains, except by foot or horse so it is very hard to become lost, as all roads return to Boquete.  Carrera Vocancito Arriba (Upper Little Volcano Road) places us above Boquete, close to the car rental establishment Value Motors Boquete, where we must stop and give them copies of our passports and my driver’s license. Harvey has been repairing computers and routers since our arrival, and here it is no different.

Onward to the large and sprawling city of David where the new and shiny Mall awaits our tourist dollars. We have been given directions to the Panafoto: turn left as soon as one spots the KFC! ( Yes the chicken of Kentucky is very popular in the southern hemisphere.)

Mono en la jardin.

The Castle and Villa Marita - our neighbors.

Boquette

Rio Calderna, Boquette, Panama

The bus ride to Boquete/Davis was fraught with nada. A deep seat, which reclined, upstairs on the large double decker greydog styled bus. Loading at 830, most of our travel companions were slumped down in the soft seats, ready for slumber. We were the only gringos, as gringos usually fly. The lush green countryside glides by with the help of pneumatic shock absorbers.

At one point we are invaded by a bushel of German Pickles and her companions.  Here to learn the language, bask in the sun and have sex paid by parental masters.

   

Our Casita

We are met at the bus station in David by our hosts for the week, Cora and David. They have lived in Boquette for 10 years after selling their successful business in St. Pete.  Their home is in the sky, with a view of Volcan Baru, high above Boquette. Rainbow country they say.

The bands of the tropical storm are affecting Panama, as well as Florida thus we continue to be covered by clouds and sprinkled with water. It is quite chilly here and neither Harvalah, nor I am prepared. This is not a place where you can run out and buy what you need. We are wearing everything!

Volcan Baru, from our porch

 

Speaking of everything, the camera is not working well and needs to be replaced asap. All this gorgeous scenery is not being captured. Thank the goddess that my foot picture turned out as little else has. Therefore we march into David today and attempt to find something better.

 Form my brother Mike; they are waiting for you in Boquette!

Getting There

Yesterday was spent on the road, the Pan American Hwy to be specific after a rushed and somewhat frantic tour of the vertical labyrinth that is Panama City. 

  I have visited many cities in my travels and none top the shear height of this place. Flanked by ocean, mountains, the canal and mudflats, there’s nowhere to go but toward the clouds. The city looks as though it might teeter into the sea.

The afternoon finds us in the old city, Casco Viejo, a broken, rusted crown just beginning to be noticed by her owner. Under renovation, how much plastic surgery does it take to make a lady from the 17^th century look good? Wrought with peril from potholes to panhandlers, she might be able to save the her vertical namesake from losing her spice, her essence of history and place.

 

The Miraflores Locks from the Bridge of the Americas, while speeding along on the Bus in seats 46 and 47.

 

Our hosts, Cora and David met us at the bus. They had secured these beautiful chicken tamales for our dinner. A bottle of Argentinian wine and we were transported to heaven.