http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Innocent-Abroad/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Innocent Abroad en-us Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:34:42 +0000 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:34:42 +0000 Here are a few more images from western Panama and eastern Costa Rica. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-95899.html The day before I left Panama I almost begrudgingly made the trip to the Miraflores Locks. It seemed like such a stereotypically touristy thing to go see. I was very pleasantly surprised the museum is excellent and when I was done the huge Panamax size ships started filing through the locks basically two at a time. The immensity of the ships and the precision and efficiency of the locks operat http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-95649.html These are images of both wild flowers I saw in various places and the exquisite orchids grown and sold at Finca Dracula in Guadalupe Panama. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-95645.html The kids in Panama are great I photographed them often they're everywhere you go. They are noticeably betterbehaved than kids in the USA. Panamanian parents seem to be more openly affectionate with their kids than North American Parents. I never saw rowdy screaming kids nor did I see angry scolding parents. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-95642.html I took a side trip over to San Vito Costa Rica from Cerro Puta Panama. San Vito is the result of a government program in the fifties in which several hundred Italians moved to the area to found a town and farm the area. The current result is a charming highland town with an Italian feel.Going to San Vito from Volcan Panama is sort of like falling off the map. You take this absolutely gorgeous http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-95637.html I walked this trail from Boquete to Guadalupe the day after climbing Volcan Baru. Going this direction is less conventional because of the significant elevation gain between the two trailheads. Along the way I first encountered the enchanting and seemingly misplaced Jungle Crab see photo then a large family of howler monkeys up in the canopy. The monkeys made quite a production in response to http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Cerro-Punta/blog-95629.html I'm back home I can now finally put up some more images so without further delay I'll start uploading...Eric http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-95146.html I havent had time for blog updates since the last entry but Ive had a great time. This one will be shorter than I would like because I need to catch a bus soon. Ill fill in more details in the next couple of days along with hopefully adding some long overdue photos.Where Ive beenBoquete to Cerro Punta via the Sendero los Quetzales trail Cerro Punta to Rio Sereno via bus crowded like a Tok http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/blog-94834.html I'm very tired this evening. I've had maybe four hours of sleep in the last two days. Sean and I were picked up at 11 pm last night and driven to the entrance of the Volcan Baru national park where we started climbing before midnight. My memory is hazy about the number but our starting altitude was something like 1800 meters above sea level. After five hours of climbing an alternately gravelly http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-93640.html Just for some background the precipitating event for my travel to Panama was winning an allinclusive whitewater kayaking expedition with Boquete Outdoor Adventures. Me and my pals Justin Sean and Kirk won the Total Vertical Feet Challenge held last March by steepcreeks.com by kayaking for many hours in cold less than ideal conditions down the Tellico River in Eastern Tennesee in order to pre http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Cerro-Punta/blog-93288.html I had a great time today. I covered several miles on foot and on bicycle just exploring the town of Boquete and the surruounding mountains. Im happy to report that my fear of discovering the place to have been overrun with wealthy northern tourists and retirees were erroneous. Boquete feels just as Panamanian as anywhere else Ive been in this country. I chatted with Rob today and he believes p http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-92172.html Bad news first Im a bit bummed out right now because I was liberated from my digital camera today. The camera is replaceable but the many images I had stored in it definitely are not. Replacement of the camera is not exactly in my travel budget. Also I obviously wont be able to post more images on the blog until I can replace the camera. I will at least purchase some disposable cameras and sc http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-92002.html Since I last published two mornings agoI followed a Sunday morning procession to the Panama Cathedral and was enthralled by the enthusiasm of the people see pictures. The music and singing were so joyful I then went out to the huge former US Canal base community of Clayton to the hostel there. What a difference a ten minute cab ride can make in this area Having been built by Americans for Am http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Panama/Panama-City/blog-91338.html First I' like to promote my current panamanian home. The website for the hostel I've been staying in is httpwww.hospedajecascoviejo.comCurrently it's occupied by an American expat named Clyde who's lived here for several months several Europeans and myself. It's a really nice place for 11night.Yesterday was even better than my first day I steeled my nerves after leaving the hostel and http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Panama/Panama-City/blog-90832.html Well well... I've wanted to travel to exotic places for a very long time and here I am in Panama City. To my friends and family I'm doing well very well I've ony been really concerned once on my cab ride from the airport last night. I'm staying in a hostel in the old part of town called Casco Viejo which is well know for its colonial architecture culture beautiful views and unfortunately http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Panama/Panama-City/blog-90493.html