http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Panama , Chiriqui , Boquete en-us Sun, 06 Dec 09 00:34:46 +0000 Sun, 06 Dec 09 00:34:46 +0000 Costa RicaWe took a very long 18 hour but comfortable bus ride from San Salvador to San Jos Costa Rica crossing the El Salvador Honduras and Nicaragua borders. We didn't stay too long in Costa Rica just exploring the town center . We spent a few nights in Cahuita which is a surfertourist paradise in the north of Costa Rica. We went walking along the beach with sections that looked lik http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-443779.html Boquete was one of those destinations which was not really planned on our itinerary it more or less came into it the night before. Justin and I were having dinner with Arie and Stephan and they invited us to join them to go to Boquete. Since we knew we could cut costs and were planning on getting out of Boca Brava after one night anyway we decided to join them. Besides going to a coffee growi http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-413562.html I am writing to share my experience with a Panamanian Hostel in the city of Boquete. Namely the unprofessional conduct of the owner of Hostal Palacios 'Pancho.' We checked in with 4 people in our traveling group. 2 were staying a day longer before heading out. We had paid for 2 private rooms. Because Pancho charges a fee 3 a bag for bags left after checkout 12 noon and our bus was not until http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-413546.html Hallo meine LiebenJa wir haben noch einige wunderschne Tage in Bocas del Toro verbracht. Wahren dann auch wirklich noch tauchen was super viel Spass gebracht hat. Unser Hostal war schoen sauber mit eigenem Bad und TV. Leider hatten wir aber einige unangeneheme mitbewohner welche wir vorallem in der Kueche immer wieder angetroffen haben. Ein mit Drogen so was von ueberladener Amerikaner der http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-412298.html The bus ride to David Panama took us to different types of climates in the highlands and in the dry humid areas of Costa Rica soon as we got down the mountains it was quite hot and we struggled the bus is not airconditioned. While having a lunch stop we chatted with a local truck driver going to panama to pick up his load we met Hannah the only other backpacker in the bus from NZ very fr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-380556.html On 26 we had a delightful time. We went up to the mountain town of Boquete again and found a private home with an incredible garden that we could tour. It must have been an acre of the most manicured garden in Panama. There were six ponds with hundreds of Kio of every color. We wanted to go snorkeling but the wind had been blowing so hard for the last three days the idea of being on the wate http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-373897.html Magnentron the greatest word in human history. The English equivalent microwave. Team tango entered Panama and caught a bus to the highlands. We stumbled upon a vulnerable small Scandanavian looking boy by the name of Ard Jan Bos aka magnentron he turned out to be a drunken Dutch woman abuser only joking he was just a little drunk and an occasional abuser of women but we grew to lo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-371366.html Our original New Yearrsquos Eve plan was to go to Bocas del Toro a Carribean archipelago in the north western corner of Panama. However reading between the lines of peoplersquos experiences there and a quick scout around online left us thinking that Bocas the USrsquos latest Cancunised party spot was perhaps best left off our itinerary. Instead we elected for the rather more sedate mountai http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-362472.html Monday morning was already warm by the time I woke at 7am. I got up and had a chat with Mike who was leaving shortly and worked on my blog for a while. After another pancake for breakfast I packed my bag returned my sheets and checked out. It was pretty sad to leave Mamallenas is a very comfortable and friendly placeI was going to include photos of Hostel Mamallenas but the card that was http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-352732.html After two nights in Panama City we decided to swap the scorching busy metropolis for the cool lush mountains and forests of Boquete. We awoke early and got the 8.15 bus north to Panamas second city David. After nearly missing the bus due to us queuing in the wrong area entirely we were hustled on as the bus was pulling off. Unfortunately the bus was quite busy and we would have to sit separatel http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-329144.html SPANISH SCHOOL BOQUETE PANAMAINFO spanishschoolboquete.blogspot.com http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-313168.html We are now in Boquete which is about 4 and a half hours away from Bocas Del Toro. We decided to make a pit stop on our way to Panama City. It was a very long day of travel. We left Bocas Del Toro at 1230 pm and traveled by boat to Changuinola which took an hour and 7 per person. Then made a bus for David which took 4 and a half hours riding through mountains. That was 8 each. Sometimes w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-304041.html Here are my first impressions of Panama... First of all do whatever you need to do in the morning unless you want to get VERY wet doing it. I tried and tried again I got soaked every time so now my planning goes with the weather and I make sure Im inside by 1pm Believe me when it rains here it doesnt half do it its the proper 'oh oh I think it's raining season' rain It looks like Pa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-279448.html Day 208 Panamerican passage to the hills beyondNot wanting to be searching out new lodgings in the dark I had to set off early this morning and having got up before the pervy security guard had poked his nose round the door I got a taxi to the bus terminal and caught the eight o'clock bus to David. Fairly uneventful the journey was fairly restricted to the usually tarmacked roads of the Panam http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-279436.html Irsquove been spending the last 6 days now in Boquete Pamana. Boquete is a small town with gringo influence in the mountains of Panama. There is the main street with some restaurants a few small souvenirtype shops small supermarkets and other assorted stores. Therersquos also the small hotels or hostels around town. Finally for those people ready to buy their second home or reloc http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-272874.html The early morning bus from Ciuded Neily was crowded and it was already hot when we were dropped at the Costa Rican side at around 8am. The whole process was rather chaotic and getting papers dealt with seemed rather random. We also had to wait some time in a bank queue to get our Costa Rican Colones changed into dollars before heading to the Panamanian side which seemed even more disorganised.I tr http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-272528.html From Panama City we flew to David second largest city in Panama and drove around 45 min. to Boquete. Boquete is a relatively small town 6200 people according to Wikipedia in the mountains near the border with Costa Rica. It is growing really quickly due to a large influx of American and Canadian retirees. We saw a lot of gringos around town and were amazed at all of the billboards in Engli http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-266134.html Up to the Highest Height On the 25th of Feb the Katies some friends and I went to the Chiriqui Province of Panama to climb Volcan Baru. The summit is at about 11400 feet and about a 7 mile upward hike from the base of the volcano. We spent the first two days in Boquete a tiny town nestled in the foothills of the volcano and surrounding mountains. On our journey from Panama City to Boquete w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-251750.html GreetingsWriting with some very soar muscles were happy to tell you guys we climbed a 3480m Volcano yesterday not active. We arrived in Boquete on Wednesday the 7th after a boatride from Bocas and then a 6 hour bus drive through the center of Panama to the mountains of Boquete. It is very beautiful here with mountains and hill surrounding the valley town. At night it cools down a little but http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-244897.html SO the rain cleared up in Boquete and the weather here is really nice. Its been about 75 during the day and 55 at night. I keep hearing about all of the freezing temps and snow in Montana Colorado and Mass and it makes me feel a little guilty but just a little.So I took a spanish class on Monday afternoon for 3 hours. I got some helpful info out of it but something just isnt right about si http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/Chiriqui/Boquete/blog-241090.html