Boquete

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Hi in Boquete which is in the Highlands of Panama.its a coffee growing region with cloud forest above it. Went on a tour of one of the coffee farms, they spent a lot of time talking about the politics and economics of the coffee industry. They favour direct trade over fair trade as a way of ensuring the growers and pickers get a better deal. The picking is all done by the Ngobe one of P anamas indigenous tribes. They're semi nomadic a d travel as far as Costa Rican to pick coffee. In the past this was all along jungle pathways but now they use 'chicken' buses (bright yellow old US school buses) and collectivos (mini vans) to get up the mountains. As we've also been using these ever day to get up to the cloud forest we've seen a lot of them, the women wear traditional bright cotton dresses.Their temporary accommodation looks pretty dire, although the more ethical farms are improving conditions and finding g school s for the children. Photo s might follow!
Staying in a very friendly hostel run by Dora and her husband who is the ex mayor of Boquete and helped get the new road over the mountains built.
The Boquete flower and coffee festival is on, not what you might expect think Hoppings with bedding plants instead of rides. People come from all over Panama to visit including the president.

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Comments

[Marion]

Cloud forest
Cloud forest sounds like a heavenly place..quite literally ...what can you see? I'm imaging swirling Japanese style clouds pierced by pines...but of course you're in Panama.

[Barbara blogs]

Cloud forest
Cloud forest does sound romantic, and looks so from a distance until you're caught in torrential rain! When we arrived the trails were closed because of a hurricane and rain. Fortunately weather improved, it's quite jungley to walk through, you and Alice would love the wild orchids.

[Alisonhh]

Hi
Looks like you are having a fascinating trip. What an experience! Keep the blogs coming. Xx Alison and Colin

[stayathome]

Hoppings
Bring some latte coffee plants back for us!