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Published: June 22nd 2009
With Semana Santa over and the buses running again we were free to travel to our next and final destination: Panama. Our first stop was on the west coast of Panama at a little-known beach called Playa Venao. A prime spot for learning to surf, we stayed in the peaceful area for one week. Playa Venao is a place that, most likely, will be filled with hotels, surf shops, restaurants and condos in a few years to come. But for now, it is just one old bar and a beach, with a wonderful beach break and empty waves. We felt fortunate to experience it in this condition, as construction is already commencing up and down the beach.
We rented and shared one 8 ft long board and both managed to learn how to stand up more or less whenever we caught a wave. We both enjoyed learning and are eager for our next surfing trip where we can hopefully learn to ride shorter boards. Between surfing in the morning and afternoon, we played many games of ping-pong and foosball, learned to relax in the midday hotness, and Andrew fell in love with the kitten at our hostel (and tried to
adopt it—I caught him putting it in his bag).
After a week, we were ready to give our surfboard rashed knees, thighs, stomach, arms and hands a break, and headed into the capital, Panama City. Of the capital cities we have seen in Central America, Panama City is definitely one of the nicer ones. From a distance, the sky line is similar to that of Vancouver, but on a closer inspection…is not. Still, it had its quaint sections, such a Casco Viejo (a project in progress of the restoration) that we toured around.
Knowing we had some time left before our return flight back home we arranged to take a collectivo to the Caribbean side and charter a sailboat with an Irish couple for 3 days of sailing through the Kuna Yala / San Blas Islands. The Kuna Yala islands are a group of 370 small islands run independently from Panama, by a self-governing indigenous people that call themselves the Kuna. It was very interesting learn of their religion and culture, as well as explore the many small and beautiful white sand islands in the area. Our three days on the sailboat (where Britt tried to adopt the
sailboat puppy) were so good we chose to stay an extra 2 days on a small Kuna island afterwards.
Back in Panama City we explored the Miraflor Locks of the Panama Canal. We also took a train ride along the canal to the Caribbean. Before we knew it, we were back in Panama City and packing our bags one last time for the trip home.
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