Incredible Adventures Boca Chica and Boquete

There are no words to describe how amazing our recent adventures were. We have experienced whale watching on one other occasion without disappointment, but it was nothing compared to our recent trip to the Gulf of Chiriquí in Boca Chica.

We traveled with two other couples to Boca Chica, where we checked into our favorite resort, Regalo. Jen and I stayed at Regalo Resort on one other occasion, and we found it just as beautiful and charming as we remembered. The resort is wonderfully remote while convenient to the public pier at Boca Chica.  The proprietors, Carol and Jenni, have recently put in a pickleball court and converted the helipad into a bahio, where they host yoga retreats. They tell us that the resort is booked at capacity for most of the year, and they’re planning a minor expansion.

Regalo Resort

They employ a full-time chef, a bartender, and maid staff to serve the guests. The entire staff met us upon our arrival. They collected our bags and whisked them away to our suites while we checked in and were treated to a welcome cocktail at the bar. Dinner is typically offered in two choices, with other options for those with special diets or needs. We were given our options for dinner and asked what time we wanted to eat.

A table was set up on the pool deck for our party of six and another for the other guests in the resort. The other guests were a family of four from Florida who had spent the day deep sea fishing. They told us of the magnificent time they had and were asking Carol how they could transport their catch back to Florida. This seemed to me a near impossibility, but Carol was preparing their fish for the trip, packing it in a cooler with ice.

The resort can arrange any adventure from the public pier at Boca Chica. On our prior trip, we did an island-hopping boat tour with an excellent captain, Victor. Our tour started on Isla Bolanos, where we could swim and soak in the wondrous sights and sounds of the Gulf of Chiriquí. The second stop was Isla Paridas, where we enjoyed a great lunch. It was the only island with commerce. We saw just one small house serving drinks and fresh seafood, so we took the opportunity to restock our cooler and have Red Snapper served with salad, rice, and patacones. Following lunch, we swam on the beautiful beach before heading to our third island, Isla Gomez. It was a tiny, uninhabited island with a perfect beach. We did not have to share this island with anyone else. Captain Victor gave us an hour to swim and enjoy the beach before returning us to the pier at Boca Chica.

That day, we shared the boat with a Panamanian family. The couple and their well-behaved children were bi-lingual and spoke English to us. They ended up joining us for dinner at Regalo. It’s no surprise that they have become lifelong friends. It always amazes us how welcoming and friendly the Panamanian people are.

After returning to the pier, we walked around a bit in the village. There was truly little to see and do there. Boca Chica is a basic little town of fishermen and tourist boat excursions. This is a popular destination for whale watching. The whales migrate to the Gulf of Chiriquí from August to October. This is where whales give birth because of its safe, warm waters. Otherwise, everyone there had an agenda of fishing, sightseeing, or scuba diving. This was not whale season, so we saw no whales on our excursion. There were no cute little shops or restaurants, so we returned to Regalo for a relaxed evening meal with our new friends.

Our priority on this trip to Boca Chica was to see whales. From July to October, the humpback whales arrive in the Gulf of Chiriquí after their long journey from Antarctica to have their young and teach them to survive. The waters here are perfect for breeding as they must be warm and safe. This offers well-being and protection to their babies, who must be born with fat to resist the cold temperatures.

Adult males measure between 12 and 14 meters, somewhat smaller than females. An adult humpback whale can measure between 15 and 18 meters and live up to 50 years. Its weight ranges between 25 and 40 tons.

On Tuesday, we went to the pier, where we met our guide for the day, Jay. He proved to be an expert at finding whales. Although the location of the whales is sometimes tricky, Jay knew where to go and gave us the show of a lifetime.

Our day included a stop at Isla Paridas, where we had stopped on our previous adventure, to have a delightful lunch of fresh langostinos (shrimp).

Our day ended at the resort, where we swam in the beautiful infinity pool, enjoying drinks prepared and served by the bartender while the chef prepared another delightful meal.

My Filet Mignon with mashed potatoes and salad.

After extreme adventuring, we visited with our gracious hosts, and all turned in early. Carol and Jenni posed for a fan photo. We don’t often endorse or recommend places unless we would return. This is a place we will return again and again. See my September 11, 2023, issue 154 Newsletter for a link to this magnificent place.

Jenni and Carol

I would be remiss if I didn’t say here that the breakfast at Regalo is delightful and included in the price for a night. They served fruit and a breakfast selection with juice and fresh coffee from the Chiriquí highlands of Boquete both mornings. One of the couples we traveled with arranged an extra day in Boquete to tour a local coffee finca (farm).

Following our delightful breakfast on Wednesday morning, we drove to Boquete. The drive was beautiful and relatively short. If you’ve ever driven in Panama, you know the roads in parts of the country are not so great. The Inter-Americana Highway from Santiago to David is relatively new and in excellent shape.

On our initial trip to Boquete, we journeyed in one day. The entire trip is about 400km, taking approximately five hours without stops. We’ve been there three times with no shortage of adventure stories.

Boquete is a small mountain town in Panama. It’s located in the westernmost Province of Chiriquí, about 60 kilometers (37 mi) from the border with Costa Rica, and lies on the Caldera River in Panama’s green mountain highlands. Because of its elevation of 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) above sea level, its climate is cooler than the lowlands. Its scenic location, temperature, and natural environment make it popular with Panamanians and attracts tourists and retirees from all over the world.

Archaeological studies support the idea that Boquete’s history started between 300 AD to 600 BC. In this region, you can find petroglyphs (prehistoric rock carvings) that are evidence of the ancient settlements in the area. During the Spanish colonization, the highland area was an isolated refuge for the indigenous tribes like the Ngöbe and the Misquito due to the topographic terrain. The colonization of Boquete began in the second half of the nineteenth century by locals from Bugaba, Gualaca, and David and foreigners from Yugoslavia, France, Germany, and other European countries. Colonizers also arrived from the United States, starting the first coffee plantations and agricultural farms. In Spanish, the word Boquete means ‘gap or opening.’ It was through this gap that curious gold seekers trekked, looking for a cheaper and quicker way to the Pacific. By the early twentieth century, several villages had been populated: Lino, Quiel, Bajo Mono, Los Naranjos, and Bajo Boquete, which now is the town center of the district.

The town of Boquete has a population of around 25,000, including around 2500 expats from all over the world. It also has some of the most beautiful waterfalls, flowers, hundreds of bird species, butterflies, and hiking.

It should be no surprise that Boquete hosts a couple of Panama’s biggest festival celebrations. It is the perfect setting to stimulate artistic ability and creative talent, making it ideal for hosting the annual Boquete Jazz and Blues Festival.

Boquete boasts a vibrant music and arts scene. The annual Boquete Jazz Festival was founded in 2007, the second-largest jazz festival in the country after the Panama City Jazz Festival. Having been renamed Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival, it’s held annually in February. Since 2012, the event has showcased first-class international Blues acts and notable Panamanian and Latin American artists featuring Jazz and Latin American music styles. It was the first festival in Panama to do so. These entertainers are a great success! According to friends who have attended the festival, it features outstanding talent. As people walk about, they say there are smiles on every face, dancing, and great fun. This has been described as a great community event for all.  My information tells me the festival is moving from Boquete in 2024 to the Buenaventura Resort on the Pacific Riviera.

The Boquete Flower Festival has been held annually from around January 11th through the 21st since 1984. Our good friends attended the festival, and this is how they described what they found. The festival is held in the Feria grounds on the east bank of the Boquete River near an old cable suspension bridge. The bridge is indeed an engineering wonder as, despite its dilapidated condition, it still stands and carries traffic. They found a festival atmosphere with at least 200 stalls. Local artisans displayed everything from local native costumes to coffee, handicrafts, food, beer stands, and magnificent flowers. The army of gardeners had done a masterful job keeping the 30,000-plus blooms bright and well-watered despite the drying winds and tropical sun. Given the altitude and climate, it was apparent that the organizers had gone to great lengths to pick the most attractive and durable plants. Our friends saw everything from petunias and pansies to beautiful bright chrysanthemums. In the center, they found a display by the local orchid society. These blooms were indeed the jewel in the Feria’s crown and as exotic and exquisite as the orchid name implies.

On their drive from David north to Boquete, they noticed, with the change in climate from hot and humid to cool and refreshing, multicolored flowers were abundant along the roadside and in the ditches. It was easy for them to understand why Boquete is Panama’s flower capital. They also told me that missing the vegetable display would have been tragic. The abundant vegetables in the area are responsible for the fantastic food found in the restaurants locally. Based on my experience, Boquete always has something great to enjoy.

Visitors to Boquete are frequently invited to visit the Tuesday Market because it is such an integral part of the community. The Tuesday Market activities have been a big success, both commercially speaking and in integrating the locals and the expatriates working side by side. Any Tuesday visit to Boquete must include a visit to the Market. We have visited there on two previous occasions.

The last time we were there, we took a hike on the Pipeline Trail, explored the countryside, and hiked the hanging bridges of Tree Trek. We were traveling with my writing group, and Detective Larry was conceived at the same hotel where we stayed on this trip. I am anxious to share the first of the Detective Larry Saunders Mysteries, Murder in Eagle Cove. It is scheduled for release on November 1st, 2023. Newsletter subscribers are getting advance notice of special events and some surprises. Subscribing to the Newsletter is simple and free. You likely received an invitation to subscribe when you opened this blog post. If you didn’t get the invitation or skipped over it, send me a private message. Include your name and email address so I can add you to the distribution list.

Our agenda for this visit was to enjoy some outstanding local restaurants and take an excursion to the top of Volcan Baru. The Volcan excursion was one I never thought we would be able to do. The journey to the top is at least a four-hour hike in each direction. For an old, out-of-shape senior citizen, this is unattainable. Fortunately, we found a tour company offering transportation to the summit by four-wheel drive ATV.

We arrived in town with time to explore before stopping at a local favorite, Big Daddy’s, for lunch. After a relaxing lunch, we went to Boquete Garden Inn for the next two nights. The inn has a happy hour at six every evening and a complimentary breakfast each morning. We settled into our rooms and met our fellow travelers for a glass of wine in the hotel’s delightful bar. Our dinner reservations were at The Rock. It’s considered one of the finest restaurants in town. I may get hate mail for this, but let’s say it’s not likely to be a place where I would return. Our dinner bill was the highest of our adventure, and it was just average food. The highlight of the experience was a marshmallow roast at the firepit in the outside dining area after our meal.

We met our tour operator on Thursday morning in front of the inn at 3:30 a.m. The early departure meant we would drive to the summit of Volcán Barú in the dark to see the sunrise over the Caribbean if the weather cooperated.

Volcán Barú, also called Volcán de Chiriquí, is an active stratovolcano and the tallest mountain in Panama, at 3,474 meters (11,398 ft) high. It is about 35 km (22 mi) from the border of Costa Rica. It’s also the twelfth-highest peak in Central America.

Due to its height and the narrowness of the isthmus of Panama, it is possible (though relatively rare) to see both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea from Volcán Barú’s peak on a clear day.

The small town of Volcán is at the base of Volcán Barú. The erosion of a small river there exposed an ancient forest below, dated to about 1000 years old. Volcán Barú is surrounded by a fertile area of cool highlands drained by the Chiriquí Viejo and Caldera Rivers. The towns of Volcán and Cerro Punta can be found on its western side, while Boquete is on the eastern flank.

The occasional fall of hail or ice pellets has been reported on the summit, where the minimum temperature can be below 0 °C (32 °F), and frost formation is frequent during the dry season. The peak is host to a large installation of broadcast towers.

It has been determined that El Barú volcano is active and part of the extension of the Central American Volcanic Arc in Panama. In 2006, an earthquake swarm was registered in the Volcán Barú area. This was not the first; researchers cite at least three other seismic events recorded recently (1930, 1965, 1985).

In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Panama’s Science, Technology, and Innovation Secretariat (SENACYT) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), published a study on different aspects of Volcán Barú. The report outlined potential hazard areas, rock composition, and areas affected by previous eruptions; there is evidence that during the last eruption, which occurred in the 16th century, the debris avalanche deposits covered an area reaching as far as the Pacific Ocean (the largest documented in Central America and nearly ten times the area covered by the Mt. St. Helens debris avalanche in 1980).

Data collected at several locations from four previous eruptions during the last 1600 years indicate that a new eruption would last several years, putting population and costly infrastructure at risk in the areas surrounding the volcano. Typical events during such volcanic episodes include pyroclastic flows, super-heated gas clouds rapidly descending the volcano’s east flank, conceivably reaching as far as Boquete, Alto Boquete, and the Caldera River, and fallout of ash and other particles ranging in size from dust to one-meter blocks, known as tephra, causing fires, roof collapses, water contamination, crop damage and eye and lung irritation, especially among elders and infants. A third type of event, mud and debris flows, known as lahars, create landslides, obstruct river courses, and could have long-term effects in the zone. The severity of these events is directly related to the lava flows and their interaction with underground water deposits.

The volcano was declared Volcán Barú National Park in 1976, with an area of 14,325 ha (35,400 acres). It’s a part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. Fauna includes the black guan, black-and-white hawk-eagle, Underwood’s water mouse, volcano junco, wren thrush, and yellow-thighed brush finch. Over 250 species of birds have been identified within the park, and all five species of big cats live here as well. The national park protects various habitats, including humid montane forests, low humid montane forests, and montane rainforests.

The park’s most popular hiking trail is the Sendero Los Quetzales (Los Quetzales Trail), which connects Boquete with Cerro Punta and wraps around the side of the volcano. The trail takes around 6 hours to hike. There is another trail to the top of the volcano, but this is long, steep, and strenuous.

On our visit, we could see the Pacific coast clearly while clouds shrouded the Caribbean side of the volcano. The summit is the only destination in Panama where there has ever been snow. It was about 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) when we reached the top. There was no snow, but the 25-mph wind was unforgiving. The volcano has seven craters, which are all visible from the top. The Volcan Baru National Park allows only fifteen vehicles to make the ascent to the summit daily, and there were two others there on Thursday morning. The road to the top is roughly thirteen km of extreme rocks and ruts. Our driver, Melissa, was very skilled and delivered us safely to the top and back. The park only allows qualified, experienced drivers to make the journey. We followed another driver from her company in both directions. The two groups included our group of six, another guy who paid for a private tour, two drivers, and a guide. There was one stop along the way to clear rocks from the road for passage. I understand that hikers can no longer hike up in the dark of night. Camping at the summit is also no longer allowed. I believe the other tour company delivered some individuals to the top who would make the hike down. In any case, it is a challenging hike for even the most experienced hikers.

While at the top, our tour operator made us breakfast while we stood in awe of the magnificent sunrise views and the surrounding vistas. The trek was about two hours in each direction. Each time a vehicle makes the trip to the top, it is taken immediately for a complete inspection. She says replacing the tires, shocks, and brakes is commonly a short cycle. The ride down was a bit more daunting than the ride to the top. One of our fellow travelers arrived at the bottom with bruised ribs from the descent.

I cultivated some of the history and geography from Wikipedia, while some came from our guide.

Our dinner plans on Thursday night took us to RetroGusto. This was one of the best meals of the week, in my opinion. I rarely share pictures of food, but the image below is of my entree. I enjoyed the smoked pork chop. I highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Boquete. The restaurants in Boquete are a treat, and we all wished we could experience more of them. We have been to RetroGusto on one other trip to Boquete, and the experience both times was delightful.

The smoked Pork Chop
The smoked Pork Chop

On a previous trip there, we enjoyed Mesa Azul, which we recommend. We enjoyed a great meal at George’s Grill on our first trip. I related a great story in the first edition of 2 Retire In Panama? from George’s, but some readers had terrible experiences there, so I will refrain from recommending it.

Friday morning, we enjoyed a delightful breakfast at the Boquete Garden Inn before checking out and heading home. This hotel has been renovated and remains a favorite place in Boquete. We always find great new friends while visiting. On our drive back to Coronado, we found Dona Gladys. This was a stop Jen and I made on our first trip to Boquete, and I stated in the first edition of 2 Retire in Panama? that I didn’t think we would ever find it again.

I always recommend spending several months on the ground here in Panama before deciding where to retire. The consensus of our group was that Boquete is a beautiful place to visit for many reasons, but a little damp and cool. We’re pretty happy living in the beach community of Coronado. Go and explore the country and draw your own conclusion.

Our next great adventure is less than two weeks away. We are traveling to the Mayan Riviera of Mexico, near Cancun. We plan to visit Tulum and enjoy other sites near our resort. Watch for posts on social media in the weekly newsletter, and be sure to return to read our next blog post. If you’ve yet to subscribe to this blog or the newsletter, please do it. I have kept the content free and have never spammed my readers. We love you all and love sharing our adventures.

Blessings from paradise,

Greg and Jen

#welovepanama

Our Writers Group Invades Boquete

Jen and I explored Boquete’ on our original exploratory trip to Panama. The trip was beautiful, and it inspired future visits. It did not inspire us to want to live there, although it is a place where many expats choose to live. When the Coronodo Writers group decided to do a remote writing workshop, Boquete’ was the perfect destination.

We departed from Coronodo on Saturday morning and caravanned the 404km to the Boquete’ highlands. To put the geographic location of Boquete’ in perspective I wanted to share a portion of my book from Chapter 6 “Our Due Diligence Exploration”.

Boquete’ is halfway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, high in the mountains, about 60 km from the border of Costa Rica. At 11,397 feet, the highest elevation in Panama is Volcán Barú, which is located near Boquete’.

We made a stop in David for lunch and arrived in Boquete’ around 2 pm. The timing was perfect. Our check-in time at the Boquete’ Garden Inn was 2 pm and we were able to get settled into our rooms. The spouses were tasked with a grocery store run, while the writers gathered nearby in a delightful little space on the grounds of the Inn. The writers had previously written and submitted a piece of work to be critiqued by the others in the group. The exercise was both educational and informative.  This was the first of 2 workshops we had while in Boquete’.

Boquete’ Garden Inn

After the workshop we all returned to our rooms to get ready for dinner. It became a daily tradition to gather for a drink at the Allison’s patio before dinner. There was a wedding going on down the road, so many wedding guests were housed at the inn. It was fun watching them walk by in their wedding best attire. This was the beginning of our getting to know a few of the other guests.

As the sun was setting, we headed into town for dinner. The staff at the inn recommended Restaurante’ Retrogusto. I still do not know if we enjoyed the environment of the mountain community or the food more. Retrogusto had a wonderful selection. We ordered drinks and food shortly after arrival. The kitchen was within site distance and every time dishes came out someone at our table wanted to change their order. Everything served was a work of art.

Pork Chop with Roasted Vegetables.

Needless to say, nobody left the place hungry. The picture above is of my plate. It was the pork chop with roasted vegetables. It held me over just fine until breakfast.

We were so impressed by the Boquete’ Garden Inn that I feel compelled to recommend it. Our room was well decorated, comfortable, and clean. We had full accommodations including a living room, full kitchen, bedroom, and bath (with hot water), internet, and cable. We have paid more for much less while in Panama. Often, nice bed and breakfast places do not even offer hot water in their rooms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each morning we were served a nice breakfast. We were provided with a menu to order in advance for the following day. My breakfast on day one was fresh fruit, coffee, juice, banana pancakes with syrup, and fresh locally sourced sausage.

The breakfast was served on a delightful patio surrounded by gardens. The inn keeper would put out fruit on small stone statues to feed the beautiful birds. We were able to see some great birds right there while we ate. This is such a daily event that it is listed on the activity list that the inn provides.

While we ate breakfast on our first, we discussed the day’s adventures. We decided to take the waterfall hike. It is also known as the pipeline trail. This was the same hike that Jen and I had attempted on our first visit to Boquete’. We had showed up to the trailhead only to find it deserted and no other hikers around. We were a bit apprehensive at the time to enter the jungle across private property without anyone knowing where we were. We thought it best to wait for another opportunity.

Our Friendly Welcoming Party.
Our Friendly Welcoming Party.

It seems that the day was perfect for that trail. When we got there, we were met by the owner of the property who accepted $5 each to enter the trail. As we passed through the gate we were met by friendly dogs. It was clear to me that they were hungry, but none of us had anything to give them.  If you head out for this hike, take the dogs a little something.

As we walked along, the waterfall was directly next to the trail on our left. There was a couple of homes on the right. I am sure that this is where the dogs lived. There were also chickens, geese, and other farm animals. I have become a bit embarrassed by our privilege. I am often hesitant to take out my phone and take pictures of the rustic, impoverished homes of the local people. As we continued up the trail, I did take a few which I am sharing. We came across a family walking out to the road on their way to church. We also spotted a couple of boys swimming in the river, before walking past another farm. The farmer was working a patch of ground where he was growing cabbage.

Cabbage Patch
Home along the trail.
A Family Going Off To Church

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home along the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

Soon the trail started a gradual incline and became rocky. It appeared to me that it was a watershed which wound up next to the river. I believe that they call this the waterfall trail because it is almost all soft rapids. I wish that I could photograph the wonderful sound of the rushing water. As we went higher in elevation the rocks became wet and slippery from the mist in the air. The mist was part cloud forest and part light rain. The temperatures of the higher elevation were very comfortable hiking weather.

Let The Fun Begin

We continued to hike up while enjoying the beauty of this magnificent place. Soon we came across a bridge where we stopped to grab some great pictures. Ty and Lyn posed on the bridge for a selfie, then we got the writers to the center of the bridge for another shot.

Lyn and Ty
The Writers Group

We continued up the trail until the mist from the cloud forest made the rocky trail a bit slippery. We soon arrived at a place where the pipeline crossed the river. Continuing on meant crossing on the pipe or walking through the river to the trail on the other side. Some of the group continued up the trail while others settled in on the edge of the river to relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. I was a bit disappointed that we did not see much nature. We probably were not quiet enough, disrupting the birds and wildlife which caused them to hide. Those who continued on found a tree which was over 1000 years old before arriving at the pinnacle of the hike…a beautiful little waterfall.

Ty at the top of the trail
Lynda near a tree that is believed to be 1000 years old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The return was just as delightful as the hike up. We stopped frequently to photograph many of the flora and fauna on the trail. Soon we were back to where we left our cars.

Jen and I at the Pipeline Trail

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We began the drive down the mountain on the narrow mountain road, and soon came upon the San Ramon waterfall where we had someone take the picture which I used for the feature image on this post. After a short mile or so we came upon the rock formation pictured below. It was packed with people. Some were marveling at the site while others were preparing to climb it. We took a few pictures before continuing on. The drive through the area was beautiful. We passed coffee farms and people walking about. It amazed me that there could be such a disparity in the homes and living conditions co-existing there. I am certain that most of the people we saw were workers for the massive amount of farming on the mountain.

Amazing Rock Formation
San Ramon Waterfall

It was time for lunch. This group never missed a meal, and many of us had recommendations for great places to eat. We decided on a quaint little Chinese Restaurant called Restaurante’ Panda on the main road into Boquete’. The food was excellent despite the 1-1/2-star rating on Google.

Ty and Jan toasting a successful hike with the restaurants fabulous iced tea
Linda had worked up quite an appetite

 

 

 

 

 

 

We departed the restaurant with plenty of afternoon left to have another writing workshop. Our group normally meets on the last Thursday of the month to write together. We write from prompts provided by Lynda Allison. Lynda and her husband, Lowell, operate Tranquilo Retreat in Coronodo. The bed and breakfast was established to give writers a peaceful and inspirational place to write. While their place is awesome, nothing is more inspiring than getting out in the beauty of a place like Boquete’. I have been writing non-fiction for the majority of the time. Often, I write from Lynda’s prompt, while at other times I am free to write newsletter articles or just fun little pieces that will never be seen or read by anyone outside of the group. We write for 10 minutes before sharing our work with the others. We then all comment and give constructive encouragement to one another. Lately I have been encouraged to write a fiction piece. I had been resisting the encouragement until Lynda provided us with a prompt that struck me in a positive way. My first piece of the session came out well and left the group hanging. I continued the story through both of the other prompts and at the end of the day the group was asking for the next chapter. There may just be the beginning of a murder mystery in my journaling book. Stay tuned…

We gathered for drinks again before heading off to dinner. We did not decide on destination, other than we would park downtown and walk around until we found just the right place. the group decided on Tre Scalini. Our meals were nice, and the conversation was special. It seems that getting to know the people we write with a little better is inspiring…or perhaps it is the breathtaking nature all around this place. We did discuss our possible adventures for the following day. The decision was made to split for the day with some of us driving off to the volcano Volcán, while the rest of us were going to hike the hanging bridges of Boquete’ Tree Trek.

Our morning breakfast was again perfect. I had fruit, juice, coffee, french toast with syrup, and the wonderful local sausage. Following breakfast, Lynda, Jen, and I were going to Tree Trek, while the others were off to Volcán. Jen is fearful of heights, so the hanging bridges were quite a challenge for her. We drove up the mountain to the trailhead where we would meet our guide at 10:30 am. The others left for Volcán.

The Boquete’ Tree Trek has the second largest zipline in Central America and the Hanging Bridges Tour. Jen and I are not candidates for ziplining again. Our last zipline adventure was enough for a lifetime. This would likely be a great adventure for many, but we wanted time to pause and take in the sites along the way. We opted for the Hanging Bridges Tour which was fully guided, and it did not disappoint. We found the trail to be fairly well maintained and there were even a few places along the way to stop and rest. This is important for people like us, who are not in the best physical condition, with many parts that do not often recover from serious abuse like mountain climbing.

Our guide, Ingrid, was awesome. She met us promptly at 10:30 and spoke perfect English. She filled us with great information about all the nature we were seeing along the way. This experience left us speechless.

Ingrid

Ingrid started right away pointing out interesting insects and plants unique to the area. We should have recorded her so that we could remember all the names and origins of these magnificent things being pointed out. After quite a strenuous hike we arrived at the first bridge. Ingrid explained that it was the longest bridge of the tour. Once we got to the other side, she said we passed the test to continue on. Jen was surprised that she made it without the fear to continue. The bridges were safe and solid construction, usually anchored to trees on either end. Maybe Jen was thinking that these bridges would be constructed of rope and planks like the ones you see in the movies.

The first bridge.
The First Bridge
Jen cautiously walks out onto the first bridge
Breathtaking views from above.
These elephant ears can reach 14′ in diameter.
Check out this Little Blue Bug.

Continuing on, we came to the second bridge. The higher we went the more incredible the views were becoming. These bridges were actually taking us above the jungle canopy. Ingrid continued to point out amazing plants and insects. We were fortunate to see a rare glass butterfly. It posed for me and patiently waited until I got the perfect picture. It was completely transparent, almost as if it was made from cellophane wrap. We also passed an Armadillo den. Ingrid explained that they were nocturnal and only came out at night.

Armadillo Den
Glass Butterfly
The Second Bridge

As we continued on, Ingrid showed us the smallest known Orchid and a tarantula hole. I was surprised at the size of both. I loved seeing and photographing the orchid and hoped that I would not see Mr. Tarantula. His hole was huge for a spider.

Tarantula Hole.
Look carefully…there are 2 blooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bridge number three and we were still going up. When would we start our decent? There were steps but they were often difficult for my old knees and back. Thank goodness there were a few handrails at the most opportune times.

The Third Bridge
Ingrid leads on.
Panoramic views from above.
These elephant ears were way below a bridge. They measured over 14′ in diameter.
As we closed in on the fourth bridge I was still wondering when we would begin our decent. I have to admit that the higher we got the more magnificent the views. I took over 2oo pictures during our stay in Boquete’ and I cannot seem to find the best to share. I concluded that the pictures just do not do justice to this wonderful adventure. Ingrid began pointing out the huge oak trees along the trail. There was a couple in particular that were 700-800 years old. These trees were here and alive during the last eruption of Volcán Barú. If these trees could talk, they would have such a story to tell.
The Fourth Bridge
Oak Tree predating the last Eruption of Volcán.
Oak Tree predating the last Eruption of Volcán.

With only two bridges left in our journey, we did begin our descent. We reached a split in the trail where we were forced to take the trail less traveled. Ingrid explained that the trail to the left had been washed out in a recent rain. I soon noticed that there were not handrails on this part of our journey. The trail down was not any easier than the hike up. When we had steps on the trail, they were often uneven, and some were very long steps down. Along the way we were able to see some of the stations of the zip line. I imagined what a rush it would be to zip line through this magnificent jungle paradise. Realistically though, I still would not do it.

A Few Uneven Steps
Tarzan Vines

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingrid explained that the Tarzan Vines, like those pictured above, really are parts of the tree rooted back into the ground. No person could actually swing on such a vine.

I am truly embarrassed by the pictures. Of the more than 200 I took, along with others shared by group, I cannot seem to find the pictures that intimately speak to the beauty of the place.

The Fifth Bridge

I cannot deny that I was relived to finally reach the sixth and last bridge.  This bridge did not have a sign.  This old body was wearing down from the trek. I realized at that moment that adventures like this were not long for us. I told Jen that we need to prioritize our Panama bucket list to get these type of adventures done soon.  The first picture here is of Boquete’ as we emerged from the last bridge.

Boquete' From Above
Boquete’ from above.
Volcán shrouded in clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe that the other was taken earlier but it reminds us of our friends who took the 1-1/2 hour drive to Volcán. Our phones were dinging from time to time as they were sharing their pictures. We had only the smallest of cell signals in the jungle, so we could not see the pictures until we got back to a place with a wi-fi signal. If you notice in the Volcán picture the foreground is really  the top of the jungle canopy. I suspect that was our view from somewhere shortly after crossing the fourth bridge. While crossing the fifth bridge we had some great views that I could not capture in photographs. On the rocks near the river below we spotted an Iguana couple. They were huge but only a speck on the camera. Ingrid told us that the iguana mate for life, and that one was the male and the other female. At the middle of the bridge, she pointed out a fern straight below that had the distinct appearance of a spider web. It was one of the most amazing things. As we exited the bridge, she pointed out the elephant ear plants that I pictured above. We had seen these plants all along the way, but none were as huge as those below. While we were so high on the bridge that they did not appear big, these were, in fact, as big as they usually get. That should put into perspective how high on that bridge we were.

With the hanging bridges in the rearview mirror, we headed off to grab lunch. A place with wi-fi would be great so we can look at the pictures from our friends in Volcán. We opted for Big Daddy’s, a nice relaxing place with a back patio facing out into the jungle. We grabbed a table and signed into their wi-fi to look at the pictures our friends were sending.

The Volcán group stop for a picture at Cerra Punta

The other group had a great road trip. It seemed that they had a great time driving and cutting up. They stopped for fresh local strawberries and cream. And later they stopped at a farm where Lowell posed as a scarecrow. They also found a place along the road to pick up 2 huge bags of local vegetables for $5 each.

Yum
Lyn and Ty pose in front of one of those cool signs.
Lowell LOL
Photo Bomb
Strawberries and Cream
Jan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish that they taken a picture of the vegetables. The bags were massive. Since we have been home Lynda has been posting Facebook pictures of her culinary genius. She posted this one yesterday.

Lynda’s soup

Lynda, Jen, and I had a little time before the others returned so we explored the local artisan market just outside Boquete’. We found it at the end of the bridge which crosses between the Tuesday Market Buildings. It was friendly, with local Panamanian vendors selling their wares. Jen found a new hat and Lynda found a few treasures.

Late afternoon found us all back at the inn. We had our regular visit on the patio of Lynda and Lowell. We relaxed and enjoyed the time. Our dinner plans were already in place as we were meeting Melinda Miles-Lindberg, a local Boquete’, author at Mesa Azul. She invited a couple of other local authors, but none were able to make it. Our dinner, and the conversation was wonderful. Mesa Azul was another highly recommended restaurant that did not disappoint. I highly suggest checking it out if you find yourself in Boquete’. It is in the Hotel Oasis just down from the market. After dinner we retired back to the Garden Inn for the night. Our adventure was winding down, and we would be checking our after breakfast to explore the Tuesday Market.

On Tuesday morning, we got up and had another great breakfast. I repeated the first day menu. I found those banana pancakes to be well worth another try. After we ate, we all loaded up and made the short journey to the market. The market occupies two spaces. If you go, make sure you check out both buildings. We found Melinda and her significant other in the building adjacent to the flower market. Melinda’s significant other is a magnificent artist, and in her booth, she displays her work which is mostly paintings of pets that are commissioned work. Melinda maintains a booth next to hers where she displays books from authors who live in Panama. In Melinda’s booth you will find her book, my book, Diane Maxwell’s book, Lynda’s books, and the work of other local authors. She sells the books of local authors for $15 which covers shipping to Panama. After we had all explored the market, we made the journey home to Coronodo.

I have shared a lot without talking about anything more than our 4 days in Boquete’. Click the highlighted links in this paragraph if you are interested in anything mentioned. The links will take you to information related to each. I have mentioned our writers group, including Lynda Allison’s Write Along.  If you haven’t yet, please subscribe to my free weekly newsletter. In it I spend a little time each week giving informative updates about the goings on in Panama. It puts my butt in the seat to write, and that is important to me. Every week I get a new writing prompt from my daughters. That also gets my butt in the seat to write. Those prompts go to Story Worth which will compile the whole years’ work into a volume to be treasured by my family for years. You can subscribe to Story Worth for yourself or a gift by clicking the link. Clicking through this link will give you $10 off. My book, “2 Retire In Panama” is available at Amazon and on Kindle. It was born from the early blog posts here. Diane Maxwell’s book “An Expats Struggle” is a memoir detailing her retirement in Panama. Lynda Allison is a retired English teacher. When she isn’t hosting authors in her marvelous B&B Tranquilo Retreat, she writes Science Fiction for teens and young adults. Her final book of the summer trilogy is out for publishing and the first 2 books are available at Amazon and on Kindle. Melinda Miles-Lindberg wrote and published “Mommy No. 13“. It is also a memoir of her adoption and raising of a child born to a murderer. This is just a few of the people with whom I write on a regular basis. There is a growing list of great work from many of my other author friends on the author board of my Pinterest feed. You will also find a newsletter board on my Pinterest feed that will have an archive of all of the past newsletters.

It has been a pleasure sharing our Boquete’ adventure. If you have enjoyed this post, please like and share it. I am also thrilled to get messages and comments.

Blessings From Paradise,

Greg and Jen