Oh, how beautiful is Panama

On 06.05.24, I went to Panama, the second to last country. The border crossing was relatively quick, although I lost 15€ when exchanging money. But that's just how it is. Either you accept the exchange rate or you end up with currency that is useless to you...but soon I was on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro. It was hot but quite nice there. I walked around the town and to the only accessible beach. Well, it wasn't the best but it was okay.

For the next day (07.05.24), I rented a bicycle and went to Playa Bluff. An absolute dream beach, quiet, palm trees, a lot of beach and clear water. I laid there for a while, watched the waves, and enjoyed the atmosphere. Then I continued cycling to the hidden 'rocky beach'. I was all alone and completely fascinated. The beach was not suitable for swimming as there were stones and corals everywhere, blocking access to the sea, but that was fine with me. I simply observed the creatures that had made the shallow waters their home. They lived among the rocks, protected from the waves, and seemed happy. I think I spent about 2 hours at that beach, observing all the creatures in the water. And most importantly, enjoying the peace and quiet, no roads, no people, no noise. Since I only rented the bike until 14:00, it was time to head back. I had lunch and then strolled through the city.

On 08.05.24, it was another travel day. I know, it was a very short stay on the island and there are still many amazing things to do there, but I wanted to move on. Somehow, I'm not so into the sea, sand, and the heat is enough at some point...So I went back to the harbor where I observed lots of fish again. The water is just so clear, you can see at least 2-3 meters deep and everything around the pillars of the dock is covered in coral, with all the fish swimming around. After the boat and two more buses, as well as a few kilometers of walking, I arrived at the hostel just before the rain started. Welcome rainy season! Here in Boquete, I can really feel the rainy season for the first time, so far I always had luck but here it rains daily. Boquete is a relatively small town in the mountains of Panama. It is a very popular place for expats, as the climate is simply great, the nature is beautiful, and there is still a lot of inexpensive land available.

2 years ago, Dan (an old classmate) emigrated to Panama with his family, I had that in mind and messaged him a few days before. He lives here in Boquete, so we arranged to meet at 10 o'clock to go on a small hike to the Three Waterfalls. It was really cool to meet him and chat, and the hike (5km...) was also amazing, although a bit pricey at 10$. Afterwards, we went to his 'transitional house' and had a coffee that was produced here in Boquete. The family decided to build their own house and they have been working on it full-time for 2 years now, so they needed a transitional house. After that, we drove to their house...a two-hectare property, huge, with a big house. Lots of plants, some fruit trees, but also a lot of shrubbery. A lot of work to keep everything tidy. They hope to move into the house in 3 months when it's ready. After Dan gave me a tour, he took me back to the hostel.

On 10.05.24, we met again and left at 07:00 for another hike, the El Pianista Trail. We wanted to leave early to have a good view, as the clouds usually hang in the mountains from late morning onwards. The hike was very diverse and went deep into the rainforest. When we reached the top, we were lucky that there were no clouds blocking the view. Dan had some jackfruit from his garden with him, and we enjoyed that. A very delicious fruit! After the hike, we had a coffee and went to a Fonda (~Comedor) to eat. Then Dan gave me a little tour of the city and we went to a beautiful park. We played a round of billiards after enjoying a scoop of Italian ice cream. It was a really exciting day. It was great to meet Dan and spend two days together.

Today (11.05.24), I moved on to El Valle de Antón. Another small town in the mountains where hiking is the main activity. The journey was quite long, but I was on the most modern bus I have ever seen. Double-decker bus, super comfortable seats, and everything was really nice. Well, there's not much else to tell. I left at around 08:00 and arrived here at around 17:00. I went shopping and now I'm lying in my bed for the next 3 nights. Oh, and I spent 20 minutes trying to open a can without a can opener...