Panama City, El Valle, Nueva Gorgona, Gamboa and back

After we all arrived in Panama City exhausted and started our night's rest early, we got up early the next morning. We were recommended to walk along the "Cinta Costera" on Sundays. The special thing is that the highway is closed in one direction until Sunday morning, allowing more space for cyclists, joggers, and other athletes. There is also a pedestrian path with many small stops and places to exercise. So we set off in the morning. In addition, Roman's colleague Niels and his girlfriend were also in Panama, so we invited them for a walk. After a relaxed and nice walk, we went to the mall. Leonie wanted to get vaccinated there. Her recovery and simple vaccination are not recognized in Central and South America, so she needed a second vaccination to be able to cross all borders. In the first days in Panama, we spent hours trying to find a vaccination center. Unfortunately, it was always in vain. We were always referred to the weekend because vaccinations were supposed to be done in several malls. So we tried again and this time with success. After a short exchange with the staff and providing personal information, Leonie was already sitting in the chair with the syringe in her arm. It was easy and quick...finally!

After the mall, we picked up the rental car and drove to El Valle de Anton after checking out of the hotel. The drive there was relatively simple and the roads were mostly in good condition. In El Valle, a cozy hostel awaited us, lovingly furnished by the owner and host Arielle. Various hammocks and seating areas all over the property invited us to eat together. But the highlight was Arielle's passion for music. Various instruments were stored in the living room and used daily. On the first evening, Arielle gave guitar lessons to a guest, and on the second evening, we sat together with all the guests and made music and sang together. It was a wonderful evening that couldn't have been better. But we don't want to give too much away.

On the day of arrival, we cooked and sat together as a group of 4 before going to sleep. Just before going to sleep, we made a cruel discovery that caused the hostel to lose about half of its sympathy points. A huge frog, about the size of Roman's entire palm, hopped through the garden. Fortunately, everyone survived and the night was more or less relaxed. The next morning, we set off on the most famous hiking trail, the Sleeping Indian. At first, the path impressed with rocky paths, a few small waterfalls, and some morphes (the largest butterflies in the world). The path was partly steep and slippery, so we took a few photo breaks in between. However, we were very surprised that we kept encountering children in school uniforms. On the one hand, this is a school route that you won't find anywhere in Germany, and on the other hand, the children ran down the mountain at a remarkable speed - in sandals or crocs. And we amateurs sometimes slipped in our trekking shoes. When we reached the summit, we were greeted with breathtaking views and fine drizzle coupled with strong winds. But the weather couldn't dampen our spirits. The view was just too beautiful! After another photo session, we started our return journey and arrived back at the hostel around noon. The afternoon snack consisted of mango and pineapple, which taste outstandingly delicious in Panama and Costa Rica! Lara and Jonas stayed at the hostel and rested, while the two of us took a little bike ride into town. We could borrow the bikes for free at the hostel, but they were very small and not in the best condition. Nevertheless, we made our way to the weekly market and got some more fruits. We also happened to see a hair salon, so Roman took the opportunity. After 7 weeks, he finally wanted to get his hair cut again. As some of you may have noticed, Roman had his hair shaved short before the trip. It took some getting used to for himself, but also for Leonie, but we both got used to the short hair. Especially for the trip, the hairstyle is much more practical. So Roman sat down on the chair and got his hair cut. The hairdresser was a part-time singer in a boy band and even showed us a few songs. In the end, Roman paid $5 for a good haircut and an entertaining conversation, and we could continue our journey. Arielle had recommended that we drive through the Millionaire's Road. There, as the name suggests, we expected great villas. Some were well maintained and inhabited, but others were vacant or run down. Later we learned that El Valle was very popular among wealthy people from Panama City as a holiday destination. Nowadays, only the older people live there, while the young (rich) people are in the beach towns or in other countries. Well, we wouldn't mind having a holiday home in El Valle - it was really beautiful! Well, after the bike ride, the four of us went for Mexican food. The food was delicious, but it was missing that little something, so we drove to the local Panaderia afterwards and bought ourselves a dessert. Donuts and cinnamon rolls. Sounds good, but unfortunately it wasn't. The dough was relatively dry, and a certain, indeterminate spice in the rolls spoiled them a bit. However, we were cheered up by the aforementioned music session. Another German, an American, and three Koreans were also staying at the hostel. Arielle gathered all of us and equipped some of us with instruments. Then we happily sang and played music together. A truly successful end to the evening! The next morning it was time to "pack up and let's go" - but where to? After some research and brainstorming, we decided on the beach town of Nueva Gorgona. We spontaneously booked an Airbnb and drove there. But before that, Arielle did us a huge favor. Before departure, we wanted to take a Gamboa tour. Gamboa is a river where the Panama Canal flows through. There, various types of monkeys, crocodiles, and birds live surrounded by jungle and water. Tours were offered on the internet for at least $120 per person. But that was a bit too expensive for a few hours on the water. Arielle just said, give me an hour. While we packed our things, he came to us with his phone and said, here, talk to him, he's your guide. And lo and behold: Arielle quickly found us a guide who charged $60 per person for the same service. Incredible! We were overwhelmed by this hospitality. We said goodbye to Arielle with a hug and drove to the next place. So if you ever go to El Valle de Anton, let us know and we'll give you his contact details. You won't regret it! In Nueva Gorgona, a new apartment complex with a pool and private beach access awaited us. So perfect for relaxing once again. And that's exactly what we did. However, Nueva Gorgona had a special feature: the beach had pitch-black sand. That was another highlight of our Panama trip. Rested and relaxed, we then began our drive back to Panama City. Due to rush hour traffic, we had to leave at 6 a.m. to arrive at Gamboa for the boat tour at 9 a.m. Or so we were told, we actually arrived an hour early and had to wait for our guide. However, the wait was worth it. In addition to the huge container ships, we cruised on a small tourist boat and saw crocodiles, monkeys, and birds as promised. Our guide was a biologist and was able to teach us a lot accordingly. It was a great conclusion to our Panama trip. In the afternoon, we returned the rental car, had something to eat, and then it was time to say goodbye again. Lara and Jonas flew back home, and we continued on to Lima, the capital of Peru. Panama will be remembered by us with a wonderful mix of dreamy beaches, jungle, mountain landscapes, and the modern city of Panama City. We highly recommend a trip to Panama!