Hostal Familar Brisas De California Volcan

... appreciated. Please contact us by the e-mail pamericas.brasil@gmail.com if you have questions or if are able to contribute with the Project.

Visit the oficial Project Americas website at www.pamericas.com.br

... bathroom break at a store that is actually in Costa Rica, so I can say
that I have peed in Costa Rica but I don't have a stamp in my passport
to prove it. I had Fresas y Crema in a strawberry town and it was
delicious. We visited an orchid reserve called Finca Dracula! (Finca
means ranch and Dracula...well, there is an orchid that looks like
Dracula!)



We've also had some good food! I've been complaining a lot lately ...

... I would hold him. Men.

The Lost and Found Lodge was definately one of our highlights in Panama, it has everything, lovely hot showers, beautiful views, a nice volcano to look at in the distance, some fairly challenging trails, nice rivers to swim in, cool volunteers who will help any way they can, a friendly Kinkajou who steals your heart, abundant animal and bird life... and a foosball table for mean competitions!

What more could you ask for?

... much funnier and better than the warm water in fact. Just Marcus was able to stay there. They were too hot for Amelia and also for my back, which was still burnt. So I could just lie down somewhere where the river was no deep. In the end we decided to forget the "burning" waters and come back to the river : ). We took no pictures, so we have to wait till Marcus send us his.

We came back just on time before it started to rain. Yupiii!!! Already in Boquete we ate ...

... we eventually boarded a bus bound for Manuel Antonio. Upon arrival, we booked into the Manuel Antonio Backpackers and found some dinner. There was a brief allergy scare as we realized that Ryan was served fish (even though we told them he was allergic) but he was perfectly fine. The next day we all got up early to head to the Manuel Antonio National Park. It took a bit longer than expected but we hopped on with a tour. The guide did a good job and we saw a lot of animals but ...

... for her little take out restaurant and we have had not only lots of fun, but great success as well. I am so grateful for her time and friendship now, and look forward to us collaborating on some things in the future. Recovery of the shoulder is going well. It is, after all, the reason I came back here after my 10 day stint in Panama City...to rest and recover. I am doing everything possible to keep that moving in a positive direction. Not perfect yet, but substantially better ...

... so all that is left is this mist. Weird at first, but not a problem. It is a nice area. We've had some really good food here. Two outstanding trout dishes, a great peruvian shrimp deal, some decent pizza. Boquete is also primo coffee territory, so we've had plenty of good cups of coffee too. Today we had a great time at this place called Paradise Gardens. It is a rescue/rehab place for abused/unwanted animals. They had monkeys, and a baby ant-eater (that Callista got to ...

... blue and orange blossom resembles an exotic bird hence the moniker "Bird of Paradise". Common names include Strelitzia, Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise. There are many exotic tropical plants in the thematic gardens at Sitio Barriles including papyrus, ginger and pomelo (remember the giant citrus).

... it all was. Like magic. I cant believe I really was hiking through a Panamanian rainforest. You have to sign in before you hike it and the last people to hike it were two Germans 2 days before us. We saw no one on the trail and crossed the river via bridge twice and with no bridge once. It was a little scary crossing over the little rapids and my feet were totally soaked but it was thrilling and an experience I will never forget.

... and people were trying to sleep--and by god if they didn't! I am amazed at the Panamanian ability to ignore and even sleep through unbelievably loud music in enclosed spaces such as buses. I think, perhaps, many Panamanians have lost some of their hearing from years and years of listening to ever-increasingly deafening music. Regardless, I survived the trip, and met Lucia in David just in time to catch a bus to Paso Ancho.