Hostal Villa Verde Boquete

... it....



So, what have I been up to besides networking. Well, there is a great
local restaruant/bar called Amigos. They've had some good music,
including a set from the guys that I mentioned before that are at my
hostel. Friday was disco night so I went dancing with some girlfriends.
I am glad that the rest of the world loves Michael Jackson as much as I
do! Then, we went to La Canana, which is anohter business that belongs
to Lucini. It is the ...

... below your waist...use your imagination.

Anyways.....

So we arrived at Amigos, pancho and all, had some drinks then headed to La Cabana. I'll just say this: Libby did a tequila shot and stayed up until 3:30! I swear it's something in Panama that just gets the party started! You can imagine what our Sunday was like...lazy, with a capital "L". It rained almost allllll day, perfect weather for the couch and a movie. Mom ventured out to Guari ...

By the time most of you read this, Carter will be back stateside, safe and sound. Writing this entry without her just doesn't feel the same- who's going to look over my shoulder and correct my spelling mistakes?? I guess y'all will just have to deal with those from now on...sorry in advance! As sad as it was to say goodbye (for now) to Carter, we sure did have a blast her last night in Boquete! We made sure of it. It involved rum, rum, more rum, some ...

... of walking. We hopped on a boat stocked with all the necessary provisions one may need to pull an all-nighter in the middle of nowhere: fresh fish, lychees, grapefruits, a positive attitude, and lots and lots of beer! Now, I shouldn't say that island was completely uninhibited..there were a few thatched huts and one main "house" which consisted of some bamboo thrown together to create a platform that held 5 or 6 hammocks and a small kitchen. Apparently if you build ...

... br>
Sunday dawned bright and sunny and having been inactive for a few days we decided to take a hike around the town. Boquete is surrounded by the most beautiful mountains with coffee plantations lying down the sides. According to Pancho's estimations the hike would only be about 4km, making a circle around the town. About 4 hours later, we decided it was closer to 10km, but didnt mind the extra distance as it really is stunning scenery. We found a trail ...

... juice starts pouring out. He mixed it with a little lemon juice and it tasted absolutely divine! Kind of like a mojito without the rum.

We also had the opportunity to tase the hottest chilli´s I have ever tasted, but also the most flavourful. They are probably the size of your fingernail but they sure pack a punch. Top Tip; Suck on a lemon after eating chillis and the burn wont be so bad!

We had been back at the hostel for a few hours, when suddenly ...

I am now officially a coffee snob. Took a tour around a beautiful coffee farm in the shady green hills of Boquete, i think one of the top retirement destinations. And you can see why. It wouldn´t be out of place in the alps of france or switzerland, the climate is temperate and you are surrounded by green hills and fast flowing rivers, as well as some of the best coffee Latin ...

Buen dia!

Que tal? So my time of volunteering has finally elapsed. I enjoyed it and was quite sad to leave by the end. But Ithought I would dedicate this blog to explaining a bit about the place and what I have been up to over the last 2-3 weeks (which includes avoiding the swine flu!).

So, Paradise Gardens is run by an English couple, Paul and Jenny Saban, who went to Panama to retire with their tropical birds. After an inspection by ...

... damage throughout the town, including washing out a major bridge and hotel. Finally made it out of the house and into town around 3pm. Wanted to have lunch at Amigos but it was closed for the Easter holiday. Instead walked to La Isla Verde Inn, which we were going to stay at when my parents thought they'd have renters. The Inn had really cute bungalows and my parents stayed there before and said it was realy nice ...

... when it is undoubtably one of the biggest cultural events in Panama. (Mar. 23) Took a morning bus to a town called Cerro Punta where we could start our 10 mile hike through the cloud forest to Boquete. Much of the trail had been wiped away by landslides from days of rain so we had to do some creative maneuvering to bridge the gaps in the trail. It was a really beautiful walk. The best parts were at the beginning and the end, where the Rio Caldera (river) was more visible and the ...