Fundadores Hotel Boquete

... the Panama side and when we crossed over it was called Canas Gordones. (there is supposed to be a squiggle over the n in Canas but we can't get one). The border was super fast the longest part was getting photo copies. It took us 40 minutes in total. That is a really fast crossing. Most times it takes an hour and 40 minutes. On the way back we stopped in San Vito an Italian town and had some awesome pizza. After that we ...

... recruited Rob to be my sidekick and<br>we set out Tuesday to conquere the Quetzal Trail from Boquete to Cerra<br>Punta. <br><br><br><br>Terrible floods in November had washed out the trail. We heard over and<br>over again that the trail would be impassible and that we would have to<br>hike in and back, but not all the way through. Even an old couple tht<br>we met on the trail said they couldnt pass. They said that the park<br>ranger had forbade them from trying. This was ...

... and Panama City) to present a clinic with a truck load of donated medicine, however the amount of people vs. space in the cars was miscalculated, so I ended up staying behind. No hard feelings, I'll just go next time! I was told the delivery went well (thanks to Pink for sponsoring!)<br><br>We took an amazing nap Saturday evening and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to put our party hats back on! This town is very quiet during the week but when the ...

... but if you put one in your pocket you will never run out of money. We all quickly stuffed our pockets with this leaf, I still had mine up until a few days ago when it sadly vanished in a laundry expedition. <br><br>As I mentioned earlier, Coenje growns his own sugar cane. His process for extractiong the juice is simple. Place the sugar cane between two tree branches that are growing horizontally, push the top branch up and down, squashing the sugar cane in the process ...

We've arrived at our next destination, the small retreat/hotel known as Rancho de Caldera. While we've just arrived, I have not uploaded any photos, but that will probably change before the end of the day. This place is the definition of luxury. It's incredibly simple, yet has plenty of charm about it. The owner has graciously offered us a two room for the price of one deal, so that we have a little more space.<br>

... and after a few hours we stumbled out trying to find our way back, with a feeling that our Spanish lessons had paid off and asking the question "why is our Spanish so much better when we are drunk?" We Have just arrvied in a town called El Valle. It was once a huge volcano that blew its top and left a 5 kilometer wide crater where the town now sits. The locauls say there are great walks up to the crater top with water falls and nature trails along the way. so we are doing that today

ANother lazy start to the day. Went for a run in the "neighborhood" first thing. Gorgeous morning. House is next door to multiple coffee plantations (fincas). Running from the house up the fist hill my chest was pounding, I forgot the elevation was at 4,400 feet. Ran past restaurants that people essentially have in their living rooms, a few BandB type hotels and along the river that fooded in November that caused ...

... until the death. Loads of drunk guys and a few women hang over the rails screaming for the rooster they bet on. Finally, by the 6th round, Cory and I attempted to bet. We ended up betting on just about the weakest rooster there and lost $5 to an ecstatic drunk guy. Oh well...it was definitely worth the experience and we couldn't believe we actually made it to such a remote place. It's so funny that no guide book dares to mention an event like this for fear of endorsing animal ...