Our scouting trip to Boquete and Volcan began. The official work in Panamá City faded behind us—now to decide what area of Panamá we wanted to live.
Tuesday – Flew to Boquete, The Scouting Trip Begins
Again, we rose early at 5:00 AM to fly to David, a short flight in a smaller aircraft on Copa Airlines. Our dependable Uber driver, Yoel, picked us up at 5:45 AM, and we enjoyed a quiet ride to the airport with not a lot of people out.
When we arrived in David, we deplaned on the tarmac—small airport! Anna, our driver from Cowboy Cars, drove us to Boquete to get our rental car. She spoke little English, but we communicated in my and Lin’s Spanish and her limited English.
After we picked up our car in Boquete, we used the navigation app, Waze, to find our hotel, Casa Reina, Alejandro Villa. We wove our way through a residential area, then Waze directed us off on a dirt road that turned into a primitive rocky, dirt road. It was worth it though—our hotel was new, clean and perched on a cliff overlooking Boquete below. The Volcano, Volcán Barú, towered behind us over the city in the distance. But the electricity was off.
After asking the maid, she offered to do our week’s laundry for about $11—we felt that was a good deal for sure! And she finished it and had it in our room when we returned. The electricity was back when we returned.
Sadly, Lin arrived in Boquete with a cold. In driving through the mountainous town of Boquete, we found a much sought after parking space in front of a pharmacy. I went in to see if they had any of our medicines and if I could get something for Lin’s cold. The pharmacist didn’t speak English, but we conversed! We both used the app, Google Translate, and it was hilarious!
We ate our first meal at Retrogusto—delicious food! Next, we went to Rey, the largest and newest grocery store, to stock up on groceries. Lin immediately bought a papaya and enjoyed it!
Wednesday – A Down Day! But Some Scouting!
We slept in after our days of early risings. Lin’s cold worsened, so it was a good to have a leisure day. After breakfast in, Lin brewed coffee for us and we sat on our balcony overlooking a part of Boquete—you can see Rey, the grocery store below us.
After Lin rested, we took a drive through Boquete up to Jaramillo, a development higher in the mountains and where friends of ours are moving. Lush green, mist hanging over the mountain tops!
During our drive, we found where the Boquete Writing Group meets—yahoooo! Lin researched on the internet before we leave Tijeras and found them. We ate at BlancTerra Restaurant and had another great meal, enjoying the lemonade varieties!
Back at our hotel on the balcony, at about 4:45 PM, we watched the fog roll in—all the mountains covered and then it thundered! We played cribbage and watched TV, a nice relaxing day to unwind.
Thursday – More Exploration and Scouting
Why did I wake so early? 6:00 AM! Oh, well! We played cribbage, ate breakfast and left our room at 10:00 AM so they could clean it.
On a mission, we found where the AA meetings are held! I had downloaded information, but apparently it was old. We went back and forth on the major road to David, feeling it was there somewhere. Finally, we found new information on the internet, and there it was with a big sign with the traditional symbol visible! We had passed it several times and never noticed it.
Then we went downtown to find the physical therapy location. Luckily, I made an appointment for the next Wednesday. Afterwards, we drove back down the road to David and ate lunch at El Granito de Oro Restaurant, next to the AA Clubhouse. While we ate, the Catholic church named their new Pope—how exciting! I will never forget the moment and where I was! As I read more of the pope’s position on different areas, I became a fan of Pope Leo XIV! I had a blast messaging the members of my international meditation group about him.
At 2:00 PM, I attended an AA meeting, getting acquainted with the local recovery community. While I shared, the rain came and down poured! I had to shout so they could hear me! Welcome to the tropics!
Once again, we returned to our room after 4:00 PM to look out on our balcony and see the fog roll in! We played cribbage again and then watched another movie!
Friday – Jason Lara, Tour Guide Exceptional!
At 8:00 AM, our tour with Jason Lara began! I took fifteen pages of notes in my 6 X 9 notebook. He told us specific information about Boquete—different places to live, the difference between Baja Boquete and Alto Boquete, Jaramillo, Los Naranjos. All of these are like suburbs of Boquete. For clarity, he made us aware of multiple microclimates in a short distance there.
“The mountainous area of the central spine of Panama has the most microclimates because it is impacted by both oceans and mountains. The Boquete area alone has 13 microclimates.” from https://livinginpanama.com/climate-weather/
As Jason drove, we went higher and higher up into the mountains. Looking out over what appeared to be jungle, he pointed out shiny leaves and that coffee plants dotted both sides of the road. We were driving through coffee farms that looked nothing like what I thought they would. We ended up at the Café Mirador Crystal, and enjoyed a latte and gorgeous view of Alto Boquete, below Boquete. When we talked about the torrential rains, Jason said, “The streams get mad.” I loved how he phrased that.
Friday’s Serendipity
Early in our conversation with Jason, he commented that he knew a couple, John and Ruth, who we square and round danced with. I racked my brain! Lin and I have danced all over the USA. At lunch time, he showed me a picture and I gasped! I knew Ruth really well. They met at the Duke City Singles Spring Fling in 2003 and married! I was the chairperson for that event! OMG! So, after our lunch at the Boquete Sandwich Shop, we drove over to see them. What a reunion that was! We sat and visited for an hour or so. On top of that, they rented a house from Jason’s family.
Afterwards, we drove through many more areas but stopped at a house of one of Jason’s previous clients had rented. So gracious, they spent over an hour telling us about their experience there. They rented the house we stopped at, but are building one as we speak.
From there we went down to Alto Boquete and Dolega, the warmer and windier parts of the Boquete district.
Jason told us as our day ended, he had a town team (over 40) basketball game that evening so we went to watch them. What a treat! Luckily, it appeared to be the quarter or semi-finals.
Saturday – Lin Reconnects with a Friend
Learning about the area of our hotel, we woke up intermittent available water, so no showers! Oh, my! After a leisure morning, we drove over to Volcan, one of the towns we were considering. But the reason for this trip: a reunion of Lin and Wilbur!
The day before, Jason showed us the best road to take to Volcan, instead of a crazy, windy road! It was a bittersweet reunion. Lin hadn’t seen Wilbur in nearly thirty years, knowing him when he lived in Costa Rica. Wilbur had aged a lot. He was recovering from a broken leg, so he walked with a cane. Lin wasn’t sure he really remembered him. We met his daughter and son who planned to continue his flower business.
From there we drove up through Volcan to find Hotel Bambito, a hotel and restaurant Lin knew thirty years ago. First, we drove on up to Cerro Punta, the bread basket of Panama with agriculture all around us! When we returned, we ate at the restaurant at Hotel Bambito, and Lin connected with the restaurant maître d who had been there when he ate there years ago and who knew Wilbur. What a wonderful connection!
Sunday – Toured Boquete’s Attraction & Scouting
What an active week, so we slept in. Then we played cribbage before going to downtown for brunch. We ate at the Boquete Sandwich Shop. Normally Lin makes blueberry pancakes on Sundays, so we had to have pancakes! Wow! They were thick and delicious. During breakfast, we visited with a young man from Idaho.
Afterwards we walked around downtown, looking at what the stores had to offer. We also looked in the tourist shops, and boy, was it hard not to by souvenirs for myself! I did buy my brother a Panamá shot glass. Then we walked through the Flower and Coffee Festival grounds—a flower explosion and it’s not even festival time.
Our day ended with another movie.
Finally,
As you can see, we filled this week with all we could. Lin recovered from his cold in record time. Why a scouting trip? With all the variables in the Boquete/Volcan area, we had been advised to come and check it out for ourselves.
It felt like a successful scouting trip so far. Next week, I continue with this scouting trip to Boquete.
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