Panama Scouting - Day 12 - Boquete Arrival
Buenos Dias from Panama!
We spent most of the day on the bus traversing the mountainous coast, but after a wonderful lunch on an empty ocean beach, we turned right and headed into the mountains. We drove through the town of Boquete on our way to this delightful hotel Hotel Ladera, and the photo below is of our view. I suspect that a lot of people are on the internet right now, as the wifi was slow and could only send one photo out.
Here in the mountains, the temperature is delightfully 76 degrees, there is a breeze rustling the trees and flowers, and dinner is in 40 minutes. I have never been on a cruise, but this tour has fed us as I imagine a cruise would - right on schedule, and way too much food. Most of the places we have eaten are Panamanian, and our lunch at the ocean started out with Pina Coladas (choice of with alcohol or without), and then we received our choice of a Panamanian chicken, fish, or pork dish that was great! Lots of food, and as we are getting to know our tour mates, lots of company.
Next life, I don't want to be quite so short; long periods in the tour bus don't agree with me any more than long plane rides. My back doesn't fit the seats, so I have to sit on the edge of the seat to keep my back straight and my feet touching the ground - way to feel like a 6-year-old on the bus!
As we climbed the mountains, the world became more green, the trees more dense, and the clouds in the sky showed that it is raining somewhere, but never on us.
There are lots of flowering trees in the mountains, red, light pink, and lavender, and then there are trees that host bougainvillea plants that are in riotous colors of red, purple, yellow, and orange. The houses are in the same riotous colors.
One interesting thing we have noticed is that there seem to be very few people in poverty - and there are social programs to support those that are. We found entertainers at the infrequent traffic lights, juggling, dancing, and selling fruit while singing, but they don't look like panhandlers who are desperate, and no one has offered us a sad story or shown us a sign asking for money. The government has a minimum wage (you might remember that I said they paid every family the minimum wage during the Pandemic lock-down), and if you don't make that much, the government will supplement your income. Also, stories we hear show that neighbors watch out for neighbors, and town social networks will spread the word if someone is in need and ensure that those needs are met.
On our way here, the bus driver steered around stray dogs on the highway several times. Apparently, there are programs in individual communities and Panama City, but not everywhere. In Los Tables, Gwen, the woman who showed us her duplex yesterday, leads a pet rescue and shelter movement that runs a pet ambulance and a spade and neuter program and is connected to all of the other pet services across the Azuero Peninsula. There is also a group of ex-pats here in Boquete who run an animal rescue and spade/neuter services, and another group that runs a recycling program. In between, the dogs sit on the highway, and people zip around them - and chickens, too!
Our hotel on the tour, Hotel Ladera, is just across the Caldero River from downtown Boquete.
We are due at dinner in a moment, so I have to run. Aloha from Paradise, and buenas noches from Panama!
Mary Bea y Miguel