Hiking Pianista Trail

Yesterday was our first hike since being back in Boquete. We have always had the intention to hike the Pianista trail, but we hadn’t gotten around to it. Our friend, Jim (Route to Retire) invited us to tag along with him and his family as well as another family that are fairly new here. The beginning of the hike takes you through cow-dotted rolling farmland in a fairly steady uphill climb. Crossing through little streams and sketchy bridges along the way, I was glad I wore my hiking boots which saved me from having wet feet! We did a lot of chatting as we walked along (and a lot of huffing and puffing), getting caught up on things since we left in July. When we reached a fork, we were uncertain which way to go. We first went left, but turned around after a short distance. Backtracking, we took a right at the fork and continued for a while until we reached a hilltop with a small cow pasture that had a sketchy path that you had to climb down. None of us knew where it led or if we were on the right path at that point. The younger hikers (everyone but Craig and I) started to descend down. I gave it a go with Craig behind me. I was a bit nervous about it. One wrong step could lead to an injury so Craig and I decided to climb back up and head back down the trail on our own the way we came, but as it turned out, the rest followed us out as well. We never did get to see the part of the Pianista trail that goes through the jungle cloud forest. We will definitely try this another time after we do some more research. On our way out, we passed a lone female hiker. It made me think of a cautionary tale of two Dutch girls who went missing on the trail in 2014. Their remains were subsequently found.

It is summer in Panamá and that brings the annual Flower and Coffee Fair in Boquete (Feria de las Flores). We had visited this a few years back. The fairgrounds are adorned with beautiful local flowers as well as vendors selling their wares, food and drink stands, and nightly music. It brings a lot of tourists to Boquete. Finding a parking spot downtown is near impossible. Our house is up on a hill in Volcancito that overlooks downtown Boquete. The sound really carries and can hear the nightly bands playing. The first night of the fair was the loudest, with music and fireworks going into the wee hours of the morning. The wind must have been blowing in just the right direction that night! Summer season here also brings high winds. I’m still getting used to the sounds the house makes during these high winds. Afternoons, the breezes are warm and feel wonderful on a sunny day. At night, there is a big difference in temperature and ready for a sweatshirt and jeans.

According to my Altimeter app, we are at 1160 meters above sea level, which is about 3805 feet above sea level. Being up this high makes you more susceptible to the sun’s rays, even if it is cloudy. Sunscreen is a must. The Panamanians know this all too well as many of them wear long pants, long sleeves, hats or umbrellas to block the rays.

This is my view as I write this…not too shabby! But oh no, the power just went out as I write. I think I will end off here and pick up a good book to read.