Natural Panama Archives - Chasing Panama

A (Very) Windy Weekend in Panamá

On this visit to Panamá, we are staying at a friend’s house in the Santa Lucia neighborhood of Volcancito. It’s a beautiful house overlooking a fairly deep gorge with a nice view of Volcán Barú. The elevation of the house is around 4,100 feet and its been sunny, cool and breezy.

We’ve spent enough time in Panamá to be used to wind and power outages, especially at this time of the year. On Friday as we were going to bed the wind really started picking up and by midnight it was getting pretty strong. We didn’t think too much about it but then in the wee hours of the morning the power went out. When the power goes out in this house (as in most of the houses we have stayed in here) the first thing that happens is the battery back-up for the router starts beeping, first fast then slowly, and then everything stops and gets very dark. Its enough to definitely wake me up, and between that and the wind noise it took a while for me to get back to sleep. Just as I was falling asleep the power came back on, with a few beeps and various lights from chargers and this and that, along with the ceiling fans starting to spin again. I was wide awake again, but I thought that all was well and end of story. But the wind got stronger and gustier, and a bit later the power went out again, came back on, and then towards daylight went out again and this time stayed that way.

Saturday is the day the gardener comes and he always enjoys a cup of coffee before he gets started, which we were unable to provide with no power. He told us the entire district was without power and said that it was probably a large tree down over the wires somewhere. Mid-morning the power was back and the gardener got his coffee and once again we thought all was well. Until 1:30 when it went back out again, this time for the afternoon. All the while the wind kept gusting and blowing relentlessly. Finally late in the afternoon the power was back and we had dinner, and were just settling down to watch tv, when at 7:00 pm we lost it again. We waited for a half hour or so and then went to bed where we read and listened to the wind. There is’t that much else to do with battery lights, candles, and no internet, and we started to fall sleep around 9:00.

I had trouble sleeping because the the wind was gusting to the point that we could feel it pushing against the house, blowing loose objects around and rattling the leaves and branches. I did eventually fall asleep, because I was awoken at around 10:30 when the power came back on. The wind was almost a bit scary, it was so strong. Shortly after midnight we lost power again, it came back a little later, it went out again, came back, went out and finally came back before daylight. Every time the power came back it seemed like the wind got stronger and gustier, as if it was trying to knock things about and down. It would get silent and quiet and then come back like a hammer. It almost seemed alive, and my imagination was running amok.

Early Sunday morning our power cam back and this time it stayed. One of our water tank lids had blown off but luckily stayed in the yard, and there was a lot of wind blown debris about. A friend of ours that gives guided four wheeler tours told us that when he went out on a tour Sunday morning trees were down everywhere. He has lived in Panamá for many years and he said this was one of the worst wind storms he remembers ever seeing.

I’m not sure what kind of clash of weather systems caused our weekend of wind but it was something. It came mostly from the north from the Caribbean. I don’t think the Panamanians let it slow down their Carnivál celebrations too much but it was certainly an interesting weekend, even for Panamá.

Saludos, Craig

The Mountain Towns of El Valle de Antón and Altos del Maria, Sorá

We just got back from a cool road trip to Cocle and Panama Oeste provinces to visit El Valle de Antón and Sorá, Panama.

El Valle is located within the caldera (a large crater) of what is said to be the second largest inhabited dormant volcano in the world. The crater itself is at about 600 meters above sea level and has a cooler spring-like climate. This has been on our bucket list for the past few years. The drive from Boquete to El Valle is about 5 hours with good traffic. The exit off of the Interamerican Highway up the volcanic mountain and down to the town itself takes about 45 minutes along a scenic zig-zagging road that will put your brakes to the test.

The town itself is bucolic living. El Valle is surrounded by 7 different mountains, ranging from 800-1000 meters. There are trails on each one that have vistas of the crater floor.

Because of its close proximity to Panama City (120 km), many upper-class Panamanians have made El Valle their weekend and holiday home. We visited during the week, however, and it was very quiet and relaxing. We stayed at El Valle Suites, a Panamanian style motel that was down the road from the Artisan and Produce Market. The suites are very basic with a living room, kitchen, bathroom and a bedroom that had a split AC. All in all, it was clean and the staff went out of their way to accommodate. The best part of the place was the thermal pool surrounded by a grand tree that shaded almost the entire outdoor area. There are people who live at the Suites full time and met some interesting people sitting outside in the evening.

What I like about El Valle is very walkable and bike-friendly. I took out a bike one afternoon and had a leisurely stroll. The Artisan market is really cool. Local art and handicrafts are sold, and Kuna Indians offered their colorful molas and jewelry. We purchased some hand painted tree trunk slabs with beautifully colored birds on them. Attached to the Artisan market is the fruit and vegetable vendors selling their fresh produce.

A visit to Nispero Zoo

A short drive from the center of town is El Níspero Zoological and Botanical Garden. It began as a privately owned nursery. The owner gradually started collecting animals and birds. Other people also donated animals. Many of the animals there had suffered an accident. It gradually turned into a public zoo with animals from all over the world.

The place itself is really laid back and priced at only $3 for admission. My favorite attraction was the spider monkey. One can see up close the resemblance to its name! Another favorite was the jaguar and the plethora of beautiful birds including toucans and parrots.

It was an nice attraction that the kiddos would really enjoy (and the grown up kiddos as well).

A visit to Arboles Cuadrados Nature Trail

I had heard about the “Square Trees”’in El Valle and drove a bit out of town to Hotel Campestre where they are officially accessed by paying $4 each. I really like weird and obscure things so this was something I had to see. The hike itself was very pleasant. Once we reached the handful of square trees that were specially marked, I still had a hard time seeing much of a difference to a normal round tree. In fact there are signs pointing to the square trees so you could find them. Although it is hard to distinguish the square features, they apparently have square rings.

Comparing El Valle to Boquete

As far as mountain towns go, El Valle is warmer than Boquete, but I found it to be quite lovely and personally did not find it oppressive. The evenings were cool in El Valle, but not cold like it can get in Boquete. Average temperatures in El Valle can range from 68-83 deg. as compared to 55-75 deg.

Being that we were there during the week and not on the weekend, I do not have a clear picture on how busy El Valle can get, but have heard that it this sleepy little town fills up. While there, I noticed a small amount of tourists and mostly Panamanians going about their day to day lives. There was a nice amount of places to eat but some only were open from Thursday to Sunday. Boquete has much more going for it as far as restaurants, bars and live music.

The mountains of Sorá, Panama / Altos del Maria

Overlook at our Airbnb in Altos Del Maria

We spent a few days on the other side of the mountain from El Valle in a pretty little town called Sorá. This is roughly a 6 hour drive from Boquete. Our Airbnb was in Altos Del Maria which is a gated community that is like being in a national park. It boasts a first-class infrastructure including miles of paved roads, vast common areas, waterfalls, rivers, hiking trails, observation decks, parks, lookout points, flowers and trees everywhere. It was a great place to relax, however a drawback was the distance to daily necessities such as shopping, restaurants and medical care . The majority of people with homes here use it as a second home or vacation getaway.

Since we were guests of an owner in the development, we’l were able to access the secret road just for residents that connects Altos Del Maria to El Valle which took just over 1/2 hour. Without this alternate route, it would have taken an extra hour!

It was really nice to see another part of this beautiful country checked off the bucket list.

De Todo Un Poco (This and That)

Federal Mall

We took a drive this week to the new Federal Mall just north of David to check it out. We had heard there was a nice new grocery store, El Fuerte, that was 2 floors. I was very impressed with the selection and prices. The first floor is all groceries, and the 2^nd floor includes clothing, shoes, and various other items. They had an escalator-type walkway going to the second floor. A few flagship stores had taken residence in the new mall right before Covid hit, then everything was at a standstill. Things seem to be back on course and filling up. The mall itself also has 2 levels and once fully occupied, will have over 300 stores. It is advertised as a world-class shopping experience that is completely closed and air conditioned throughout. In addition to El Fuerte is Titan, El Costo, Steven’s, Felix, Arrocha Pharmacy, Madison Store, and Cinépolis movie theaters with the latest audiovisual technology. In addition will be a Food Court and entertainment venues for children and the whole family.

Jaramillo Hike

Today we did over a 4-mile hike on some back roads in Jaramillo walking on mostly gravel. The highest point of our hike was 1700 meters (5577 feet) above sea level and the views were spectacular. We passed by beautiful pastures with cows grazing (and seemingly anxious to say hello), as well as some friendly domesticated dogs.

Weather / Fires

Our weather here has been beautiful with no rain, maybe a bit of bajareque (fine and light rain that falls in the mountain areas of Panamá). Bajareque brings lots of beautiful rainbows! Since it is the dry / windy season here in Panama, fires in the canyons occur. The fire department (los bomberos) do controlled burns, but so do land-owners. It’s very possible for a fire to get out of hand. Here is a view from our terrace of a fire in the canyon.

Working Out

One of our favorite places in Boquete is The Haven Gym and Spa. In between hiking, we work out at the gym there. Upstairs they had recently upgraded all their cardio equipment and have Echelon bikes and a rower that connect to the internet. They have also upgraded their treadmills and elliptical machines. Downstairs are weights and various weight machines for all areas of the body. In addition, they have great masseuses in their spa, Fatima and Angelica. We treated ourselves this week to 1-hour deep tissue massages for $49.50 each.

Hasta luego…

JUST FOR FUN! On one of our recent trips from David, this man is entertaining people in their cars with machetes.

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.

El Salto Hike

Covid & Sunday Lockdowns

It is Father’s Day here in Panamá and back home in the States. We hope all you fathers out there have a great day!

We are still living in Valle Escondido here in Boquete Panamá and we are currently spending our Sunday under curfew/lockdown, which means we cannot leave the house. This is the fourth or fifth Sunday spent under lockdown and we hope it ends soon, although it is bearable for one day a week. A day in lockdown does make it OK to be lazy for the whole day.

As Nancy mentioned in our last post, late last month we received our first shots of the Pfizer vaccine which means we are due for our second and final shots withing the next week or so. We are waiting for news as to when those shots will be available for us. We hope we hear something soon as we are anxious to get fully vaccinated. Here in Panamá masks and social distancing are still mandatory, although other than that (and Sunday lockdowns), life is normal. We go to the gym several times a week, we go to restaurants, we go on hikes, we go to our medical appointments, and our freedom of movement is mostly unrestricted. We still hope more vaccines will be available here soon. The more people who get vaccinated, better off we all are.

Hiking

Last Thursday we went on a hike up to El Salto, which is a mountainous area very close to Volcán Barú the highest peak in Panamá at 11,398 feet. According to the altimeter ap on my phone at the highest point on our hike we got to almost 6,500 feet after starting at about 5,900 feet. The hike was uphill almost all the way, and I could feel the altitude. The views were spectacular, the scenery was beautiful, and the exercise was great. We left early to beat the rain and we were back before it started. We are getting rain almost every day now as the rainy season picks up momentum. A couple of weeks before we went on a long hike up to an abandoned building that is know locally as El Castillo embrujado de Pepe or The Haunted Castle of Pepe. It is the remains of a huge house next to a coffee farm that was started, but never completed, and it is an interesting site. Of course, the locals say it is haunted. There are many places here that are worth seeing and they can be anywhere. You can turn off one of the main roads around here and start down a rocky narrow road the does not seem to lead anywhere, and it takes you to sights you would never expect to see, and neighborhoods that you would have had no idea were back there. A sturdy vehicle with four-wheel drive is a good thing to have as many of the roads are pretty sketchy and this seems to be a region where the hills and mountains never looked to steep to put a road on.

Life goes on for us here, and every day brings something a bit different. We are hoping we will have good news about our second vaccine shots very soon.

Stay safe and well!

Saludos, Craig

Vaccination Rollout

I thought it would be a good day to update the blog, it being a quarantine day in our province of Chiriquí. There has been a large increase in the number of Covid cases in Chiriquí and Veraguas provinces. MINSA (El Ministerio de Salud) once again decided to lock us down the last two Sundays. Apparently, Sundays are big family gathering and party days here in Panamá and people have become laxer. I don’t have the answers but I do not agree with their solution, as recent history has shown. On the bright side, it is one day out of the week. It gives me an opportunity to catch up on things I would otherwise put on the back burner.

Pfizer vaccines are being distributed province by province. Finally, it is Chiriquí’s turn. Last week, some of the districts in Chiriquí had vaccination clinics being held at many of the local schools. This coming week, Boquete district is supposed to have them available, but for people over 60 years old or people with health conditions. Unfortunately, I will have to wait a bit longer as I am not yet 60, but Craig will be able to get it. We have signed up on the official website and waiting to receive verification that he has an appointment. There is so much news on social media about this from all sorts of sources and I find it very bewildering. Additionally, the latest news is that there has been a delivery of Astra Zeneca available for men over 30 and women over 50 that want to get the vaccine. I don’t understand the age variations! There is a separate website to sign up for this which I am having difficulty with. I have to admit that I am a bit on the fence about Astra Zeneca. I am a proponent of getting vaccinated, but the reported blood clot issues, albeit a very low percentage, gives me a little pause. I do believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Many of our friends and acquaintances here have flown to the US to get their shots and have since returned.

Life goes on and we keep ourselves fairly busy. We had a small gathering of friends in our home last week which was a lot of fun. We also drove to David this week for Craig’s dermatologist appointment which he will report on later. A few times a week we visit the Panaderia and Fruit and Vegetable Market as well as general grocery shopping.

Caldera Hot Springs Hike

Yesterday we drove approximately 35 minutes from our house to Caldera Hot Springs with our Panamanian friend, Mily. What a big difference in climate in that short distance! We hiked along a very rocky road to some areas with small thermal pools. We did not go in as we did not bring our swimsuits. The pools looked a bit tricky to get into without slipping. I am not the most sure-footed person! Then we went further down to see the river. After our excursion, we went out to lunch. What a lovely day spent and bonus of practicing our Spanish.

We also continue to do our group hikes as often as we can. Being one with nature and the comradery of the group is so much fun.

Panama Post Office

We had an interesting experience shipping packages to the USA via the Panamá Post Office. We sent out 3 packages that cost around $11 total. It will probably take 3-4 weeks, but it was not time sensitive. First you do not seal the package. Second you need to bring your own glue, not tape. We walked into the office with our 3 bubble envelopes that were already pre-addressed. The clerk inspected what was going into the envelopes (coffee). She sealed our envelopes and I had to write my name across where she sealed the envelope. She then gave us the stamps that we needed to affix to the envelope ourselves with the glue that we brought. I think this may be because of Covid. No licking! We also had to affix a customs paper that showed what was in the envelope and the value. You cannot use a US address as the return address. Since there are no traditional street addresses and mail delivery in Panama, we used the address for Mailboxes, Etc. as our return address. Mailboxes, Etc. is the company we use to import our internet shopping. Fingers crossed, hopefully our packages will arrive intact!

The weather here has been so nice the last few weeks. Officially the rainy season has started, but not much rain has fallen of late. Various places on the mountain have different climates! You can experience a frequent light misty rain known locally as “bajareque”, and then a few moments later it can get really hot when the sun came out. I found this cool website that explains what influences our weather www.boqueteweather.com/climate. This sort of weather is what makes the coffee from Panamá so good!

If I’ve peaked your interest about Panamá, I recommend Panama Relocation Tours on-line guide where you can learn how to relocate to Panamá with total confidence. We took the group tour almost 3 years ago that cemented our lifestyle here today! The on-line guide will give you all the same information but without the worry of traveling during Covid.

We’re taking things day by day here and enjoying what each day may bring. We’ve been given this opportunity to not have to do the daily 9-5 grind. Panamá isn’t perfect by any stretch, but if you open up your heart and mind, who knows what experience could present itself. There is so much more out there in this great big world than the US and gaining this new perspective is invaluable.

*Central American Agouti (Ñeque) in back yard*

Moving to a Big House

We have been back in Boquete for over six weeks, and things feel a bit different than they do when we were here last year. Just about everyone here is very diligent about wearing their masks and practicing social distancing. There is a temperature taking station at every store, bar, and restaurant we have been to. We are living in Valle Escondido and the weather here seems to be much damper and chillier than at our last house in Alto Boquete. When we got here, we had some excellent weather for a couple of weeks, but since then things have been much damper and rainier.

After our first month here, we were able to negotiate a rental in the large house below the apartment where we were originally staying. This house is certainly the largest house we have ever lived in and its very nice, with high ceilings, big rooms, beautiful floors, and a nice kitchen. It does have its quirks, however. It tends to be chilly, the furniture is not to our taste, the hot water in the showers is inconsistent, and it echoes. Sometimes we feel a bit out of place here. But it is a nice house in a quiet neighborhood.

Leaky Windshield

The windshield in our car developed a substantial leak right in the center over the dashboard during some of the heavy rain we have had. It was quite inconvenient, but we took the car down to Value Motors in Boquete and they took care of it for a whopping $15. We have had nothing but good experiences with Victor, George, and the whole crew at Value Motors.

New Family Doctor

We have been to see a local doctor for check-ups and minor medical issues, and we found a new doctor in town. Dr. Tuer speaks perfect English, she takes time to figure out what ails you, she answers her emails, and is very attentive.

Playa Barqueta

Last week we took a drive to the beach at Playa La Barqueta to visit some friends who have a condo right on the beach. The drive was an hour and a half right through heavy traffic in David to get there, but it was quite a nice place. It was our first glimpse on this trip of the ocean on the Gulf of Chiriqui, and it was beautiful. Warm weather, the beach, good friends and, best of all, no rain all day. Even though we are only seven or eight degrees from the equator here there is something to be said for living near the beach, as long as you have AC!

Three Lost Waterfalls Hike

The other day we went on a hike with a local group to The Three Lost Waterfalls in Los Naranjos. It was quite an adventure in a very Panamanian way. Just to get there the drive is up some very windy, narrow, and steep roads, and once you are there the parking situation is pretty sketchy. Then take a walk over a suspension bridge that could use a little maintenance and up a very steep rocky trail that takes you to the booth where you pay your $8 fee. I was almost worn out from the walk to the pay station, but I had not seen anything yet. The trail was very narrow, very steep, very rocky, and, because of the recent damp weather, very muddy and slippery. We made it to the first waterfall, and it was nice. We made it to the second waterfall, and it was beautiful. Then we set off for the third waterfall and the trail immediately became almost vertical, rocky, and slippery. “Trail” is probably a kind word for this obstacle course. There were some knotted ropes in seemingly random locations to help with the climb. We did eventually get to the third waterfall, and I see why it is “lost”. It is beautiful and you certainly get your exercise getting to it. The trip back, although physically easer, is far more challenging because going downhill it is very easy to lose your footing and take a serious tumble. Help would be a long way away in the event of a serious accident. After almost four hours of trekking, we did succeed in getting back to our cars, although one or two of our companions had some nicks, cuts, and bruises. What an adventure!

Saludos, Craig

Flooding and Mudslides in Northern Panamá

2020…the year that keeps on giving!

Hurricane Eta has caused significant flooding, mudslides, and road damage in Chiriquí Province, our 2nd home. Panamá’s National Civil Protection Agency (SINAPROC) is monitoring the situation on the ground and working to assist individuals in the affected areas.

_{“Media sources report that flash flooding caused by heavy rainfall and rising levels in the Chiriquí Viejo River has impacted multiple areas of Chiriquí Province. Updates indicate that one person was killed and approximately seven people are missing in the Tierras Altas area. Updated sources report that at least 1,000 people and families in Chiriquí have been evacuated. The Hornito highway in Gualaca that connects Bocas del Toro province has collapsed and left an unspecified number of people stranded. There are several landslides occurring in the area. At least 500 residents have been evacuated in the area and housed in evacuation centers as search and rescue operations are underway. At least six people were rescued. At least 214 homes have been damaged or destroyed in multiple locations by floodwaters and fallen trees. Seven homes have been damaged in Boquete District, 15 homes have been damaged in Majagual sector, one home in David District, and 30 homes have been damaged in Baco, with an unspecified number of homes damaged in Corotu, Los Marias, and Baru Districts. At least seven landslides have been registered in Cerro Punta and Volcan and the Ngabe-Bugle region. Several other communities have been isolated by the flooding, and crops have been destroyed. Emergency services are continuing relocation operations for those families affected by the flooding. Resources continue to be mobilized to those affected. Floodwaters are reportedly receding in some areas; however, rainfall is expected to continue across the province. No injuries have been immediately reported. A Yellow Alert has been issued in Chiriquí for Thursday, November 5.”}
_{The Flooding in Northern Panama Crisis Response Facebook Page}

According to the PanaTimes, it was reported today that authorities are now confirming the deaths of 5 people in Chiriquí.

Although we are safe and sound in Florida at present, we are very distressed and pray for our Chiriquí friends and family. The Red Cross of Panama and many other organizations and residents have pulled together collecting donations of all kinds for the homeless and affected.

Bajo Mono Hike

One of the many pleasures of living in Boquete is the plethora of hiking trails, exotic birds and animals, waterfalls, and of course, rainbows.

Our weekly hike this week, guided by Sara Crocker, was the Bajo Mono trail. It is relatively short and easy, but is breathtaking nonetheless. It has nice contrast through a farm with animals grazing, crops growing on the adjacent hills, beautiful flowers, a rain forest, and ultimately El Tatica Waterfall at the very end.

The land is privately owned by a farmer who shares his beautiful property for a small fee. Upon entry we were greeted by the manager and his parrot, Boody.
Bajo Mono also offers camping sites for the adventurous.

So truly fortunate to be here in this magical place!

Cangilones de Gualaca

A 35 minute drive from our home in Alto Boquete is a place called Los Cangilones de Gualaca. It is a natural canyon slot in Chiriqui that has stood the test of time and is thousands of years old. The large rock formations have been shaped through the years by the Esti River. It is indeed a great spot to hang out with friends, cliff jump, and swim! Cangilon means “bucket” in Spanish or “deep vessel for collecting water”. I’ve heard that they charge $2 a car but yesterday no one was collecting money. A day of fun for free! We got there early and found a great place in the shade to set up camp. We packed lunch and libations and laughed a lot. The water was a bit cold at first but once you were in, it was very refreshing, especially since the sun was quite strong. I wore my water shoes as the rocks in the water are quite slippery.

Los Cangilones de Gualaca are very unique. The mini canyon runs for more than 130 feet until the canyon opens up. It really does look like the earth has cracked and opened up leaving the water in between. It is an awesome spot for a little adventure. You can jump from the sides of the canyon into the blue water. Craig and some friends were brave enough to jump. I chose to watch! Some of the locals were telling him “No Fear”. Here the current will carry you down to where the canyon walls subside and the water is shallow. That is a good place to get out of the water. Some of the young Panamanians were skilled enough to rock-climb up the canyon wall and do it again! Craig said that he tried to find bottom after jumping in, but did not find it.

It is summer here in and school is out. There were many families there with children enjoying the splendid day. Some people brought their dogs, music was playing, one family had an open fire cooking chicken feet soup. It smelled good, once you get past the feet part.

I recommend a visit to this place. Even if you don’t go in the water, it is truly an awe-inspiring visit. We will definitely be back.