Panama City Summer 2011
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| Panama City from the Amador Causeway |
We arrived in Panama City with no flight issues whatsoever (pretty amazing for AA) and by 8pm we were settled at La Estancia Hotel on the balcony watching the bats feeding from the hanging bananas outside our room. The next couple of days (YES..I’m writing this really delayed) we took in the main sights in and around Panama City; Ancon Hill, Amador Causeway, downtown, Miraflores Locks (Karl's favourite), Casco Viejo (my favourite) Of course all these sights included eating as we went and ceviche playing a top role in our Panamanian culinary delights. I was recommended the Corvina ceviche and couldn’t get enough of it after that first taste
The Lock was way more interesting than I had imagined, though I did take more interest at waving (and taking photos) at the passing cargo ships and their crew than reading up on all the facts though even I can say it really is a remarkable feat of engineering!
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| The Panama Canal |
The old downtown (Casco Viejo) was a photographers dream. Picture a more dilapidated version of New Orleans. It’s actually an UNESCO site now so whilst they are “doing up” this part of the city it is painstakingly slow as each part of the gentrification has to be logged, sent to Paris for approval, returned, then the work begins.
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| Ceviche at the fish Market |
Therefore you step from gorgeous colonial building to broken down slum within minutes. Still this to me was all part of the charm and whilst it has a pretty bad reputation we never felt unsafe at all (and we returned day and night) The barrio outskirts on the other hand were another matter and there was NO WAY I was going to walk through them without being fully armed…erm…which I wasn’t so we took a cab! Also not to harp on about the food but here in Casco Viejo we found some of the nicest food and the coolest restaurants!
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| Casco Viejo |
I'm sure I have much more to say about Panama city but I'm writing this 6 days later from El Valle so I may have to just add thoughts later about my thoughts……..
6 days later…
We have just arrived in El Valle now, which is a small town built in the crater of an extinct volcano but without getting too far ahead of myself let me recap the time spent on the San Blas islands as this was without doubt a highlight of the trip…
Kuna Yala/San Blas islands
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| Our lovely hut on Yandup |
So we left Panama city on July 28th. The Kuna Yala are hundreds of Islands off the Caribbean Coast of Panama. They are autonomous with their own laws and their own government. So far (and I really hope it continues) there are no hotels on the islands. You can homestay with the tribal people or do like what we did and chose an island (Yandup) where you stay with the people but have your own private cabin.
Again I’m jumping ahead. Let me go back to the flight which is just an hour from Panama City.
As we took off from the region airport with not a cloud in the sky I was relieved as I’m not a fan of flying in those 8 seater tin cans during inclement weather. Not 20 minutes into the flight and the skies around us turned gray. Giant lightening thunderheads surrounded us and the ride got a wee bit bumpy. Bumpy enough that I found myself looking down onto the Panamanian jungle we were flying over and planning that when we crashed (as I was sure would happen at this point) I would know exactly which direction to walk (Yes, I was also assuming I would survive as I often do even in my own worst case scenario daydreams) to escape the jungle that loomed below us.
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| Leaving Panama City |
As we took off from the region airport with not a cloud in the sky I was relieved as I’m not a fan of flying in those 8 seater tin cans during inclement weather. Not 20 minutes into the flight and the skies around us turned gray. Giant lightening thunderheads surrounded us and the ride got a wee bit bumpy. Bumpy enough that I found myself looking down onto the Panamanian jungle we were flying over and planning that when we crashed (as I was sure would happen at this point) I would know exactly which direction to walk (Yes, I was also assuming I would survive as I often do even in my own worst case scenario daydreams) to escape the jungle that loomed below us.
Obviously we didn’t crash -as I wouldn’t be writing this from El Valle 6 days later!
Instead, we landed on some random island airstrip and stumbled off a little green around the gills ready to kiss the ground. The disappointment immense when told that “no theees izzz not your stop-back on the plane pleazzze” I don’t know which island we were on at this point but oh how I wanted to call it home for the next 4 days. Instead the lucky, lucky few who were to call this home jumped out very much relieved and we got back on along with a few crates of bananas and two Mormons complete with suits and ties.
Instead, we landed on some random island airstrip and stumbled off a little green around the gills ready to kiss the ground. The disappointment immense when told that “no theees izzz not your stop-back on the plane pleazzze” I don’t know which island we were on at this point but oh how I wanted to call it home for the next 4 days. Instead the lucky, lucky few who were to call this home jumped out very much relieved and we got back on along with a few crates of bananas and two Mormons complete with suits and ties.
Our stop did come next but the addition stormy takeoff and landing did nothing for either of our nerves. On arrival at Playon Chico I wasn’t sure if I was most excited to be on terra firma or that the Mormons didn’t also disembark!
From here Karl wasn’t too impressed to learn that we now had a boat ride (aka fancy canoe) to our particular island but by now the storms had abated and the sun was coming out to play. The waters were a stunning blue/green and we were ready to see Yandup Island!
Our island was about the size of a football field, ringed with clear waters and white beaches.On it was a large open air “restaurant” (Palapa hut), 4 land huts (for guests and staff) and 6 overwater huts, one of which was ours. Other than a beach and smattering of palm trees this was it…home for the next 4 days. Food was caught and cooked daily and there was no menu. You got what was caught that day and let me say if you don’t like seafood I would look elsewhere
Let me add too at this point that these huts, whilst over crystal waters were not Fiji style. They had no AC, no hot water (getting water at all seemed luck of the draw sometimes and they were hand built from local trees and mangroves so the walls had gaps as did the floors
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| (jabba) The Hut |
Before you go drifting down that path thinking how primitive these were let me also add that we very quickly fell in love with our hut, and the Kuna people, and the island and everything!!! The hut very much became our home and the fact that Karl too thought this place was amazing has to tell you something knowing his NEED for AC and hot water!!!
Each hut had a wraparound porch with multiple hammocks and day and night the sounds of the water below calmed our spirits more than I can explain.
The food was AMAZING!!!! Breakfast, lunch and dinner was served at the same time by the sound of a conch shell and we ate the same as the other guests at the same time as the other guests and whatever we saw the Kuna catch that morning we knew would be our meal later that day.
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| Dinner with the other guests |
The Kuna also took whoever wanted to go out each morning to local deserted islands to swim and snorkel and in the afternoon to various places of more cultural interest like the the Playon Chico village or the cemetery.
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| The wonderful Kuna staff at yandup |
They spoke Kuna and very little English but they also knew Spanish so understanding wasn’t as tough as I was expecting. We got to know our “hut neighbours” pretty well too and we felt really lucky that they were all of a similar disposition and personality that we all became like good friends sharing an incredible adventure.
Right now Panama wants these islands for development and I fear a time when things could change from the peaceful existence between the Kuna and the Panamanians to something a little different should Panama get pushier. As things stand now the Kuna of a very traditional tribal community and they want to remain autonomous but as Panama gets greedier for using the islands in their own tourist trade they have already cut off financial help in schooling of the Kuna children.
I’m hoping things don’t change as these islands are perfect exactly how they are!!
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| Some Kuna children playing |
I’m hoping things don’t change as these islands are perfect exactly how they are!!
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| Kuna Village on Playon Chico |
I think both me and Karl found this trip here to be one of the most remote and adventuresome we have ever undertaken. I was genuinely sad to leave our hut and our friends and our hosts behind. I recommend that anyone visiting Panama take this trip and stay with the Kuna for a few days. I cannot say enough good things about the whole experience.
From the days spent exploring remote beaches, eating fresh seafood, and seeing the most amazing stars at night to watching afternoon thunderstorms rolling in from our porch hammocks and talking to the Kuna Yala about their lives!
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| beach fun |
From the days spent exploring remote beaches, eating fresh seafood, and seeing the most amazing stars at night to watching afternoon thunderstorms rolling in from our porch hammocks and talking to the Kuna Yala about their lives!
El Valle- July 2nd 2011
Leaving the KunaYala and our new friends was hard enough without the knowledge that we had to board that damn little plane again. The sky was clear at least; however this time we made 2 stops on other islands on route back with what I can only assume was a trainee pilot. The older pilot was present but it seems he was letting the girl do the majority of take offs and landings. Believe me when you land of a ridiculously short island runway with a few hops of the plane wheels and a swinging wildly from side to side its nerve wracking for even the bravest flier!
Again, we survived to tell the tale.
Back to Panama City, across to the bus station and busing it the 3 hours to El Valle.
The trip here took in some gorgeous scenery as we traveled along the coast and into the interior on Panama. El Valle as I previously mentioned is built into an extinct volcanic crater so all around is lush mountains and rainforests. El Valle itself is small and a little worse for wear but our hotel along the main street (Residential El Valle) commands gorgeous views from the full roof deck
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| El valle from our hotel |
On arrival said roof deck was filled with loud, obnoxious noises, and as our roof is also located here I wasn’t too impressed. I could make out American accents in the din and after an hour of listening to the hooting and hollering of voices, banging of chairs I went to see what the hell was going on. Turns out children of the corn had taken over the roof deck. Seriously multiple families of weirdness were up there on the roof deck yelling to each other, kids screaming, mothers screeching…awful! Children of the corn dad approached me first and immediately launched into welcoming me while teenager of the corn informed me they were all from Texas! Not just Texas but Plano/Allen area and they were here on a mission from their church. In the background the mothers of the corn continued screeching about the great shopping. Father of the corn probably saw my deer in the headlights eyes and made a small joke about “don’t worry we leave tomorrow and it will be peaceful again” Karl smiled politely and I said “good”. What else could I say…these people were awful and I wanted OUT. I couldn’t wait until the morning and we got out the hotel as much as possible until then. BTW…if you think I’m exaggerating about the loud and obnoxious behavior I will tell you later that night as we still heard their din on our return Karl said “I think I hate them” For those of you that know Karl well that’s all you need to know how bad they were!
This morning we heard them leave and as they LOUDLY clambered onto their waiting coach to take them away they may have heard me clapping from my bedroom window and shouting “God speed bitches” Well perhaps the second part was only in my head!
Today
El Valle is growing on me more now the Children of the corn families have left. The surrounding mountains get ringed by low cloud and sudden rain downpours are frequent.
There are small poor homes and huge hacienda mansions. I had heard previously that Americans are buying into El Valle and nearby Boquette to guarantee a better retirement with far better health care and cheap prices in Panama over USA. I can understand that and whilst I don’t think the home prices here are low (yes me and Karl did look on the El Valle real estate webpage out of curiosity) there are some gorgeous homes here to be had and the surrounding are just stunning!
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| The Manly Falls |
Today we hiked to a local waterfall (The Manly falls) and played around there and in the jungle area. We didn’t do a tour as there isn’t really much to be told and it was actually more fun just to play around in the Fall Rivers and streams. From the cold waters there we hiked to an area with hot springs and coated ourselves in mud, let it dry them relaxed in the thermal waters for a dollar!
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| Mud..Mud..Glorious Mud |
After days of Platas Typical and tough but tasty meats and beans and rice we are heading to nicer restaurant tonight for our final dinner here. Casa de Lourdres has a chef who was renowned in Panama City and came here to live and cook. It’s meant to be quite amazing! I’m ready….
Back later.
