August 13, 2007

After an iffy night of turtle watching on Isla Canas, we had caught the 6:30 am lancha to take us across the lagoon and back to the van.

The plan for today was to leave Panama ’s Azuero Peninsula and drive to Boquete, which is about 100 kilometers from the Panama/Costa Rica border crossing on the Inter-American Highway.

But first we needed to take care of business.

The daily rains over the last few weeks had exposed a rust hole in a back wheel well and muddy water was being sprayed up from our tires and covering the floor of the van in a gooey film.

We stopped at Playa Venao, a short drive from the lancha dock, to mop the floor and to jam the hole full with plastic grocery bags, a stop-gap measure that would have to do until we got home.

A group of surfers had pitched their tents on a concrete floor under a large covered area that is one of only a few buildings that occupy this semi-secluded bay, and we spent the next half hour watching them mount the waves.

(Playa Venoa’s stature on the surf circuit - already large - grew in March 2008 when it was home the Third Annual Central American Surf Championship).

From Playa Venoa we backtracked up the Peninsula through Pedasi, Las Tablas and Chitre. Three hours of driving brought us to Santiago, where we stopped for a comfort-food lunch at McDonalds.

After Santiago the Inter-American narrows to two lanes but the driving didn’t seem as arduous as it had been on the way down, when we were fighting through heavy traffic and heavy rain. Even the poorly managed road work – traffic from both directions was sharing a single lane of the highway, but there were no traffic control workers – didn’t suck the air from us this time.

The turnoff for Boquete (at David) is conveniently located beside a Rey supermarket, a chain of modern stores we first became acquainted with in Panama City. It compares to anything we have at home as far as food selection and modern shopping ambiance.

Boquete, the largest town in Panama ’s Chiriqui Highlands, is scenic.

Coffee vines cling to the steep mountains, interspersed with orange groves and pine trees. Elegant North American-style homes and quaint inns are common, many adorned with vibrant ornamental gardens.

Factor in the town’s permanent Spring-like climate – it sits at an elevation of 1,000 meters – and it’s easy to understand why it is so popular with ex-pats, and why luxury gated communities are fast being constructed.

Quaint inns weren't on our road trip itinerary. Instead, we camped for $6 a night on the front lawn of the quiet Pension Topas, on Avenue B. Porras, a short three block walk from the town centre.

The chief attraction in this area is the extinct Volcan Baru, Panama's highest peak. One afternoon we started driving the 22 kilometre road to its base, but turned around after five kilometers when the paved road gave way to 4-wheel drive conditions. We never did see the volcano; it was socked in by clouds during our entire three day stay.

Instead we took a tour of Cafe Ruiz, a coffee farm located a five minute walk up the hill from the centre of town. It was highly informative presentation about the coffee growing/roasting process and we would recommend it.

We also drove to the Caldera hot springs, some 30 minutes away, with the final kilometre or two down a steep (in places) rocky road that made us nervous. So nervous in fact that we finally parked the van in a small pull-out and walked the remaining 20 minutes of the road to where the trail starts.

After a further 20 minute walk on the trail, we arrived at the springs. Although it was a pleasant area to hike/walk around, the hot springs were disappointing - shallow, muddy and full of silt.

Last point of interest about Boquete: the home-made cinnamon buns for sale at the weekend market in Parque Central are to delicious.

Key Facts & Figures:

-Pension Topas, camping: $6/night
-Roasting plant tour, Cafe Ruiz: $7/person
-Caldera hot springs: $1/person