Panamanda

That's short for Amanda in Panama.  That's where we are now. 

Just a head's up: this blog post might be boring. Sorry folks, it just happens that way sometimes. Generally speaking, I try to live a funny and clever life. Usually it comes naturally but sometimes it takes effort. And writing a blog that incorporates my humor and wit can sometimes be a challenge.  I'm not up for the challenge.

Also, (let me try to explain without sounding unhappy or ungrateful) after 6 months of traveling, it's just not as exciting as it was in the beginning. I mean in the beginning beginning you are so nervous and excited and OMG you can't believe this is finally happening! Then after a few weeks in you realize this is the best thing you ever could have done and, OMG, you are just going to do this forever because it is so awesome! After 6 months though, it becomes more routine. It's still fun and I am stilling loving my life and I spend my time doing things I enjoy, but at the same time, the bright polish starts to fade. It's not a bad thing, it's just a thing that happens, especially when you spend a large chunk of time in cultures that are somewhat similar (meaning we have just been in Central America. Not all countries are the same by any means but it certainly isn't as diverse as a month here, then in Eastern Europe, then Western Europe, then China, then Algeria, then New Zealand, etc.).  If you plan to travel for an extended period of time, don't be surprised if a slump happens.  It's life, slumps happen. 

My lackluster attitude aside, we have had a fun 2 weeks in Panama, so let me give you the scoop!

We spent 5 days in Bocas del Toro, Panama. This is a group of islands (on the north/Caribbean side) which are continuing to become more popular with tourists and expats. We enjoyed ourselves, but it didn't quite live up to the hype. Highlight include searching for starfish at Playa Estrella (and successfully finding them), renting bikes and spending the day at Bluff Beach, shopping/window shopping daily at Super Gourmet, and enjoying one of the nicest hotels rooms we have had so far.

(balcony off our fancy hostel room)

 (Star fish hunting success!)

(beautiful and private Bluff Beach)

Following Bocas we headed towards Boquete with a stopover in David to break up the travel. David was about 100 degrees with 100% humidity. When we arrived at our hotel we learned that "today the pool is dirty and cannot be used". Supposedly this was the only day this had ever happened. The pool was the reason we came to this hostel so this was a huge disappointment. Highlights included leaving and nothing else.

NO PHOTOS.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Next we headed upwards (elevation 1000m or so) to Boquete. It is a lovely small town in the hills and has a much larger ex-pat population than we expected. International Living must really be tooting it's horn about this place. Highlights included eating the best sandwiches in all of Central America and going on a really nice long walk/hike and enjoying the hillside.

(views from our walk/hike)

(not our hostel)

(bridge crossing)

As we were gearing up to leave Boquete and spend over a week in Panama City, we started getting reports from everyone that Panama City was terrible, not to go, leave as soon as we arrive, and to only get there in time to catch our flight. As you can imagine this was disappointing news as we wanted to complete our time in Central America on a good note! Luckily for us, everyone was wrong; we love Panama City!

We spent 6 nights in Casco Viejo (the old town) and enjoyed it's charm as much of it is becoming restored. We also will spend 3 nights in the new downtown area so we can get to experience the city from another place. Highlights include: amazing lattes, morning workouts, walking along the malecon, delicious and inexpensive comedor/cafeteria food, visiting the Panama Canal during the 100th anniversary, and starring as extras in a Panamania movie. Stay tuned because the next post is all about our new life as movie stars.

(views from our hostel roof deck #1)

(#2)

(#3)

(central cathedral)

(the locks at the Panama Canal)

(the smile is a fake. there were NO passing ships!)

(press pass = lock access!)

(view from the malecon)

(view from hotel roof #1)

(#2)

“Life is an adventure, it's not a package tour”

As we planned and prepared for our travels last year, we decided that we definitely wanted to take our time, enjoy ourselves, and not feel rushed.   In theory and in practice this is a great plan, but it will also only get you so far. I mean, literally, only so far. We are in our 6^th month of travel through Central America and have just finally reached our 6^th country. It might sound impressive, but I'm pretty sure that all of Central America is also smaller than California, our “home” state. So we decided to pick up the pace!

So pick up the pace we did! Not only did we start moving our butts faster from one city or country to the next, but we also started moving our butts and doing lots!

But first, before I get into everything we've done, I have a story for you and a bit of background information so hang with me...

I hate tours. Ok, well not so much tours, but tour groups. Tour groups are the worst and they make me cringe and give me a little anxiety. However, they also make for great comedic material so if you ever find yourself in a tour group and I am nearby, you can be sure I'm probably making fun of you. Of course, in theory, the tour group seems like a brilliant plan: similar people, common interest, discounted rate, a guide that can really show you the way. Except that usually it is much worse. So much worse.

First of all, there is always a matching t-shirt and it is usually the ugliest t-shirt I have seen since the last tour group of people in stupid matching t-shirts that I just saw. The t-shirt really is the first sign. If you ever join a tour and have to wear a matching shirt, you are in deep trouble from the start. Leave that tour! Next there is the inevitable herd mentality. By this I mean that for some reason (maybe putting on the shirt??) everyone's IQ drops at least 20 points and they behave like a herd of cattle or sheep or llamas or camels. It's really not promising now...

Maybe the group thinks they are protected by some invisible force field because they are certainly acting like they are not of this planet: walking in blob formation taking up all available space, snapping so many pictures they have to change memory cards. There are visors, fanny packs, socks with sandals. And lastly, there is Jesus. 80% of the time there is a Bible verse somewhere on that shirt and 100% of the time it's one that doesn't seem to make any sense. In the end, it's probably good that God is on their side; it seems like they need it.

Another reason I have such a problem with the matchy-matchy uniform tours is that I had a very traumatic uniform-related experience when I was eleven. For those that know me, you know that I did not blossom during the 6^th grade. So not only was I eleven, I was also a nerd, and shy, and awkward, and doing my best to try and make friends in a new school (junior high). Well, no thanks to some idiot volunteer parent (she is probably off joining a matching shirt tour for life) who was working the PE uniform counter during 4th period on August 28, 1993. It was her job to write each student's name on their new PE shorts. They can't let 6^th graders do it for fear that they would write goofy or false names. This lady asks me my first name and I tell her "Amanda". She wrote A.  Did she not look up at me? Did she not see the blood drain from my face? Did she not see that I was an eleven year old girl and was already humiliated enough? No, she didn't. She proceeded to write A. DICK on my shorts and then looked at me like she is kind of sorry. Yeah, thanks. Looks like 6^th grade is going to be awesome.

Anyhow this 6^th-grade nightmare + the tour groups above = I AM NEVER GOING ON A TOUR IN MY LIFE!!

Well, turns out we've just been on 5 tours, and they were all hella awesome! Let me tell you about them now! Don't worry, we never had to wear a matching shirt and I think it made all the difference.

Tour #1: Volcano Boarding, Leon, Nicaragua. Cost $30 p/p

Slightly dangerous but not as much as it sounds. This tour consisted of 12 of us hiking up a volcano and then boarding down (sledding, not standing). Our guide was, literally, blown over the side of the mountain by the insane 70 mph winds and bit of lava rock somehow penetrated my space suit, pants, and underwear ending up in my crack, but it was still pretty fun! We did receive a free shirt from this company, but it was after the tour and they were all different so we were safe.

Tour #2: Cigar Tour, Esteli, Nicaragua. Cost $5 p/p

This was the best value tour we have experienced in all of Central America and Brandt's favorite activity so far! We spent 3 hours walking around a cigar factory, trying our own hands at some of the stations, smoking the product ourselves, and having an awesome non-OSHA-regulated time.

Tour #3: Somoto Canyon, Somoto, Nicaragua. Cost $25 p/p

Loved it! This tour was just the 2 of us and our 18-year-old guide. After a bit of hiking, we spent 2-3 hours swimming, trekking, floating, and cliff-jumping our way down a river through a gorgeous canyon. I jumped twice off of 10m and 12m rocks. Brandt jumped 4 times off similar heights. Our crazy guide said a prayer and then jumped from a 20m rock.  Twice. The 20m jump was the first one and I didn't yet have the courage. Maybe next time. We ended the tour with a little boat ride, another hike, and then a delicious home-cooked meal.

Tour #4: Zip Lining, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Cost $45p/p

So. Much. Fun! I actually did this same tour 6 years ago when I was in Costa Rica but didn't remember how beautiful, special, and fun it was. And this time I got to do it with my husband which made it 10x better! Costa Rica is the most beautiful country we have seen so far and to be able to see it in this way was really something special. 13 zip lines, 1 rappel, 1 Tarzan swing, 1 “superman” finale cable over 1km in length, and zero matching shirts. If you come here, do this tour!

Tour #5: Don Juan Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugarcane, Monteverde, Costa Rica. Cost $30 p/p

Think about how awesome you think coffee is. Then add that to how awesome you think chocolate is. (I don't know how awesome or not people think sugar cane is so I will leave that out) The sum is how cool this tour was! It's always nice for a tour to exceed your expectations and that was the case. We learned so much interesting stuff about coffee in particular and now are inspired to learn more! Does anyone know of a coffee course offered at a Junior/Community College? Seriously, we would take it! For now, I am just going to keep drinking it and check out some books from the library (Kindle-style, of course).

Other very fun stuff we've been doing non-tour style includes: surfing, motorbiking around the island of Ometepe, Nicaragua, and climbing ficus trees.  Life is fun!!!