Well today is my birthday and at least I am in a much better town than I was 2 years ago and I will have company. Robert arrives today.
I left Chris and the boys and moved back to Casca Viejo. I mooched around during the day sorting things out, then returned to my room to await Roberts text. He finally arrived about 8.30, exhausted. He had not had sleep since about 3.30 am yesterday morning. He had 2 stops one in London and one in Miami. However in Miami he had to take all his bags and go through customs even though he was just transferring. This took hours of course and was incredibly disorganised. What a ridiculous set up and waste of time and money for a transfer.
After a short rest, we went off in search of this jazz bar, mentioned in a Luna's Cafe leaflet. It was my birthday!!!
It was also just around the corner. We paid our $3 entrance fee, which included one glass Sangria. After walking down this dark, little corridor, we were suddenly in this rather large, dimly lit courtyard. In the top left hand corner was a makeshift bar, behind which were a couple of wooden wall mounted shelves, unpainted, a similar counter top and a fridge. Drinks were limited to sangria or beer. The stage, was a foot high affair to the left of the "bar". Scattered large plants, were strewn with fairy lights and seats were upturned paint buckets. Our table was a plank of wood over another upturned bucket. It was rustic. All under the stars, with the surrounding buildings enjoying the view. It was the coolest bar I have been to in a long time.
The music was mellow lounge jazz that evoked a 50's/60's Parisian joint, minus the cigarette smoke. We had arrived early at 10pm, so managed to get a seat. We sipped our free sangria and let the mellowness reign. It was just what Robert needed considering his day and it was a nice place to have a b´day drink. At about 11pm, the band came on, including a double base. The mellow jazz vibe remained. This would be so good to have in london. It was a nice introduction to Panama City.
Over the next few days, exploring Casco Viejo (the old city), we found that there is an amazing amount of renovation. Panama is the place to be right now for property investment. Money is pouring in and the old city is beginning to blossom and bear fruit, which is further encouraging investment. However, this tends to be centred around Calle 1 etc. up to 9 and not all streets in between.
The buildings that are renovated stand out like a rose among some pretty weeds. They are beautifully renovated and you get a view of what the city may have been like 100-200 years ago. Many other buildings are ramshackle and near collapse, but have a fading beauty, with the remnants of their grand beautifully carved balconies and shutters taunting the future developer. Robert said it reminded him of Havana. There are many tourists/expats here, mostly American. This of course has attracted a gourmet supermarket, some bijou cafes and arty shops, that would not look out of place on the kings road in London.
In-between is the odd ruin that sometimes houses some gentlemen watching futbol on tv. How they get the electricity for this is a mystery. Sometimes they are workers repairing the building, others are squatters. In the habitable run down mansions, you see a group of teenagers or perhaps local mothers, standing in the street, peering over the half door into a living room, watching a movie or some soap, enjoying the generosity of a wealthier neighbour, sharing their good fortune. See street foto.
On Friday and Saturday evenings, you can feel the pulsating energy of the locals, as they celebrate the weekend. The volume of their boom boxes pounding out salsa and raggaeton, is raised to deafening levels, in various households. Passing by, you can practically feel the ground throb in time to the music. Some houses seem to be gathering points, selling alcohol or snacks. There is laughter and dancing and you can sense you are in Latin America.
However wandering up past Calle 11, you can sense a different vibe. More bodies lying prostrate in the doorways. Girls in the shortest of shorts, wandering around with no obvious purpose, at certain corners. Dodgy looking characters, near a bar offering ladies night. Add to that the increased dirt, smells and general unkemptness, with a sense of sleeping danger and you get a better picture of what the more touristy part of Casco Viejo was a while back before prosperity hit and the requisite security guards patrolled. Restaurants veer from the local lady cooking from her skanky kitchen and selling her offerings over her half door, to the upmarket decadent $80 for 2 affair, with satin napkins.
Robert and I like our food, so sampled a few of the more salubrious establishments. One night we ate at one of the poshest. Oh it was good. We had a fabulous temder mouth watering steak, with perfectly cooked vegetables and quaffed a glorious rich merlot. It was the best meal I have had since I got to Latin America. Yet we paid $10 for some fruit salad, cake, juice and coffee in this bijou cafe, each. Prices depend on how much you will pay. Some good restaurants are for the tourist, some for the tourist and affluent locals. Expat money has totally changed the face of this area in the last 4 years. This city however, would still be disintegrating if not for it.
16May
We got at taxi to Miraflores. This is one of the locks on the Panama canal and is nearest to Panama City.
Luckily the Our luck was in. There was a gynormous cruise ship, Disney Magic, in the first part of the lock. I didn't know Disney world had cruises but they do. It even had Mickey Mouse waving and cheering. Also at the back of the ship was goofy glued onto it. There was a great atmosphere. The ship´s guests, lined along the railings, waving and cheering to those looking on from the lock platform. You could sense the excitement of those onboard. It really is a once in a lifetime thing, to go through the Panama Canal. I have to admit it was pretty cool even in a kitsch way. The actual mechanics of the lock were pretty impressive too. The ship enters a lock that is quite high up. Once the lock is full of water, the gates are opened and these little mechanical engines, like mini trains pull the ship into the next lock that is lower. This fills and then the boat is then released into the next part of the canal. We watched this and another huge cargo ship pass through. Then ventured to the museum to learn more facts of this tremendous development. See foto of Disney cruise ship.
The next day we got a taxi to the Causaway. This is a long road that was constructed between 4 small islands near Panama City. Along the road are restaurants and bars and you can hire bikes etc. We got stuck in one of these for a few hours while it bucketed with rain, which strangely enough is fascinating to watch, helped along by some wine and beer. I took some black and white fotos of this to play with my camera. See black and white foto. 18th May
El Valle a little town in the mountains, was reputed to have a sunday market, with 3 local tribes selling their handicrafts which inspired us to visit. We got a bus from Albrook Bus terminal. It was a bit of a squeeze, as the local buses are a bit smaller than coaches. We got to town about noon. Got a place right across from where the bus stopped. Just as we were walking in Jeremiah appeared. He was one of my sailing mates from Colombia. It was really good to see him. However, conversation was stilted as his English and my Spanish are about the same. i.e. not good.
The market was in full swing. It was disappointing however, as most of the indigenous people were not in their traditional clothes and many of the trinkets for sale were typical tourist items. Although there were some nice things too, but it was not quite what we expected and in retrospect we could have skipped it. After 30 minutes we tired or the market and lunched heartily for a couple of dollars each.
We were given a map by the hotel owner and so went off in search of the hot springs. Thirty minutes later w
e found them. It consisted of a fenced in green area. In one corner stood 2 pots of mud, a pale mud and a dark mud and a mirror all surrounded by concrete seating. We were instructed that we were to put the mud on our face, only. Then to wash it off after it dried. We joined others, in the face plastering or the drying phase. We waited and amused ourselves by taking fotos. The hot springs, were 2 concrete pools into which poured very warm water from the surrounding volcanic region. We sank into it's murky depths, then rinsed off under the cold shower. That was the hot springs experience. It was amusing.
We got back to the hotel and after dinner, ascended the stairs to the roof terrace with our bottle of wine. We met these 4 guys who were a mix of German, French and Austria. They had all met studying Spanish in Spain, whilst in university. We had a nice chat with them, then as we were knackered from our strenuous activities, we went to bed.
Next morning we decided to hike to one of the waterfalls. After an hour and a few false leads, we eventually found the trail to the waterfall. It was hot, so tiring. The view though was lovely as we were surrounded by trees sprouting from the hillsides. At one stage this Granny and her grandchildren passed us out, as did this mother and her daughter. I guess we need to get fitter. Just about 1.30 we felt rain so rushed back to town. We didn't quite make it so stood in this doorway for 30 or so minutes, watching the most torrential rain. We figured we got the most out of El Valle and got the bus out of there.
We got back to Panama about 6 and perused the shopping mall. We then got a taxi to Casco Viejo. I didn't ask the price of the taxi beforehand, as normally you just hand 2 dollars which is more than enough for 2 people and drivers are usually happy with this. If you ask then you show you don't know. This is what I was told. But not this time. Our driver started yelling at us that it was 5 dollars. I said no it was 2. He threatened to call the police. So being miss stubborn and pissed off with this attitude from someone driving a rather new car not the bangers many of the others drove, I told him to go ahead, I would wait. Strangely enough he then took out some leaflet, indicating that it was 3 dollars from Allbrook. I said it wasn't but he wouldn´t let it go. Eventually to shut him up I gave him the extra dollar and was then annoyed at myself for giving in to such aggression which will of course encourage him to do it again. The ones in the bangers never seem to cause trouble and are often more polite. After that I tensed when ever it came to taking taxis. Robert wanted to ask the price but that didn't get us anywhere either as many taxis just laughed at us when we refused to pay 2 or 3 times the amount. I didn't have this problem before Robert came but then there were 4 of us. Maybe because Robert looks wealthier than we did, or we had really bad luck with drivers.
We had left our luggage in Casco Viejo hostel, but when we got there, they were booked out. So we headed to Lunas, of course they were booked too. Although bless them, they offered us a couch, if we couldn't find a bed. We were not having a good evening. We then noticed this place called Casa Grande, as we were desperate and it was getting late we booked in. It might have been big, huge in fact and was once a beautiful mansion but not for the last 50 or so years. Those property development programs would have had a field day...
We went back to get our bags from Casco Viejo hostel but when the owner heard where we were staying, he said don't stay there. It sells rooms by the hour and houses crack heads etc. He recommended this other place but it was too late, we had booked and paid and we felt for some bizarre reason to rise to the challenge. He advised us to leave our bags with him until the morning. So we did. We then went to a very nice restaurant facing onto the square for dinner and a few drinks to help us face our new abode.
In Casa Grande, the receptionist resided behind an iron cage. There were 2 gates to enter the hostel, each only opened from within the den. She then had another door barred, protecting her from the guests, or it could be the other way around from the look of her. Not a good omen.
We entered with extreme trepidation, especially the toilets. The toilets may have seen better days but I doubt it. The walls were stained by those that had run out of paper, toilet paper that is or maybe pen and ink. I kept waiting for the cockroaches to rear their ugly heads and feelers. But no, I didn't see any. Oh thank god. That would have been too insufferable.
The external concrete sinks made me retch a bit when I was cleaning my teeth but were usable. The bed, ah yes, god knows what activities it had seen. I looked at the sheets, they were stained and a bit torn but thank goodness, had been washed. However, the kind owners had provided a new packaged roll of toilet paper and a fresh packaged bar of soap. A hell of a lot more than other hostels provide and all this for only $7. A bargain. Er I think...
I don't know if I or Robert have ever ever stayed in a place so bad. I felt sorry for Robert, here he was on his annual 2 week holiday and this is what he had to resort to. He took it amazingly well.
We got an ok nights sleep. Amazing considering that I felt at any moment we were to be awoken by some crack head beating down the door to rob the gringos, he heard were staying here. Or awoken by some prostitute berating her client for not paying. But nothing all was calm and peaceful.
20May
The next morning, all we saw was some poor family, with the dad washing his toddler in the shower. I felt so sorry that this family was perhaps having the family holiday in this dingy hotel or forced to live here. Then again there are some living in much much worse and this would be considered luxurious. I think the hotel has a bad rep perhaps not deserved, considering it was top of the heap but one, in the lonely planet 2004 version or maybe we just got lucky.
Either way we got out of there fast. Robert choose not to even shave. We did the bare minimum and were gone. We had to get a taxi but with no issue to Allbrook and got the bus to Panama´s second city, David. Shockingly easy, we got the connecting bus to Boquete. This time we took the precaution of booking over the phone. We could not face another night like last night.
We ascended into the clouds and arrived in Boquete. Boquete is in the middle of the mountainous coffee plantation area, about 1200-1300m above sea level. It is wet 9 months of the year. However, it has now become the new miami. By this I mean it has become the retirement centre for many Americans and some Europeans. This is all due to some acclaimed International retirement magazine who voted it the 4th best city to retire in. They, needless to say,forgot to mention the rain.
Prices have sky rocketed and even the price of a pineapple is 3 times that in David. This is causing major problems to the local population, as they are forced out of their town and are forced to pay extortionate prices for their food, due to the influx of these wealthy grey gringos. Having spoken to a few of the locals, I got a feeling of resentment although not at the tourists, as they come, they spend, they leave. Tourists bring in money but don't affect the local economy so much. Ha the sore point is, that many of these retirees and expats that moved in a few years ago, now find that actually they don't like so much rain or are bored senseless, as there really is to not a great deal to do in Boquete, if you don't like hiking in the torrential rain or watching DVDs. So when they try to sell they struggle. However new properties sold, especially over the internet or even before the new owner sees them are still going up in price. Go figure...
We got to a nice hotel but for $30. It was the only one that I could understand over the phone and had availability. We found this really nice restaurant, that served a wide variety of food. It was quite westernised but the owner was Latina, so may have lived in the US etc. We feasted over a shared steak, lovely vegetables and even had wine and dessert... I am so spoiling myself.
21MayNext day we moved hotels so this took up the morning. We found a place for half the price and still quite nice. At midday it rained ferociously and didn't stop. We found a restaurant for lunch then, pottered around the shops while the rain was light. Checked out this really nice cafe that apparently runs coffee plantation tours. We didn't have the best nights sleep so were really sluggish next day. As a result, by the time we were ready to do anything, it was midday and raining again. We hadn't realised that it rains every day around midday. If we had known...
El Valle a little town in the mountains, was reputed to have a sunday market, with 3 local tribes selling their handicrafts which inspired us to visit. We got a bus from Albrook Bus terminal. It was a bit of a squeeze, as the local buses are a bit smaller than coaches. We got to town about noon. Got a place right across from where the bus stopped. Just as we were walking in Jeremiah appeared. He was one of my sailing mates from Colombia. It was really good to see him. However, conversation was stilted as his English and my Spanish are about the same. i.e. not good.
The market was in full swing. It was disappointing however, as most of the indigenous people were not in their traditional clothes and many of the trinkets for sale were typical tourist items. Although there were some nice things too, but it was not quite what we expected and in retrospect we could have skipped it. After 30 minutes we tired or the market and lunched heartily for a couple of dollars each.
We were given a map by the hotel owner and so went off in search of the hot springs. Thirty minutes later w
e found them. It consisted of a fenced in green area. In one corner stood 2 pots of mud, a pale mud and a dark mud and a mirror all surrounded by concrete seating. We were instructed that we were to put the mud on our face, only. Then to wash it off after it dried. We joined others, in the face plastering or the drying phase. We waited and amused ourselves by taking fotos. The hot springs, were 2 concrete pools into which poured very warm water from the surrounding volcanic region. We sank into it's murky depths, then rinsed off under the cold shower. That was the hot springs experience. It was amusing.We got back to the hotel and after dinner, ascended the stairs to the roof terrace with our bottle of wine. We met these 4 guys who were a mix of German, French and Austria. They had all met studying Spanish in Spain, whilst in university. We had a nice chat with them, then as we were knackered from our strenuous activities, we went to bed.
Next morning we decided to hike to one of the waterfalls. After an hour and a few false leads, we eventually found the trail to the waterfall. It was hot, so tiring. The view though was lovely as we were surrounded by trees sprouting from the hillsides. At one stage this Granny and her grandchildren passed us out, as did this mother and her daughter. I guess we need to get fitter. Just about 1.30 we felt rain so rushed back to town. We didn't quite make it so stood in this doorway for 30 or so minutes, watching the most torrential rain. We figured we got the most out of El Valle and got the bus out of there.
We got back to Panama about 6 and perused the shopping mall. We then got a taxi to Casco Viejo. I didn't ask the price of the taxi beforehand, as normally you just hand 2 dollars which is more than enough for 2 people and drivers are usually happy with this. If you ask then you show you don't know. This is what I was told. But not this time. Our driver started yelling at us that it was 5 dollars. I said no it was 2. He threatened to call the police. So being miss stubborn and pissed off with this attitude from someone driving a rather new car not the bangers many of the others drove, I told him to go ahead, I would wait. Strangely enough he then took out some leaflet, indicating that it was 3 dollars from Allbrook. I said it wasn't but he wouldn´t let it go. Eventually to shut him up I gave him the extra dollar and was then annoyed at myself for giving in to such aggression which will of course encourage him to do it again. The ones in the bangers never seem to cause trouble and are often more polite. After that I tensed when ever it came to taking taxis. Robert wanted to ask the price but that didn't get us anywhere either as many taxis just laughed at us when we refused to pay 2 or 3 times the amount. I didn't have this problem before Robert came but then there were 4 of us. Maybe because Robert looks wealthier than we did, or we had really bad luck with drivers.
We had left our luggage in Casco Viejo hostel, but when we got there, they were booked out. So we headed to Lunas, of course they were booked too. Although bless them, they offered us a couch, if we couldn't find a bed. We were not having a good evening. We then noticed this place called Casa Grande, as we were desperate and it was getting late we booked in. It might have been big, huge in fact and was once a beautiful mansion but not for the last 50 or so years. Those property development programs would have had a field day...
We went back to get our bags from Casco Viejo hostel but when the owner heard where we were staying, he said don't stay there. It sells rooms by the hour and houses crack heads etc. He recommended this other place but it was too late, we had booked and paid and we felt for some bizarre reason to rise to the challenge. He advised us to leave our bags with him until the morning. So we did. We then went to a very nice restaurant facing onto the square for dinner and a few drinks to help us face our new abode.
In Casa Grande, the receptionist resided behind an iron cage. There were 2 gates to enter the hostel, each only opened from within the den. She then had another door barred, protecting her from the guests, or it could be the other way around from the look of her. Not a good omen.
We entered with extreme trepidation, especially the toilets. The toilets may have seen better days but I doubt it. The walls were stained by those that had run out of paper, toilet paper that is or maybe pen and ink. I kept waiting for the cockroaches to rear their ugly heads and feelers. But no, I didn't see any. Oh thank god. That would have been too insufferable.
The external concrete sinks made me retch a bit when I was cleaning my teeth but were usable. The bed, ah yes, god knows what activities it had seen. I looked at the sheets, they were stained and a bit torn but thank goodness, had been washed. However, the kind owners had provided a new packaged roll of toilet paper and a fresh packaged bar of soap. A hell of a lot more than other hostels provide and all this for only $7. A bargain. Er I think...
I don't know if I or Robert have ever ever stayed in a place so bad. I felt sorry for Robert, here he was on his annual 2 week holiday and this is what he had to resort to. He took it amazingly well.
We got an ok nights sleep. Amazing considering that I felt at any moment we were to be awoken by some crack head beating down the door to rob the gringos, he heard were staying here. Or awoken by some prostitute berating her client for not paying. But nothing all was calm and peaceful.
20May
The next morning, all we saw was some poor family, with the dad washing his toddler in the shower. I felt so sorry that this family was perhaps having the family holiday in this dingy hotel or forced to live here. Then again there are some living in much much worse and this would be considered luxurious. I think the hotel has a bad rep perhaps not deserved, considering it was top of the heap but one, in the lonely planet 2004 version or maybe we just got lucky.
Either way we got out of there fast. Robert choose not to even shave. We did the bare minimum and were gone. We had to get a taxi but with no issue to Allbrook and got the bus to Panama´s second city, David. Shockingly easy, we got the connecting bus to Boquete. This time we took the precaution of booking over the phone. We could not face another night like last night.
We ascended into the clouds and arrived in Boquete. Boquete is in the middle of the mountainous coffee plantation area, about 1200-1300m above sea level. It is wet 9 months of the year. However, it has now become the new miami. By this I mean it has become the retirement centre for many Americans and some Europeans. This is all due to some acclaimed International retirement magazine who voted it the 4th best city to retire in. They, needless to say,forgot to mention the rain.
Prices have sky rocketed and even the price of a pineapple is 3 times that in David. This is causing major problems to the local population, as they are forced out of their town and are forced to pay extortionate prices for their food, due to the influx of these wealthy grey gringos. Having spoken to a few of the locals, I got a feeling of resentment although not at the tourists, as they come, they spend, they leave. Tourists bring in money but don't affect the local economy so much. Ha the sore point is, that many of these retirees and expats that moved in a few years ago, now find that actually they don't like so much rain or are bored senseless, as there really is to not a great deal to do in Boquete, if you don't like hiking in the torrential rain or watching DVDs. So when they try to sell they struggle. However new properties sold, especially over the internet or even before the new owner sees them are still going up in price. Go figure...
We got to a nice hotel but for $30. It was the only one that I could understand over the phone and had availability. We found this really nice restaurant, that served a wide variety of food. It was quite westernised but the owner was Latina, so may have lived in the US etc. We feasted over a shared steak, lovely vegetables and even had wine and dessert... I am so spoiling myself.
21MayNext day we moved hotels so this took up the morning. We found a place for half the price and still quite nice. At midday it rained ferociously and didn't stop. We found a restaurant for lunch then, pottered around the shops while the rain was light. Checked out this really nice cafe that apparently runs coffee plantation tours. We didn't have the best nights sleep so were really sluggish next day. As a result, by the time we were ready to do anything, it was midday and raining again. We hadn't realised that it rains every day around midday. If we had known...
We had wanted to do a long hike but this was impossible. Even if we headed off at 6am, we would not be back before midday and it was too dangerous to be hiking the volcano once the cloud came down, as you get lost. We had to make do with a jaunt around the outskirts, see attached foto. 
To compensate, we arranged for an 8am Canopy tour for our last day. The 4wheel drive truck took ups up further to the mountains and the national park. We got to see a bit ot the country side as we got lucky with the weather.
WE got to the camp, which is to be their new hotel. It was a beautiful setting, high on the hill with a fabulous view of nautre at her greenest.
We were strapped into our harnesses and helmets and given a brief demo. Basically, there is a wooden platform tied onto a huge tree about 10 feet from the bottom of the tree. There are 14 trees with these platforms on this tour. There is a steel cable going from one of these trees to another. You stand on the platform, get hooked onto the wire and then you zip/speed along the wire from the platform you are on, to the platform of the next tree and so on. Often you are over a 100 feet above ground, treetops, rivers or even waterfalls, strapped to a wire. Great view!!!! You have a very tough garden glove on each hand, with a thick leather bit in the palm area. You put your hand over the wire and use that to brake. We had a private tour. Oh Great! I really didn't think I could do the first one. Throwing myself off nice stable areas into the unknown is not one of my talents. The guide telling all these things to remember and I am thinking how are I going to remember these. But I went and rammed the next tree, as I couldn't break. However I then got too good at braking and for the next few wires I stopped a little too far away from the platform and had to haul myself to it. But I eventually got the hang of it and we had a great few hours skimming over the treetops and rivers. Robert seemed to take it all in his stride, even though he has a fear of heights and gets this weird thing where he wants to jump off. Hmm maybe that´s why he liked it.
The guides were brilliant and chatty and said they liked it when the group was small, as they got a chance to talk and not have to rush everyone through as often they will have 2 groups of 20. The final Piece de resistance was the tarzan swing... I could have resisted... Again we were harnessed to this rope, hung off this tree. We then had to jump off this platform and swing. However, there was a bit of a drop once you came off the platform AND I hate it when my stomach comes up to my mouth. But it was ok. The drop looked a hell of a lot worse than it was. So we did it again.
We rushed lunch and strode up to cafe ruiz for our Coffee plantation tour. They put on a tour for us again a private one but didnt charge us extra. Carlos was our guide. Wow what a guide. He was so knowledgeable and just so lovely with superb English. He started coming to the plantation when he was 10 and has been here 25 years. This was before there were laws against underage unemployment.
The plantation is owned my Senor Ruiz, a genteel 86 year old. The coffee season lasts 6 months, as each bean is hand picked and only when ripe. The local Indigenous tribe come every year to do this. The work is hard but pays relatively well. Carlos started with coffee bean picking, now gives tours and generally works at each thing around the plantation except picking. He gave us a good quote too. In Boquette, they call Nescafe, No es cafe. Made us laugh!!
I learned so much about Coffee. We even got to meet Senor Ruiz. He is such a lovely man and was so welcoming. He was testing out his new air rifle (he used to hunt but his wife wanted him to stop so...) and was bemonaing the fact that it was crap, as it was made in China. We had a good chat about things made in China and he explained a little about bean quality and the emblem on his companies bags. All in all, we spent 3.5 hours there and even got a little bag with some goodies. We both loved the tour and it was a highlight of the whole trip to Panama and really opened our eyes. Who would have thought.
We rushed lunch and strode up to cafe ruiz for our Coffee plantation tour. They put on a tour for us again a private one but didnt charge us extra. Carlos was our guide. Wow what a guide. He was so knowledgeable and just so lovely with superb English. He started coming to the plantation when he was 10 and has been here 25 years. This was before there were laws against underage unemployment.
The plantation is owned my Senor Ruiz, a genteel 86 year old. The coffee season lasts 6 months, as each bean is hand picked and only when ripe. The local Indigenous tribe come every year to do this. The work is hard but pays relatively well. Carlos started with coffee bean picking, now gives tours and generally works at each thing around the plantation except picking. He gave us a good quote too. In Boquette, they call Nescafe, No es cafe. Made us laugh!!
I learned so much about Coffee. We even got to meet Senor Ruiz. He is such a lovely man and was so welcoming. He was testing out his new air rifle (he used to hunt but his wife wanted him to stop so...) and was bemonaing the fact that it was crap, as it was made in China. We had a good chat about things made in China and he explained a little about bean quality and the emblem on his companies bags. All in all, we spent 3.5 hours there and even got a little bag with some goodies. We both loved the tour and it was a highlight of the whole trip to Panama and really opened our eyes. Who would have thought.
No comments:
Post a Comment