journeywithmadonna

Volcan, about an hour off the Pan-American highway,  is “nestled in a high plateau formed by an ancient eruption…………….much of the landscape is filled with rolling pastures and dairy farms, a joy to hike and often resplendent with chattering birds.  Volcan is located 1450m above sea level and is often chilly after dark” – once I read chilly after dark I was determined to go! The drive from Santa Fe which is normally about four hours actually took us six hours because of the on-going construction of the deconstructed Pan American highway……..very rough shape and the work continued kilometre after kilometre after kilometre.   We were very frequently stopped to let big dump and gravel trucks go on and off the highway so by the time we got to Volcan it was late afternoon and we were tired from doing nothing.   Well Marilyn and I were tired from doing nothing and Jim was just tired from driving and avoiding potholes on the road.   Took us quite a while to find a place as the GPS wasn’t working and therefore we couldn’t find the accommodation we were looking for……..finally just settled on a  hotel that wasn’t great but rooms were clean, staff were friendly and it had a pool…….which we didn’t end up using!   Half decent restaurant close by and we decided to just spend the night and have an early start in the morning to find the accommodation we were actually looking for.  Our early morning start was actually an early morning wrong turn and before you know it we were almost to the Costa Rican border but what a great mistake as it was one beautiful drive!  Gorgeous country as the pictures above hopefully point out but we decided we didn’t  want to spend the morning driving somewhere where we didn’t really want to go so turnaround we did and headed towards Guadalupe, a small community North of Volcan where word had it there was great hiking……catch YA later!

Coffee house Inn

We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it….or not!

Hiking in Santa Fe

Coffee house InnSanta fe is a small community about an hour north of Santiago, in the mountains with a population of somewhere around 3000.  It was here  we found two wonderful accommodations and decided to spend a night in each.   It didn’t actually happen that way but totally worked out!   When we arrived in this little community we had read reviews about the Coffee Mountain Inn so we headed for there which was just a tad out of town.   While we were looking for a place to eat we came across Anacheero restaurant which was also a small hotel owned by a Dutchman and his Cambodian wife.   Unfortunately they were totally booked(a small place) so we booked for the next night and instead of just making a reservation for dinner we also booked accommodation so we could enjoy wine and not worry about driving or walking home in the dark……what a great decision!   Both places were wonderful but the Cambodian meal was one of  my best meals yet in Panama……fish amok  which I had  in Cambodia a few years ago……absolutely delicious!  And they were lovely hosts……he had a fabulous and quirky sense of humour(mid thirties) and she was a very beautiful and gentle Cambodian young woman who sure knew how to cook.   They also had a great dog, black lab kind of, and cats who didn’t bother me at all thank the Lord as I am not a cat lover.   We took a hike from here that was three hours, mid day, so it  was quite hot.   Not a problem in the end because the little hotel overlooked a mountain and there were hammocks to lie in and relax and it was actually quite cool!   Moving on……..not sure where but will be in touch.

…….is a small agricultural community about a half hour north of Santiago, was founded in 1621 and is best known for its ancient church, Iglesia San Francisco de Asis de la Montana – what a mouthful!  The church is over 300 years old, draws pilgrims from afar and features “striking frescoes and several altars which blend indigenous and Catholic motifs.”  It was declared a national monument and is one of the best places in the continent to see very early colonial and baroque artwork.   Not too far away was a local swimming hole and waterfall where we stopped to have lunch.  Teenagers are the same everywhere…..several walked in with their cooler and were drinking beer and were stopped by the security which we were very surprised to see there as well.  I think, however, they left them alone and with their beer and probably just warned them to be on their best behaviour

…….Is where we went to view the workings of the Panama Canal, an engineering feat that you will have to google as there is no way I can do it justice.  This was the first real touristry thing we did and it was a surprise to see all the bus tours and the line ups.  The Miraflores locks were completed in 1913 and now have over 300,000 visitors per year and no doubt that number will continue to grow.  The history of the Panama Canal, about which I knew very little, is quite amazing so it was a treat to learn about its history and the on-going importance it continues to have in today’s world………especially with regard to Panama’s economy.   From Miraflores we tried to find our way to the Parque Natural Metropolitano, and of course got lost, which meant we had a tour of the city!    Jim was our driver and he was lucky to have three others in the car who were directors……….Marilyn was quiet.    It’s a crazy city to drive in as there are no rules and that goes for the whole country with people weaving in and out of traffic, never using a signal and acting as if there was no one on the road.  I was so relieved not to be driving, as was everyone else, so Jim and Yves took charge and chauffeured us around.   There are hardly any signs and the few that are there are well worn and hard to read.   While doing the unplanned tour of Panama City we were going the wrong way on a one way street with people flagging us down and shouting, taxi drivers honking and finally we were pulled over by the police.  Two of them swaggered over, Yves jumped out with the iPad/GPS and after a brief conversation they managed to explain to us where to go, stopped traffic so we could get out of there and never asked us for any money……..we were relieved!   By the time we got to the park we were too hungry to hike so went for lunch instead……what a hardship!   From here we parted with Dawn and Yves who went to their hotel in Panama City and Marilyn, Jim and I went back to Coronado Bay for the night to plan the rest of our journey……stay tuned!

….are leaving so we celebrated on our last evening with champagne on our deck in CORONADO Bay…….Dawn’s idea, of course(thanks)!   We also had munchies followed by a great dinner at Lunarosa, the Italian restaurant, a five minute walk away.   Tomorrow we bring them into Panama City as we all visit Miraflores, the Panama Canal, and the Metropolitan Park in the city.   Looking forward to another adventure!

…….……..is a wonderful way to start our day and we took full advantage every morning.   There is much black sand here which after a high tide mixes in with regular sand to form artistic creations on the beach which hopefully you can see in the photos above.  The other picture is of a willet fishing and now we know where they go in the winter as they are on our beach in the summer……hence the name of our cottage, Willet Point!   Another great day and so sorry to hear from you that the snow continues in NS; hard to believe given it’s the second day of spring.   Are you laughing hysterically now?   Catch YA later!

 …….is one of Panama’s central coasts remote destinations and a kite-surfers paradise.   Today  we packed a lunch and drove out there……….what a fabulous spot it is.  Walking on the white sand, watching the Pelicans Dive for food and then watching Dawn chase the Pelicans and taking 50 pictures was a joy to behold……another great day in Panama!

Lest we forget……. ………and we do not!   But here we are in Panama

Coronado Beach is one of the largest and most developed destinations on the Pacific.  One of the teachers Yves works with has a condo here and arranged for us to rent one of the units for our second week ……….we are on the 21st floor hence the view.   This is very different from anywhere else we have stayed thus far and of course the place is full of Canadians, mainly from

Canucks on the Beach Ontario, who come down for the winter.   It is just a five hour plane ride, same time zone, and only an hour and a half drive from Tocumen International Airport outside of Panama City.  The other people in this building are wealthy Panamanians and Americans but our American host who showed us the ropes told us that for every American there are six to seven more Canadians in this bldg……we were a little surprised.  Every day, however, we meet one or two at the pool and they seem to love it here.  It’s a very social condo and Bill, from Oakville, told us that when they have pot lucks on the roof to watch the sunsets they have up to 60 people attending…….along with great food and wine!   The community is made up of high rise condos, gated communities, resorts, golf course and wealthy vacation villas.   There’s also a mall but we haven’t been there yet………and no plans to go!   Our day starts at 7am when we walk three miles on the beach and then a swim at the beach or the pool, whichever you fancy – not a hard life at all!

…………hope so because here’s Panama Jim!

Anyone who knows Dawn won’t be shocked by the fact that she brought green food colouring in her luggage to make ‘green beer’ on this special day. Unfortunately it did not travel well and we both have had green hands on occasion because it spread over everything in her bag……….such is the luck of the Irish and hope it’s been with you all day! Over the last several years Marilyn, Jim and I have spent St. Patrick’s Day together in a little mountain town in Peru, in Durango, Colorado, in Spain, in Portugal and in Asia. Today you’re with us in spirit Marilyn and tomorrow in person. – see you at the airport!

Hope the picture brings everyone in Nova Scotia a little hope for better things to come…………we took it after our walk on the beach today from our pool deck.   First day of spring in four days!