One good thing about having visitors is that you tend to go out and enjoy the things in your area and get out of your routine a bit. My nephew was visiting last weekend and we had a day to run around, so we thought a trip to the beach was in order.
The beach isn’t that far but weeks can go by when we don’t go visit. It was as beautiful as ever this afternoon though the waves were bigger and stronger. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many people out having a good time. The parking area was quite full, and many people were on the beach and more were relaxing in the shade. Many times we have been there and only seen a handful of people, and sometimes nobody at all but not on this beautiful day.
There isn’t a lot going on at the beach. There is Las Olas resort/hotel, a building of condos, and down the other direction there is a community of beach homes but I understand most of them are only used seasonally. In the middle area this new white condo building has arisen, and past it are a couple little local restaurants, both of which were open. In my previous experience only one is usually open and they usually only have fried fish, but it’s very good fish.
I love the mountains way in the distance
If you go to this beach though, use extreme caution in the water. It is known for dangerous rip currents and undertows and people have drowned. I noticed there was a caution flag and emergency floating devices on the beach, something I hadn’t seen before. I don’t think there is a lifeguard though.
The view from the restaurant
To get to the beach it is a pretty drive through the countryside past cow pastures, sugar cane fields, rice fields, and some small towns. I bike out there quite a bit but it’s a 2 hour ride each way so I usually only go part way. Near the beach you can see storks, egrets, and other water birds and there is a caiman that is known to live in one of the waterways.
I hope everything here makes sense. I’m listening to my daughter at the same time. She is doing a Planning Commission Meeting for Sonoma County CA and it is live on line. I’m sure this is totally boring to most people but I think it’s really cool to be able to watch her at work. They are in the very complicated and lengthy process of making policy for marijuana, and since they are the among the first who are making policy for growing, distribution, sales and all aspects of the industry, a lot of eyes are on them.
The Panama Adventure 
It all made sense to me. Great photos Kris, although I can’t say I’m too keen on the new condo. Some would consider it progress I suppose, but that would not include me.
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Good, thanks 😀
I think the tall condo building looks out of place too, but oh well. Maybe it will be the beginning of more of a community out there.
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Hi Kris . I believe that’s the beach that is 15 minutes by car away from my house. Not sure how long a walk that would be, but I love walking. So now I’m hopping up and down. It looks wonderful.
Nick
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Oh?! Where is your house? 15 minutes, maybe 10 miles? How fast do you walk? 😀
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Okay if I tell you I’m not sure please don’t laugh. Here is the address I received. Via Querebalo after Super mini baru, second entrance on the right second green house on the right hand side, David, Chiriqui, Panama. So I assume I’m in David somewhere. LOL.
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No, not laughing at all. Houses don’t have numbers and many streets don’t have names so that is a very straightforward address for these parts. I know just where you are. Via Querebalo is the street that heads out towards the beach and I’ve pedaled by that Super Baru many times. You are in the very last neighborhood in south David before you head out into the country. From there it’s probably 1 1/4 hr to be beach by bike so that would be maybe 12-13 miles? You’d have to be driving at some very unsafe speeds though to make it in 15 minutes. It’s a nice, middle class Panamanian neighborhood there so IMO you did well.
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Thanks Kris, I was pretty sure I’d spotted the Super Baru on the Map but there was one in closer to Central David, so I wasn’t sure. Good to know I am in a good area, and close enough for some good country walks. And I am close to a bus line which is another plus.
Sleepless in London Ontario, LOL.
Nick
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There are also other Baru’s around town. Yes, there are buses that stop at your Baru, and taxis tend to hang out there too so you are in good shape.
You are coming in Dec? That’s only a couple weeks away. Pack your shorts and flip flops 😀 and sunscreen, and one respectable outfit for going to town
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After looking at a map I think that is suppose to be Querevalo.
Nick
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No matter. it’s hard to tell a “v” and a “b” apart when spoken in Spanish, and I wouldn’t be surprised if most people don’t know the name of the street anyway.
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Whoa, amiga!! What are you doing? We do not multi-task in Panama! 🙂
Hola Kris,
Cool on getting to watch your daughter in real-time, the web is amazing. She needs to use some special gesture like Carol Burnett used to signal her Nanny.
The crowd at the beach may have been folks who use the many November holidays to put together mini-vacations to visit mom on Mother’s Day and start Christmas shopping. The temps at the beach in November are better and mornings are usually clear and calmer. The beach photos are amazing. I hope nephew had a good time.
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LOL I only multi task for very special occasions. And in this age of technology we don’t even need hand signals, only instant messenger when other people are talking and her phone is in her lap 😀
The beach crowd was a lot of families so it could well have been a get together of relatives enjoying a beautiful Sunday.
I think my nephew really liked Panama. We really liked him and hope he gets to spend more time here.
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IIf you go to this beach, use extreme caution in the water. La Barqueta Beach is known for dangerous rip currents and undertows and quite a few people have drowned. Most surfers will not surf this beach because it does have extremely strong rip tides. We have stayed at Las Olas Resort twice, using Oferta Simple coupons. The first time I ventured out into the surf and had an exceedingly difficult time getting back to shore. The TV show, Hotel Impossible did a show there and it was interesting to watch. The hotel is owned by an “Old Time Panamanian” family. The father rules with an iron fist and will not spend money on anything, including maintenance, even though the hotel loses about $10,000 PER MONTH. His Daughter and her husband are the managers, but can spend no money without the father’s approval. The host of the show tried his best, but in the end, they did not implement his recommendation, went back to the old ways and the hotel continues to deteriorate. We will never go back because the rooms are beginning to smell and there are many things that need to be repaired.
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Yes, I am well aware of the dangers and mentioned it in the post. I know someone who lost her son in law when he went to help someone, and he, another helper and the swimmer in trouble all drowned. He left a wife and two very young children behind. Myself, I only go in to my knees if at all. Even then, on a calmer day, you can feel the strength of the undertow.
Very interesting about the hotel! We have wondered what was going on there. They have the capability of hosting a lot of guests and making some fun times. Can you imagine if they bused people from Boquete, had a buffet and live music? But, every time we have been there it’s been almost empty. We wondered how they can stay in business that way. How does that family have enough money to support those kind of losses?? Crazy. We also stayed there on an Oferta Simple but we are close enough to just drive out for a visit so don’t plan to stay over again.
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