The Panama Adventure

What Happened?

Posted on March 22, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

I looked at the calendar and realized it has been over two weeks since I have posted something. I don’t know what happened. A day goes by and I don’t write something, and then another goes by, and then another.

Maybe life is too normal. I have been here almost 2 1/2 years, and it’s easy to forget that daily life in Panama might be interesting to people reading about it from afar. But, mostly, I have been too busy living life and haven’t taken the time to write about it.

My usual view at my outside "office". The flowers are a gift from one of my neighbors, and the big green thing is a guanabana (soursap) that Joel managed to get before it fell.

My usual view at my outside “office”. The flowers are a gift from one of my neighbors, and the green spiny thing is a guanabana (soursop) that Joel managed to climb up and get before it fell.

Days seem to fly by and I never get everything done. How did I ever manage to find time to work and do everything else I used to do? Every moment was scheduled and I felt guilty for any moments of “doing nothing”. I still have trouble with doing nothing. This time seems like such a gift and I don’t want to waste it. Now though I have so much more choice about how I spend my time.

But, ask me what I do all day and I have to think about it. We have had more cyclists and guests here, and of course I want to spend some time with these interesting people. I go biking myself most days. I have a new friend who plays tennis so we have gone out a couple times to hit some balls. I went to the Feria with some friends. My neighbor showed me her favorite produce market. Of course there are the usual household chores too.

The back yard - the bananas look pretty shredded after weeks of windy summer weather. The ground cover looks pretty good for not having rain for a long time. The squash plant has been watered daily and seems to be thriving.

The back yard – the bananas look pretty shredded after weeks of windy summer weather. The ground cover looks good for late in the dry season. The squash plant in front has been watered daily and seems to be thriving.

Today is mostly a quiet Sunday at home. This morning I checked email while eating breakfast and then went bike riding, visiting some friends along the way. Then I showered and made a smoothie for lunch – banana, mango, strawberry, and guanabana (soursop). Guanabana has a bit of a strange taste but maybe I am getting used to it, and in a smoothie it’s fine. It is supposed to be really good for you so I have frozen cubes of it for later use. The mangoes (picked up from a tree in the neighborhood) are still mostly green but a friend said you can cook them like green apples, adding sugar or sweetener as needed. She is right! Strawberries are a treat usually only found in the highlands but I got lucky at my neighbor’s produce market – 5 pounds for $6.25. I have enough in the freezer to last a while. The bananas are a gift from Cedo’s farm.

Laundry is under way and drying quickly in the hot sun. A little house maintenance and floor washing is in order today also. Dinner only needs to be warmed up. We bought a used BBQ a couple days ago so we have some BBQ pork and chicken in the fridge. We have some veggies that only need to be warmed up and I’ll make a cucumber and tomato salad. We’re watching Episodes on TV/on line, the Showtime comedy series with Matt LeBlanc, so that’s this evening’s dinner entertainment.

The terrace roof is now insulated with a blue tarp, and the light installation is under way.

The rest of my time today will probably be spent catching up on my blog, reading others, and maybe a bit of yard time with my audio book. Joel has put a tarp under the terrace ceiling which looks kind of cool, and is also insulating us from the roof which gets warmed up by the afternoon sun. Now he is moving a light to the other side of the terrace so he can BBQ after dark more easily.

The BBQ waits to be put back in place while one of our frequent visitors gets a drink from the not fancy, but much appreciated bird bath.

The BBQ waits to be put back in place while one of our frequent visitors gets a drink from the not fancy, but much used bird bath.

So, there you go, a little slice of our life in David, Panama. It’s pretty sweet!

Posted in Miscellaneous, Panama | Tagged expat, Panama, retirement | 22 Comments

Albrook, the Panama City Bus Station

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

Panama has a great bus system but it can be a bit intimidating especially at Albrook, the big bus terminal in Panama City. Maybe a few photos and tips will help.

It is a large, busy, but attractive bus station.

Albrook is a large, busy, but attractive bus station.

When you arrive at the bus station, probably the first thing you want to do is buy a ticket to your destination. We were going to David so we needed to find the window selling tickets to David.

You will find a long hall with ticket windows all along one side.

We wanted to go to David, so this window that says “David” above it is what we need.

The easiest thing is to hand the your passport(s) to the agent and request your tickets – dos para David, por favor (two for David, please). They need your name and passport number, and its easier to let the agent read the information than try to tell them through the window in a noisy place.

Your ticket will have some important information.

I have circled the most important parts. Bus 63, means you will be on bus #63, and this number will be painted on the outside of the bus. Asiento 50 means you will be in seat #50. As you go down the aisle look for seat numbers. If I remember they may also say Vent (window) and Pasa (aisle). Hora 10:00 AM means you are leaving at 10:00 O’Clock. Destino (destination) is Panama, and Salida (departure) is David. Monto is price. The words above mean – esteemed passenger, present yourself 30 minutes before your departure.

Now you need one more thing, the card to get you through the turnstile so you can get to the boarding area. This seems to be unique to Panama City, so you won’t need this in other bus terminals. (This card is also good for buses and the metro)

This place isn’t far from where you buy the bus ticket, just a bit down to the left from the David window. Again, give the agent your passport and tell her how much money you want to put on the card (I’m afraid I don’t remember costs but it isn’t much, maybe a dollar for the card and $.25 to get through the turnstyle?) One card can be used for multiple people so you only need one. Keep your card because it can be used again, and you can also have it recharged here. You will find bathrooms on either side of this window also, and this card is used to get through the turnstyles to the bathrooms. Any time you use the card, your balance will be shown in the turnstyle window where you swipe your card.

Yeah! Now you are ready for the bus. The next thing is to find the waiting room, which is between the David ticket window and the place that sells the 3 in 1 cards.

The entrance to the waiting room.

You can hang out until they announce that it is time to board the bus. If you don’t understand the announcement, don’t worry. You will see a lot of people getting up and heading for the big blue bus outside.

Here are the turnstiles, and there is your big blue bus right outside that says David – Panama on the front. If you aren’t sure of anything show your ticket to the agent at the turnstiles and she will help you.

If you have baggage, go to the side of the bus. There will be someone there loading baggage underneath. He will stick a ticket on your baggage and give you the other half. Hang on to this ticket because you will need to present it at the other end to claim your baggage. (They unload baggage one piece at a time and call out the number for the owner to come forward and claim their item. When you claim yours you have to present your half of the ticket. It’s a bit chaotic but somehow it always works out).

Then, finally, you are on the bus, in your assigned seat, and ready to get on your way! One more suggestion though – bring a sweater or jacket. Sometimes they get the air conditioning cranked up to freeze level.

Every bus has an assistant who takes tickets, loads the movies, answers questions, reminds you of your stop if you are getting off somewhere along the way, and does anything else he can to make things run smoothly and keep everyone comfortable.

If you are arriving at the bus station, things are much less complicated.

The buses arrive on the upper level here.

A traveler is ready to walk down the ramp to the lower level.

At the bottom of the ramp is the area for buses and taxis.

There are always taxis in the area beyond the buses.

If you have time to kill, the huge Allbrook mall is right across the street. This is the “Rino” entrance. Different sections have different animals and in a mall that big, it helps people find their way around.

The mall also has a big food court of you are hungry. It’s at the very end of the hall past all the ticket windows.

You will find lots of familiar fast food in the food court.

At the end down there past the big clock on the wall is a casino.

Hopefully this will give you some idea of what to expect at the Albrook Bus Terminal. Everyone is helpful and used to confused travelers, but I think you feel better when you are armed with a bit of information beforehand.

Posted in Panama, travel | Tagged Albrook, Albrook Bus Terminal, Bus, Bus station, bus terminal, Panama, Panama City, Panama City Bus Terminal, ticket | 24 Comments

Residency! (and a good lawyer)

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

It’s official, we are now legal residents of Panama! We went to Panama City last Wednesday, spent a bit of time at immigration, and left with our official residency cards.

I wrote a post about our application process HERE, which we did in December 16th. On February 15th our lawyer told us that our residency was ready (two months – very fast).

It can happen that there is actually some problem so rather than call us to Panama City for nothing, our lawyer requested that we send our passports and temporary cards to him by Uno Express. He took them to immigration to verify that there were no problems to be ironed out and everything was good to go.

On the 25th (after I returned from a short trip) we touched base and he told me that yes, everything was ready and we only needed to come to Panama City. We met on Wednesday morning, March 4th, at immigration. When we arrived there was a line around the building. We waited for maybe 30-45 minutes, and then waited in another long line inside where you request a number for the department you need. It worked out that our lawyer made it through the outside line just before we got to the desk at the head of the inside line, so when we got our number we were all together and ready to proceed to the next step.

There was almost no waiting for photos. I was asked to sign an electronic pad and then look at the camera, and then it was Joel’s turn to do the same. After his photo was taken my card was put in my hand, and then his was handed to him. That was it. We were done! Except for waiting in lines the process took only a few minutes. It is still sinking in that we are legal now. We have our permanent cards which are good “indefinitely” (it says so right on the cards!)

I cannot thank our lawyer, Marcos Kraemer, enough. The whole process went smoothly and he gave us all the information we needed at every step of the way. So many of our friends have been tripped up because they didn’t know or have some important thing. This can cause delays, increased costs, and of course a lot of frustration. I feel so fortunate that everything went smoothly and we were so well taken care of.

If you need a lawyer, I highly recommend Marcos. His website is HERE. He may look like a young guy but he is very competent and experienced. He may show up in jeans and a polo shirt, but he doesn’t want to look like a lawyer with a briefcase who may have computers and documents worth stealing. He carries files in plain folders. If he has passports they are kept elsewhere apart from folders and documents to keep them extra safe. He has done this enough times to know where any possible hiccup may happen and he works hard to make everything go smoothly.

An aside, about the short trip I mentioned. Marcos recommended that I not travel since at that time I had only copies of my passport and temporary residency card. I went to Santiago on the bus which meant I had to pass through the check point at Guabala where they always check your ID’s. This time though, both ways, the officials didn’t even get on the bus. On our way to Panama City it was the same, but on the way back the officials were not only carefully checking documents, they were looking in backpacks and personal belongings! But, we had our brand new residency cards to show them. They looked, smiled, nodded, and went on. Yeah! It feels really good to be legal. And, it also felt good to pay $10.60 for the bus ticket, instead of the usual $15.25.

Soy Chiricana (my friends say that now I am Chiricana – a person from Chiriqui Province). Esto es bueno 🙂

Posted in expatriate, Getting Things Done, Miscellaneous, Panama | Tagged expat, Immigration, jubilado, lawyers, Marcos Kraemer, Panama, Panama City, residency | 21 Comments

Travel Ideas

Posted on March 2, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

One of the good people from Turo are looking for inspiration about travel like tips, tricks, things I must have, or helpful comments. (By the way, if you are traveling in the US check out Turo. They pair people needing to rent a car with people willing to rent out their personal cars. What an interesting idea. And, if you have a car you can make some extra money by renting it out. Their website explains it all.)

I have traveled mainly by air and bus, and have recently started to travel a bit by bicycle. There are others with far more experience, and many others who also share their ideas and tips, but maybe this post can pull together a few important points.

It seems to me if you have your passport and credit cards, a sense of humor and some patience, anything else can be solved. But, I also try to be prepared for the “what if’s” so hiccups along the way won’t be so difficult.

I carry a copy of my passport, residency card, drivers license, important phone numbers, airline and hotel reservations, and any other important cards and documents. I also have scanned copies in my tablet, and in my email so I could pull them up from any computer with an internet connection. If something would happen at least I have these copies to show officials, and the important numbers and other information to help me get the documents replaced.

I also have a number of credit cards. It is no fun to go to the store or ATM and find there is a problem with your credit card. If you don’t have another card to use you could be really stuck. I also have scans of my credit cards in my tablet and my email, fronts and backs. If something happens I have my numbers, and also the phone numbers to call and report a card lost or stolen. Also, if you are traveling to another country don’t forget to tell your credit card company so their fraud control measures don’t shut you down.

If there is anything you cannot do without like medicine, contact lenses, any critical item, be sure to keep it with you and not in your checked luggage. I keep a ziplock bag with enough contacts and solution for 4-5 days, my toothbrush and few other toiletries and toss it in my backpack / carry on. With travel size bottles you can have a “survival kit” that doesn’t take up much room, and you can survive lost or diverted checked luggage. I keep anything expensive like a small stash of cash, my iPad, and camera (with chargers and connectors) with me and not in checked luggage. I also carry an empty plastic water bottle (fill it up after you get through security) and some snacks. It never hurts to have a couple plastic bags and cloth or paper napkins, just because, and a pen, a bit of paper, and some business cards for the fellow traveler who wants to check out your blog or share email addresses.

Beyond that, most of the details are personal choice. I prefer to travel as light as possible but have plenty to do to occupy myself. I would rather wear the same 2-3 outfits for a month than struggle with lots of luggage. My iPad (a much appreciated gift from Joel) allows me to bring plenty to do in one compact package. I can work in my blog, listen to or read books and articles, sort and edit photos, play games, and do even more if there is an internet connection. Clothing in layers is good too, with a sweater or light blanket so you don’t get too cold in the air conditioning. We are so acclimated to a hot climate that this is especially important for us. I also like comfortable shoes for hiking through airports and bus stations.

Above all, have fun! Take good care of yourself with enough rest, good food and fluids. Go exploring – talk with the locals, eat local food, experience new places off the beaten paths. Leave time and flexibility in your schedule for new experiences, and a bit of room in your luggage for a new treasure or two.

Any of you who have traveled much probably already know these things, but a bit of review is sometimes good. Now it’s YOUR turn! What good travel tips do you all have to share? What have you found is important to have or do when you travel?

Posted in travel | Tagged travel tips | 17 Comments

A Cyclist in Need

Posted on February 27, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

My Turkish cyclist friend Elif, who I met when she was in David, was hit by a bus. Thank goodness she is OK except for scrapes and bruises. I can’t believe she wasn’t killed. Her bike was run over and ruined though, and her camera and computer were broken and she is stuck in Venezuela.

This is one of her photos from Facebook

This is what she first posted on Facebook – today i passed pico de augilar, venezuela 4060 metres my first pass in andeas. i coasted down through lots of crazy hairpin turns and went to the other side of the mountain. guess what while i was cycling to my friends house a bus hit me and he drag me 200 metres and rolled over me and my bicycle and finally stopped. i wanted to hit the guy but people seperated us frown emoticon the driver will not get any punishment. he and the bus owner will continue their lives. me, i am fine i had minor wounds. firemen took me to the hospital.

There is more of the story on her website but it’s all in Turkish and the translation tool in my browser doesn’t work very well. But, from the bits and pieces I have picked up since the accident, the bicycle is a total loss. Perhaps the computer and camera can be repaired and screens replaced but at this point she doesn’t know for sure.

All the cyclists I have met have been very giving and generous people. I know if I was in a jam they would help me, so I am posting this in hopes that some of you can help my friend.

http://www.nuzerel.com/destek-donation/

This is Elif when she was in David with Mike from Mississippi and Alain from France.

I hope she can get back on the road again! I am also so thankful that she wasn’t seriously hurt.

Posted in Miscellaneous | Tagged bicycle touring accident | 10 Comments

Pan-American Highway Construction

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

The Pan-American Highway in Eastern Panama is a good, 4 lane highway. The Pan-American Highway in Western Panama between Santiago and David, however, is in very poor condition and only 2 lane. A few months ago a massive construction project was started to make this section 4 lane and it’s going to be fantastic when it is done. Right now though, it’s quite a mess.

On my recent bike trip I chose to travel this part in the bus and I am very glad I did. On my return I was in the front seat next to the driver which gave me a great view of the highway. As a cyclist I was especially conscious of how dangerous it would be to travel this road on a bicycle. There are bikes all over Panama including on the Pan-American Highway east of David. In this section however, I only saw one local guy on a bike. Even the Panamanians who bike everywhere know better.

Here are some of the photos. Excuse the poor quality of the ones taken through the windshield and tinted screen.

Leaving Santiago and heading west, there are large stretches where the new road looks ready for traffic. I appreciate the wide shoulders that will made biking safer and more fun.

The existing road that is being used currently is in poor condition and there is very little shoulder.

Other parts of the new road are still dirt.

There are many bridges being built.

There are many areas with no space whatsoever for a cyclist except on the road with traffic.

Even where there is a small space it is gravel which makes for very difficult biking.

Other sections of the new road are gravel.

There are areas where dirt is still being moved and the roadway is being carved into the hills.

Farther down the road around El Higo, work has not started at all. The driver is driving on the shoulder to avoid some of the worst of the holes and bumps.

Much of the road is in very poor condition and getting worse all the time from the heavy vehicles that must use it every day.

Piles of rock and rubble are waiting to be removed.

The hydroelectric damn under construction in Tole area (if my memory is correct)

As we come towards Tole the construction resumes.

The road may be a mess, but the countryside and vistas are as beautiful as ever!

In some areas there is construction on both sides of the highway.

Another section of gravel that looks like it should be ready for paving.

There is a bit of shoulder here, though it isn’t always in very good condition and there is plenty of traffic.

A bridge under construction

More dirt being moved, and a shoulder not fit for riding. It is possible to bypass the highway by taking route 5 between Santiago and the Tole checkpoint, but one must still travel this stretch of the road to go the rest of the way into or out of David (about 100 kilometers)

A disabled bus is stopped in the road to make it even more interesting to get through.

The road continues to be in very poor condition in some areas. The bus was all over the road and shoulders trying to avoid the worst holes and bumps.

There continue to be large vehicles and no shoulder fit to ride on.

There is Volcan Baru! How nice because this means I am getting close to home.

Coming in to David the road is still a mess with rough gravel shoulders.

Many people are curious to know how things are going with the construction so I hope this gives you some idea. They are working hard and I can see a lot of progress every time we travel through. It’s just such a huge project so it’s going to take time to clear the land, move the dirt, build bridges, move utilities, prepare the road bed, and get it all paved. Then, when the new part is ready I expect we will be driving on that while they repair and rebuild the existing road. Even this will be a huge improvement over the cracked and broken road that is currently in use, but it’s going to be a while yet.

For my cyclist friends though, I strongly urge you to take the bus for this part of the trip! It will be hard for you on this road, and it will be hard for the drivers who have to make their way around you. Any bus with a roof rack can take your bike, or any of the huge blue David-Panama buses can put it in the baggage area. It cost me $13 from Santiago to David on a coaster bus, $9 for me and $4 for the bike. The other way it cost $11 for me and $5 for the bike on the big blue bus from David to La Divisa (about 20 miles east of Santiago). My idea of touring isn’t riding the bus either but in this case, I think it is much more important to arrive safely.

Posted in Panama, travel | Tagged bicycle touring, Bus, highway construction, Pan-American Highway, travel | 16 Comments

Pedasi Beaches

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

The southern part of the Azuero Peninsula of Panama is known for the beautiful beaches. Since I was down there visiting my good friend and fellow blogger, we decided to pick up another friend and blogger and enjoy a visit to some of the beaches in the area. It was a most enjoyable morning with great company, and the scenery was so beautiful. I had a hard time deciding on a reasonable number of pictures to share because I have so many that I like.

The sun sparkles off the water and the lone fisherman.

The sky was so blue and I love the waves crashing against the rocks.

The sand is so interesting with the black sand showing through the brown in pretty patterns.

Some large rocky areas along the beach

A flock of seagulls hangs out on the wet sand.

This little cove was on the other side of the beach.

More seagulls, blue sky, and blue sand

It was a short but wonderful visit to Pedasi, and I was happy to see all of my friends. I thought Allison was going to be away but her plans were delayed by a day, so I got to visit with her and her family on Friday evening. She has recently moved to Pedasi with her husband and two daughters. Look for “the Panama Pause” if you are on Facebook. It is interesting to read about their lives with school age children, and their sweet dog Finny.

More sparkling sun on the water.

Karen surveys the scene with her bare feet in the wet sand.

If there is wet sand with pretty reflections, I’ll have my camera out.

A lone seagull stands on the wet sand.

Cliffs, a seagull, reflections, and interesting black sand patterns. It has it all! 😀

Everyone face East! Notice how many pelicans are fishing in the distance.

I never saw so many pelicans in one place! There must have been some good fishing that morning.

Saturday afternoon after our beaches outing, we got a bite of lunch and went back to the house to relax and chat. Later in the afternoon I caught up with my friends and other fellow blogger Al and Shelly. They have a growing business offering house and pet sitting, so if you need someone give them a shout. His blog is also a lot of fun, often with a humorous take on some of the things that go on in Panama.

The fisherman and a friend, a couple of the very few people we saw out on the beaches on a Saturday morning.

Look how many pelicans are in the water, not counting a lot more that are in the air.

The fishing must be good here.

There are interesting rocks in some areas.

Continue facing East!

My friends walking on the beach

Another flock of seagulls

You just never know what will happen when you start writing a blog! Because of my blog and theirs, I have all the good friends mentioned in this post, all living in the same area, and all writing interesting stories about their unique and different lives in Pedasi.

More pelicans. They were everywhere!

I’m not sure what these birds are. Maybe skimmers? There isn’t anything in my bird books that looks quite like them.

There are oysters on the rocks. It is easiest to pry off the top shell and get the meat, and leave the bottom shell behind where it is embedded in the rock.

This could be a rock oyster, good luck for someone hunting for a treat.

More waves and pelicans

Some crab has been cleaning his house

A little crab runs down the sand.

As I headed out in the evening sun, there was this herd of cows at the end of the street, including the big handsome bull.

This is the story of my visit to Pedasi (or perhaps just an excuse to post photos :D), but I’m sure it won’t be the last visit with my good friends, nor the last photos of this beautiful area. As you all know from my last post my friends took me to Chitre the next morning where I caught buses back to David. I had a front seat on the bus from Santiago to David, so the next post will be about the construction and road conditions on the Pan-American Highway.

Posted in Exploring Panama, Panama, photography | Tagged Azuero Peninsula, beach, Beaches, Panama, Pedasi, photography, travel, Travel and Tourism | 22 Comments

Mi Amiga y Su Bici

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

This is by my good friend who met me outside of town and got some photos of me arriving.

In Da Campo

My friend Kris came for a visit over the weekend in a non traditional kind of way, traveling part of the way on her bicicleta. I rode out to meet her at the edge of town and here is her arrival. You can read her first post about her trip here. We were so very glad to see her arrive safely even if it was for a short time…in the campo.

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A Bike Tour to Pedasi

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

I just returned from my first out of town bike tour to Pedasi, where I visited good friends and a fellow blogger.

Actually, I started on the bus. The very busy Pan-American Highway is under construction between David and Santiago and it is not safe for a cyclist. I took a bus from David to La Divisa (about 20 miles east of Santiago at the road heading south).

There is a great new road with wide shoulders that make perfect bike lanes. Here they were getting ready to harvest sugar cane.

The birds were very interested in the fields that had been recently harvested.

Sugar cane blowing in the wind.

Interesting old tree

These shrines can been seen occasionally all over Panama, memorials to people who have died in traffic accidents.

With the planting of trees the environment is paid and with this, guarantees the life on the earth’s system (or something like that)

These living fences were flowering

One of the few places where I saw water. Any small streams were totally dry, and the rivers were low.

The road is not a highway. Do not exceed the indicated speeds along the way. Remember who waits for you at home. (these signs can also be seen all over Panama, and I like the last line)

One of my ancestors was a bunny.

More golden grass and rolling hills as i get close to Chitre.

My goal the first day was to bike to Chitre (about 25 miles). I got an early start but the 4 hour bus ride landed me at my starting point around noon, so I was biking in the hottest part of the day. The route started out fairly flat but I encountered more and more hills the closer I came to Chitre. By the time I arrived I was tired, sweaty, and thirsty in spite of drinking almost all of my 5 bottles of water. But, I made it and overall, it was a very good ride.

It was hot in Chitre and the hostel was downtown with a lot of street noise. It was also on the second floor so I was very thankful for a young Irish guy who carried my heavy bike upstairs. The good part was I had booked a bunk bed but I was the only one in the room, and the shower was heavenly!

Coming in to Chitre under a bright blue sky and blazing sun.

They have a Riba Smith there, an upscale new supermarket that I’ve heard about from the Panama City people.

The view of the church from the hostel balcony.

After I showered and rested a bit, I set out in search of a grocery store.

As I returned the sun was setting and the light was really pretty.

The city noises woke me about 5AM, so I actually had to wait for it to get light enough to set off for my next leg of the trip. This day my goal was to make it to Pedasi, about a 50 miles.

I left Chitre and rode into Los Santos in the early morning light.

More golden grass and rolling hills

This area may look relatively flat on a map, but in reality it is not flat at all.

More hills, golden grass, and cows.

Most of the cows seemed as interested in me as I was in them.

Milk cans waiting for pickup were a frequent sight.

After I left Las Tablas the road became two lane with gravel shoulders. There was less traffic though and the drivers were very considerate.

Getting close!

I was very happy with this ride! There were more hills than I expected, some of them challenging. And, even with my early start it didn’t take long to get hot. But, I arrived in Las Tablas (about half way) feeling better than expected so I biked through and stopped for lunch a bit south of town. I wasn’t especially hungry but I ate anyway, and drank two pitchers of water.

I set out after lunch feeling surprisingly refreshed and energetic, and I enjoyed the two lane, quieter, more scenic road. By the time I got close to Pedasi though I was feeling a bit wilted from the heat and the hills. Imagine my delighted surprise when I saw my friend waiting for me on the edge of town to welcome me and ride in together!

It was a great visit in Pedasi. I stayed with my good friends and was able to see many other friends as well. I’ll post more about that later with photos of the area beaches.

On Sunday I was ready to head home but how? It was very windy and I would have been biking over all those hills again, but this time in a strong headwind. Could I make it to Chitre for another night in the noisy downtown hostel? And, when I reached La Divasa how long would I be standing on the highway hoping for a bus with room for both me and my bike? Would I have to bike on to Santiago on the busy highway? My friends convinced me to take them up on their offer of a ride to Chitre where I could catch buses to Santiago and then David.

This turned out to be a very good decision. In Chitre I had to wait for three buses until one arrived with a roof rack for the bike. Then, in Santiago I had to wait about 1 1/2 hour for another bus with a roof rack. But, I made it back without incident (except for a dent in my bike rack).

The bus from Chitre arrives with six bikes on top!

Arriving in David my bike was the only one up there with the pile of luggage.

I learned a lot from my first bike trip. First, and most important, I am up to the riding! I accomplished a 49 mile ride with hills without a problem, and I felt fine and ready to ride again the next day. Biking for a few hours alone is nice, but biking for a couple days alone wasn’t as enjoyable. I would prefer a companion on longer trips. And, a companion would also help if I need someone to watch the bike, or hold it while I rearrange something. (My loaded bike is too heavy for the kick stand.)

What now? I’m ready to plan a longer trip, maybe to Costa Rica or Nicaragua but I’d rather go with an experience bicycle tourist. I don’t find bus travel as enjoyable, especially with a bike so I’d rather head west. Meanwhile I’ll continue biking around here, and working on more strength for the hills. I must make it to Boquete one of these days!

Posted in Exploring Panama, Panama, travel | Tagged bicycle touring, Chitre, Las Tablas, Panama, Pedasi, Travel and Tourism | 26 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Scale

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Kris Cunningham

Weekly Photo Challenge: Scale

Some of the trees here in Panama are massive, on a scale that is unusual in the US. We were out biking yesterday and took a break in the shade of this one.