Jan 29, 2013 - Panama-The First Few Nights and El Cuidad Del Saber

Hello all, This will be a rather short entry as the group is about to leave the hotel at which we are currently staying for the town down the street and I don't want to be left behind. I got into Panama around 8:30 last night. Not much to really comment on about the flight or the experience through airport except that I'm pretty sure I provided the night's entertainment for the immigration authorities at customs. When I got to customs and handed them my documents they first informed that they did not speak English which forced me to...

Oct 12, 2012 - El Valle is pleasant.....panama

Hi Every body El Valle is the place that I am staying now, tonight already my 3rd night and I might stay another or two, this place is a small town in a valley on a mountain and very green and surrounded by hills. The town itself is just a few streets more then the main road, all houses are well spaced and all with huge gardens, It rains nearly all afternoons but I was lucky to have sun all mornings till mid afternoon. Here i had a good rest yesterday and today I spent the morning in the Thermal baths, which are set in a nice park, then...

Oct 11, 2012 - My Last day in El Valle and the rare frog.

Hi Everybody One main reason you come to El Valle is because a rare Panamanian golden frog lives only in this area, But also here they have problems as they had a fungus recently that destroyed most of them and now they are on the endangered list. This morning I went out to find one , but not easy as it is only 1 inch big, and very shy. My persistence gave results, as out of a few photos I took, only one came focused and not bad. After that I went walking up a hill to try to have a view of the town, but as trees interfere with the view and...

Jan 9, 2011 - El Valle - Panama

January 7, 2010 I left Penonome around 11:00 am on January 4, 2010. I was headed for El Valle. I was headed for El Valle. The richest of the rich have houses. Typically former Government officials and Generals. Before I left for El Valle I had to check the tyre pressure on the rear to see if Electra is still holding air. She was low. I got some water from the restaurant and discovered that both holes are good. Must be another leak. There was a tyre shop two doors down. I went there to find the new hole. They have a hose and I should be able...

Jan 3, 2011 - Penonome - Panama

January 3, 2011 I left Los Santos on January 1 and headed to a town on the PanAmerican called Penonome. There is not much to see in Penonome but it makes for a good base camp to explore some villages to the north in the foothills. I arrived and found a rather expensive hotel, $USD40.00 per night, on the outskirts of town. It wasn’t a sex hotel. There were a few of them further out that were cheaper, they had rates posted, but I wanted to be able to walk to town. I got settled in then spent the rest of the day walking around town. The next...

Jul 8, 2010 - A crab, a box and a big metal spoon!

The trouble with living by the beach is that the wildlife is very close by. Today I had to catch a very large orange crab in a box after I found him 'clip clopping' on his tippy toes round and round the living room. He ran very fast (sideways as crabs do) when he saw me. How can they see where they're going? Anyway, he wedged himselve between the wall and the fridge in the kitchen. So in a real McGiver moment I fashioned a scoop from a metal spoon and de-wedged him in to a cardboard box. After Mag had calmed down and pealed himself from the...

Feb 4, 2009 - Panama City, Here We Come!

After breakfast we leave for Panama City. The weather is cool in El Valle but we´re expecting tropical Miami-like weather when we get to the capital. We spent seven dollars for bus fare and promptly found our hotel in the Panama Canal Zone, Hostal Amador. The hotel is charming with two wrought iron double beds in our room, a bathtub, and air conditioning. The building was housing for servicemen when the US occupied the Canal Zone. As soon as we got dressed up we headed for lunch at Jimmy´s and some gambling at the Veneto Casino in the...

Feb 3, 2009 - A Full Day In El Valle, Panama

This morning started with the most expensive breakfast of an ordinary omelette and juice....$9.80 for 2...won´t do that again! Then off to the Chorro Macho waterfalls which are abundant in this part of the world and another trek to the hot springs called Pozos Termales where we put mud on our faces, went through the entire regimen along with a party of at least 50 members of the police department and their families from a nearby province....lots of kids...Panamanians are the most friendly folks I´ve met....Regarding the face mud, you apply...

Jun 20, 2008 - El Valle

So arrived in El Valle, a town a short drive out of panama city. the first stop on the tour and the first chance to see teh panamaina countryside. the town is small and is tied heavely into tourism. the local annoyances are robberys and prostitution, our guide hasnt a nice word to say about the place. we see the waterfall on which the entire local tourist industy is built upon and its not impressive at all. the next day we haed to a beach on the pacific rim, where the waters are warm and the sun shines. our group crosses pathes with another...

Mar 30, 2008 - Sunday in El Valle

I left Penonomé in the dust and took a bus down the Pan American Highway for 50 km. toward El Valle. I had to change buses, cross the highway and get a van up to El Valle, another 25 km. I arrived by 10 AM and one of the staff from Residencial El Valle met me on the sidewalk and offered a room. Since I didn't have a reservation, I accepted. Most rooms in Lonely Planet were listed at about $30 and that's what I'm paying to spend 2 nights here. I went immediately to the Sunday artisan´s market next door and bought a few things. The Kuna and...

Dec 14, 2007 - Panama City/El Valle

Daar waren we weer! Panama City onveilig gemaakt! Met 's ochtends natuurlijk eerst een bezoekje aan het Panama kanaal. Hier had ik niet echt hoge verwachtingen van. Het is tenslotte een kanaal, hoe boeiend kan dat zijn?! Maar je kan moeilijk naar Panama gaan en dan niet naar het Panama kanaal, toch? Nou, het was inderdaad een kanaal... Wat kan ik er verder over zeggen?! Ben er geweest! Volgende stop was Casco Viejo. Het nieuwe oude gedeelte (lekker duidelijk). Je hebt Panama Viejo en Casco Viejo. Panama Viejo is het echte oude gedeelte...

Nov 28, 2005 - Royal DeCameron Resort - Farallon, Panama - update #1

Having organized and packed all night, we were at the airport for 4:00 AM for a 6:30 flight. The flight was 5 hours, and the bus transfer to the resort another 2 hours. To say the least, we arrived at the resort EXHAUSTED!! We managed to go for a swim in the ocean and play a little volleyball. Dinner at 6:00 and in bed at 9:00 PM. We slept until 7:30 the next morning without even getting up to pee. This is a huge resort, only 5 years old. There are currently over 800 rooms, and the resort is about to open an additional 800 rooms on Dec....