One week of a lot of nothing

It’s been a slow week - and that’s all good for someone like me, someone who feels like I HAVE to be doing something. The only “something” I did was go to Monkey Island, which is really several small islands with different species of monkeys. We saw capuchin monkeys and tamarinds and howler monkeys. They move so fast that it was hard to capture photos which meant I just had to “be in the moment.” There were days when all I did was walk the beach, but this is something I really enjoy. One night I went to Game Night where I spent a few hours playing bid whist with a bunch of Americans.

Yesterday, I got up early and drove 6 hours to Boquete, Panama which is in the highlands of Panama, very, very close to Volcan Baru. The Volcán Barú is an active stratovolcano and the tallest mountain in Panama, at 11,401 ft high. It lies about 22 miles off the border of Costa Rica. It is also the twelfth highest peak in Central America. When I was last in Panama 11 years ago, I took a jeep excursion to the top of Volcan Baru, where we rode over huge boulders, saw people climbing the mountain, and experienced the sunrise at the top. It was an AMAZING excursion, but not to be repeated. From the Airbnb I rented, I can clearly see the mountain, though the peak is covered with clouds. I have a cute small studio apartment and I will be here for two nights. At this moment, I am having breakfast in town and I have a coffee plantation tour in 50 minutes. Boquete is known for the very flavorful Panamanian coffee that is grown in the highlands at the numerous family-led coffee plantations. More on that later.Read more