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Panamericana adventure
  • Meike Grothe
  • Herbert E

Panamericana adventure

A dream comes true!! Starting in Vancouver, our plan is to go South until we reach Tierra del Fuego - World's end. Our chosen way of transport: 2 fantastic travel bikes. Follow us on our adventurous trip with all the expected highs and lows 🚵‍♀️😀 Meer informatie
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  • Panamericana adventure
    Our Airbnb in Tilaran
    Beer and pasta as energy supplySanta Elena surrounded by green mountains

    Green hills to Monteverde

    5 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    The name Monteverde pretty much describes the landscape we cycled through today: green hills with cow farms and trees. Beautiful views, but one of the most exhausting rides we've had on our trip so far...
    We left Tilarán after Cristian had prepared a big breakfast of Gallo Pinto, eggs, quesadillas, sausage, coffee and watermelon juice. He told us today's ride would be beautiful. We'd have to climb a little, but nothing too steep. The road would be rolling, but without much elevation gain.
    What we learned is that you should never believe a non-cyclist when it comes to elevation! What we experienced today: Tilarán is at an altitude of about 550m, Santa Elena (the town where we are staying tonight) at 1350m (= elevation gain of 800m instead of nothing). Indeed, the road was rolling, in total we climbed over 1700m. However, this was far from easy: on AVERAGE, we climbed at 9%, my computer showed a maximum of 20%! (and this was not only one exception) I'd definitely say that's steep. And as 30km of the road were unpaved and we had strong headwinds most of the time, this was about the maximum we can do with our setup. In Santa Elena, my bike computer showed the lowest average speed we've had so far: over 5hours for 40km, average speed 7.44km/h 😯
    Therefore, we didn't do much once in our hostel: cook, get a beer, enjoy the views, sleep!    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    2Here the gas station attendants look a bit more attractive than in Germany 😉Iguana climbing on a treePunta ArenasPacific ocean at Punta Arenas

    Awesome downhill ride

    6 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Yesterday's climb was totally worth it! After a relaxed breakfast with a view from our hostel terrace, we could enjoy an absolutely epic downhill. A 20km descent on a recently paved road with awesome views and curves, passing some villages surrounded by palmtrees and rivers.
    After the downhill, the road was rolling with steep hills, but we were still thrilled by the downhill, so no problem today 👍
    After almost 40km, we got to the Panamerican highway again. The traffic was aweful, so we took the next turn onto a backroad. No traffic here, just some iguanas which even posed for a photo. On this backroad, we could go almost all the way to El Roble where we were going to meet Alex, our host for the night. We dropped our luggage and decided to visit Puntarenas, a village located on a thin stretch of land, surrounded by the sea. We got a treat and bought some icecream before going for a swim and returning to Alex's.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure

    Dream beaches

    7 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Beach day today! As Alex left early to film some surfers with his drone, we decided to leave the house with him at 5:45am and have breakfast at the beach to watch the surfers.
    We continued on highway 27, a very busy road with only a limited shoulder, quite scary! And unfortunately no backroad to avoid it. After about 30km, we turned onto the coastal road. Still lots of traffic, but not as bad and more stretches with a shoulder. You can also tell Costa Rica is wealthier than the other Central American countries, we saw more Porsche cars today than in the last 3 months in total.
    We passed some great landscape and nature though: beaches, rainforest, a river with crocodiles in it and even saw a couple of red aras in the trees (unfortunately too high up for a decent photo).
    In Jacó, we stopped to get something to drink. It's a famous holiday town with a nice beach, but also some big hotels. We decided to continue to Esterillos beach in order to go for a swim. Here, we found paradise! A remote beach, only a couple of small hotels hidden in the palmtrees, no people, smooth waves, crystal clear water... We spent some hours to relax and swim. We also met Julio and his family who shared some of their delicious ceviche with us.
    It was hard to leave this perfect beach, but we had to cycle another 20km in order to get to Parrita where we are staying the night.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Breakfast stop with Roger and Yorleny
    View from Parque NahomiOn the ferry to Las DamasRiding to the beach at Las DamasNice remote beach againRiver fun in the tropical forest

    No crocodile today

    8 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    In the morning, we shared a coffee with Liliam, our AirBnB host, and left towards Quepos. On the road, we had a great encounter: Roger and his wife Yorleny who we had met in Nicaragua, passed us on their motorcycle. We had been in contact since Nicaragua, so they knew where we were. This weekend they had planned their motorcycle trip, so we could catch up. And - lucky us - they also brought cold drinks, apples and candy for us. A nice second breakfast next to the road 😀
    They continued their trip towards a town close to the border to Panama and we cycled to Quepos. First, we went to Parque Nahomi, a nice spot to see the rocky and green coastline.
    Afterwards, we wanted to go to Manuel Antonio National Park or at least to the beach there. But after a climb of more than 20% elevation gain in the middle of an endless line of cars, we decided it wasn't worth going down the other side (and back up with an even steeper climb). The park and beach may be beautiful, but definitely not with thousands of other people.
    Instead, we decided to discover some less touristy places in the area and took a small ferry to the peninsula Las Damas just in front of Quepos. There, we had the beach for ourselves.
    Next, we went inland towards Naranjito. We were hoping to find some accommodation in nature and crocodiles. What we found was a refreshing river where the locals were bathing - so of course we joined them (as there were obviously no crocodiles in it)!
    As the village didn't really offer any hostels, we went back to Quepos and stayed at the beautiful guesthouse Pura Vida. It's a bit out of our budget, but good to celebrate exactly 5 months on the road.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Pre-breakfast on the porch of the guesthouse
    River stop for a swimSunset view with Jonathan's lucky charmDinner time

    Pura vida

    9 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After a coffee and some fruits we left our guesthouse this morning. We had a short day ahead of us, so we knew we could stop a few times on the way. As it's around 40°C every day, our stops are usually connected with water. Our first stop was at Dominical beach where we went for a swim. The second stop was at a river close to that beach to go swimming again.
    Cycling in general was alright, as the road had a shoulder and traffic wasn't too bad on a Sunday. We also saw many other road bikers.
    After the river stop, we continued to Uvita where we were going to stay with Enrique and his family. We knew from other cyclists that he hosts biketourers at his cacao farm.
    When we arrived there, we got a warm welcome including coffee, biscuits and cacao beans to taste. They are actually quite good! All "pura vida", an expression the Costa Ricans use for anything positive.
    Jonathan, a Mexican cyclist, is also staying here, so we could all share stories about our trips. In order to watch the sunset, us and Sonia (Enrique's cousin), Doña Silvia, Andrés (Silvia's son), and Jonathan went to the local beach which is named for its shape: If you look at Google maps, you can see the rear fin of a whale. It's a National Park, so during the day, it costs 6US$ entrance fee for foreigners. After 4pm, it's free :)
    For dinner, we cooked Bratkartoffeln for everyone again and had a lot to talk and laugh about. Pura vida, the Costa Rican hospitality!    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Our night spot in the cacao shop
    Uvita waterfallJumping in the natural poolThe crew in Uvita

    Relaxing at a waterfall

    10 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ⛅ 33 °C

    Enrique and Doña Silvia let us sleep in their cacao shop. The "windows" consisted of mosquito net, so the air was fresh and the bugs stayed outside. Plus, it smelled like cacao beans - could have been worse 😀
    In the morning, we went to see the Uvita Waterfalls with Jonathan and Andrés. Nothing special and a little expensive (like all tourist stuff in Costa Rica), but the water was fresh and cool and at the beginning, we had the waterfall and the pool for ourselves. We swam and jumped until it got crowded, so we left.
    Our cycling day was short and pretty nice: only 43km through green nature, even some tailwinds. We arrived at about 2pm at our hosts for the night and were welcomed with a great lunch, followed by quesadillas and coffee as a snack and potatoes and chicken for dinner. We could even use the washing machine and got our own room with a bed - what a treat here! Doña Sandra was amazing and we talked a lot with her and her son Alex when he came back from work before goong to sleep.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Leaving Doña Sandra, our host in Palmar Norte
    Views of the GolfBeach in Puerto Jiménez

    The jungle ride

    11 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    As we are currently not in a rush, we decided to check out the Southern peninsula with the National Park Corcovado. It looks pretty empty with lots of nature, so good for cycling.
    And the route today was indeed awesome! Very flat and green for the first 35km on highway 2. Then we turned right onto highway 245. It was pretty hilly for about 45km, but the scenery was beautiful. We cycled through tropical forest, saw many birds and an ant eater, heard monkeys and grasshoppers, enjoyed views on the golf. The last 30km were flat again. And all day, we had to share the road with only few cars.
    In Puerto Jiménez we first checked the schedule and prices for the boats to Golfito where we want to cross to. We then went for a swim in the Golf. The water is probably above 30°C, so not really refreshing, but still nice after some hours of cycling in above 40°C in the sun. We even saw some red aras flying over the harbour and the beach again, very cool!
    At night, we cooked dinner at our AirBnB and did some research about what to do next. Prices to enter the National Park are ridiculously expensive, so we decided to do some exploring on our own tomorrow. Let's see what we will find in this area.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Gravel road adventure
    Bridge crossingSurfersThe "no waterfall""road" getting smallerMonkeys, spider and aras

    Be aware of the monkies

    12 februari 2020, Costa Rica ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Today was exploration day. We followed the 245 which led us to the very Southeast of the peninsula. The road was bad gravel, so not much fun with our bikes to cycle. But in general, the area is extremely beautiful and we saw and heard lots of different animals: different types of monkeys, red aras, uncountable birds, spiders, crabs, and a black Jaguarundi (which we googled afterwards). We also passed some remote beaches where we could sit under palmtrees and watch some surfers. Our destination was a waterfall, also advertised as part of the tours. You can get there on your own by hiking for about 20 minutes from the small road. However, when we got there, we only found a dirty puddle and no water from above. So unfortunately, we couldn't swim.
    On the way back, we met an elderly German couple taking photos of some monkeys playing, swinging and chasing each other in the trees. We stopped for a chat and were happy to wear our helmets as the monkeys started throwing coconuts off the tree. Cheeky animals!! Luckily, they missed all of us.
    Back in our room, we were quite exhausted from the ride on the gravel road. So we went to bed early after a good rice salad for dinner.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Wondering if we'll fit on the boat
    Got a seat! Our bikes in the front as well...GolfitoParallel roads - different countriesCountry number 10 💪

    Final border crossing in Central America

    13 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    Early start to get the first boat to Golfito leaving at 6am. We were lucky to get there 20 minutes before as it was full and some people even had to wait for the next boat. As it's Costa Rica, things were relatively organised: only one desk to pay for the ticket, a price for the bike as well and everyone on the boat got a seat and a life vest.
    After 20 minutes, we arrived safely at the other side. Golfito is really cute, a Golf within the Golf (best to see on a map again), surrounded by rainforest.
    From Golfito, we headed towards the border to Panama. We took some smaller roads again, pretty much in the the middle of nowhere and some bad gravel as well, but everything was green and hilly and there was only very few traffic.
    Before getting to the border crossing post, there's 2 roads running in parallel, one in Panama, one in Costa Rica. Theoretically, you can just cross, but it's probably better to get our proper stamps considering we want to travel some more countries on our trip...
    So we continued to the immigration office a little further up the roads - and were sent back as we hadn't officially left Costa Rica yet. This was just the immigration to Panama. So we had to go back some 500 meters on a different road, pay 9US$ exit fee (got a receipt for 8$ only) and received our stamp. We then headed back to Panama immigration and saw some Americans discussing with the lady behind the counter. Seemed like they had problems getting in. They wanted a printout of an onward flight ticket from us and we told them we were travelling by bike and leaving Panama by boat. We could even show them an email. After some discussion, we were fine and got our stamps.
    The whole procedure seems to be pretty random. The lady asked me if I could help translating for the Americans. They needed to prove that they were leaving the country again. When I talked to them, they told me they were on holidays in Costa Rica, had a flight ticket from Costa Rica back home (which they could show on their iPad) and a parking ticket on the Costa Rican side (in their hands) as they only wanted to spend a day on the Panama side. This was obviously not enough proof that they were going to leave the country, the lady insisted on them having also a bus ticket out of the country which they didn't have. Interesting policies!
    I guess it was a bit of luck for us and also being able to speak at least some Spanish, so an email reservation confirmation for a boat was sufficient for us to enter country number 10.
    We finished the last 25km to La Concepción, where we found an AirBnB and spent the night talking to our host Edwin.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Mangroves at Puerto Pedegral
    Refreshing in a riverValentines presents from the local people: coke + pastriesVolcano Baru in clouds

    Looking for an exchange office

    14 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Our day started with a nice ride through the region South of the Panamerican Highway to avoid traffic. The flat and slightly downhill route combined with very few cars made it easy for us to look at the scenery while cycling. The road wasn't the smoothest, but so much better than cars on the highway!
    First, we went to Puerto Pedegral to see the mangroves and wetlands there. We were a bit disappointed as most of the area was locked, so there wasn't much to see.
    Next, we headed to the city of David. What a nightmare! So much traffic and really crazy drivers! No fun to cycle here - how should we survive Panama City??
    We also looked for a place to exchange money as we had missed this at the border. But after checking several banks and shops with no luck, we gave up. Hopefully, we can find something in Panama City.
    As we didn't like David, we decided to go straight North towards Dolega where we could stay with Max and Ken. The highway was busy again, no fun cycling. We were a little frustrated because of the experience in David and a busy highway with more crazy drivers and headwinds, so pulled over at a supermarket. In this moment, a car stopped, a lady jumped out and gave us a coke each. They had seen us struggling on the road - how nice! 2 minutes later, another family came and gave us some pastries. We were thinking of just staying at the supermarket, seemed to be a great place for hungry and thirsty cyclists 😂
    However, we continued and passed a bridge over a river. Quite some locals bathing, so we joined them, before continuing to Dolega. Here, we were welcome by Becky and Jonny, a cycling couple from the UK who are also staying here and are heading North towards Canada. Perfect, so we can exchange recommendations! We jumped into the pool and shared a beer before Max and Ken arrived. They had been on a music festival during the day. The night, we spent playing "Mexican train", a version of dominos, with everyone. What a nice day in the end!    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    2
    Dinner time2Mexican train with Becky, Jonny, Ken and Max

    A lazy day in Panama

    15 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Today, we decided to do nothing but relax. We started the morning with a coffee at the pool watching the sunrise. Afterwards, we had breakfast, did some research for the last days in Panama and went swimming in the pool. In the afternoon, we exchanged lots of information about possible routes and places to stay or visit with Jonny and Becky.
    For dinner, Jonny and Becky spoilt everyone with a yummy Shakshuka. We closed the night again with a round of Mexican train.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    River crossing in Boquete
    Fair grounds - still full of flowers2Finally more German beer than just Paderborner!Feeding the 4 dogs (+1 inside)

    Exploring Boquete

    16 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Jonny and Becky left after breakfast this morning and we decided to go to Boquete to have a look at this nearby mountain village. It's only some 20km away, but the climate is a lot different as it's higher up in the mountains. There is a constant rain or mist which is quite refreshing.
    Max and Ken gave us a lift up, as they went to a music festival there, so we had another day off the bikes. We walked around, looked at the fair grounds where they had a flower festival last month and peaked into some coffee and chocolate shops. Herbert was impressed by the beer selection in the supermarket. In general, the supermarket had lots of different products - a way better offer than any of the other supermarkets we had seen in Panama before.
    After some hours of exploring, we took the bus back to Dolega. We went for a swim, fed the dogs and cooked Bratkartoffeln for everyone for dinner.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Leaving Max's and Ken's sweet home
    Views of the "spine"Las Lajas Beach1Signs of a big German community in Las Lajas...

    Sauna ride

    17 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    After our little holiday in (Max' and Ken's) paradise, we were well rested to continue our last stretch in Central America. We left after breakfast and started with some beautiful remote roads, the first 10km even dirt. Most of the time, we could see Panama's "spine". This is the mountain range splitting the country into the Carribean and the Pacific side and - at least from what we see - is permanently covered in clouds.
    Afterwards, we hit the Panamerican highway again. We dreaded this and expected heaps of traffic. However, it wasn't too bad: Most of the time, it had a wide shoulder and traffic was ok, only very few trucks. The shoulder was quite dirty with glass and broken tyres, but our tyres seem to have survived it without a puncture.
    As it was 46°C today, we felt like being in a sauna and had to stop at supermarkets twice to buy more drinks. The supermarkets were disappointing, not many products in general, almost no fresh produce, quite expensive and all run by Chinese.
    However, we met Gregorio in one of them. He was on his way back to the capital and very interested in our trip. He gave us his number, so he can help us out once we get to Panama City.
    We decided to stay in Las Lajas. We were not too motivated to camp in this heat, so decided to check out a hostel. When talking to the owner in Spanish, I noticed a strong German accent - most likely from the Leipzig area. We switched to German and Christian confirmed. He gave us a little discount on the room, so we decided to stay.
    We still went to the beach for a swim - nice ride through green landscape. The beach was empty and huge. As Herbert saw a fin swimming around on the water surface, he immediately run back to the beach. Don't know which creature was on the other end of the fin.
    On the way back, we passed the 13000 km mark 💪 A good excuse to enjoy a Panamanian beer on our porch while watching first a flock of green parrots and later the stars in the sky.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Breakfast with sunrise view (plus green parrots again)
    View over the mangrovesLittle church at Quebrada de PiedraDo not miss the carnival parties2

    Extreme sweating

    18 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Another sauna day - quite above 40 degrees... We also knew we had a rolling road, so we decided to leave after sunrise. Christian (the hostel owner from Saxony) made us coffee, fruits and a dish he called "Bennkeks", mostly known as pancakes, for breakfast - and off we went.
    The first 20km were on the Panamerican Highway. Again, not too much traffic and a broad shoulder. Then we decided to go for the scenic route, highway number 5. What a beautiful alternative to the main highway! All day, we encountered more horses than cars on this road. Furthermore, we heard and saw many different birds, even a toucan. The route was green and shady and we enjoyed stunning views over the mangrove area.
    The road was quite exhausting though, lots of ups and downs, all to cycle in this heat here. The area got dryer as well, so no more shade after 11am. A scorpion next to the road reminded us that camping spots have to get selected carefully.
    We are also getting closer to Central Panamá which seems to be THE place to be for celebrating carnival. We only passed little villages, but even there they'll be partying 5 days in a row starting this Friday.
    At about 2pm, we arrived in Soná. For the first time we are staying at the firestation. In many of the Central American countries, the firemen let biketourists for free, so it's often used by the guys who travel on a very low budget. As hotels in Panama are quite expensive, it's an option for us as well and it's actually a pretty good standard: we can camp on their 3rd floor under a roof and use their kitchen and their shower.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Our camp at the bomberos in Soná
    Highway adventure - no fun!Abraham (one of the cousins) leading the way to the family's homeFun at the beachTrying to get most of the crew in one photo

    No fun cycling

    19 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    After a day of great cycling, we had a really bad cycling day. The road after Soná was busy and there was no shoulder. Plus, the headwinds were very strong, so it was no fun cycling.
    After Santiago, we got back on the Panamerican Highway. At least, we had a shoulder, but still lots of traffic, strong headwinds and boring scenery. The best thing was that we met Bart, a Dutch cyclist, who we had a quick chat with.
    However, the people here make a difference. Jonny and Becky had given us a contact in Aguadulce who we could stay with. The family was just amazing! The parents, 3 kids, a lot of cousins who visited during school holidays (maybe 6), the daughter's boyfriend, 7 dogs (I think) and a cat - all sleeping in 4 bedrooms and sharing 2 bathrooms. And they even prepared a bedroom for us, so we had some privacy. They also spoilt us with lunch and dinner and some fresh fruit juices. At night, we went to the local beach for a game of volleyball and some fun on the playground. The guys had competitions on who is fastest in climbing the jungle gym or running across the balancing tyres. We were pretty tired after our day on the bikes and were happy to return at 11:30pm. But we had so much fun! By the way, it was still 29°C at that time...    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Fixing the bikes on the roof1First view of the Panama CanalLuxery tent

    Fighting wind and traffic

    21 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Another day on the highway... Luckily, we had a good night's sleep in an airconditioned room and 2 breakfast (because we had to try 2 different traditional dishes - no complaints from our side 😉). Strong headwinds, more and more traffic and a shoulder in a bad condition. No fun! Also, a police officer stopped us to have a chat and warn us about crazy and drunk drivers around carnival. The positive thing of the ride was a little bit of refreshing rain.
    We were going to go for a swim at one of the beaches further up North. But when we got there, it was all private and they wanted us to consume for at least 25 dollars. So we decided to call it a day and half-heartedly tried to hitchhike to Panama City to also avoid more of the highway. However, it was a bad spot with cars passing way to fast and no shade to protect ourselves from the sun.
    So after 10 minutes, we decided to cycle to the next town another 20km from that spot and try again. Once we got there, we really didn't want to cycle another metre on the highway, pulled off to stop anyone who could take us to the city. After 5min, a minibus stopped, they tied the bikes to the roof and we finished the last 90km to the capital by bus. We were actually happy to sit in a car with a crazy driver rather than being on a bicycle with crazy drivers around us.
    In Panama, we found a place where we could sleep in a giant tent with a fan for 10$. We cooked dinner with the residents and shared a beer before going to bed.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    The old railway along the canal
    Passing Gatun lakeCanal action - docks and a boatBridge of AmericasCinta costeraFish market in the front, skyscrapers in the back

    Exploring the canal and Panama City

    21 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Today, we decided to explore the Panama Canal because that's the most important attraction in Panama I guess. As we prefer nature over museums, we took the famous tourist train to Colon. It's an old railway connecting between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans mainly following the canal. It's pretty expensive, 25$ person for a one hour ride, but at least you get a small coffee, some snacks and especially great views of the canal, some boats, bridges, the docks and rainforest scenery. We really enjoyed the ride, as we also met Susan and Steve who sat next to us. They were a retired couple from New Mexico and did some birding in Panama. Great conversation partners as well.
    Colón is a very rundown place, a pretty dodgy area. Most of the other tourists on the train were picked up right in front of the train to get driven to a couple of other tourist places in the area. We just walked to the bus station and took a bus back to the city. This was an experience in itself. The first bus wasn't working properly. After driving for about an hour in walking speed and still picking up people, the driver finally realized that the bus would not miraculously fix itself, so he stopped and we could get out to just catch the next one passing by. This one brought us to the terminal in Panama where we tried to find a local bus to our hostel with no luck. We ended up walking half way on a highway before stopping a cab to take us back to the hostel.
    In the afternoon, we crossed the city to our next accommodation which was on the other side of town. On the way, we passed the stadium and some monuments, got a view of the Bridge of Americas, cycled the cinta costera, a circular road in the ocean around Casco Viejo, saw the fish market and the highrises in the back. There was also a great bikeway along the sea. In general, we quite liked the city itself, it's very diverse. Unfortunately, the bike way ran out after the center and we had to fight our way through the busy roads for another 16km.
    Samuel welcomed us at our Airbnb. He is turning 19 in March and very interested in pretty much everything. He even accompanied us to the nearby mall to discuss politics, the German economy and our jobs on the way. Before going to sleep, I got a haircut. Stella, Samuel's mum, is a hair dresser and used my cut to explain the art of cutting hair in angles to her son.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    2End of road
    Going by wooden boat to the fincaVulture looking on the dead caimanCatch of the day

    Swimming with the caimans

    22 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Gregorio and Irma, the couple we met on the road a few days ago, had invited us to join them at their finca during the weekend. We were looking forward to this, as it meant being in nature and getting to know Lake Bayano where their finca is located.
    We could leave our bikes and luggage at the Airbnb and only left with a small bag packed with few clothes for the weekend. Gregorio and Irma picked us up at 7am and we drove to the lake. On the way, we encountered many police controls who checked people going to the carnival festivities.
    We arrived at the lake and packed everything on a traditional wooden boat. Another 15min by boat and we arrived at their little cabin. We had lunch and lots of oranges and relaxed in the hammocks. In the afternoon, we went on a little tour to a tiny island that also belongs to the property to pick bananas. Here, we were welcomed by some vultures around a dead caiman. This made me think twice if we want to swim in the lake, but the clear water and the Tarzan swing were too tempting.
    A couple of friends together with two other tourists (Hayden from California and Christoph from Switzerland, traveling in a van) also came to the property. We had a great time with this international group of people while eating fish and banana chips.
    As a side note: phone and Internet connection are perfect at this spot in the middle of nowhere. Unlike some places in Bavaria for example...    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    1Morning light at the lake
    Frying platanos and drinking orangesCutting a banana treePicking lemonsComing back to the finca (which you can see on the front left)Michl is here!!

    Survival training and a German visitor

    23 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

    Waking up in nature here means that hearing monkeys, birds, frogs and many other animals. Just before sunrise is the loudest time in the forest and we really enjoy it.
    We spent the morning with a "survival training" like cutting and frying platanos on a wood stove and peeling oranges so that you can drink them straight. This natural orange juice is super sweet and refreshing!
    In the afternoon, we went to another part of the lake (of course by boat) to pick bananas and lemons. Gregorio showed us how to cut a banana tree with a machete without causing the fruit falling on the ground. Other than that, we relaxed in the hammocks, went for a swim in the lake, used the Tarzan swing, enjoyed yummy food and had great conversations with our hosts and their friend Clemente who came by for a visit.
    At about 4pm, we headed back to the city. Gregorio and Irma dropped us of at our Airbnb - not missing out on giving us some bananas, oranges and homemade lemonade before leaving.
    We quickly did some grocery shopping and took the bus to the airport - because today, we expected a visitor from Germany. And yes, just when we arrived at the gate, Michl came out!!
    Good to meet a friend at the other side of the world who is willing to travel with us for the next 2 weeks - welcome to cycling life 😀    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Leaving our Airbnb host Stella
    Outside shower viewOur cabin (upper floor)Giant beetle

    Ride into the jungle

    24 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    In order to show Michl some proper rainforest, we had booked a room on a finca in the middle of the tropical forest. The place is called Cabinas Jaguares and conveniently located on the way to Carti, where we are going to board a boat to Colombia.
    After a big breakfast, we left our Airbnb in Panama City and cycled on the Panamerican Highway for about 60km. There is a gas station where we were going to meet Michl, who had to get here by bus, and Hernan, the owner of the cabins who was going to pick us up with his pick up truck.
    Everything worked out perfectly and all parties got to the intersection on time. Hernan gave us a little tour around the village nearby the intersection before heading towards the cabins. We were quite happy to be in a car as the road was ridiculously steep and bumpy.
    At the cabins, we enjoyed the views and the silence, cooked dinner and spent the night chatting. The wooden construction looks nice, but is already quite old. Walking up the stairs is always a little scary as we fear the boards would break when we step on them. But I hope they'll stay strong for at least 2 more days.
    We also got in touch with the inhabitants of the jungle like a huge beetle and a giant frog. But we definitely found a nice place to relax.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Breakfast preparation
    Briefing for our jungle hikeAnt construction work

    A day in the jungle

    25 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We started our day with pancakes for breakfast. Afterwards, we decided to go for a walk in the jungle. Hernan wouldn't let us go alone, so we hired Martin, our guide. We also borrowed rubber boots for security reasons, so little animals wouldn't get into our shoes easily.
    The walk in the jungle was nice, very quiet and lots of oxygen. Unfortunately, we didn't see many animals apart from some spiders, a tiny red and black frog, some birds and many ants and termites. Martin didn't expect us to be this fit and Hernan told us afterwards that he was about to call an ambulance as we wanted to walk too far in the forest 😉
    Back at the cabins, we spent the afternoon doing laundry and cutting hair: Michl introduced Herbert to shaving his head completely which took hours...
    During dinner, we tried some Panamenian rum - not too bad. We also had some nice talks with Hernan, a very knowledgeable, well-traveled man.
    Just before bedtime, Michl discovered a scorpion. The guys here killed it straightaway and burnt it in a fire - too dangerous if we would step on it. Let's see if we can get to sleep well tonight.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Too steep to cycle, so had to push
    Views over the junglePreparing the bikes for the salt waterShort stop on one of the islands to buy iceCaribbean islandSunset in the Caribbean

    Steep, steeper, steepest

    26 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Today was the day we were going to board a sailing boat in order to continue to Colombia via the San Blas islands. Everything was organized, Herbert and me were going to get to Carti harbour by bicycle and Michl was going to get picked up by the shuttle also taking the other tourists of our boat.
    We left the cabins at 7am as we were supposed to meet the shuttle and the speedboat taking us to the sailing boat at 9am. We had looked at the route profile before. It didn't look too bad, a couple of steep rolling hills, but generally more downhill than uphill. However, when we started cycling, we immediately were hit by super steep hills. So steep, that we had to push the bikes several times which is even more exhausting than pedaling but was at least somehow doable. When we got to the harbour at 8:45am, we were soaked in sweat even though we only cycled for 20km. The shuttle hadn't arrived yet, so we had time to change, reorganize our luggage and prepare the bikes for the boat. After an hour of preparations, we got nervous as the shuttle still hadn't arrived. I asked around to get some information but people weren't helpful at all. As our phone had no signal, I asked another tourist if I could use his phone to call the shuttle driver. The driver told us that we were waiting at the wrong harbour and had to go to another one which was luckily only 15min away. So we quickly packed the bikes again and headed there. At the harbour, again, there was no shuttle. At least, the people knew the boat and the driver, so we assumed we were at the right place. Again, we unpacked the bikes and wrapped them with cling wrap to protect them from salt water.
    As there was still no shuttle, I asked around and found out that the car had broken down. They didn't know what time it would arrive. So we waited some more time. A little later, Michl arrived. He also got nervous after 2 hours of waiting to get picked up and had asked our cabin host to drive him.
    The shuttle finally arrived at about noon. Apart from the 3 of us, there were 5 other people on our boat: Olaf and Caroline, both single travelers from Germany, Amanda from Washington DC and Andrew and Dhana, a couple from California. After several tries to fix it on the way, the guys had to change the car eventually. All of us could finally go onto the speedboat which took us to the Wilson, our sailing boat, within about 30min. For some reason, the speedboat driver thought he could make up for the delay, so people, bikes and luggage got shaken a lot.
    On the Wilson, Erwin our Austrian captain, welcomed us. Everyone got a place to sleep, luggage was safely stored and the bikes attached to the sides of the boat. We also went for a swim in the sea - finally some water after our cycling adventure in the morning. Alejandro, the Colombian assistant on board, cooked a Bolognese for a late lunch. Afterwards, we sailed under engine to our first island where we anchored, went for a swim again and had a mouthwatering curry for dinner. We will definitely put on weight on this trip 😀
    The captain offered to take everyone to a bar on the island, but apart from Andrew and Dhana, everyone was too tired after the transportation chaos in the morning and preferred staying on the boat to enjoy a cool beer and the stars before going to bed.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Wilson, our boat dog
    Sunset on the islandAlejandro preparing dinner at the bbqOur crew around the bonfire

    Finding a boat dog

    27 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    The morning started with a coffee while watching the sunrise. I could definitely get used to this. Then we picked up Wilson, a dog our captain has rescued out of the water on his way from Colombia to Panama the week before. He had left him on one of the islands to pick him up and bring him to his farm in Colombia on the return trip.
    So now, we are 10 people and a dog on the boat. After breakfast with lots of fresh fruit, we sailed to the next island. As the winds came straight from the front, we had to use the engine again which was a bit disappointing for us as we were really looking forward to sailing.
    We spent the day chilling on a small island, snorkeling and relaxing on the boat. Snorkeling was awesome: a beautiful reef with many colorful fish and we even saw a ray and a small shark.
    The captain also bought a giant red snapper from the local fishermen which we barbecued for dinner along with some spare ribs. At night, we also had a bonfire on the island before heading back to the boat to sleep.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Sunrise from the boat
    Sailing to "Robinson" islandBreakfast5Herbert the pirateLocals offering the catch of the dayA night at the island

    Relaxing in San Blas Islands

    28 februari 2020, Panama ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Another day in the San Blas islands. This time, we sailed to the next small island where we started with a breakfast of fruit and pancakes.
    The rest of the day was as the day before: snorkeling, swimming, relaxing, reading. The snorkeling was good but we didn't see as much as the day before, probably due to a strong current. Some locals came by every now and then to offer fresh fish and seafood.
    For lunch, Alejandro spoilt us with a Gulasch type of food with salad and potatoes. For dinner, we went to one of the islands, had grilled fish with coconut rice and sweet fried platanos, coco loco (coconut filled with rum) and a bonfire.    Meer informatie

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  • Panamericana adventure
    Last sunrise in San Blas
    Nice horizontal positionSeasick crew

    The seasick crew

    1 maart 2020, Caribbean Sea ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    Last breakfast and swim in San Blas before the long stretch to Colombia started. After some preparations such as lifting the dinghi on the boat and tightening everything that was loose, we left the protected island area at noon and headed to the open sea.
    As the wind blows from Northeast, pretty much the direction we are heading, we needed to turn on the engine in addition to the sail to keep the hight.
    Long story short: wind was strong, waves about 3 meters high and very short and we went almost straight against them. After 2 hours, the cockpit was empty except for the captain who had to steer the boat, and everyone, including the captain, the cook and the dog, was seasick in their beds - some bad, some not so bad. Michl was the first feeding the fish followed by the dog Wilson. We didn't leave our horizontal position until noon next day.    Meer informatie

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