The Solo Adventure Begins

I made the decision to head out on my own on Thursday. Of course Wednesday night I started getting sad. Meivis and Salvador took me out to dinner at one of her favorite little joints. Another wonderful dinner under a rancho. For desert we had the house flan. Hands down the most delicious flan I have ever tasted. The flan raised my spirits and I started becoming excited about my upcoming adventure.

Meivis had promised to reclaim my bra for me Thursday morning and then help me get onto a bus. As soon as this task was accomplished, we headed to the main bus terminal. We found the right window and I bought my 7 hour bus ticket for $12.60 from Panama City to David where I would buy another ticket (1 hour for $1.55) to Boquete.

My bus was leaving in minutes so we said a quick goodbye, I bought a bottle of water and then I got onto a bus completely filled with locals. My seat-mate was a delightfully smiling women with layers of necklaces and several rings on each finger. As is the fashion in Panama, she was wearing her finest leopard print hoochy mama shirt and uncomfortable looking heals.

As the bus was pulling out of the terminal, a man mysteriously appeared in the aisle and began what I guessed was a plea of some kind. He was speaking in fast slurred Spanish and the only words I picked up were "please," "chicken," and "he." Each time he completed a sentence, the wiry man would pout. While he was talking he would wave his hands flamboyantly, but at each pause he would bring he hands into his body sorta like he was praying. Strange. At the end of his "schpeel" several passengers passed him money.

As soon as the man disappeared a equally wiry woman appeared and began what I accurately guessed was a sales pitch. I turned to my seat-mate and she was shaking her head. The overly animate woman started asking questions about animals. When my seat mate yelled out the correct answer to the first question, she was rewarded with a 5 cent shiny plastic ring, which she dutifully added to one of her fingers already containing two rings.

When she also answered the second question right, I got a ring. Yay for me. I put it on and received the envious glares of many passengers. More questions were asked and more rings were shared. I couldn't understand what the woman was saying but I was waiting for the hard sell. I didn't have to wait long.

First she pulled out a wrist full of cheap silver necklaces. I gathered that one could be bought for the bargain price of $2 and then you were allowed to pick a plastic pendant (various aqua blue dolphins). I passed, but my fellow travelers were sucking it up, fearful the supply would run out before they had a chance to make their purchase.

Next she produced a felt covered case with a variety of fake gold jewelry. Up and down the aisle she went, unloading her goods on the willing.

As soon as this lady disappeared behind a swinging mirrored door at the front of the bus, a man stepped out with a stick holding bags of chips and a dirty cooler of sodas. The whole bus groaned and started laughing. Apparently this strategy was effective because he left empty handed. This was the last tout we saw on the bus.

About 5 hours into the trip, we were pulled over by the Panama version of the DEA. Everyone was required to produce their identification. The bullet proof vest wearing, sidearm packing man that took my ID examined it with a magnifying glass and a flash light for several minutes and then asked me some questions. Since I was not detained, I must have answered them correctly. Another traveler wasn't so lucky...

They escorted a glum looking man off the bus. Everyone got excited and stood up to peer out the windows. They confiscated his luggage and arrested him. My seat mate's eyes were wide when she told me "muletta." Wow, a drug mule was riding on the same bus and I would have never known.

When I reached the city of David I knew I wasn't in Kansas anymore. Not a tourist in site and no indication as to where I was supposed to go to buy my ticket to Boquete. Luckily one of my neighbors from the bus ride approached me and told me where to go. Otherwise I would have been lost.

I walked along muddy streets with no sidewalks, past a pack of street dogs surrounding two that were stuck together if you know what I mean, and found the makeshift filthy bus terminal. I just started walking, looking everywhere for a sign that said Boquete. A few mintues of this and a bus driver called out "Boquuueeettteee." I veered in that direction and picked a seat next to a woman dressed in a version of the traditional Panamanian dress.

Shortly after boarding the bus, some tourists hoped on with their tourist guide. I took the opportunity to make some friends and got some good tips on things to do in Boquete and how to find my hostel.

After getting slightly lost, stepping in a water filled pot hole, and being helped by a sympathetic family who were on my original bus, I finally arrived at the hostel at which I had failed to make a reservation. Yikes.

Luckily for me they had an available bed in the dorm room. A door room is a room with several beds (in this case 5). Doors are cheaper than a regular room, $10 compared to $22 and you have to walk to the bath/shower room. I had one roommate who was leaving at 5:00a.m. to Costa Rica.

From the first five minutes of arrival I liked the vibe. There was a friendly young couple working the front desk and there were people milling about enjoying a BBQ sponsored by the hostel and an assortment of accents. I took my first warm shower in several weeks and joined some folks watching Gladiator. I helped myself to a $1 beer and appreciated that my room connects to a balcony, which overlooks a beautiful river in the mountains of Panama.

Three beers later I was in bed and looking forward to my first full day in the mountains. I came to Boquete because I read about their famous gardens, animal parks, hot springs, coffee plantation tours, and hiking opportunities. Plus it is about 15 degrees cooler than Panama city. We will see if it lives up to my expectations...