Costa Rica & Panama Adventure

My college buddy, Andy, and I had planned a trip after both finishing grad school in the summer of 2010. That trip got delayed as we focused on moving and finding jobs. Hanging out over Labor Day weekend in 2011, a trip for the new year was decided upon with Central or South America in our sights. With some help from an ad in Outside magazine, we found this amazing trip through Adventure Life to Costa Rica and Panama. Since the time to celebrate finishing grad school came and went, it was now to be a pseudo-celebration of us both turning 30 this year. Our 9-day trip promised to be jam packed with culture and activities. Adventure Life helped coordinate our flights, as Andy lives in Philadelphia and I am in Minneapolis, so we could meet at Miami International Airport and fly together to San Jose, Costa Rica. After going through customs, a trip to the ATM to get some colones and a taxi ride through the city, we arrived at Hotel Le Bergerac, which offered very nice, clean accommodations in walking distance from the center of the city. In need of food, we got some help from the hotel staff and headed out exploring. Andy and I came upon Bufalo's near the University of Costa Rica campus. It had beer and sandwiches on the menu and that was all the convincing we needed. With drinks in hand - Imperial beer made in Costa Rica - we toasted the start of the trip. As we enjoyed our food we were treated to the performance of some of the local patrons doing karaoke in Spanish. The owner and servers made us feel welcome and even offered us the microphone but I hadn't had enough beer to trust my Spanish pronunciation to get up there. After our meal, we walked around the University of Costa Rica campus, which had some great sculptures and interesting architecture. We then headed to the center of the city and saw the government buildings and amazing street art / graffiti as dusk fell. It was a relaxed afternoon but the perfect way to transition into our vacation. We got a good night's sleep because the real action would start the next day.

My college buddy, Andy, and I had planned a trip after both finishing grad school in the summer of 2010. That trip got delayed as we focused on moving and finding jobs. Hanging out over Labor Day weekend in 2011, a trip for the new year was decided upon with Central or South America in our sights. With some help from an ad in Outside magazine, we found this amazing trip through Adventure Life to Costa Rica and Panama. Since the time to celebrate finishing grad school came and went, it was now to be a pseudo-celebration of us both turning 30 this year. Our 9-day trip promised to be jam packed with culture and activities. Adventure Life helped coordinate our flights, as Andy lives in Philadelphia and I am in Minneapolis, so we could meet at Miami International Airport and fly together to San Jose, Costa Rica. After going through customs, a trip to the ATM to get some colones and a taxi ride through the city, we arrived at Hotel Le Bergerac, which offered very nice, clean accommodations in walking distance from the center of the city. In need of food, we got some help from the hotel staff and headed out exploring. Andy and I came upon Bufalo's near the University of Costa Rica campus. It had beer and sandwiches on the menu and that was all the convincing we needed. With drinks in hand - Imperial beer made in Costa Rica - we toasted the start of the trip. As we enjoyed our food we were treated to the performance of some of the local patrons doing karaoke in Spanish. The owner and servers made us feel welcome and even offered us the microphone but I hadn't had enough beer to trust my Spanish pronunciation to get up there. After our meal, we walked around the University of Costa Rica campus, which had some great sculptures and interesting architecture. We then headed to the center of the city and saw the government buildings and amazing street art / graffiti as dusk fell. It was a relaxed afternoon but the perfect way to transition into our vacation. We got a good night's sleep because the real action would start the next day.

Rising early in the morning, Andy and I were packed and ready for a full day of white water rafting with Exploradores Outdoors. We were picked up by their van at our hotel and greeted by Ricky, who was our guide for the ride and gave everyone on board a pre-orientation to rafting. We quickly made friends with Jane - the only English speaking passenger - from Northern England. We left the city and had a scenic trip through the country as we headed to their base camp where a breakfast buffet was served and we had a chance to change and store our luggage. Rafts were assigned and we went over to the Pacuare River to get going. We met Olger, our friendly guide, who taught us the commands and the most important phrase of the day - Puda Vida! We shouted this phrase in joy every time we made it through the more difficult rapids. It was my first time white water rafting and it was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The weather was beautiful and warm and we all jumped into the river to swim a bit and cool off. We passed waterfalls and more and Olger told us the history of the area and generously answered all our questions. One of the highlights was we passed under a bridge that was populated by local children. As we went under, they made the 20-30 foot jump into the water and one climbed on our raft with the help of Olger. We paddled a bit more and then the children helped the guides take the rafts a little further down the river. In return, all the kids were given the leftovers from our lunch. Tired but elated from the journey, we had a beer at the campgrounds with our raft mates and were able to get a CD of fantastic photos from the day. Andy and I then made our way to the Selva Bananito Lodge. One of the staff members, Jonathan, picked us up in his old but reliable pick-up truck and took us on the dirt roads to the very private eco-lodge. There would be no electricity for the next few days but we would be closer to nature than ever. The lodge was beautiful and we had our own cabin with a deck that overlooked the Talamanca Mountain Range. There were hammocks to relax in and we collapsed into them to rest after all the rafting. A jug of fresh water to drink was available and there was a solar-powered light in the bathroom. The shower even had warm water, as long as all the guest played nice and didn't hog it all. It was eco-tourism but not too extreme that you felt like you were on an episode of Survivor. Staff member Carlos stopped by our cabin to say hello and answer any questions. He directed us to dinner, over at the main lodge. We walked over as the sunset and were greeted to a gorgeous covered deck with tables and chairs all made of local wood. The kitchen staff lit candles all over the place and we met the other guests - Benny and Marteen from Belgium and Ursula from Switzerland. Carlos sat with us and told us all about the history of the land and this truly unique hotel. Our arrival was celebrated with a shelled out coconut filled with a freshly-made cocktail of coconut water and rum. Soon after, the food was served and was delicious, as it would prove to be our whole stay. It was a truly home-cooked meal of cucumber salad, chicken with potatoes and carrots, fresh juice and coffee cake to boot. After a fun dinner with everyone, it was an early bedtime due to the lack of light. Sleeping without the buzz of electricity and just the hum of crickets was a great finish to the day.

On our first morning at Selva Bananito, we were greeted by an amazing breakfast spread of eggs, fresh fruit, juice and more. Carlos joined us and the others to talk about the possible activities for the day. We agreed upon horseback riding and tree climbing! Jonathan led Benny and Marteen on a nature hike, while Carlos took Andy, Ursula and I to the stable to get saddled up. We had the pleasure of riding Jeffe, Foxy and Guerroro respectively. They were great, obedient horses that made it very comfortable. We rode around the beautiful acreage that surrounds the lodge. Carlos had us tie up the horses for a short nature walk in which we saw and learned about all the amazing flora and fauna. He even found a gigantic grasshopper in the bud of one flower. Ursula had the the pleasure (?) of having the grasshopper sit upon her should for a great photo op. We then took the horses to the stream nearby that flows into the Banananito River. We relaxed by the water for a while and then finished up our morning ride. A generous lunch of freshly-made pasta and cheese served with Papaya juice helped beat the fatigue. The afternoon led us over to an enormous tree near the horse stables that has ropes anchored in it. We were going to climb it. Benny and Marteen watched and cheered us young people on as Andy, Ursula, Carlos and I made our way up the tree after being securely locked into carabiners and harnesses and helmets. We actually did not use the tree to climb, but instead a rope system with two metal grips that we cinched up the rope to get to the top. After some encouraging from Carlos, who told me his grandmother climbed faster than I did, we made our way near the top - a 100 feet off the ground. With feet back on the ground, we celebrated with a much-welcomed beer and a nap in the hammocks. Before dinner, Carlos had one more treat in store. He led the whole group of us in the dark to go frog spotting. He found with his flashlight a picture-perfect green tree frog with orange toes. It reduced the group to child-like wonder. We enjoyed another meal together of fresh ham, mashed potatoes, zucchini and cabbage and guava juice. It was a great day and I easily fell to sleep after all the excitement.

Benny, Marteen and Ursula said goodbye that morning. Andy and I were the only guests for the day but, regardless, Carlos organized another great activity for us - horseback riding and zip lines! We rode around the property first and made our way to the start of the jungle. We disembarked and started a hike up to the zip line course - another first for me! With all safety precautions taken, Carlos went first and then Andy and I soon followed. We all rested on a platform built into the trees at least 80 feet off the ground. It was amazing and Carlos explained some guests sleep out there - I was happy this was not on the itinerary as I prefer not to sleep anywhere I need to be attached to a rope. A few more zip lines circled us back to the platform again where Carlos informed us to get back to the horses we would descend by rope. It was truly harrowing to step off the platform to start the descent (I let Andy be the guinea pig and go first - haha!); but once that step was taken, totally exhilarating. The morning's activity finished with some more galloping around the grounds. We then enjoyed a nice lunch and had the afternoon off. Andy and I decided to take a half-hour walk down the road to the stream we had seen the day before. We enjoyed the walk and swimming in the stream. That evening we had a quiet dinner with new guests, Phillip and Jessica from Switzerland. Their English was not strong nor did Andy or I speak French or German, but we managed to have a pleasant conversation with them. We made the trip again from the dining lodge to our cabin by flash-light and were asleep by 9:30pm thanks to the lack of noise and light. Doctors always recommend your room should be pitch-black when you go to sleep - this was taking it to a whole new level!

Day 5 meant saying goodbye to Costa Rica and crossing the border into Panama. I didn't fully understand going into our trip that it would be such a literal crossing. Jonathan gave us a bag of drinks and sandwiches from the staff and drove us to a nearby convenience store where a van run by the rafting group met us. The van's driver took Andy and I to the border crossing, which was a bridge connecting the two countries. We had our passports checked and stamped and waited with our driver. Gabriel, a friendly but quiet driver from Panama, met us on the Costa Rica side and walked us across the bridge. There were young backpackers and senior tour groups in line with us outside of the of this small cement building that did not scream government center. We stepped up to the window, got our passports stamped and headed on our way. Gabriel and his brother drove us to our water taxi, which would take us to Bocas del Toro. Their car was pimped out with TV screens in the back showing music videos by Latin American rappers. It was a trip to say the least. The water taxi ride was just as exciting. We pulled into the town of Bocas del Toro with our hotel in sight. Its bright painted facade of primary colors warmly greeted us and when we checked in we met the owner Carla, an ex-pat. The Hotel Bocas del Toro had a nautical theme and the room was very nice with a great private deck that overlooked the ocean. Andy and I walked around the town for a bit in the afternoon and took in the vibe of this surfer village. It was a great mix of cultures, that seems to reflect the history of Panama. For dinner that night we went a few doors down the road to The Lemongrass, an Asian Fusion restaurant overlooking the water with a lot of great fish dishes. After we found the Barcoo Hundido, an open-air thatched-roof bar that features a sunken banana boat in the waters in front. It was very cool being able to enjoy a beer and watch the fish swimming around the lit ship in the water below. The bar was a bit quiet but it was still early in the evening. So we finished the night at another local bar along the docks, whose name unfortunately escapes me. It featured live music and a relaxing atmosphere. Bocas del Toro was proving to be a laid back town with a lot of cool places to hang out.

Andy and I had no clue that on Day 6 of our adventure what an amazing excursion lay ahead of us with Gambit Tours in Bocas. A rep from the company met us at our hotel and escorted us to their office. From there, we joined a boat full of excited passengers and started cruising along the local waters. The boat first stopped for some dolphin spotting and we absolutely succeeded. Dolphins came right up to the sides of the boat and we all had to resist jumping into the water to swim with them. Next we pulled along a little island of foliage, where bright orange star fish decorated the ocean floor. It was then time to finally get in the water and snorkel amid the fish and corral. Another first for me and I enjoyed the close-up encounter. I think I even found Nemo! A stop on a nearby island allowed everyone the chance to get some food and rest. There was a small colony of bright red parrots that walked right up and around all of us with our cameras. They got an applause of oohs and ahhs. Andy and I thought the tour might be over but the adventure continued as went to the gorgeous Red Frog Beach. Near where we got off the boats, we spotted a sloth in the trees. Then after a short walk, we had the chance to enjoy the amazing views and swim through the waves were. A great unexpected finish to the tour. After a much-needed rest and freshening up, we hit the town and walked a few blocks to La Casbah for a Mediterranean-inspired menu. We had fun chatting with some Americans at the table next to us and enjoyed the food. The house wine was an admittedly bad choice but everything else, especially the gazpacho, was awesome. We shouldn't have bothered with the wine there because our next stop was The Bocas Wine Trading Company and Lounge (aka The Wine Bar). We sampled three nice red wines on their amazing second-floor deck that overlooked the main street and offered some excellent people-watching. I had to finish the evening by having a Bocas brownie topped with vanilla ice cream at our hotel bar. Its made with local chocolate and was as decadent and delicious as it sounds. After another action-packed day, I easily fell asleep with pleasant dreams of our next stop - Panama City!

Goodbye to Bocas and hello to Panama City! A small but safe plane ride on Air Panama started the day off. The airport was low security and low service but a lot of fun to experience. Landing in Panama City, we were greeted by Olmedo, our extremely friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. He brought us to our hotel first so we could check-in and drop off our luggage. Then we started on a full itinerary of seeing all the sights and sounds of this ever-growing city. (Bad joke: their national bird is the crane.) From the ruins of the ancient city to the story of its plunder by Captain Morgan to the skyscrapers that now rise in the downtown area, it was all explained with enthusiasm and great detail on our private tour. Olmedo took us for lunch to a cafeteria in downtown that was filled with local businessmen and women from the area. We got to enjoy traditional dishes and learn more about city life. I also got a glass of horchata, which was perfect. The tour finished with a visit to the Panama Canal and we got to see the Hamburg Sud pass through the locks. It was awe-inspiring to see such human ingenuity come to life. A full day of touring demanded some time to rest by the pool at our hotel, the Country Inn and Suites, which was extremely comfortable and situated right along the water. That evening we took a taxi to Casca Viejo, the old neighborhood, to the Tantalo Hotel, which had recently opened and that we read about in the local papers. We had an amazing dinner of tapas-like dishes: roasted tomato and peanut baba ganoush with pita bread; octopus sauteed in coconut milk; chorizo and potato empanadas; and cumin- and ginger-spiced meatballs. After our meal we headed to the rooftop bar, which offered a great view of the skyline. We met some local girls who invited us to join them as they made their way around some other bars in the neighborhood. People were out in droves, all in a jovial spirit and celebrating a beautiful night. Casca Viejo was definitely the hot spot.

Day 8 started with a nice breakfast buffet at the hotel, which featured a mix of local flavors and standard American fare. Strengthened by our meal, we took a short taxi ride to Casca Viejo. We had seen a bit of it with Olemdo but wanted to explore it by foot. And there was a ton to explore! Every turn led to another church or statute but also some modern restaurant or store. It was a great mix of new and old. We also got to do some souvenir shopping. I found a great domino set for my Dad in a wooden box emblazoned with Panama on it. Andy found a Panama hat for his Dad. Moms were also taken care of with items from the gift shop at the Panama Canal the day before. Walking around Casco Viejo in Panama City can be tiring. While it is relatively easy to navigate, there is a lot to take in and you find yourself walking up and down the same streets over and over to make sure you have seen everything. The old city is such a sharp contrast in terms of the atmosphere and architecture compared to all the skyscrapers that continue to go up in the main downtown area. All of the charm of Casco Viejo is perfectly encapsulated in the dining experience at Rene Cafe, where we stopped for lunch. It was the perfect place to stop for lunch and not just because it had air conditioning. With its open kitchen, we got to enjoy watching the owner and his wife and their staff of two prepare a full tasting menu, which only cost $8.50. It included salad, Spanish-style tortilla, bread with herbed butter, rice with vegetables, a choice of meat and dessert. It was classic no-frills food but delicious. The restaurant only had seven tables creating a nice quiet private environment and were not rushed at all. It was almost likely being invited into a local's home. The afternoon was more sights and sounds, the highlight of which was the boulevard along the water that offered amazing views of the downtown skyline. We took a break from all the walking and went back to the hotel for a bit in the late afternoon. Rested and energized for the night, we went to downtown Panama City for dinner at Caffe Pomodoro, which I had found in a guidebook. It was an Italian restaurant that featured a large interior patio. The food was good and filling and was a nice change of pace. After, I twisted Andy's arm and convinced him to go to the local casino with me. I quickly lost the few bucks I played at the slot machine making our visit short. The casino was not to be recommended if you are not a big gambler. It was clean and attractive enough inside but, truth be told, cluttered by a lot of women looking for clients - giving it a really seedy sinister feel. We got out of there and ended the evening walking around and admiring all the skyscrapers lit up at night. We grabbed a taxi at one of the larger hotels - always a great travel tip - and headed home.

Day 9 fell on Palm Sunday. Andy and I walked to a local church and found the parishioners outside getting ready to process into the mass. We were welcomed and handed palm fronds and followed along. It was a nice service full of music and easy enough to follow along, despite being in Spanish. We had a late breakfast afterwards and relaxed at the hotel for a while. It was then time for one more excursion into the city. We went to the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, which I read about in my guidebook, and saw a well curated exhibit of Panamanian art from the 1900s, which was organized by the different movements of the past century. There were some definite standouts and it was great to see the work of the country's best artists. After we headed back to Casca Viejo for a final meal, for which we decided to return to the Tantalo Hotel. The food was as delicious as before. We called it an early night as we had to head to the airport first thing in the morning for the long trip home.

We woke up early on our last day and headed to the airport. Andy and I said goodbye in Panama City as his flight was taking him to a stop in Miami and mine to Dallas. It was a great week of travel and a dynamic unique experience. We journeyed by car, boat and plane. We enjoyed rafting, horseback riding, tree climbing, zip lines and snorkeling. We made friends with fellow travelers and locals alike. We encountered dolphins, frogs, parrots, sloths, starfish and giant grasshoppers. We tried new cuisine and saw modern art. We learned about ancient history and saw old statutes and churches. It was a true adventure.