QUETZALES GALORE!

Our neighbor, Cathy, recently told us about a great hike in Boquete, one that we had never done.  Greg and I followed her directions to an unmarked trail and enjoyed a fun hike up in the cloud forest of Boquete. The highlight of the morning was spotting a group of at least 15 quetzales.  Greg initially heard the quetzales and started making his own bird calls, mimicking the quetzales in an effort to draw them in.  His bird calling skills were certainly successful!  These beautiful and brilliantly colorful birds continued to fly from tree to tree, while Greg and I observed them for over an hour.  It is always a special treat to spot a quetzal on a hike, and this was my first time ever not only observing so many at a time, but also having the opportunity to enjoy them for more than just a few short minutes.

A funny thing happened.  We spoke with Cathy after our hike, only to find out that we were not on the correct trail after all.  Greg and I suspect that we were probably walking on someone's private property. Nonetheless, it was an exciting and adventurous morning, and we were grateful for the experience!

A beautiful creek runs through the beginning part of this trail.

The Resplendent Quetzal

We saw many interesting flowers and plants along this trail, and this brilliantly colored bromeliad stood out among the rest.

I love the combination of pinks and purples in this one.

These orange flowers were seen throughout the trail.

We don't see these flowers often - stunning!

Another Beauty

Greg walks inside the giant trunk of this tree.

RAINBOWS

The dry season in Boquete, Panama started in early December.  We gradually experienced less rain, a fair amount of wind, and also what Panamanians call "bajareque", which is a very light mist.  While we have not been all that fond of the wind, and the bajareque can be a little annoying at times when the the wind is blowing the mist directly into one's face, these weather changes have brought daily rainbows.  Each day, at one time or another, one can spot these magical rainbows, most of which have been seen from our house - such a treat!

Beautiful Rainbow

The size and height of this rainbow was quite impressive!

BOQUETE SUNRISE

While we have experienced many beautiful sunrises during our time here in Boquete, yesterday morning's was quite special.

I woke up to this incredible view from our bedroom window.  The colors were spectacular, and the sky looked as if it were on fire.

Within a few minutes, various clouds rolled in.  What a sight and interesting transformation...!

4-WHEELING TO THE SUMMIT OF VOLCÁN BARÚ

Volcán Barú is a dormant volcano that last erupted about 500 years ago and is the highest peak in Panama at 3,475 meters (11,400 feet).   On a clear day from the top, one can see both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.  Reaching the summit of Volcán Barú has been on my "bucket list" of things to do, and last weekend I had the opportunity to make it happen.  While one can do the 13.5 kilometer climb from the ranger station up the volcano, which takes about 4 hours each way, I chose to leave at 4am with a guide and make the trip in a 4-wheel drive Jeep so that I could be at the top for sunrise.

The drive up the volcano in the darkness, and down during the daytime, was half the adventure, while our skillful driver maneuvered the Jeep up and around giant rocks and boulders.  I was not prepared for this part of the journey, and immediately when our Jeep came up against multiple boulders in the road, my first thought was, "Where is the road?  All I see ahead are giant rocks blocking us.  There is no way we are going to get this vehicle around this!"  Well, I was wrong.  Our well-seasoned guide, Antonio, did not hesitate in the least bit, and rolled down his window to help navigate the vehicle alongside the road while the right-hand-side of the car was tipped at a 45 degree angle since it's wheels were moving not around, but over a boulder.  How he managed to do this in the dark with just the Jeep's headlights guiding the way, is beyond me.  After a very bumpy and harrowing 2-hour drive to the top, we arrived safely and had a few minutes to spare before sunrise - perfect timing!  Unfortunately, the weather conditions were not on our side, and the clouds blocked all views to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.  Nonetheless, the sunrise and cloud-covered views were impressive, and the experience of being on top of Panama's highest peak was pretty cool.  I truly felt "on top of the world".

Sunrise

At the summit of Volcán Barú

This was a truly amazing sight!  In this picture I'm standing alongside the cross at the summit of Volcán Barú, overlooking the clouds and watching the early morning sunrise.  Off to the right are Panama's communication towers.  I'm "on top of the world"!

The plant life and flowers at this high altitude are so interesting.

Antonio and I stand by the 4-wheel drive Jeep before we get ready to descend Volcán Barú and return to Boquete, our small town below.  We are bundled up with jackets, since it is quite cold at the top.  I'm feeling a little nervous about the drive down, anticipating that for me it might be a little scarier than the drive up since I'll actually be able to see the road (and all of it's rocky obstacles) since it is no longer pitch dark.  I ask Antonio if he is concerned about the trip down.  He answers me with complete confidence and tells me that while the drive down is more challenging than the drive up, he is not worried in the least bit.  His confidence and many years of experience as a driver (he's done hundreds of these trips up and down the volcano) put me at ease.

This is one rocky road!  There is no way to pass on the left or right, just roll on over the boulders ahead.  This ride was an adventure in and of itself!

More giant boulders ahead...!

Along the way down we passed many beautiful flowers, such as this one.

About halfway down the volcano the clouds had dissipated, and a beautiful view of the valley below (with the Pacific Ocean in the distance) could be seen.

A FAMILY HIKE IN VOLCANCITO

It's been fun to explore nearby hiking trails and paths in our local neighborhood of Volcancito.  Our family recently hiked one of our favorite trails, which happens to be a short distance up the street from us.  While the trail isn't necessarily spectacular in any way, we love it because it has a great variety of views, plants, birdlife, and all-around scenery.

A great view, which includes the Pacific Ocean and the islands in the Gulf of Chiriqui.

Spectacular Orange Blossoms

One of our favorite parts of this hike is this giant tree trunk that juts out from the trail, with a 50+ foot drop below.  Walking across the tree trunk can be a bit scary and takes some skill, but certainly is fun.  Monica has it mastered!

During this time of year many of the coffee bushes are in full bloom.  They are very pretty and smell like jasmine.

We passed this Ngäbe-Buglé couple along the way.  During the weekends, couples and families are often seen walking hand-in-hand on various paths and hiking trails,  taking a leisurely stroll.  

Ngäbe-Buglé kids

As you climb higher into the mountains, a beautiful view of Volcán Barú can be seen in the background.

The hiking trail meanders along several coffee fields, and this friendly man was happy to show me his giant basket of coffee cherries, all hand-picked.   

Interesting Flower

Beautiful Flower

RANCHO CALDERA HORSEBACK RIDE

Ever since we arrived in Boquete I've wanted to go on a horseback ride in Caldera, a small town about 20 minutes from Boquete.  An opportunity presented itself, and one morning this past week I enjoyed a beautiful and relaxing ride at Rancho Caldera.

The scenery at the entrance to Rancho Caldera is gorgeous.

The horseback ride through Rancho Caldera and up into the surrounding mountains was beautiful.

Riding up into the hills was a great way to see Caldera's beautiful countryside and spectacular mountain views.

MONICA AND MATEO START SCHOOL AGAIN!

This past week, after having had a nice summer break in Panama from mid-December to the first week in March, Monica and Matt started school again at Academia Internacional Boquete (AIB).  Monica is now in 7th grade, and Matt is in 3rd.  While the kids may not have been too thrilled to go back to school (having the summer off is always fun!),  this time around the adjustment has been much easier since they both understand and speak far more Spanish and were able to start the school year off knowing the basic routine and seeing many familiar faces.

Monica and Matt are ready to start their first day of school for the 2015 school year.

All of the students, teachers, and administrators gather for an assembly on the first day of school - an exciting day for everyone!

A COFFEE PLANTATION LAKE HOUSE - LAS LAGUNAS

Shortly after we arrived in Panama we took a day-trip to the Janson Family Coffee Farm near Volcan.  Greg and Matt had a wonderful time kayaking around the lake while Monica and I went on a horseback ride.  Our summer break recently came to an end, and we decided to take one last excursion before Monica and Matt returned to school, and a second visit to the Janson Family Coffee Farm proved to be a great choice for a short last-minute getaway.  

This time around, we rented a small guesthouse at 'Las Lagunas' which is part of the Janson Farm and enjoyed two wonderful days and evenings reading books, playing card games, kayaking around the lake (with a little fishing too!), hiking around the property, and drinking plenty of the Janson Family coffee that is grown on the farm.  Our time was so relaxing, and Christina, Monica and Matt even splurged and got massages!  This is a very special place, and the beautifully landscaped gardens, private dock, and overall tranquility of the lake and its surroundings made our time together extra special and memorable - a perfect choice before the kids return to school.

Our plantation-style house by the lake

The house had a beautiful lake view, and we loved relaxing on the dock.  During our two days there we were the only people kayaking or swimming on the lake, and we loved having it all to ourselves!

This is one of the views from the deck of our little lake house.  Reading books in the hammocks, while taking in the beautiful surroundings, was such treat - relaxation at its best!

Geese on the lake

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by an abundance of baby chicks.

Adorable!

Another beautiful view from our little lake house.

The owner of the main house is an avid gardener, and the surrounding tropical plants and landscaping are pretty spectacular.  There is a small nursery on the Janson Family Coffee Farm, which grows many of the plants on the property.

Beautiful Ginger

Matt loved kayaking in Las Lagunas.

Beautiful birds on the lake

One of my favorite parts of our trip was having breakfast and freshly brewed coffee from the Janson Farm on the dock, while enjoying the peace and serenity of the lake - a perfect way to start the day!

Monica runs down one of the forested roads on the farm.

One afternoon we walked to a second lake.  The trails wrapping around the lakes were beautiful, and we stopped along the way to do a little fishing.

Matt explores the second lake, scouting out a good fishing spot.

At this second lake, everyone enjoyed a little fishing!

Greg and Matt dug in the mud for fishing worms and found several.  Greg holds this GIANT one, which was too large to use and was left behind.  

In the late afternoon, Greg caught several small bluegill, one right after another, off the dock.

One of the many bluegill caught by Greg and Matt.

One morning Greg and I hiked along the trails, exploring the Janson Family property.  A great view of Volcan Baru, Panama's highest peak, is seen from this trail.

Beautiful Flower

Beautiful Flower

Greg and I spotted this brilliant morpho butterfly.  Its circular brown markings on the bottom of its wings and bright florescent blue colors on the top are pretty impressive.

More beautiful tropical flowers