Places to visit
BOQUETE, PANAMA The hooves of the horse under me made a rhythmic clop and pine needles shuffled below us. Mist covered the valley in the distance. The mountains were lush with their shades of green. A breeze caressed my skin and the smell of pine filled me with pleasure. This mountain in Panama is capturing my heart … Read more
The pain in my ears was greater than any pressure I have ever felt on a flight. My eyes seemed to be bulging as if they were going to come out of their sockets and my throat was constricting. I was 30 feet (10 meters) underwater and desperate to return to the surface to breathe. JUST BREATHE I signaled … Read more
The bike slid and I saw it all happen in slow motion. As our bodies approached the dusty rocky road surface I knew that we would lose a bit of skin. Before I could think any further, we got really intimate with the beautiful island of Ometepe, skin to gravel. OMETEPE ISLAND The island is composed … Read more
“You will get sick,” they said. “Last year, one of the little boats capsized and a lot of people died,” one gentleman told me the morning we were leaving Granada. Others at that hostel suggested that we really should fly to our destination. They’ve heard too many horror stories about the sea journey. Many of … Read more
Some say he is crazy, others say he is wise. He is a hermit known as the “rock man” and we were going to make a trek into the jungle to meet him. We navigated the busy bus terminal of Leon, located north of the town in a densely packed market. The street was filled with vendors … Read more
I turned over on the grass to lay on my back. The moon had disappeared beyond the horizon and the wind had cleared an opening in the cloudy sky revealing a canopy of millions of stars. I could hear the next gust of wind headed toward us from far away like a winged night creature bursting by, then I listened … Read more
We were warned that the monkeys would steal our lunch here in Manuel Antonio Park. Turns out the coatis and racoons are just as persistent and made out with not a few sandwiches. Manuel Antonio is nestled on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. You can take a direct bus to the park from San Jose. … Read more
Heat radiated from the makeshift grill standing crookedly beside the sidewalk. The early afternoon was already hot. On the grill was a wok of oil-boiled empanadas. Pieces of chicken and pork lay directly on the grate next to the wok, sizzling above the smoldering firewood. Trin pointed to the piece he wanted and asked “cuanto … Read more
The bus began a winding ascent into the mountains past small towns and mountain villages. Steep mountainsides boasted of beautiful farms on the grade which made me wonder how they ever plant, cultivate and harvest their crops. Surely any tractor would tumble down the hill if it attempted even an approach to these terraces. My … Read more
Legend tells a tale of two brothers and the woman they loved in Cartago. She chose and married one. In anger, the thwarted brother killed his sibling. In remorse for his sin, he built a cathedral for Cartago. A year later it was destroyed by an earthquake. Numerous attempts have been made to rebuild, but … Read more
