My, how quickly a month does fly! As most of you are aware, I am now back in the States, recovering from the usual holiday overindulgence and prepping myself for what may be a long, exhausting job search ahead. It feels strange to be contributing to this blog from my parents' living room, but since I couldn't seem to muster enough enthusiasm to post at the end of my trip and not wanting to leave the blog unfinished, I thought I'd add one more post in an effort to tie up the loose ends.
So, I last wrote from Boquete. My time there wrapped up nicely but with no major events to report. For my second week, I took group Spanish lessons and got to meet a nice couple from the States who are working as dance instructors for a cruise line and recently decided to make Boquete their home. Turns out they live in the aforementioned Valle Escondido, and while I secretly hoped they might invite me to dinner one night so that I could see one of the mysterious giant houses from the inside, the invite never materialized.
For my last day in Boquete, Hilda and I went to a fundraiser put on by a group of expat gringos, a giant book/plant/clothing/furniture sale complete with games for the kiddos, pictures with Santa, etc. I had hoped to pick up some new reading material but was fairly appalled by the offerings - only a handful of books resembled actual literature - and actually ended up donating two excellent books that I had recently completed. After that, I took Hilda out for lunch to thank her for being a good host mom and we had a lovely chat about life, family, being a woman and making one's own decisions, etc. - always good to hear another perspective on such issues! That evening, we visited with the neighbors and they fortified me with many hugs and good wishes for safe travels through the rest of my journey.
From Boquete, I traveled to Pedasi, a tiny fishing village on the Pacific coast of Panama, where I had planned to spend 3 or 4 days lounging on the beach and doing some snorkeling before heading to Panama City. The journey to Pedasi took most of a day and involved four bus changes, but luckily a kind older woman took me under her wing and helped me to navigate the slightly confusing local buses in the more rural areas. I arrived in Pedasi in the early evening and took a stroll around the town, which was even tinier than I had expected, although very quaint, and had a nice seafood dinner al fresco before crashing for the evening.
Unfortunately, on day 2 I discovered that days of relaxing on the beach were not in my future. Because of exceptionally strong winds, the placid beach scene that I had envisioned had been replaced by foaming, choppy white water and sand being whipped in all directions, which does not make for good lounging. The heavy winds meant that snorkeling was also out, so after a day, I decided to cut my losses and head for the mountains.
The next day, which happened to be Panamanian Mother's Day/my birthday, I hopped a bus to the little town of El Valle outside of Panama City and renowned for its beautiful scenery and impressive Artists' Market. I arrived in El Valle in the afternoon and checked into a beautiful B&B run by a Costa Rican family, and I spent the evening sipping wine and enjoying some delicious food prepared by the proprietor of the place.
The weather in El Valle turned out to be rather uncooperative as well, with lots of rain and heavy winds, but I still managed to enjoy some good hiking, a visit to the local zoo and a trip to the "Pozos Termales", some natural hot springs where I was able to treat myself to a natural clay mask followed by a nice soak. I also paid a visit to the famous market and was able to stock up on some crafty items to bring back as Christmas gifts.
From El Valle, it was on to the big city - Panama City, the final stop on my 16-week journey. It seems fitting that the trip ended there, as PC is a very modern city that, in many ways, feels like an American city. Hence, I was provided with a reminder of some of the things that I'd be returning to in the States, like dodging preoccupied drivers on busy streets and the uninspired landscape created by strings of fast-food chain restaurants. On the other hand, I let out an audible sigh of relief when I walked into the bathroom of a museum one day and discovered that it had flushing toilets, running water AND hand soap - what luxury!
I did enjoy my time in Panama City - highlights included the beautiful streets of the old city, Casco Viejo; seeing the amazing Panama Canal up close; seeing my first play in Spanish (and understanding it!); checking out the ruins of Panama Viejo; and picking up some beautiful items at the Mercado Nacional de Artesanias.
However, I must say that I was really, really happy to come home to the States! It was an incredible trip, but after nearly four months on the road, I was thrilled to be reunited with friends and family in the States, especially in time for the holidays. Now begins the next journey of searching for new employment and figuring out precisely where to settle next. I am definitely leaning towards Boston as I've got lots of friends in the area and think it's a great city with tons of fun and interesting things to do, so hopefully I'll be able to secure the right opportunity for myself in that area. I'm not really sure if and how my newly acquired language skills will assist me in the job search, but I do hope I'll be able to keep it up no matter what.
Thanks to all of you who followed the blog over these past few months; I know there was a lot to read at times and I appreciate all of the encouraging feedback I received. Hopefully, it was interesting for the most part! Mostly, though, I'm glad that I kept a record of my travels to which I'll be able to refer in the future and remember the details of this wonderful adventure. Thanks for coming along for the ride!
