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Panama: Eight Destinations in Which to Spend the Winter Months

First Time Reader?

 Why Panama? – This blog explains the rationale of the trip and this series of blogs.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/excursions/1266327384/tpod.html

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Guadalupe 

Part 2 of 2 on the Volcan area

 Destination no. 7 of 8 to Spend the Winter Months in Panama
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Date blog written: August 20, 2010 in Victoria, BC

Date of visit to Guadalupe: February 15, 2010
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 Guadalupe – Almost Paradise

This was my introduction to Guadalupe taken from a previous blog.

"I went to the bus station in David the evening before to check out the quay from where the busses leave for Volcán. There was no sign for Volcán, instead it was for Punta Cerro located five kilometers past Volcán. Unsure as to which would be the better place to stay overnight I asked the bus attendant. He suggested that I stay at Punta Cerro because it is nicer. He also mentioned that I should definitely go to a small hamlet called Guadalupe that he assured me is the nicest of all.

Boy, was he right."

If there is any doubt about that, let me put it this way: every trip has a defining moment. The moment of my Panama trip that I cherish the most was the 5-km walk I took on a hot sunny afternoon from Cerro Punta to Guadalupe.

All the elements that make for a memorable moment were present. I would put the sun light near the top of the list. It must have been between five and six in the afternoon when I wound my way along the immaculate asphalt ribbon of a road with the angle of the sun seeming to hit everything around me for maximum effect. The colours of the surrounding countryside were brilliant and uplifting, creating a feast for the eyes.

At this point I have to drag out the old chicken and egg argument. I put the “angle of the sunlight” near the top of my list but what good is the perfect angle of the sunlight when there is not a pretty scene to illuminate? So maybe I should put the gorgeous, pastoral, pristine agricultural valley and the majestic green mountain backdrop of the Cerro Punta/Guadalupe area first.

I have been alluding to comparisons with Switzerland and the Allgäu region of Germany in my previous blogs of the area but my comparison now becomes more than an allusion. On the stretch of road from Cerro Punta to Guadalupe it becomes definite. I make that statement notwithstanding the comment of Paul Hort, the Swiss-born manager of the Hotel Gran Nacional in David who upon hearing my comparison replied: “If that looks like Switzerland, I look like a Chinaman”.

David: Gran Hotel National - Interviews

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/excursions/1275038080/tpod.html

My walk to Guadalupe on this late afternoon was almost perfect.

It started with a lovely late lunch in Cerro Punta for all of $3.00. 


Next on my walk, just past the Delta gas station, I came upon a “perfect” herd of 15 cows. They were standing beside a gate in the mud but there was not a spot on them including the white spots on the Holsteins. Now how is that possible except in a perfect place? Oh yes, mixed into this perfect scene was a sprinkling of beautiful chestnut coloured horses, also impeccably clean, just mingling with the cows as if they were brothers and sisters.
 
   
 
 

The magic continued with the landscaped look of the agricultural fields, the quaint John Deer tractors, and the farm labourers working in the fields. Part of the well-kept look was that I was walking past an experimental farm – Instituto de Investicion Agropecuaria de Panama.

Further along my way I came upon a sign extending an invitation to visit nearby “Parque Nacional Volcán Baru” and to walk the “Sendero los Quetzales”. This is a famous foot trail that joins Boquete with Cerro Punta. Unfortunately, lack of time and planning prevented me from walking this trail.


The idyllic ranch land finally hit its crescendo when I walked by a “hacienda” called Haras Cerro Punta – a famous ranch that breeds classical stallions.
 
 

Explore their website to learn more about the race horses that they breed.

 http://www.harascerropunta.com/haras/english/index.php

Under the “About Us” link is a good description of how the Cerro Punta Valley located in a dormant volcanic crater, with an altitude of 2,000 feet is a great place to breed racehorses with superior lung capacity.

http://www.harascerropunta.com/haras/english/sobreHaras/historia.php

Unfortunately their promised virtual tour of the farm does not seem to function.

The scenery continued to sparkle as I approached Guadalupe with well tended terraced farms gracing the hills to my right. From a distance it appeared to be a vineyard but that turned out to be not the case.

 

The sprinkling of homes along the way distinguished themselves with their beautiful landscaping that put the emphasis on blooming flowers. The closer I got to Guadalupe the more I saw flowers and nurseries that all seemed to create a most pleasing environment.


When I finally turned the corner to get a peek at the activity in Guadalupe I was surprised to find a semi country fair type of atmosphere with lots of people on the streets lined with vendors. It didn't take me long to discover that the main attraction was the sale of strawberries and whipped cream. 
 
 
 
 


Suffice it to say that one portion was not enough and I regret that I did not go back to the trough a third time for they were delicious to say the least. Just the idea of having fresh strawberries and whipped cream in February was enough to bring a smile to my face. Try that back in Canada in February.

Just like the walk to get there, Guadalupe did not disappoint as one immediately has the feeling of “what a nice little town”. Everything seems to come together to create a place that is a pleasure to visit as well as a place that seems idyllic for Panamanians to live. I would assume that a strong sense of pride and community is pervasive here in Guadalupe.
   
 


Just in case the visitor would like to tarry there is the rustic Ecolodge and Spa Los Quetzales that offers cloud forest lodging among other things.

Check out the photo gallery among other things to realize what a paradise the Guadalupe area is.
 


Being an extreme budget traveller, the Ecology and Spa Los Qeutzlas was not where I laid my head that evening. For what I call “the decimal movers” this would appear to be a great place to stay and enjoy.

http://www.losquetzales.com/

It is for all of the above reasons including the photos that I declare Guadalupe the defining moment of my Panama trip. The emphasis is on the word “my”. There is no assurance that another traveller would have the same reaction to this beautiful place that I had – after all, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Nevertheless maybe my eye is not that bad as I declared Oaxaca: San Agustin Etla – “Ersatz” Provence the defining moment of my Mexico blog – Mexico: 23 Destinations to Spend the Winter Months. Have a look at the photos, as it is a gorgeous place. Like Guadalupe, it is small, out of the way and in a spectacular setting.

http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/lobo/excursions/1245717554/tpod.html

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Lobo’s Featured Panamanians

During my walk to Guadalupe I met a photogenic young couple that were walking in the opposite direction to Cerro Punta.

It is easy to talk with people when you write a blog for there is something that one can learn from everyone.

In this case it was Juan and Zavidys.


Juan was a young lawyer who lives in Changanguea, which is located in Boca province. He says there is a lot of rain there even in the dry season and that is one of problems with my next destination - Boca del Toro – rain. He likes it here because unlike back home the drug scene is under control.

Zavidys, a lovely young lady, lives in Bugaba and is studying psychology.

They visit the Cerro Punta/Guadalupe area rarely but they like it very much primarily for its beautiful scenery and climate. It is cooler than David. For example when I left David the temperature was about 30 deg. C whereas here the temperature was 20 deg. C. They say the nights are quite cool; in David they are sweltering.

They describe it as a calm place, with fresh air – just perfect to relax.

Along the way I also encountered a farm worker whose name got lost but nevertheless he merits inclusion in this blog.


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Coming Soon: Boca del Toro: Caribbean Dreaming