Into Panama (1/3/11-1/4)

Finca Cantaros

the route south thru Costa Rica

A good two hours plus to drive from P. Jimenez to Ciudad Neily where I turned north towards the mountain town of San Vito. The road is very twisty and rises quickly and the temperature drop is noticeable and welcomed. The map to the left is a smaller version so I could show the whole of Costa Rica. It ends in Cerro Punta, Panama. Click to enlarge. The additional numbers are miles and hours, I like to keep track of that stuff.

Boruca mask

This area is very pretty and looks fairly prosperous with neat houses and fields. Just before San Vito is the Finca Cantaros. I read about this place in my Footprint guidebook (my favorite one). Owned and operated by American Gail Hull and her husband Harry, my reason to stop was to see the crafts store that was mentioned in the book. I had come to the conclusion that there really was no indigenous culture left in Costa Rica. Americans and Europeans seem to own all the good stuff. Well, her little store has lots of very good handmade crafts, most from Cost Rica with some from Panama. I decide to buy a mask carved out by a woman from the Boruca people located not too far to the northwest of San Vito. I now realize I've bought a craft or two on this trip from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica. So, I guess I have to get something from every country now. This from a guy without a home, or even an apartment. The mask is carved from a single piece of balsa and then painted. Pretty cool. Hope it doesn't get crushed. Gail was nice enough to show me around the grounds which is a garden-like setting.Very peaceful. And she said I could camp there, and I would have my own bathroom facilities! If I only knew, but I'm determined to cross the border today.

Into Panama


a quiet border, for a change

I have to ask a couple of times for directions as the road to the border from San Vito is not marked and is dirt for the last several miles. In my research, it was unclear whether a person could take their vehicle across this remote border, but I had recently heard differently. I definitely wanted to avoid the hassle of the major PanAm crossing on the Pacific coast and it was better for my plans to see the area around Cerro Punto in the Panama mountains. It takes 5 minutes to check out of Costa Rica. They stamp my passport and then let me keep my vehicle papers and insurance as they are both good for 90 days. Panama immigration stamps my passport, then I walk over to the aduana where the woman shows me where to get my Panama car insurance. This is a new requirement I had not known about, but it only costs $15. Panama uses the USD and is on eastern time, so I lost an hour today. After insurance, the aduana issues me my vehicle papers at no charge and they even give me a clear plastic sleeve to put all my Panama papers in, that's a first. $1 more for the fumigation and I'm out of there. I was one of only two people at this crossing and it took about 1-1/4 hours. It would have been less but the lady filling out the computer form for the insurance was an excruciatingly slow typist.

Cerro Punta


hills of northern Panama

mountain stream...looks like home

The drive from the border to Cerro Punta, the highest town in Panama at something like 6000' - and right up against the Continental Divide - is seriously beautiful. And the road, with very little traffic at all, is in perfect condition making for a very pleasant drive thru the countryside. The temperature is only in the mid-60's but such a nice change from the hot coast. In the morning it's only 56, and I had to sleep in my sweats. Loved it. In the picture to the right, note the lavender. At least I think that's what it is; it's something like it, anyway. It was a long day and I took a room at the Hotel Cerro Punta, aged but comfortable at $25/night. I intend to check out this area more on the way back north in Boquete, an expat hotspot.

Santiago


Boca Chica cove

I first drove south to the PanAm, then east through the small city of David. This is the first time I've seen a large grocery store since Managua so I load up. They sell Wise potato chips here, an instant reminder of being a kid in New Jersey. They're still great, too. My first stop was Boca Chica on the Pacific to the east and south of David. Not what I was hoping for, more of a fishing destination with some islas and coves for boats, but I took a picture from the hotel that wanted to charge me $180 for the night. Come again?




the drive towards Santiago

Panama, so far

Next on my list was a surf town called Santa Catalina further along the highway. Missed every turnoff opportunity! I think I'm distracted by the thought of the Canal being so close; I can taste it. The drive along the highway east is a couple of hours of almost nothing but highway. Not a very memorable part of the country. This turned into another long day and there's nothing of note in Santiago. There is a nice hotel tucked behind a hill just before town called the Vista Lago, anId I took a room for $50. Great king-sized bed, and even better towels. In case you're wondering, even with all the rooms I've gotten, when I average out my daily cost for a place to sleep, it's right at $25, which is what I expected. I've camped enough to make a difference. My next stop is Pedasi on the southeast tip of the peninsula directly south of Santiago. There's supposed to be some nice beaches there, and it's my job to find them.