That Castle Life, etc.

So...I'm staying at a hostel named Castillo Bambuda in Boquete and while it's super quirky, unique and fun with its pool, hot tub, rock climbing tower, and all...it's really the stunning view, peaceful scenery and this town's amazing coffee that take the cake. After the hectic city pace and a bit of a wild bus ride, this slow, quiet, fresh mountain town is hitting the spot. I mean.. who wouldn't want to sit on that balcony and read with a cup of delicious cafe?! So, a quick run down is after getting on a bus at midnight, on which I FROZE my butt off, I was dropped with several other passengers on the side of the road around 6:15 am with the first light of day just breaking. As we awaited a school bus for the last hour of the journey, I struck up conversation with a nice Canadian couple. It turns out we had booked the same hostel and so it also turns out we hung out all day and it was super chill and fun! If it looks like we lounged in the sun, made plans for our stay here, played in the pool, visited a local strawberry cafe for a sundae (and got to sample some strawberry wine!), stopped by a fun new brewery with delicious raspberry cider, popped in a cute coffee shop (where Patricia had us try coffee rum and cream rum!), got groceries...all before being served a delicious family style dinner at our hostel... that's right, cause that's exactly how the day played out! It was my first day with blue skies and no rain at all (just a super cool lightening storm through the fog over the volcano tonight!) and I reveled in it!

Before that midnight bus though, I had another fun day in Panama City - seeing different parts of Casco Viejo (the old city), the Cangrejo neighborhood in search of a chocolate store I never did find, and perhaps most interestingly participating in a tour (ended up being 1 on 1) facilitated by a former gang member who had once lived in the Casco Viejo neighborhood before the renovation (& UNESCO declaring it a World Heritage Site). It offered a lot of perspective and planted the seeds for lots of curiosity and inquiry on my part. I had made a new friend at the hostel and we tried to go see a famous jazz show before our late night transits - but alas it was reserved for a private event. I might try when I'm back in Panama City Saturday night though! 🤞

Thanks for taking the time to follow/read!