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From survivor to five stars, Isla Palenque, what a difference in two years

May 1, 2013 by 2 Comments

In June of 2011 Mayra and I visited Isla Palanque. At that time in a post, I described the vision of the developer and called it “survivor for the jet set”. We were invited to return this past weekend to see the changes made in two years. I am pleased to say Isla Palanque is still almost all a nature preserve as promised but the signs of the planned community are taking form.

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We stayed in what I will describe as a five star hotelet, six rooms.  It will be someone’s home after the first real hotel is built on the Isla Palenque. We had the opportunity to take a hike down one of the beaches and into the rain forest. We enjoyed some of the most innovative food I have eaten in all of Panama and on Saturday we took a tour with the project designer and manager who is living onsite.

Getting to Isla Palenque required a drive to Boca Chica and a thirty minute boat ride to a new pier.

Forget Fantasy Island

Forget Fantasy Island

We were greeted in a style reminiscent of Ricardo Montalban, except we were met by two gracious ladies both too young to remember Fantasy Island. They were from the staff of what turned out to be the nicest little house on the island.

Our welcome cocktails

Our welcome cocktails

After a weekend there I decided to take three days to share our experience. Today just a bit about the accommodations because they represent the quality of design and innovation. The current hotel is based on a design for a six bedroom house. It is a design I have never seen before. Each bedroom is part of a two level stack, each stack independent, floating above the ground with connections to the salon and outdoors. The salon has an infinity pool and view of the ocean. Each unit has air-conditioning, two or three different showers, a bathtub for two. The water is solar heated and the interiors true apartments themselves. I originally thought each bedroom suit was a free standing cabin minus a kitchen, but not to be, each is a bedroom.

Isla Palenque

Isla Palenque bathroom

Bathrooms are not usually photogenic but this one has a shower wall. a bathtub built for two and behind those doors an outdoor shower that is open to the sky and closed to prying eyes. It was great fun. The toilet has it’s own room.

Isla Palenque bedroom suiteThe suit has a king sized bed, living area and opens to a view of the ocean and a floating terrace. I spent most of my time on the terrace staring at the sea. There is no cable, in fact there is no television, who needs it. They do have Internet and provide an Ipad in each bedroom.

Isla Palenque beach view from hotel

Isla Palenque beach view from hotel

Isla Palenque

Kayaking

The image below is the hotel from the beach. The Joron is the restaurant. The roof in the center the salon and entrance to the home.

Isla Palenque Hotelito from the beach

Isla Palenque Hotelito from the beach

Mayra suffering

Mayra suffering

Isla Palenque wants you, local residents to have our experience so they are providing a nice deal to fill short term vacancies. Tomorrow more, Food Pornography, the naked truth about great food.

VECINO5 discount rate
The special unpublished package rate applies to stays of 2 nights or more between 11-19 May and includes:

> Jungle Room accommodations
> All meals
> 1 Island Tour per room-night, based on tours offered per our regular schedule
> Transport to/from Boca Chica

The price per room, per night for this package is $195 (value: $540/night; save over 60%). All our rooms are double occupancy but one of our Jungle Rooms can accommodate a third person; to add a third person to this room would cost $95.

All that’s needed to take advantage of this rate is to input the rate code VECINO5 when booking. Please be advised that this is a “last minute” offer, meaning it can only be redeemed 7 days before arrival and is subject to our availability. Also, this rate is strictly “word of mouth”, meaning it cannot be published online, but you are welcome to email it to anyone you think would be interested.

This is the LINK to their website form more information.

 


Filed Under: Chiriqui, Featured, Lodging, Resorts, Travel in Panama

Weekend celebration and then a thank you

March 25, 2013 by 3 Comments

I really dislike going to Panama City, but if you live in Panama the center of the world is in the Capital and at times you must go. Usually I need to go to visit a government Ministry since everything in this country is centralized the offices in the Provinces can rarely do much of anything. This time was different, a better reason and over a weekend.

Via Espana Panama City

Via Espana Panama City

This trip was with Mayra and both of her daughters, Karina and Johana to formally celebrate the engagement of Johana.

Karina, Johana, Mayra

Karina, Johana, Mayra

After a seven hour bus trip we received a room at the Milan Hotel early, and slept to recover from sleeping on the 11PM semi express bus. Then  we did a little shopping, I forgot it was Saturday some of the markets, the kosher markets, were closed. I forgot it was the first day of Passover and Sabbath too, oh well, those little grey cells are overused.We did our spice shopping at Foodie.

Then later went to the engagement dinner at Lung Fung, which I think has the worst Chinese Food in Panama. After the formal meeting of the families, Mayra, Karina and I went out for a drink to relax. It was a formal meeting because Johana is marrying into a Indian family and the Hindu traditions are different than any we know.

Sunday morning I wanted to compensate for Lung Fung, so I took the group to the Golden Unicorn for great Dim Sum. In my opinion, Lung Fung and Golden Unicorn, both in Panama City are the opposite extremes in Chinese cuisine.

Then the trip home, long but uneventful until I hit the rain driving from David to Boquete. Allow me to suggest avoiding that ride at night if you can. Between the detours and lack of paint on the highway it is really difficult to know where you are on the road. It is easy to slide into a ditch.

I avoided the ditches, at least until I started up Jaramillo, up the muddy unpaved road that climbs to my house. My Rexton hit a slippery spot I slid backwards into a drainage channel. What do you do at 8:30PM on a rural road in Panama when you are stuck in a ditch. This is the magical difference in Panama, no AAA, I could have called for a tow truck but they might never have found me or ended up in the same ditch.

Instead I called my neighbor. As I waited for Carlin, Kent and Phyllis, other neighbors drove up and offered to help. Eventually using Carlin’s winch and his jeep tied to Kent’s pickup I was extricated. Then Carlin tried backing down the hill and ended up in the same ditch. We extracted him and with Carlin leading in the jeep and Kent walking by my side I backed down to a point I could turn the car and return to an intersection and use a paved road up the hill.

There is a message in this monologue. Panama is a country of diversity, a melting pot. Panama has attracted some great people along with the losers. I know my neighbors, we rely on each other, this is a lot different than my life in Arizona. I knew I could call any neighbor when I was stuck, I never hesitated, they also know they can call me if they need help, when that has happened I never hesitated either. This is a very different than my past life, I prefer this life. Thank you to Kent, Phyllis and Carlin, all of you are reasons I love living here in the boonies.

 


Filed Under: Community, Contrasts, Featured, General Interest, Lodging, Panama City, Panama City, Restaurants

Road Tripping: Santa Fe, Veraguas Panama

November 24, 2010 by 4 Comments

Mayra and I visited Santa Fe in Veraguas, it was an opportunity to see the town some people think will become the next Boquete, what ever that means. I had been there before, Mayra, had not. What we saw was little changed from the Santa Fe of three years ago, and I suspect the Santa Fe of twenty years before that. Aside from a spray painted “Gringos go home” sign entering town the community was as gracious as before.santafe.jpg

The sign, which I did not photograph, motivated me to ask, “what’s going on here”. The answer was an echo of what I have heard in Chiriqui. It was not interpreted to mean Gringos, generically, go home, but is targeted at those Gringos building a new hydro electric plant outside of town. Gringos, expat, extranjeros, are still welcome and warmly treated in this town that is trying to be an ecotourism center. The people building a hydro project, destroying the very heart of ecotourism in the region, the rivers, are not so welcome.

In Panama we are seeing an effort to do two things that are opposed to each other. Build a tourism based economy and pave the countryside. If you destroy the environment you cannot succeed in building ecotourism, regardless of how much marketing money you spend. People love to see the canal, but besides that, Panama has untold resources for people wanting to see a breed of nature found no place else. In Panama you can swim in both the Caribbean and the Pacific in one day. This idea of two oceans, will soon change the small town of Santa Fe.

Santa Fe is located closer to the Caribbean than the Pacific, the only thing it lacks is a road to the untouched beaches of the Caribbean coast of Panama. The government is building the road, now. Santa Fe, the sleepy town of a few thousand will soon be another roadside attraction on the road from Santiago to the Caribbean. If rumor is correct, Boquete might also find itself with a similar road across the continental divide. Maybe in that way they will be similar. Listening to the voices I heard in Santa Fe the current residents would prefer it if things did not change too quickly, those I spoke with would rather visit Boquete than live here.
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While is Santa Fe we stayed in the La Qhia hostel and if you visit I would recommend the hostel. It is walking distance from the center of town, clean, inexpensive and the owner, Stephanie is a pleasure to know. We enjoyed our time there, we in particular enjoyed sitting around the breakfast table talking with other visitors who were there to see a different slice of Panama. Santa Fe is Panama before massive change, it is a time machine back into history. If you visit be sure to fill your car in Santiago, because the next time you will have the opportunity is when you return to Santiago. Santa Fe does not have a gas station, a significant indication of what makes it different.

If you are visiting or even if you live in Panama I suggest a trip to Santa Fe, a day trip is not enough. Spend a a few days, explore the rivers, explore the bordering comarca and meet some of the people living off the land in the mountains.The experience will enrich your view of the world and perhaps change some of your perspective of what is important in life.


Filed Under: Lodging, Travel in Panama, Veraguas, Veraguas Tagged With: , ,

A course correction and the Rio Encantado

November 15, 2010 by 3 Comments

When I started writing this blog more than four years ago, I was writing for my children, they never read it. Then I started writing for myself, my life, my experiences in the this great adventure called life. Over time more and more people started reading this blog. People in Boquete already know about what is here, but appreciate some news and occasionally a different perspective. Recently I can see a lot of new people visiting this resource, people who are considering a relocation to Panama and more potential tourists looking for information.

I stopped writing about restaurants, I stopped writing about resorts, I stopped travel logs of travels around Panama. In doing that I omitted what many readers want, some ideas for visiting, places to stay, places to eat. The silent majority of readers, according to Google are not in Panama but are in North America. Starting with this post on Rio Encantado in Caldera I am going to start sharing information about hotels, resorts, restaurants and regional travels again.

I live in Boquete which means I don’t usually spend a night in a resort in the area. Still I stumbled across an ad for Rio Encantado and decided to contact Frank, the owner, and ask if I could visit and write about his rather low key nature preserve with a few cabins. I wrote that sentence with careful consideration, because Frank has one hundred hectares straddling the Caldera River with only four cabins and one guest house. Although the cabins are well appointed and complete, the real feature is the wilderness.rioencanto1.jpg

Rio Encantado is not for the visitor who wants to be in the middle of an urban or even suburban setting, it is comfortable wilderness. This is the place for a quit retreat, a swim in the river, a walk in the tropical forest. The setting was being cleared for pasture when Frank purchased it, he reversed the process, reforesting, reinvigorating the native environment. Rio Encantado is a real nature preserve in the diminishing wilderness of Chiriqui.

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Do not consider Rio Encantado for a day, consider a week, the rates are a reasonable $60 a day. You will have your own kitchen, your privacy and the ability to commune with nature. If you wish Frank does have staff that can prepare elegant meals. If you prefer, you can do it all yourself.
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I did not spend a night at the resort, I did walk along the river and experience the beauty. It is very different from Jaramillo, and only thirty minutes away. Rio Encantado has a great party facility near the river and I might in the future consider renting it for an event, the location is that unique. It is that much of a trip back in time to a place only touched by man, not totally terraformed. Beautiful, comfortable but immersed in nature not concrete.

If you are interested in learning how to scuba dive, Rio Encantado offers lessons in the pool. A better place to start than the river :)
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For more information on the facility and availability check trip advisor


Filed Under: Boquete, Lodging Tagged With: , ,

A four year coincidence, Boquete Garden Inn

July 16, 2010 by 4 Comments

I arrived in Boquete Panama in July 2006. The first night I spent in Boquete was in the Boquete Garden Inn, a beautiful facility along the river. Tuesday I had the opportunity to visit the hotel again. A friend was staying there and we met with intention of going to another location for breakfast. I had no plans to write about our breakfast so I did not take a camera.
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My first stay at the Boquete Garden Inn in 2006 lasted one night, the physical plant was beautiful even four years ago but the atmosphere was cold and dispassionate. In 2006 I moved to Villa Marita. In 2010 things changed and we stayed for breakfast. The warmth, the atmosphere and the new owners made the difference.
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Suzie and Jay, the current owners are warm friendly people and their energy makes the Boquete Garden Inn a place to consider if you are visiting Boquete. All the photos in this post are from Jay, if you do visit, don’t be surprised to see him out with his camera, snapping at the birds.

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The Physical plant is a tropical garden along the river, the rooms in multistory units following a path toward the river. They have a daily happy hour for their guests and include a continental breakfast. After seeing the breakfasts like Huevos Rancheros, Panamanian, I think they might have some of best breakfasts in Boquete.


Filed Under: Boquete, Lodging Tagged With: ,

Isla Colon, Bocas Del Toro, Panama Revisited, again

February 20, 2010 by 4 Comments

School in Panama begins on March 9th, My friend Myra is a Professora, a teacher and her vacation is coming to its end. We decided to do a fast trip from Boquete Panama to Bocas del Toro, to Isla Colon, the most populated of the islands commonly called Bocas del Toro. We were joined by some other friends, Dan and Deborah, escapees from Valle Escondido.

We drove and briefly said they are continuing to repair the road between Gulaca and Chiriqui Grande, several new bridges are going into span the washed out road bed. When done it will be a vast improvement, for now the construction coupled with the dense fog that we encountered makes the ride slow and perilous. With flights having resumed from David direct to Isla Colon I would really recommend flying. IslaColon02.jpg

After parking the car we headed for the BMT, Bocas Marine Transport and took a water taxi to the island. I noticed a rather dramatic change, radios in the boats, new tops and enforced mandatory use of life jackets.

Myra and I stayed at the Hotelito del Mar, dead center in town. I have been there before and nothing has changed. If is perfectly located if you want to be in the center of what has become tourist town Bocas del Toro.The Hotelito was full so Dan and Deborah ended up about 10 minute walk out of town at the Angela Hotel. If I were to rate the Hotelito del Mar a 6/10 the Hotel Angela might make it to 4/10. Their room included three beds with a shower in the same room, non functional AC. Despite to offer of a free breakfast posted in the room, they discovered the hard way there was no such thing as a free breakfast in the Hotel Angela.IslaColon04.jpg

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After settling in, we started a Bocas pub crawl in pursuit in eventual pursuit of dinner. We started at the Buena Vista for some happy hours Pina Coladas, they were very nice at $2.50 except they appeared to be missing the rum. After a round and some fried calamari we moved down to the Reef at the other end of the street. Rum was $1.50, six chicken wings for $6. The wings were really six, half wings. I requested the check and noticed the rum was billed at $2 each. this brought back a memory, they did this last time I was there also, that time for food. I need urge caution if you value your wallet t the Reef.

My reason for this line of commentary is the sum up that Isla Colon has become a tourist trap; unless you know where to go.

Deborah suggested heading off the beaten path and with a phone call to my friend Helena from Garden of Eden we were directed past the Reef, around the bend to the Ultimo Refugio. We actually missed the entrance until a man on the street asked if we were looking for the restaurant.IslaColon06.jpg

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The wait was long but discovering the new drinks being offered at bar folded time and eventually a table cleared. The inside was charming, busy and fun. There were no tables but we were offered bar, drinks and the next opening. The white board menu was short and the theme fresh and fish.
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Dinner was served well and in a reasonable time. Dinner was very good, the venue and service excellent and in all the experience great.

On Isla Colon head of the tourist path. More of that tomorrow in a day of walking, exploring and searching for another dinner worth eating.


Filed Under: Bocas Del Toro, Bocas del Toro, Bocas del Toro, Lodging, Restaurants, Travel in Panama Tagged With: ,

Boquete to Bocas Del Toro Panama

December 19, 2009 by 5 Comments

In November 2008 storms cut the road to Bocas del Toro from Chiriqui Panama. The government did some hasty repairs and I believed that one more good storm might destroy the road permanently. I have a photo of the road last year, compare it to the one at the end of the post.
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With that in mind I decided to fly from David to Bocas del Toro, I was surprised to learn all such flights have been terminated so they can work on the airport on Isla Colon. You can now only fly into the tourist haven of Bocas del Toro from either Panama City or San Jose Costa Rica. The hotels in Bocas are hurting and there are deals to be found.

We choose to drive rather than miss the chance to relax after a hectic week. The caribbean side of Panama is so removed from reality that it makes Boquete seem hectic. I have a friend in Panama City who said that if the world ended tomorrow it would take a week for anyone in Boquete to notice. If that is so it would take another week for anyone in Bocas del Toro to care.BoquetePanama0005.jpg

My favorite place to stay in Bocas del Toro is the Garden of Eden, a small private island with three rental cabins and great food. Even more removed from what ever hustle is happening on Isla Colon.

The island is 10 minutes from Bocas Town on Isla Colon and it is easy to go back and forth if you wish, I don’t. We choose to stay in one place enjoy the great company of our hosts Bob and Helena and their great staff Callie and Magali.
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The road trip to Almirante required some time to relax. Driving to Almirante was a chore, bad roads and thick fog for a significant part of the trip through the mountains. More minor delays caused by construction; lot’s of road construction. It was only when we returned with clear skies that we could see that massive, real improvements are being made to the road. A real effort to increase the probability that the only road from the Pacific to the Caribbean this side of Panama City will remain open.
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Filed Under: Bocas Del Toro, Bocas del Toro, Lodging, Travel in Panama Tagged With: ,

Hotel Milan – Panama City

December 11, 2009 by 1 Comment

Recently I have been doing many trips from Boquete to Panama City. I have intentionally tried to stay at many hotels so I can compare them. I have enjoyed the Decapolis, loathed the Marbella and pondered the rates at the Executiive. I tried a hostel in Casco Viejo and Sevilla Suites in El Cangrejo.

I have come full circle back to the first hotel I ever stayed at in Panama, the Milan. Well located on a quiet street in the center of the El Cangrejo tourist district, the Milan is still an excellent, affordable place to stay.

The rates are up from the $25 of 2006 but the value is still there. With rates starting at $60 and no argument on the jubliado discount a night at the Milan and cost $30 plus tax.
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For your money you get a spacious clean room, good security a decent on site restaurant and a gracious helpful staff. If you drive into the city you also have secure off street parking in the building. They have added Wifi to the building and are adding a second tower.

In summary I am glad I rediscovered my roots of three years past. The Milan is once again my hotel of choice when I visit Panama City.

You can contact the Milan at hotelmilan @ cwpanama.net (remove the spaces)


Filed Under: Lodging, Panama City, Panama City, Travel in Panama Tagged With: , ,

Very Special Event in David

December 10, 2009 by 1 Comment

A very dear friend of mine, psychologist and author, Dr Elizabeth Qulia will be doing a presentation in David about her book, La Mirada Ciega. The presentation will be 14 December a Restaurante Mana en David at seven pm. You can enjoy dinner , drinks and meet Elizabeth.

The presentation will be in Spanish. Please join us.
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Presenta libro de autora Ecuatoriana
En La mirada ciega (cuento/narrativa breve), a lo largo de 11 historias, desfilan una serie de personajes que acometen sus existencias “a caballo” entre la realidad convencional y sus realidades íntimas, develando a cada línea una digresión entre los funcionamientos convencionales y la necesidad imperiosa de Ser, sin mayores ambages que la aceptación -por parte de los lectores, de sí mismos, y de sus pares en estos mundos de ficción – de sus divergentes (así lo determinaríamos nosotros, los “cuerdos”) psiques.
Elizabeth Quila posee un PH. D. en psicoterapia conductual por la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, y dirige el taller de inteligencia emocional en la AFG.
Lunes 14 de diciembre del 2009.

7:00p.m.
Restaurante y Cafe Mana Grill
Bajada del Felix Olivares Contreras
Por la Estacion Accel y Java Juice
Entrada Libre

Filed Under: General Interest, Happenings, Lodging, Recipes

Hotel Executive Panama City

November 19, 2009 by 5 Comments

I am not a hotel reviewer, no white gloves above the door, but when I need to travel from Boquete to Panama City I need to stay in a hotel, so I have tried many. This trip is starting in the Executive Hotel it was recommended by a friend. The Executive is well located walking distance from the restaurants of Calle Uruguay and the tourist district of El Congrejo. It is clean, well attended and seems to cater to business people from around the world.
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The rooms are nice but not elegant. They include a complete but mediocre breakfast, something not included in many hotels. They have wired internet in the rooms, be sure to ask for the login and password at the desk. The Executive also has a nice restaurant, bar and outside seating area.
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I booked from their website, the rate was $85 a night and I thought when I arrived I would receive the pensionado discount making it a very reasonable $42.50, I was wrong. They did not refuse the discount, they pointed to their lobby sign which showed a rack rate of $165 and offered me the discount from that rate. This is becoming a common ruse with hotels in Panama City. An inflated rack rate and a higher than value real rate. The executive is worth $85 a night, apparently $80 if you book through Expedia.com, but I have been spoiled by real discounts on tariffs so next time another hotel for me.

The Decapolis with the pensionado discount is only a little more expensive and includes $20 in prepaid bar billing making it a far better value on the high end.


Filed Under: Lodging, Panama City
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