Forgot to mention that Laura gave Spanish lessons in route to our next destinations. She made photocopies of lessons and gave us all a tablet for note taking. Laura is such a good teacher I'm sure that within a few weeks of working with her, I'd have enough language to get by.
On our way to Boquete we passed pineapple plantations and the landscape was lush. Mountains loomed in the distance. We stopped outside Boquete at a vista where we saw the entire town, the river running through it, and surrounding mountains. The pictures of the town might be deceiving. I walked all three main streets in about 7 minutes. American expats have settled here and there is an active expat community for those interested. Many run Eco Tourism outfits or restaurants.
Café Ruiz is a highlight here. It produces some of the best coffee in the world and Laura arranged a tour of the factory. Seniorita Ruiz (last pic), the grand daughter of the founder, gave the tour. Her grandfather was concerned that the best coffee Panama produced was exported, so he created a café where locals could enjoy the coffee he grew on the surrounding hills. This small factory produces coffee that sells in Japan for $40.00 a cup.
About 100 yards up the road from Café Ruiz is Mi Jardin, Su Jardin (my garden, your garden), a private garden open to the public. The family lives on the grounds still.
In Boquete we spent an hour in the town and saw the whole place in ten minutes. Included a picture of my room at Hotel Valle Del Rio; it overlooked a stream and a view of the surrounding mountains. No air-conditioning here; it’s not needed. I included pictures of my room, because it was amazing, and a shot or Ramesh, Jansie, and I having coffee by the river.
For those who wanted, Laura arranged dinner at Machu Picchu, a Peruvian restaurant. We wondered how we’d get to town about half a mile away, but when we stepped outside the hotel, a little train greeted us. 17 of us rode into town and had a fabulous meal. Laura is truly amazing! She’s just being who she is, making the trip special for her family and friends.
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