El Valle

Long overdue life update: I work in a zoo, and I live in one too! Most of you probably know this already - but now I will finally fill you in a little more on what I've been up to down here. When I say I live in a zoo, some of you may be picturing a freshman dorm… but this is not a figure of speech, I actually live in Panamanian zoo. My neighbors are sloths, peacocks, spider monkeys, goats, pigs, and chickens of every possible variety... to name a few.

My grumpy, always hungry neighbor Don Cocodrilo

The fact that I live in El Níspero Zoo is largely due to the kindness of the folks I work for at the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center (EVACC). They offered me a place to stay as part of my  6 month internship here, which makes my life infinitely easier and my wallet much, much happier. The apartment I live in was constructed behind EVACC to house workers that live father away, funded by a donation from a local mining company. The mine has dumped a significant amount of funds into the work that EVACC is doing to help save Panamanian frogs from the killer fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis known more commonly as Chytrid or Bd . This serves as a way to offset any damages they may be doing while mining (at least that was my understanding) – better that than nothing!

The top floor of the green building is the apartment where I live. The concrete building is where I work – tough commute! 

I share this lovely little (not a euphemism, it is very small) apartment with three other girls, at the moment. Two of them are Panamanians that work here as well, and one is a volunteer from Spain that is here for a month. I've got my own room, and we all share a small bathroom and kitchen that doubles as a living room/dining room as well. We all get along very well, and I’m learning tons of Spanish since neither of the Panamanians speak English. I’m also learning lots about how to cook local dishes and generally having a great time immersing myself in this new way of life. 

Our cozy abode

The food has been delicious, I'm really loving fried plantains (patacones) for breakfast, and there's even fresh squeezed orange juice from the orange trees outside our house to wash it all down!  There are also lime trees and even a few kumquat trees!! We've got a machine that spins inside the orange while you apply pressure, and the juice collects in the bottom. Definitely the most delicious glass of orange juice I have ever tasted, and it's totally free! :) 

Simply Orange 

I am lucky enough to really enjoy the work I am doing while here, and I am learning so much about the wide variety of amphibians here in Panama. One of the main reasons I was offered this internship is because I have previous frog husbandry and exhibit design experience while working as an Intern at the Smithsonian National Zoo. A large part of my duties here, at least for the time being, involves redesigning the frog exhibits that are on display to the public.

A peak inside the exhibition area at EVACC

So, I spend a lot of my time behind the scenes in the exhibition area, cleaning exhibits, redesigning their layouts, and generally doing whatever it takes to make this area look appealing to visitors while also meeting the needs of the frogs. I am also in the process of working on creating more educational information about the frogs, Bd, etc, that will be displayed in the exhibition area. The heart and the lungs of EVACC, (where I also do a lot work) is the breeding center located in a separate building. Many different species of frogs are housed and cared for here on a daily basis.  This area is not open to the public however, which makes the exhibition area the face of the whole operation.

An outside view of a small portion of the main lab at EVACC

The breeding aspect of this project is almost certainly the most important - as we go through great lengths to ensure that these species will survive through future generations and hopefully one day be re-introduced into the wild. One of these particular "great lengths" involved an off-roading journey through the surrounding forests to search mountain streams for smooth rocks that we could use in Atelopus breeding tanks. These frogs are known for breeding in rapidly-moving water - so it's important that we try to recreate their habitat as best as possible in order to achieve success. 

Who says work can't be fun?!

This project is founded on the principle of saving ALL Panamanian amphibians from the Chytrid fungus, which spread through this area and wiped out almost all of the local populations back in 2005-2006. But one frog in particular has captured the hearts of Panamanians, and also sadly happens to be one of the species most affected by this deadly fungus – the Panamanian Golden Frog, La Rana Dorada (Atelopus zetecki).

The golden treasure of Panama - La Rana Dorada (Atelopus zetecki)

A stunning bright yellow frog with speckled black spots, it’s not hard to see why this small frog has captured the hearts of Panamanians all across the county. Endemic to Panama and found within only a small range in the central part of Panama – this frog was once so common you had to watch where you stepped in the forests surrounding El Valle. Now, after Chytrid has taken its toll, the only place you are able to see a live Panamanian Golden Frog within the entire country is here in El Valle at EVACC. Its likeness can be found almost everywhere though, from the markets in rural towns to the subway in Panama city.

The only way to see golden frogs in Panama outside of EVACC - at the market

As a result, most of the tens of thousands of visitors that this small rinky-dink little local zoo receives every year, are here for one main reason – to see the famous Panamanian Golden Frogs. The zoo on a whole is not very impressive, in fact parts are rather depressing. Most of the animals here are birds, farm animals, or both - chickens. Zillions of chickens. Chickens roaming free, and also on “exhibit.” I think there is a chicken in almost every enclosure here regardless of what animal happens to be actually on display. This comes with the perk of always having a natural alarm clock that can’t be turned off and fresh eggs to enjoy once you’re awake!

One of the many living alarm clocks

Beyond the excess of chickens around me, there are some neat animals that you don’t get to see every day (unless you live in a zoo, or the jungle). There are Tapirs, caimans, toucans, macaws, and an ocelot that is far too beautiful to be spending time hanging out at this zoo. There’s also a few North American animals that we would never think of putting in a zoo, but they are rarities down here – such as raccoons, coyotes, and even white-tailed deer. In my first week here my housemates were telling me I could actually see white-tailed deer in this area if I was lucky! I had to break it to them that white-tailed deer are everywhere back home, which impressed them greatly.

The seldom seen - White-tailed deer (Benado)

 So all of these visitors coming to see the Golden Frog is exactly why my job of making sure the exhibits look awesome is so important; they will be seen by many people every day. I enjoy this work very much - rebuilding an exhibit from nothing to finish can be very satisfying but also challenging. Exhibit design involves all sorts of skills you might not normally associate with zookeepers, including plumbing, engineering, landscaping, artistic creativity and of course a healthy dose of biology.

One of the exhibits I redesigned 

Outside of work there are tons of things to do in this beautiful little town to keep me active and entertained. The town of El Valle (literally “The Valley” in Spanish) is exactly that – a huge valley surrounded by lush, forested mountains. The valley was formed millions of years ago when a humongous volcano blew its top, leaving a massive crater in its wake. The crater filled with water and was a lake for quite some time, before a leak sprung and all of the water drained away. That leak is a waterfall today.

Looking down on El Valle from one of the surrounding mountains

This mountainous backdrop not only makes every day errands a scenic occasion, it provides ample opportunities to explore – there are hiking trails all over the place, waterfalls, hot springs, even square trees… this place has a lot going on. And yet, it maintains a calm relaxed vibe. The peaks of the surrounding mountains are often shrouded in clouds, which never ceases to impress me no matter how often I see it. Every once in a while I pinch my arm to remind myself how fortunate I am to be here, working with such amazing animals and kind people in this beautiful place. 

Loving this location

The tallest mountains are right behind the zoo, and when the weather is nice I enjoy sitting in the garden within the zoo and writing postcards - or simply absorbing the natural beauty. The view is sublime, but frequently the tranquility is disrupted, naturally. These clouds bring with them plenty of rain, varying in amounts from a fine mist to a drenching downpour. Somehow the sky seems to know when I am writing outdoors, as it always seems to start raining as soon as I get all settled. The rainy season has pretty much come to an end now though! The dry season began this month. We are beginning to see signs of the season changing, as the strong winds that bring drier air are arriving rapidly and blowing our sandals off the porch, and the sun is shining in full force. Here they call this season - verano, or summer. 

Tranquilo

On my first week here, way back in early November – I got the privilege of being around while the country celebrated a series of holidays, including multiple Independence days (one from Spain, one from Colombia) and a bunch of others. The highlight of the festivities were big parades that took over the one main road that runs through the center of town.

Rockin out

There have actually been quite a few parades since the one that first week, and they're always a good time - filled with over enthusiastic marching bands, all sorts of dancers, etc. The most recent Christmas parade was by far the biggest - there were tons of floats, holiday tunes playing everywhere, and the streets were packed with pretty much every citizen of El Valle. And it actually felt cold! This was mostly due to the wind, but there's nothing like a little chill to help you feel the Christmas spirit. 

Feliz Navidad!!

In addition to various celebrations and the natural wonders here providing ample opportunities for exploration and adventure –  there are lots of small tourist attractions such as a butterfly house, an orchid garden, a serpentarium… the list goes on.

El Chorro de Macho - named for it's "manly" size

Some are definitely worth paying the few dollars of admission – others not so much. The serpentarium was rather disappointing, unfortunately. The snakes did not appear to be very well cared for, and the collection wasn’t very large at all (thankfully I suppose, given the conditions). On the other hand, the butterfly house was accompanied by an informative tour (in English!) and came with the perk of having a relaxing café next door with delicious goodies. The café happens to be owned by a cool chick from the U.S. that teaches yoga classes on Saturdays - for the price of a fresh fruit or veggie! So I’ve been enjoying learning yoga and the café is definitely one of my favorite spots to chill out on Sunday afternoons.

Exploring the Mariposario (Butterfly museum)

One of my most enjoyable day-off excursions so far has been hiking to the top of La India Dormida, a mountain named for its resemblance for a sleeping woman. The mountain was named after a local indigenous woman who fell in love with a conquistador from Spain. Her father forbid the romance to continue, and so “La India” headed into the forest and took her own life in protest. According to local legend, the mountains assumed the shape of her resting body as a testament to her love. 

La India Dormida, resting in the mountains forever. Can you see her?

 I hiked to the top with Maria Eugenia, a visiting volunteer from Madrid. She is here for a month helping out at EVACC, gaining experience and absorbing all she can - just like me. It was nice to have a hiking partner, especially one that speaks Spanish fluently. This hike turned out to be quite the adventure – just getting to the trailhead from our apartment in the zoo took about an hour. The trail cost $2.50 to enter – well worth the price of admission. One of the few attractions here I would pay to see again, with no hesitation. Along the way to the top, we passed a series of waterfalls and petroglyphs carved into stones by natives long ago.

A close-up of one of the many ancient petroglyphs we found

The hike up was not only gorgeous and fun, but also educational – since every chance I get to hang out with Maria means lots of practicing Spanish, and learning new words to describe the situations we’re in. Learning a new language is an adventure!

Stopping for a moment of Zen at the first waterfall

 We passed three waterfalls throughout the course of the trail, and then began the steep climb to the top of “La India’s” head. The view did not disappoint!!

Started at the bottom, now we're here

 The woman that sold us our admission tickets and gave us a bit of background info on the petroglyphs and the story of “La India”, recommended that we return back the same way we came once we reached the top. But curiosity and a strong sense of adventure got the best of us – and we decided to continue following the steep rocky trail along La India’s body to see where it would lead.

Hiking along "La India"

The views did not cease to be amazing, but slowly our sense of confidence about where we were going faded. We recognized the area where “Las Cruces,” a local landmark with an easily accessible overview, was – so we continued on heading towards that direction while climbing up and down the mountain ridges.

Views don't get much better than this!

Eventually we broke out onto an established road that cut through the mountains, and found the crosses that were our landmark!

This is a good sign

We followed the (extremely steep) road back to town and enjoyed a cold smoothie made with fresh fruit to celebrate our accomplishment! All in all the hike took about 4.5 hours and we covered roughly 11 – 12 very steep kilometers. The café where we enjoyed our smoothies has become one of my favorite spots for a fresh fruity blended treat and a scrumptious empanada. They even put up a tree to celebrate the season!

Diana, Maria y yo – enjoying a delicious smoothie after a hard day’s work. Qué rico! 

As much as there is to do here during the day, my heart always yearns for the opportunities to go exploring this biological playground at night! Luckily I have had quite a few opportunities to get out and explore with others, since I’m not too keen on heading out on my own - if I can help it. My first excursion was with Edgardo and Milagro – our mission was to collect a few more frogs for the exhibition area. Our prime target was glass frogs, which we found bunches of thankfully. These frogs are incredible since they have transparent under-bellies, and of course they’re super cute! 

Peeking through the “glass” into this little dude’s body

The particular species that we found the most of was the White-spotted glass frog (Cochranella albomaculata) – thanks to Edgardo knowing where to look. We even found a pair in amplexus!

The "glass" might be frogging up in here ... har har 

In addition to this trip with Edgardo, I also had the good fortune of being approached while working in the exhibition area by an undergrad student named Kei from Tufts who was in El Valle for a short time doing a research project on frogs. Her project was very simple, she was simply trying to document what species of frogs she could find in different locations in Panama. I told her I’d be happy to help her search for frogs in the area, and so we made plans to go out that night! Gotta love when you meet other frog enthusiasts J

Kei posing with her new friend

We went out over the course of 3 different nights, thwarted one evening by a flat tire on my bicycle. That’s right folks, I have a bike down here. Makes getting around sooo much easier, especially when my average walk to the supermarket takes about 30 minutes, one way. Got lucky when I met Erin, the yoga instructor who owns the Butterfly café. She sold me some wheels for only $40, hard to beat that! Not the best bike in the world, but it gets me around – and I am very happy with that. Regardless of how well the brakes may or may not work…

My mode of transportation around El Valle

Anyhow, back to our nocturnal adventures. We found quite a few species of frogs – which was great! I am still learning lots of the species, but thankfully Edgardo is basically a living guidebook – so I was able to verify any species we found with him assuming the frog stuck around long enough to be photographed.

A well-camouflaged Scinax boulengeri

Sadly, despite all the species we managed to find – it’s hard not think about how many used to be around before Chytrid was introduced to the area. The night we were out with Edgardo, he explained that we were seeing about 1% of what the frog community used to be. Hopefully with time, scientists will be able to develop a method to allow frogs to naturally combat the fungus. Until then, we are working hard here at EVACC to maintain a viable population that will hopefully one day be the great-great grandmothers and grandfathers to frogs that will once again hop around in the beautiful streams and mountains of El Valle and surrounding areas. 

Hanging in there (Anotheca spinosa)

 Even when we’re having trouble finding frogs – at least the cover of darkness always provides unique opportunities to view some of the many animals that call this corner of the world home.

  

A wooly opossum dropping in to say “Hola!”

 Some of these creatures are more of a welcome sight than others. Kei and I were both a bit freaked out, when we found this guy – but couldn't help be amazed!

The stuff of nightmares

Maria came out with us one night, and we explored inside the zoo for a change – since it is quite a large property complete with vegetated ponds… exactly the sort of places frogs love! We were successful in finding a different species of glass frog, arguably even cuter than the ones we found before...

"You are my friend?"

 My only snake (sad, I know) sighting so far was actually found on the road between the zoo and the town. I've also seen owls, toucans, falcons, iguanas, and quite a few different frog species while on the same road. Not too shabby! 

  

(Micrus multifasciatus) - variety of Coral snake

 Other outings have included climbing up to a lookout below the summit of Cerro Gaital, the tallest mountain surrounding El Valle. The view was exactly the opposite of what we experienced while at the top of La India. We found ourselves in the midst of a rather thick cloud, with only fog visible in all directions. Still, in its own way – that was a very neat experience.

Milagro (one of my roommates) – peering into the fog

A fairly recent adventure involved exploring the hot springs with Maria – which was honestly not too impressive, but thankfully we had the entire pool to ourselves. This was partly due to the part that we were there early on a chilly Thursday morning, which worked out well. The full experience involved placing a cleansing mask of mud on our faces – which obviously had to be documented!

Gotta get a little dirty before you feel clean!

Most recently, this past few weeks have centered around Navidad - of course. We decorated the front door of the apartment to welcome in a bit more spirit, and a few days ago we did a gift exchange amongst the employees at EVACC. I feel super blessed that this time away from family during Christmas has actually gone really well all things considered, I'm super lucky to be surrounded by such kind, friendly people down here. Truly makes this place feel like a home! 

Welcoming the season!

Diana y yo intercambiando regalos

 Of course I miss my friends and family a bunch, but I'm also really loving doing things a bit differently this holiday season. Opens my eyes to new customs, traditions, foods, dances, all that good stuff. And luckily in a few weeks my parents and siblings are coming to visit!! Very excited to show them around this wonderful place, and explore new spots as well. In the meantime, I'll be working a bunch to make sure I have plenty of days off when they arrive. Feliz Navidad a todos, and thanks for reading! Stay tuned for a story on my first overnight trip into the field since being down here. Until then, Peace Out!

Panama!

OY! Hard to believe that already more than 2 weeks have gone by here in Panama, and of course I have lots to tell about my time here. The real struggle isn't having a story to tell – but rather having time to tell it. (And getting you to read it!) I've been keeping pretty busy since I touched down on Oct. 28th and felt the massive heat wave of humidity welcome me to this tropical country. What I would have written on my first day, is drastically different than how I feel now. It’s amazing how quickly a short amount of time can change your outlook on so many things. (This blog covers my first week in the city, and I will follow it shortly with another one about my second week...)

Since I didn't want to take too many photos on first arrival and look like a total tourist, I have less photos than usual. I will nonetheless interject this monologue with random pictures taken here to make you forget how much you are (or probably aren't) reading.

But did you know geckos like to lick spilt beer off the table?

On my first adventure after getting off the plane – I decided to take the bus into town rather than hire a taxi. A taxi would have gotten me directly to where I wanted to go, but there’s no effort involved and it’s roughly 100 times more expensive (25 cents v. $20). So of course, I opted for the bus – and used the directions Lonely Planet provided which were essentially “walk across the street to the bus station.” I figured that meant I would walk across the street, and catch an obvious bus into town. What it really meant was ask 3 or 4 different people “Donde esta el autobus?” and try very hard to sort through the derechas y izquierdas (rights and lefts). I finally made it to the bus station after crossing about 4 streets and exiting through the employee entrance to the airport – but I made it. To the bus station that is, then I had to figure out which bus to get on, how I was going to pay for it, and where to get off. I figured I would ride until I got to the main bus terminal in town – which was called Albrook, and then catch a much cheaper taxi from there to the hostel. 

Thankfully the buses say where they’re going on the front. I tried to get on the first Albrook bus, but got turned away because the bus driver talked faster than I could understand and seemed to point towards the back door. I assumed he was saying something like – “get on in the back, you are blocking everyone with your humongous pack, stupid gringo.” So I went towards the back door but he didn’t open the back door – he just drove off. Lesson learned. Next time a bus came, I was more prepared. I had asked a local if he could swipe his bus card for me, since I didn’t have one and of course they don’t sell them at the airport so that the taxis can scam people. He said something like he only had one swipe left – damn. When the bus came, I hopped on anyhow and offered a dollar to the bus driver – explaining I didn’t have a card. The bus driver looked at the guy I asked, and then the guy swiped his card for me. Wasn’t sure whether to be happy or upset that he had tried to leave me stranded and sweating profusely at the bus stop. I offered him the dollar but he didn’t take it – kind man after all. 

I rode the bus for about an hour or more – clueless as to whether I was even going to Albrook after the first half an hour and countless stops. I saw the Panama City skyline approach and then I saw it fade away as we veered to the right and kept on rolling. I also saw lots of truly local scenery, and it felt great to be absorbing a new place again. After awhile, standing with my hefty pack on got tiring though. Eventually we made it to the bus terminal, where I managed to catch an overpriced $5 cab to my hostel – and happily lifted the heavy bag off my shoulders.

Hustle n bustle

A week later, I have a well-used bus card and I was able to confidently take the bus from my hostel to Albrook, which I used as a jumping off point for a variety of different excursions. Just having the card made a world of difference in my ability to function as a local, which is really what visiting a place should be about – trying to experience the true flavor of a town, even if that flavor is occasionally exhaust fumes and rank garbage on the street. I’m just happy to be out exploring again!

Bridge jumping in Baños, Ecuador - why not?

Sometimes it can be nice to share your attempt to get in touch with the local scene with other non-locals – which is exactly what I did while staying in Panama City. I booked a hostel in Casco Viejo that was highly recommended by Lonely Planet (if they told me to jump off a bridge I probably would – in fact I did, in Ecuador) and seemed like a cool place based on the description. Sure enough, it would turn out to be one of the coolest hostels I have ever stayed in. 

Before I had even checked in, a friendly guy approached me while I was waiting and mentioned that we had been on the same plane. We started chatting, and after checking in and dropping off bags, we headed out to get a bite to eat together… since we were on the same page of being starved from traveling. His name was Steve, and turns out he had also taken a bus into town – but didn’t have quite as much trouble as I did. While walking we bumped into another hostel guest, who joined us on our journey. That’s just the sort of place Luna’s is – people are generally adventurous and kind, and often traveling alone – eager to meet other cool folks along the way.

Back at the hostel I took some time to soak in the sweet ocean view from my bedroom with the city skyline punctuating the background, then joined some others downstairs to chill in the living room with some local Balboa brews. 

Hard to beat a view like this for only $16! That's the president's house next door with the flags

In that first evening alone I made many friends, and heard/shared quite a few awesome travel stories. It was great when a newcomer would ask if I was traveling with Steve or one of the other cool folks we were talking with, sort of awakens you to how quickly you can become comfortable when around the right group. After a few beers I called it a night at a reasonable hour, after all I was technically here on business and had to get up early to head to the Smithsonian office to get registered as an intern and learn more about the work I will be doing here. 

I had another interesting transit experience in the morning, this time in a taxi – not a bus. I will condense this one, since it’s only mildly entertaining, even to me. I was told to go to the Tupper Building, since the Smithsonian has many different facilities throughout Panama. But my taxi driver had no idea what Tupper meant – or where it was. Even the people at the hostel front desk were no help. So I ended up loading the map on my phone and then using that to guide the taxi driver to the building I needed. Even with the GPS in front of him he took quite a few wrong turns, so I was able to easily tell we were going farther from the destination – which was kind of humorous, but mostly annoying. When we finally got close, I saw a Smithsonian sign and told him to head there. “Ooh Smithsonian! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?!” D’uh.

My current employer

I got registered, received my Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute ID card and then waited until one of the leaders of the project, Roberto Ibañez was available to meet with me. A kind man, he offered to take me to Gamboa to see the facility there and meet some of the staff. I jumped at the opportunity, and soon we were cruising down the canal corridor heading north. In the relatively short 45 min drive, I learned a lot about the different work going on in Gamboa and got some great suggestions for things to see and do around Panama City. 

I spent the entire day in Gamboa, fumbling my way through a few Spanish conversations and mostly lending a hand with taking care of the frogs in their collection. It was a nice taste of what will be (was) upcoming at El Valle, where I’ll be (am) working. One of the staff members was celebrating a birthday – so I ate cake for lunch. Sweet!

Feliz Cumpleaños!

That evening after returning to the hostel, I relaxed and met some cool new hostel guests as well as hung out with a few of the folks I’d already met. We took advantage of the 50 cent happy hour beers available at the bar downstairs, and eventually stopped at another bar next door only to be furious at their attempt to charge $4 a beer! No way Jose. (Nah, I had one anyways – what the hell)

Hostel art work in the main chill room

The next morning I ventured out towards the Panama Canal – since I figured that’s something any visitor to Panama should probably see. This was made possible partly by the flexibility of the woman I am currently working for – Heidi Ross Griffith, who encouraged me to take some time to explore the city before coming to El Valle to work. 

So I wandered around a bunch in Casco Viejo, stubbornly determined to find the bus stop – and was eventually successful. I bought a bus card, then headed to Albrook, and took another bus to the canal from there. Each of these transits was a minor accomplishment in itself, practicing getting my point across and once again saving lots of money by avoiding a cab. The canal is huge obviously, but the part that tourists flock to is known as the Mira Flores locks – where you can watch ships pass through the locks if you’re lucky – which of course I was not. You can also tour a 4 floor museum which explained the history behind the canal, and gave fairly detailed information about how it was made. Foreigners have to pay $15 compared to the local $2 (or something like that) – which was kinda wack, but not surprising. 

Panama Canal

Although I wasn’t lucky enough to see a ship pass through the locks, they did fill up while I was there – which was cool to see. Glad I hung around to catch the contrast. The fourth floor deck offered a pretty decent vantage point of the comings and goings of the canal.

Locks filled

Once the locks filled up, I realized that I was probably wasn’t going to see a ship passing through for another hour or so (if that) and I quickly decided that waiting around was not worth being harassed by giggling middle schoolers that wanted to take photos with me. So I took advantage of a break in the rain to head back to the bus stop, and returned to town on a bus. At this point it was only 1 pm or so, and I wasn’t ready to call it a day by any means – so I caught a taxi from Albrook to an area of the city known as “The Causeway” – aka “calzada” which is a thin strip of land that connects three small islets. My destination was a Smithsonian exhibit/property that Roberto had recommended, situated on a small piece of land jutting into the sea, named Punta Culebre. One of the reasons I was keen to visit was because I had heard from multiple sources that it was a good place to see sloths. The walk in offered a cool perspective on the surrounding area – never being too far from the beach or the mountains is part of what makes this country so awesome.

Beach + Mountains = Paradise

Punta Culebre had a variety of different educational focuses, teaching people about conservation and the local wildlife from under the sea to the tops of the trees. They had an aquarium with some sea turtles and nurse sharks – and many interpreters standing by to explain more and answer any questions. I listened politely to his spiel in Spanish – understanding the bulk of it, but not everything. I asked a few simple questions about the ages of the turtles and their health, and then inquired if there were any sloths nearby that he knew of. Sure enough, he led me to a nearby clump of trees and pointed out two different ones. Guess they’re fairly easy to keep tabs on considering they sleep about 15 to 18 hours a day. Must be nice!

Slothin it

I wandered around the peninsula a bit more, taking one of the paths that weaved through a small section of forest while constantly scanning from the ground to the canopy – there are lots of places for creatures to hide in these trees! I did manage to catch an Iguana rustling about above, but soon after I took this photo – the rain started to come down pretty heavily. I found shelter from the storm in a very well designed, obviously new, exhibit on amphibians – perfect! 

Iguana chillen

The amphibian exhibit was very impressive, and I wish I had taken more photos – since exhibit designing is one of the projects I am tasked with in El Valle. Once again a nice interpreter walked me through the entire thing, pointing out the different frogs in their sneaky hiding places in each tank. I was able to understand most of what she told me, but not everything and I didn't want to dumb her talk down to my child-like level of comprehension. Always a constant question when surrounded by a different language how often you try to truly fully comprehend, and how often you just smile/nod and go with the flow. I told her I was going to work in El Valle, so she knew I was gung-ho about frogs from the beginning. They had a very impressive educational lay-out - demonstrating the transformation from tadpole to frog with on-site breeding, and a thorough section that described the effects of the chytrid fungus on amphibians. 

Strawberry poison dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) on exhibit

After chatting with the interpreter a while longer and loading up on frog goodies in the gift shop – I ventured on. Instead of catching a taxi immediately, I opted to walk for a while since the causeway was a rather attractive place for a stroll, lined with palm trees and looking out over the sea.

Cruisin' the causeway

When I reached the end of the road, I hailed a taxi and headed back to the hostel. I got dinner and some beers at the brewery next door, appropriately named "La Rana Dorada" (The Golden Frog). I not only wanted to go - I kinda had to go because it was named after the frogs I'll be working with, and of course I love beer! Had a tasty pizza and enjoyed a couple different styles of beer such as a pale ale and porter that I probably won't be able to find again for a very long time.

La Rana Dorada 

Later on, that evening turned into a rather interesting adventure – instead of hanging around the bar below the hostel as we had done the past two evenings, Steve mobilized a bunch of us to an area of bars not far from the causeway that he had visited last time he was here 4 years ago.

Everyone was excited for a change of scenery, but unfortunately the $12 cover that we were asked to pay diminished our excitement greatly. We decided to forego breaking the bank, but instead of giving up, we collectively chose to venture onward. Thanks to some suave Español courtesy of our friend Juan, we found ourselves in the “poor man’s Calle Uruguay.” (Calle Uruguay being a famous night life spot within the city).

This was... interesting. We were most definitely the only white people around, and we were rolling up 2 cabs deep. Nonetheless, we went into one of the bars filled with flashing lights, super loud music, and all eyes in the place upon us. We persevered through the disconcerting atmosphere and had a beer despite sticking out like a giraffe at a cattle ranch, but at least it made for an anything-but-boring sort of evening. We high-tailed it out of there after the first beer (or 2?) and relaxed when we stepped out of the taxi and returned to the familiar turf of our hostel home.

Time to book it!

The next morning I woke up and cooked some of the free banana pancakes offered by the hostel that had become my morning staple before venturing out to explore more of the city. That day I was looking to escape the noise, smells, and hectic traffic of the city, so I headed to El Parque Metropoliano - a national park within the city boundaries. Panama City is one of the only cities in the world where you can experience rainforest within 10 minutes from downtown. Definitely didn't want to miss out on the chance to explore this gem - and my body was aching for some tropical natural goodness. So I caught a bus to Albrook again followed by a $2 cab to the park. After paying my entrance fee and getting a quick overview of the different trails available to me from the friendly staff member on duty - I headed off into the forest. 

Natural bliss

I decided I would take my time and hike the majority of the trails - since I had no other obligations and no one to meet at any particular time. That's the beauty of traveling alone - if you want to spend all afternoon in the park or just sit and watch the turtles swim around while writing postcards, you can do so - without making anyone else wait on you. After only a few minutes on the trail, I came upon a small clearing that offered a glimpse of the city skyline. It was moving to see the juxtaposition of skyscrapers from within the trees. I imagine it's the sort of image the birds and sloths have all the time, while they wonder what the hell is wrong with these people. 

Escaping it all

The hiking and exploring consumed most of the rest of the morning/early afternoon - culminating at the top of the hill with a rather spectacular view of the city from above. Aside from a group of three other chatty women, I was the only one on the trails. I didn't see a stunning amount of wildlife by any means - but I would be surprised if I had, after all everything here has spent years evolving to not be found. I did enjoy watching trails of leaf cutter ants go about their business, and managed to snag this small video of some of them crossing the path. 

At first this was a novelty, but now I've gotten quite used to seeing leaf-cutter ants all over the place - carving tiny little industrial trails through the forest. If you watch them long enough it's a great way to make yourself feel lazy. I soaked in the view for awhile and then headed back down the mountain to chill - away from the chatty ladies. 

La Ciudad de Panama

My proposed next stop, after hanging out with the turtles and sloths for a while, was Panama Viejo - but I wasn't counting on it being so far out of the way that the taxi drivers didn't care to take me there for less than $20! When an average cab is around $2 - $3, that would be highway robbery - literally. So I went back to Albrook, got a few items I needed from the adjoining mall, and then returned to Luna's to chill (notice a theme here?) and prepare for an epic Halloween party that evening. By prepare - I mean do nothing, since I hadn't banked on Halloween being such a big deal outside of the U.S., which turned out to be a rather big mistake in an area that caters to tourists. So sadly, I had no costume (other than looking like Bird-watcher for a bit...) - but the party was still absolutely epic, they really pulled out all the stops. Haven't seen a Halloween party this crazy since I went to Fantasy Fest in Key West! Around midnight they stopped the music to put on a show featuring a woman dangling from above while another guy blew fire and others juggled flaming sticks. Definitely a Halloween for the books! 

Things are heating up...

The party raged on until the wee hours of the morning - and eventually I headed up to bed to crash. Pretty convenient that this whole thing went down only a couple flights of stairs below where I was sleeping. For once, it paid to be a foreigner - since everyone who wasn't staying at Luna's had to pay $5 to get in - and the line was around the block to get in... mostly made up of locals. 

The next morning I packed up all my bags, planning to head out to El Valle that afternoon. I thought I'd give Panama Viejo one more shot, and then catch a bus out of town. I checked out of my room and then caught up w Juan, and invited him to come along. He was down, and then we bumped into Steve - who decided to join us as well. The plan was to split a taxi, but as we were walking down the stairs Juan spied 3 bike cruisers sitting in the stairwell, begging to be ridden. So plans changed a bit and we decided to take bikes there instead - one of the best decisions made all week. Luna's rented the bikes for free - so the price was right. We set out down a beautiful bike path towards our destination! 

Two wheels is the way we ride

As we would soon realize - this ride was much more than a light cruise down the bike path. It would turn into quite the adventure navigating traffic-filled streets and hilly avenues. We were checking Google maps rather regularly to be sure we were heading in the right direction (thanks Juan) and ended up biking probably close to 15 km or 10-ish miles there (due to multiple wrong turns) - all in the hot sun and generally on roads with narrow shoulders. (Carrying sunscreen would have been smart...) The bike cruisers certainly weren't designed for what we put them through, but that's part of what made it so fun! 

Juan rockin out

We kept the ocean on our right on the way there, and tried to pick a route that wasn't a main highway - although we did have to ride on a small, almost on-ramp at one point... luckily no cars were coming then thanks to a well-timed red light. We got a healthy amount of honks sent our way, but in general it seemed that drivers were fairly respectable of our choice to bike, changing lanes to give us space whenever possible. 

Not exactly our route, but a good visual of the distance

We had a blast, and eventually after 2 hours in the hot sun navigating turns and traffic lights - we arrived at our destination, Panama Viejo. This is the site of the original Panama city - founded way back in 1519, as the first European settlement along the Pacific. It was a port for shipping the gold mined in Peru back to Spain, and as a result was very full of riches and quite coveted by the surrounding buccaneers. In 1671, Captain Henry Morgan (Bet you didn't know he was a real guy!) sacked the city and took all he could with the help of his crew of rowdy pirates and burned the rest. 

Used to shoot cannons at cities, now you shoot him. Cheers!

Morgan made off with the richest booty in the Americas at the time - and left only shambles in his wake. We checked out his legacy of destruction (not talking bout the rum) by leisurely walking around the remaining ruins of the first civilization of Panama - enjoying the satisfaction of having reached our destination after such a long time in the saddle. 

The ruins varied from crumbling building foundations to a partially restored cathedral tower that you could climb up three flights of stairs to get a cool view of the surrounding area... including the striking Panama skyline. 

I enjoyed letting my imagination wander back in time to a period when this place would have been in it's prime - and the chaos that must have ensued on that fateful day when Morgan decided to take it all and then vanish back into the sea. The Spanish rebuilt with what they had left, moving their city to the area that is now Casco Viejo (Meaning: Old compound) - named for the wall that was constructed around the city to protect it from future attacks. The fact that we were staying in a hostel in Casco viejo is testament to the effectiveness of this new location. 

A restored old convent - the brick parts are what has been replaced, the stones are original

After a while of exploring, I began to realize that my opportunity to catch a bus and still arrive in El Valle during the day time was quickly disappearing. By the time we finished walking around the ruins and taking a fair amount of photos - we were starving. With taking time to eat and then having to bike all the way back, I decided I would stay one more night in the city and head to El Valle first thing on Sunday. 

An old (restored) cathedral tower measures up to the high rises

Later that afternoon back at the hostel, I checked back in - was assigned a new bed sadly, and took a much needed shower. I tried to smooth talk my way back into my old bed since I had grown rather fond of it - but turns out the hostel was entirely full, so I was out of luck. The Halloween party must have enticed lots of people to book a room there. That evening was very relaxed, since at midnight the entire city stopped selling alcohol in recognition of "El día de difuntos" - a entire day dedicated to remembering those loved ones that have been lost. 

Chao, Panama city

Sure enough, the bar below the hostel kicked everyone out a few minutes after midnight - which was a perfect excuse to head to bed. I said goodbye to the friends I had made, and left early the next morning for El Valle to begin my new life working (and living!) in a zoo. I have lots to say about that now as well, but I will save that for the next blog. Stay tuned! More to come soon. Until then, Peace Out!