Family Friendly Field Trip in Panama with "La Gringa"!
This last week my fourteen year old son and I were driving around looking for a new place to run. We accidentally found ourselves up in the Arco Iris area overlooking Boquete. We decided to stop by Princesa Janca Cafe and check out the Pianista trail. We were glad we did.
While munching on some newly found fruit, locally called guava (not your typical guava - looks more like a tamarindo pod), we walked along the trail. The sound of rushing water from the river that runs parallel to the trail was so relaxing!
We continued walking up this trail admiring beautiful flowers, picking & eating wild Indian strawberries, and greeting locals walking by. We hardly wanted to run or let alone jog. We would go by the beauty at to fast a pace! We came across a wobbly bridge overlooking the rushing water. Then we continued up the trail some more where we had to skip across some rocks, more like boulders, to cross the river to the other side of the trail.
We were amazed to see houses on the sides of the trail. We wondered how they went back and forth in the mud during the rainy season with their groceries... Where there is a will there is a way!
We continued hiking up into the mountains, taking in the beautiful scenic mountainside and breath taking valley views. The smell of horses and cows nearby reminded us that there were domesticated animals close by. Crossing a few streams we saw wild watercress and lilys growing.
Unfortunately an hour into the trail, we came to the end with a sign that told us not to pass into someone´s private property. On our walk back we jumped over rocks down the river and then ended back on the trail only to meet a beautiful white horse. We had planned on taking some of our freshly picked watercress for our salad later, but our new found friend begged for a taste. Willingly we gave it to her for the pleasure of seeing her enjoy her new found treat!
Saying goodbye we walked on, with our new found friend looking as if she wanted us to stay a little longer. We then began to run down hill because we realized our stomachs were nagging us with hunger! The run down the hill was just as fun as the walk up. We snapped pictures here and there of magnificent views and finally made our way to the beginning of the trail again.
That is when I received my new nickname - Gringa!
As we were walking, a group of local indigenous children were playing. One yelled out suddenly at me, "Hola, Gringa!". I turned and answered him in Spanish, asking him his name. He was apparently a little embarrassed that I had understood his derogatory greeting. I was a little intrigued by his forwardness, so I proceeded to make friends with him and laughed at his joke. For I was indeed a gringa, just a gringa that spoke some Spanish too! After a few pictures and a promise that I would return with a picture of him and I on our next visit, we parted ways. We hesitantly left this beautiful paradise away from the buzzing of cars in Bajo Boquete to find a restaurant to satisfy our aching bellies. Until next time Pianista, the Gringa and her children will return for another Family Friendly Field Trip with a picture in hand for her new amigo!
This last week my fourteen year old son and I were driving around looking for a new place to run. We accidentally found ourselves up in the Arco Iris area overlooking Boquete. We decided to stop by Princesa Janca Cafe and check out the Pianista trail. We were glad we did.
While munching on some newly found fruit, locally called guava (not your typical guava - looks more like a tamarindo pod), we walked along the trail. The sound of rushing water from the river that runs parallel to the trail was so relaxing!
We continued walking up this trail admiring beautiful flowers, picking & eating wild Indian strawberries, and greeting locals walking by. We hardly wanted to run or let alone jog. We would go by the beauty at to fast a pace! We came across a wobbly bridge overlooking the rushing water. Then we continued up the trail some more where we had to skip across some rocks, more like boulders, to cross the river to the other side of the trail.
We were amazed to see houses on the sides of the trail. We wondered how they went back and forth in the mud during the rainy season with their groceries... Where there is a will there is a way!
We continued hiking up into the mountains, taking in the beautiful scenic mountainside and breath taking valley views. The smell of horses and cows nearby reminded us that there were domesticated animals close by. Crossing a few streams we saw wild watercress and lilys growing.
Unfortunately an hour into the trail, we came to the end with a sign that told us not to pass into someone´s private property. On our walk back we jumped over rocks down the river and then ended back on the trail only to meet a beautiful white horse. We had planned on taking some of our freshly picked watercress for our salad later, but our new found friend begged for a taste. Willingly we gave it to her for the pleasure of seeing her enjoy her new found treat!
Saying goodbye we walked on, with our new found friend looking as if she wanted us to stay a little longer. We then began to run down hill because we realized our stomachs were nagging us with hunger! The run down the hill was just as fun as the walk up. We snapped pictures here and there of magnificent views and finally made our way to the beginning of the trail again.
That is when I received my new nickname - Gringa!
As we were walking, a group of local indigenous children were playing. One yelled out suddenly at me, "Hola, Gringa!". I turned and answered him in Spanish, asking him his name. He was apparently a little embarrassed that I had understood his derogatory greeting. I was a little intrigued by his forwardness, so I proceeded to make friends with him and laughed at his joke. For I was indeed a gringa, just a gringa that spoke some Spanish too! After a few pictures and a promise that I would return with a picture of him and I on our next visit, we parted ways. We hesitantly left this beautiful paradise away from the buzzing of cars in Bajo Boquete to find a restaurant to satisfy our aching bellies. Until next time Pianista, the Gringa and her children will return for another Family Friendly Field Trip with a picture in hand for her new amigo!
WOW!!!!! Beautiful!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm your newest follower-- great blog! Found ya on TpT!
Brittany
http://thetravelingclassroom.blogspot.com