Square trees in El Valle, Panama

One of the El Valle attractions listed in the Lonely Planet book on Panama is the square trees. By the way, every single person I met was also using the Lonely Planet guide to Panama. So after lunch Malcolm, Laurie and I hiked through the woods to see them.

A good lunch on this outdoor patio near the town center.

Square Trees this way.

And this is them! Well, there were really only 2 of them and they were kinda square, it reminded me of the Plymouth Rock. Lots of hype, not much substance, but I enjoyed the walk there.

Best juice ever! Maracuya is passion fruit... delicious.

My only proof of the windy conditions, duck feathers standing up.

Around town on market day, Sunday.

This is their big artisan's market, but it's not at all like the one in Otavalo, Ecuador. 

The bus stop where I tried in vain to catch a bus out of town.

Young love.

Great pastries filled with guayava.

This type of furniture was all over town, even in my hotel room.

Solo travel in El Valle, Panama

Ian and his friends left El Valle on Friday for the western part of Panama. I moved into a room for one and spent the next 4 days on my own, and had a lot of fun. I wasn't sure if I would like solo travel, but I met some very friendly travelers, learned a lot and found I was more self sufficient than I thought. Panama isn't my favorite country, I found the local people in Ecuador to be much friendlier.  El Valle is the cool mountain escape for the wealthy in Panama City, many lovely homes throughout the town with beautiful landscaping. The downside for me was the constant gale force winds that wouldn't quit. I was told it is very windy here during their summer: January to April or May. Then the rains start. I never heard a mention of the wind in El Valle from my research, but you can't escape it, it's constant, strong and loud.

A very nice couple I met from the Netherlands, Ivo and Marga. They are world travelers as they both work for KLM. I met up with them again back in Panama City at the Hostal Amador.

One of the beautiful homes in El Valle.

View of the main street in El Valle, Avenida Central. My hotel on the left.

Another hostal I checked out that had lovely open outdoor common areas. Posada Los Aramos. I would have liked to stay there but there was no internet connection...

Another very nice couple I spent time with, we had dinner and lunch together and walked to the square trees. Malcolm and Laurie are from British Columbia and travel for 3 months every year to a new place, and have for 10 years or so. Very inspiring listening to their stories.

Avenida Central from my balcony.

My room at Residencial El Valle, very nice high count sheets, high level of clean, wifi in the room: all for only $45/nt for one person.

The town is nestled in an extinct volcano valley and surrounded by mountains.

This is as good as it gets for a supermarket, they were very bare bones and dark inside.

The Ponderosa, one of many very big homes.

I'm not sure where the green comes from, fast moving leprechauns? Phosphorescence? 

Fastidious care is taken of the lawns and gardens, burning is the way they manage the excess brush.

I just liked the way the spikes looked on this metal wire.

Panama: El Valle, town in a crater.

View from the 'balcony of hammocks' in our hotel in El Valle.

Thursday, Ian and I took the bus together to El Valle as he was very sick and couldn't go birding with the others that morning. A taxi took us to the Allbrook terminal 5 minutes away from our Hostal Amador, and a very impressive terminal it was! Well organized, spacious and teeming with people. Easy to catch our bus to El Valle, 3 hours for $3.50 each.

When we arrived in El Valle Andrew and Ethan were waiting for us in hammocks with wifi connections going strong.  Residencial El Valle was my home for the next 3 nights, and very comfortable.  $55 night for 2 people, no breakfast but lots of free wifi and great common areas.

The birders, all 3 of them, left the next day for the Volcan area of Panama, about 6 hours west.

The bus was so packed the last hour of our drive that the conductor and a friend of his hung out the door as we speeded along. I don't think this is legal in America :-)

We had seats but I was a bit jostled by people going by in the aisle.  So I took a photo of one as they went by, a baby.  The red area is the upholstery in the bus.

Our bus, new and modern. 

Some hammock time.

A catholic procession in town, more hoopla later that night as well. March 19th is big party day in El Valle.

Andrew enjoying the hammocks.

Ethan.

The large common area at Residencial El Valle.

View of the hotel from the street.

Lunch downstairs, good food and so nice to eat outside.

Another view of the balcony of hammocks. It turned out to be a very good place to meet people, I met 2 different couples there, had a few beers, very comfortable.

Laptop in hammock.

Down a side street with Ethan in the evening, lovely.

Special candied apples for the holy day...

Everyone in town was out on the streets.

These last 4 photos are back at the canal in Panama City... 

The 3 birders stayed the night at Hostal Amador and we went to dinner at the Balboa Yacht Club.  Snazzy car rental, Toyoto Yaris, plenty big.

Deep contemplation on what to have for dinner.

The outdoor kitchen at the Hostal Amador, our free breakfast was served here and we had full use of the kitchen during our stay. I would love to have an all year round outdoor kitchen!