An unexpected highlight
When a destination is so much more than you expected.
Have you ever been unexpectedly blown away by a destination? A trip highlight. A place that exceeded all your expectations. A place you never, ever expected to arouse so much love and joy inside you. So much so that you immediately tell everyone who asks that you are definitely going back, no matter the cost or distance. A place so inviting and unexpected that you wish you had researched it more and stayed a little longer?
It’s rare that this happens for me, mostly because I research the shit out of my destinations. I’m usually at the other end of the scale—expectations are far too high (or too much enthusiasm from others), therefore I am slightly disappointed with what I see and experience in the moment. But on my most recent trip I was pleasantly surprised by Panama, in particular Panama City, and cannot wait to go back and explore further.
I can’t pinpoint exactly what led to this monumental realisation. I just know that I fell in love with Panama City the minute I set foot in it, well the minute we ventured from the hotel 30 minutes after arriving. Everything here swelled my heart with a joy so unexpected it made me instantly regret that I only had 24 hours in this place. From the Panama sign on the waterfront (which reminded me of Australia’s Gold Coast sans sign) to walking through the old city at night, not to mention the best flat white of the trip on my last day at a little café with the friendliest of staff and patrons!
I don’t understand my lack of research when preparing for this trip. Why I failed to realise that Panama would be a highlight, not just of this trip, but of all my trips. Perhaps it boils down to the fact that this trip was with a tour company and hence I didn’t need to research anything because it was all pre-planned. Or perhaps it was because I had limited time and subconsciously chose not to create a list of must-sees that would extend my trip. It also could have stemmed from the fact that I was unwell for the first couple of days of the trip in Costa Rica and hence my enjoyment level was low because of fever and headaches. Not to mention the constant rain! I also imagined that Costa Rica would be the highlight and that Panama was just an added extra, with the main reason for inclusion being the Panama Canal. Boy was I wrong!
Not only did Panama City turn out to be a destination that I want to return to, but there were also other highlights of Panama besides the capital city and the canal.
We spent a couple of nights in the mountain town of Boquete, with only one day to really experience the place. Together with a few of my fellow travellers we managed to pack in a great day of experiences that included birdwatching on the Pipeline trail, a coffee plantation tour with bonus tasting (4x coffees and a coffee tea), lunch from a local café eaten in the park where more birdwatching took place, followed by a couple of hours at the thermal hot springs on the outskirts of town. All topped off with a fabulous dinner at local restaurant, The Fish House. I would stay longer here next time too.
Bocas del Toros was beautiful when it stopped raining and we managed to see some of the surrounding beaches, the places people come to for resort holidays, and wildlife. But it’s not a place I would like to be in peak season. It was crowded enough as it was in the off-season with torrential downpours every other day. I do highly recommend the Native Chocolate Shop, though. Solid blocks of chocolate that are mouth-watering delicious and unlike any other style of chocolate I’ve experienced. Pure, thick blocks of chocolate.
I was not that interested in the Panama Canal when I booked this trip but thought it would be a cool story to say I had been there. I mean, for relevance, the biggest of the big ships that go through the canal can be seen as I travel up the Yarra River on the ferry from my side of the bay to the city of Melbourne. These I have seen up close before, so no big deal. The lock system was on a much grander scale than I have seen before, I mean the Murray River has a series of weirs and locks to go through, but not the size of Miraflores! So, the sheer size of these ships being right next to you at Miraflores was an eye opener to say the least. But the IMAX feature on the history and building of the canal with the majestic voice of Morgan Freeman as the narrator was the best part of all!
The unexpected additional boat trip on the Panama Canal and to the surrounding wildlife reserve at Gamboa, prior to viewing the Miraflores lock up close, was spectacular for the abundance of wildlife we observed. What we saw here on the canal was very different to other wildlife we’d seen in Costa Rica, Boquete and Boca Del Tores. Besides almost falling asleep to Morgan Freeman’s velvety tones, the wildlife spotting was the highlight of my visit to the Panama Canal and, apart from being a cool story, I’m super grateful that I was able to see and experience it in a variety of different ways.
I still feel a slight shame that I did not research Panama enough before I took off on this trip. But I am glad that I can make it a longer part of a new adventure. I mean I was prepared for the unexpected, but I did not expect the unexpected to be the WOW in my trip. Panama City surprised me more than I could ever have imagined and I will definitely be visiting this beautiful city and its friendly people again. It might be some time away but perhaps I could add it in to a South American adventure in the not too distant future. Time will tell.
Note to self: Do your research!
What I’m watching: Die, My Love — I watched this about two weeks ago and learnt the other day that Jennifer Lawrence has been nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. I hope she wins. I love her in everything, as much as my other JL - Juliette Lewis.
What I’m reading: The Farm a debut novel by Jessica Mansour-Nahra. I was thoroughly hooked on this. I read it in a 2-3 days, but feel it ended rather abruptly. I needed to know more. I want to know more.
