girlscout's Blog

     Yesterday was a beautiful day in El Valle. We hired a guide to take us hiking up in the mountains for 5 hours. We saw a beautiful waterfall - El Macho. 90 foot cascade over sharp rocks into the Anton river below.  Saw a mountain called "The Sleeping Indian". The top of the mountain looks like an Indian maiden laying on her back. Her hair streaming down the side is the trees and a cave by her abdomen is her navel! (You have to use a little imagination on this one!) Also hiked on a trail where there are square trees! (The tree trunks are square instead of round). Our guide was cool - he reminded me of a Panama hippie - his wife owned an Art store in town and we stopped and met her before we came back to the hotel. Also bought a carved sandstone bowl from her store. Our guide has led a very interesting life. His parents now live in Miami. He lived in Virginia Beach for a while and was in the U.S. Navy for 4 years. But he is a Panamanian by birth and has returned here to live.

     Today we hiked 3 miles into the nearest town. We went to some natural mineral hot springs where you can also get healing mud face masks. It really worked (the mineral springs), because my heel was very sore from all the hiking the day before. After the soak in the mineral springs, no more sore heel!  Had a nice lunch in town and bought a few souvenirs at the local market.

     Tomorrow we leave El Valle and head for Panama City. Of course, we have to see the Panama Canal and then another rainforest right outside of Panama City for our last 2 days. I don´t know if I will have internet access at the next hotel, so this may be my final Adios before we arrive back in the States!  All in all, a wonderful adventure!!!!!