Always up for an adventure, when Ray and I talked with Clyde and Terry about taking another road trip, with this one being to visit new friends, TC and Emmet (who had just arrived in Panama one month prior to us moving here), they were all for it! They certainly did have this on their list of places to go, and things to do--perhaps not so soon after our last adventure, but since we had a blast in San Blas, why not go now?! TC and Emmet, a wonderfully accommodating host and hostess with the mostess, recently moved from Texas to Cambutal, Panama. Cambutal is located at the southern tip of the Azuero Peninsula and is a top surfing and fishing destination. It is one of the driest areas in Panama. This couple had researched Panama for about two years, had already met Clyde and Terry in person through their blog, bought a house, are trying desperately to get any internet connection they can to this house (this includes Clyde watching her climb up a steep hill one morning with the 135 feet cable we had just found in La Chorrera a few days prior to have the guys attach it later to a tall pole), shipped a boat and belongings here, and became residents, but they haven't had quite the same luck as Ray and I did that first week we arrived to the city. All in all though, they are getting things done--these things are just taking a little longer, they are deeply immersed in a mostly Panamanian occupied town, they have already made SO MANY friends (expat gringos and Panamanian), and they are loving the good life Panama has already shown them and has in store for them.
We loaded the car up on early Monday morning at eight am. Bags thrown in back along with snorkeling equipment as a just in case. Ray also made sure Clyde and I had enough hard candy to chomp on along the way. Snacks and water were also plentiful. We expected this trip to take 5 1/2 hours with a lunch stop along the way. We also made plans to stop in Pese, Panama at the Varela Hermanos Rum Distillery. We didn't have reservations for a tour simply, because we couldn't find anywhere online to make a reservation. We would just "wing it". Easy enough in Panama, right?
First, we had to find it. Clyde skillfully asked a policeman who stood right by the factory where we could see a ticket window where the tour would be given to the four gringos from Chame. He told us to go to the cemetery (we had just come from there), go left or right or direct (everyone heard or different hear his Spanish differently), and there it would be--he was right, we just hadn't driven past that cemetery far enough earlier. We came upon the big gates, saw the ox and carts, Clyde again was pushed out of the car to figure out the whole "do we need reservations" ordeal, and we were given an email address. (We did not take this tour later in the week, because it was $100/person--the man never emailed me again about our "discount" and it was a three hour tour. Imagine this--we didn't care enough to taste rum we had already had plenty of tastings of!).
 |
| The entrance gate to the distillery |
 |
| These carts will take the tour participants on tour of the grounds. |
 |
| Clyde discusses the meaning of life with the guard. |
Once through Pese and back on the road towards Chitre and beyond (so beyond), we stopped for lunch in Las Tablas. Terry remembered that there was a gringo sports bar in this town, and we found it easily enough on the main street. We met the owner, Jim (who is originally from Boston), ordered quesadillas, chicken tenders, fries, chicken sandwich and salad along with milkshakes.
 |
| Lunchtime! |
 |
| Ponchalos restaurant |
We arrived to Hotel Playa Cambutal at three pm. TC and Emmet again are getting their internet sitting on the beach and not at their house. I had sent an email to TC letting her know our ETA. When we pulled up to the beautiful lodge/hotel, Emmet greeted us in the parking lot and TC was right behind him. We had set it up with Ray and I staying at the hotel while Clyde and Terry stayed at their house a few minutes away.
 |
| Hotel restaurant |
 |
| Pool, bohio and beach |
 |
| Hotel from the water |
 |
| Bar (best Tequila Sunrise!) |
 |
| Low tide with wide beach |
 |
| Entrance to hotel with restaurant below |
 |
| Gorgeous surf |
 |
| Never used pool (next visit!) |
 |
| Our buddy greeted us each morning |
 |
| Flowers! |
 |
| Loving the sunlight. |
 |
| Entrance (and up the street is where our friend's live--and up a STEEP hill) |
 |
| Kayaks, boogie boards and bikes can be used for free. Paddle boards and surf boards have minimal charge. |
Ray and I checked into the hotel and followed TC and Emmet to a parking lot so to speak down the road. We left our car at the bottom of the hill, and we loaded up into Emmet's truck. Their hill requires 4 x 4. We sat on the porch getting to know each other, learning about our lives in the States before retirement, learning about our lives since we had made our way to Panama, and then we were greeted by hungry howler monkeys. Off the deck are trees loaded with berries. The monkeys put on a show for us swinging from branch to branch, jumping from tree to tree, hanging out upside down all the while Clyde, TC and I tried to get the most perfect picture. I eventually just started videotaping them.
 |
| I will keep this blog G rated but somehow I managed to catch the other side of this monkey as well. |
 |
| Without my readers on, I was just aiming and shooting. First with my Iphone and then camera. |
 |
| Some pictures were stolen from Clyde. Actually, we share our cards with each other. |
 |
| They were everywhere. |
 |
| Moving along. |
 |
| Taking a break to chomp on a berry (like I chomp on hard candy). |
 |
| Stuffing it all in there. |
 |
| Doing so upside down. |
 |
| More wildlife at the house; |
 |
| This is why they live where they live (the view, location to fishing, the mountains!) |
 |
| And this guy with his many friends for entertainment. |
Once the monkeys put on a show for us, and they were finished staring at us (okay, perhaps they didn't notice us snapping pictures left and right), we decided to stay local and eat dinner at the hotel. One thing about rainy season here is you usually aren't waiting for the best table. We sat in the middle of the restaurant at the largest table drinking Balboa beer, eating fresh caught tuna, chicken and pork. The presentation of the meals and the flavor of the food was outstanding. We ended up enjoying two dinners during this vacation at this restaurant along with complimentary breakfasts each morning. And we were never disappointed. The staff was phenomenal as well!
Ahead of us, we had two more days of getting to know our friends and their hometown. With our eyelids drooping from the food, drink and conversation, we said goodnight until the next day where morning time was coming all too quickly! We had big plans to take TC and Emmet's boat out to the mangroves, see Isla Cana and maybe even see the sea turtles later in the night nesting and hatching thousands and thousands of eggs. So much to see and do still ahead!
 |
| Good morning, Cambutal! Ready for day two. (Low tide) |
 |
| View at night from the house |
Just one small correction, the picture with the church in it is in Las Tablas. I'll have to get you the name of it so you can look up it's history - there's a whole week long celebration and many pilgrimages from all around in honor of a local saint who, if I understood it correctly, was crucified in front of this church.
ReplyDeleteThanks for noting this, and I will definitely correct. So many places to go and so many things to do! I am just so happy we visited you, TC and Emmet, and we experienced things with you as well as with those other two gringos!
ReplyDelete