Dalama Adventures Tale of two corporate types ditching their jobs and traveling the world for 14 months... check out all photos, blogs & interesting tid bits at http://www.dalama.net

We met some really cool guys from the US on our bus to David.  Jim and John have been here for several years, sailing boats.  Jim knows everyone, and has been asked to sail some impressive boats here, and moves in the circles with some of Panama's elite.  The stories he has of nights out in Panama City are unbelievable.  They are here living and enjoying the good life where you can seemingly live for a fraction of the cost of living in the US.  While we were exhausted from a long sleepless night, we found ourselves awake alert and laughing hysterically with our new friends.  Their sense of humor is just what we need.  Their buddy Robert picks us all up in his truck, and after breakfast, a caffeine charge, and a couple of errands at the local auto shop and "Do It" shop - the Home Depot of Guatemala, we're off to Boquete.  The scenery here is gorgeous; green rolling hills and fincas for miles, waterfalls, fresh steams and coffee plantations, and a looming Volcán Barú, which we can't see, as it's been layered in clouds all morning.  

We stop off at Jim's house to pick up his truck, and he gives us a great tour of the town and surrounding area.  Boquete is an area that's been rapidly bought up by rich folk and land developers from Canada, Europe and the US.  We see mostly English speaking gringos our entire time.  A sleepy little mountain town in Panama has now been converted into an overpriced retirement mountain retreat, complete with pricey restaurants, coffee shops and wifi access... like a Pai, Thailand, but missing the locals.  There are a few locals here and there, and we choose to eat at the local Panamanian owned and run restaurants.  

Jim and Robert helped us to score the coolest little hostel - Hostel Boquete, right on the river.  The owner, Rich, is from the Florida Keys and couldn't be cooler.  His hospitality has been so welcoming, so much that we decided to spend two nights, despite the fact that it's been pouring rain since we arrived.  This place is great, rooms with doors and balconies that open to the river, back deck, gardens and BBQ out the back that's a great place to kick it in the evenings, watching the stars and listening to the water.  Rich is a holistic health kind of guy and had a remedy for our cold/cough that works instantaneously - shots of raw apple cider vinegar... it really does the trick, as it burns a hole in our esophagus going down.  Rich has also amassed a cool collection of local art; masks, statues, and other fine artifacts from local Panamanian artisans.  Despite the fact that this town is completely overrun by foreigners, this river view hostel is a great place for us to get some well needed relaxation, over cups of rich, locally grown coffee.