Our bus had turned into a sauna. What had started out as a slow, cramped, over-packed ride on an old school bus from David to Boquete had just taken a turn for the worse. The rain clouds we had seen hovering over the central mountains had moved our way and, once it began raining, the bus attendant had insisted everyone shut the windows, closing off what little air movement had been keeping it nominally comfortable on board. Immediately the windows steamed up. My shirt was stuck to me like a second skin. As before, the oversized handbag of the woman standing in the aisle next to me banged the side of my head each time we rode over a pothole. Panamanian roads have lots of potholes. After an hour we mercifully arrived in Boquete. Heather peeled herself out of her pooled sweat and I unstuck my knees from the seat back in front of me. We collected our bags, stretched our limbs and waited for our Air B&B host, Katrina, to pick us up as planned. Soon after she arrived and we loaded our bags to begin the ten minute drive out of town to her home and our cottage. Katrina, born and raised in the UK, had been living in Panama for forty years and offering the Sunshine Cottage for rent for the last four. As is so often the case when traveling, low times are soon followed by high times. Arriving at the cottage we marveled at the blazes of color in her perfectly-tended garden (remember, she’s English, so it’s not a ‘yard’) and the stunning views to the nearby mountains. Hisbiscus, the largest blossoms I’d ever seen, of yellow, scarlet and purple; hydrangea; citrus fruit and banana trees; foliage of all shades of green were all in perfect order. While the rain had passed, low-lying clouds still draped the tops of the mountains and crept fingers down some of the slopes to the valley. The cottage itself was charming – a terrace held a table and chairs, the bed was soft, the tiny kitchen had all the essentials (including a fresh baguette and a small jar of homemade jam) and the shower offered hot water and plush towels. As it turned out, we spent nearly as much time sitting on that terrace, taking in the views and enjoying the riot of color in the garden as we did exploring town or hiking the hills. Katrina offered advice on several walks available right from the property, told us how to use the collectivo, or local minivan service, to get to and from town and gave us a rundown on her recommended restaurants before taking her leave.  Once back in town we found the Boquete Brewing Company and ducked inside to check it out. It offered a pretty impressive selection of craft beers, the smells emanating from the food truck adjoining the outdoor patio promised tasty grilled burgers and fries and the speakers played a cool mix of Ramones, Lou Reed and Elvis Costello. A nice end to the day.

After breakfast at the cottage we followed Katrina’s advice and took to the hills. A two-track trail a couple minutes walk from the property took us up through the grounds of an abandoned coffee plantation. While the coffee plants were overgrown with weeds and vines, they still were producing berries. It seemed sad to think that all that coffee would probably eventually rot on the branch. As we rose in elevation the views of the surrounding mountains improved. Passing beyond the plantation we entered the rainforest. Huge trees were cloaked in vines, cicadas filled the air with their call and the ground was covered in thick broad-leafed foliage. Continuing up the trail we entered a small banana plantation, then passed a couple cottages. As we walked by several children came outside to gawk at the visitors and greeted us with “Hola!”. We eventually reached a saddle giving us views into the next valley (which we would hike the next day) before turning back to retrace our steps.

That evening we dined at one of Boquete’s newest restaurants and were overjoyed at finding really good Panamanian food. So far the food had been uninspiring, if not filling, due to the custom of serving heaping portions of at least two different starchy sides – rice, fried potatoes, yucca or plantains. But at Donde Giselle we dined on a rich soup of potatoes, onions and fall-off-the-bone chicken, as well as a house specialty consisting of rice, beans, ropa viejo (literally meaning ‘old clothes’ – slow-cooked shredded beef with onions, peppers and carrots) and fried plantains wrapped in a banana leaf. While still starch-heavy, it was tasty starch and the meats were delicious. The best glass of $4 wine Heather had had in two months and the cheapest restaurant beer I’d seen rounded out the best meal so far in Panama. The trend continued the next night at a farm-to-table restaurant where we splurged on organic roast chicken (again – falling off the bone) and a double-cut pork chop with assorted vegetables and imported wines. Food that was so good we returned the following night as well.

Our plans for a hike on our final day were dashed by high winds and slashing rains. We were consoled by holing up in our little cottage reading and doing trip research. Had it not been for a reserved room waiting for us in Bocas del Toro, we gladly would have stayed on in Boquete to enjoy Katrina’s hospitality, the magnificent garden and views surrounding the Sunshine Cottage and the amazing food on offer in Boquete town.