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Life Nomadic: The Pan Panama Road Trip Begins!
The best adventures are the unexpected ones.We sat at La Novena, an amazing Vegetarian restaurant on Via Argentina in Panama City. We order the same thing every time. Soup of the day, avocado salad for me, almond and pear salad for Todd, and whole wheat pasta with eggplant and tomato. We ordered it so much last year that when we returned the chef already knew exactly what we wanted.
After a predictably amazing dinner we stood in front of the kitchen chatting with the chef, Arturo. He used to be an engineer, and it shows in his meticulous preparation of the food.
Next to him was one of his employees, chipping away at the shells of dark brown beans, putting the cleaned bean in a small tupperware container.
"Que hace ella?"
And that's when our education on the making of chocalate began. From a town near the Costa Rican border, called Al Mirante, came the raw cacao beans. Then they fermented them, roasted them, chipped away the shells, and ground them into cocoa powder.
Amazing. Todd and I are huge fans of dark chocolate. Anything above 85%. Can we try one of the beans?
The beans were delicious. We'd had both tried packaged cocoa nibs back in the states, but this was something different. They were barely bitter, just an overpowering chocolate explosion with a subtle fruity flavor.
We were hooked. Arturo put some of the beans in a cup for us to take home and Todd and I resolved to make the twelve hour drive to Al Mirante try to visit a chocolate plantation.
After dinner we headed to an internet cafe. A quick search revealed that Thrifty would rent us a car for only $8.10 a day.
"At that price, let's just get the thing for two weeks and go everywhere."
"Yup."
[video after the jump]
We instant message our friend Vince, who is also in Panama, to see if he wants to come.
"Where are you planning on going?"
We never plan. We just go and let the adventure unfold ahead of us. The rental car wasn't available the following morning, which had already put an annoying delay in our adventure.
From meeting fellow travelers during our time in Panama we know of a bunch of places that are worth visiting. David, Boquete (our first stop), Bocas Del Toro, El Valle De Anton, and of course a stop in Las Tablas for Carnaval again.
And so now I write this from the car as Todd drives like a madman through the Panamanian frontier. I occasionally glance up to find us in the oncoming traffic lane as he passes a car. Besides going relatively lightly on the horn, he's adopted the Panamanian way of driving.
Thus begins the great "Pan Panama Road Trip" of 2009. Stay tuned as we go everywhere in Panama and let you know what can and can't be missed. If you've been to Panama and want to suggest somewhere not on our list, let us know and we'll probably go check it out.
Filed under: Panama, Video, Life Nomadic, Central America
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Grant Martin Feb 24th 2009 9:11PM
Well. This just makes me really, really, really jealous.
Rita Moreno Feb 25th 2009 11:13AM
Me too...
I'm usually not fond of vegetarian food, but your meal sounds delicious!! You should make a compilation of travel recipes.
Have a blast there!
Tim Feb 25th 2009 3:50PM
That food does sound good. I spent most of my trip in Bocas Del Toro, make sure you hit up El Gruta, its a cave about 6km outside of town - any cab can get you there for a dollar or two.
I didn't get to go super far into it because we didn't have flash lights, but I'm sure you guys will be much more prepared.
The Mimibi Timbi is supposed to be awesome if you can hike there. I got lost and spent 8 hours wondering around the jungle.
z6p6tist6 Feb 25th 2009 5:21PM
Glad you guys are finally giving us a glimpse into your travels.
Keep it up!
-Phil(bert)
William Friar Feb 26th 2009 4:36AM
Entertaining start!
If you're still curious about chocolate production after your Almirante visit, consider visiting Green Acres, a small cacao farm run by two very nice American expats on the islands (ask arond in Bocas about them -- they don't like to advertise much).
After you're done with the islands of Bocas, I'd recommend a trip up the Rio Teribe on the Bocas mainland to visit the Naso, one of Panama's smallest surviving indigenous nations -- only about 3,800 of them are left. It's beautiful country, the people are kind and fascinating and the Naso are at a pivotal time in their history: construction of a dam threatens their survival and has divided the community. It'd be a memorable trip and make for great video.
Two Naso-run groups operate trips up there. Check them out at www.soposo.com and http://www.bocas.com/odesen/odesnaso.htm.
(By the way, a minor correction to your earlier Panama post. Panamanian Spanish does not have a reputation for being exceptionally clear -- it has a reputation for being exceptionally "dirty," with dropped syllables, coarse expressions and rapid-fire delivery. If you're picking it up fast, that's a testament to you, not to the local idiom! If you want to hear clear Spanish, go to Colombia, which is widely admired for clarity. Even native Spanish speakers have a hard time following Panamanian Spanish at times.)
Feel free to contact me through my website, www.panamaguidebooks.com, or through Twitter (@panamaguide) if you like.
Happy travels!
-Bill
William Friar Feb 26th 2009 4:42AM
Sorry, didn't read the rules about making links live on this site. Here they are again:
http://www.panamaguidebooks.com
http://www.soposo.com
Thomas Feb 26th 2009 8:15AM
Hey Tynan, we just arrived in Panama-City and can't wait for some reports and recommendations!
Enjoy your trip :)
Darren Feb 26th 2009 1:14PM
Amazing video, very well edited.
What's the song at the end? "I don't wanna get back on that horse again..."
Great piece!
Bill Feb 26th 2009 2:21PM
I am really looking forward to following this. I have been to Panama many times and you guys are going to some places I have not been yet. Can't wait to see the Boca and las Tablas reports.
Only downside is your vegetartian approach! Tell me you will at least try some of the local pescado and particularly corvina!
Eddie Mar 2nd 2009 4:35PM
1. Thats amazing that you can just get in a rental car and tour Panama. Very jealous.
2. Love the Lazy Town
3. What's with the censorship? Is that a Gadling rule? Cuz that's REALLY lame.
Peetuhr Mar 3rd 2009 3:19PM
finally got myself all caught up on life nomadic today. still painfully jealous.
today i sealed a deal to buy a volkswagen westfalia. next up is selling all my stuff, not sure im quite ready for that yet though.
btw, cooking by the book+lil jon. amazing, so impressed.
Tynan Mar 3rd 2009 3:25PM
Glad you like the song too!
You'll love your Westy. I live in a VW Rialta when I'm in Austin and love it. I'll probably write about living in an RV at some point.
Tynan
nismo334 Mar 3rd 2009 10:56PM
You guy's rock! I'm going to be in Panama for spring break at the end of the month. (just seemed like a cool place to go and I got an insanely cheep ticket). I'm seriously considering dropping all that I'm tied to at home and hitting the road for however long life wants me to. I'm about done with school (I'm an X-ray tech). But, I want to get out there and be a part of the world, not just my little city in California. More power to you guy's with all luck in about a year I'll be doing the same kinds of things you guy's are now.
Oh, and I had a question for you guy's if by chance your still reading this after my droning. What do you do about health insurance while you travel. Go with out? are you on a US plan? The reason I ask is I have a long standing heart defect which is completely managed now after 2 heart surgeries when I was a kid. But, I'm in a much higher risk category for future heart surgery which would be impossible to pay for without some coverage somewhere. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks,
-Joe