PANAMAX!

Where to begin?

Well we left Bocas and headed into the mountains staying at a place called the lost and found ecolodge. On the drive we saw toucans and some other incredible looking birds. It took a bit of random directions to find the place. We had to make the bus pull over by three yellow rocks in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. From there it is a 15 minute hike straight up a STEEP climb to the lodge. Most of the lodge is open air and the views are breathtaking. It was a nice change to go from sweating sitting still, to 60's and 70's.

So I could easily write for years on end about the place but for the sake of time I will give a moderately brief rundown. The first night we relaxed and talked to people as kinkajous, olingos, and cacomistles came down from the forest and ate bananas that were left on a platform. So not very common anywhere the three species are similar. Think raccoon colorings, monkey agility, ability to hang by their tails, utter fearlessness, and kitten cuteness. I will try to google image an image of a kinkachu and post it.

The hostel has their own kinkajou that was a rescue named Rocky. This was awesome because you got to hold him and realize just how amazing these creatures are. Though he weighed about 5 pounds he was stronger than many larger dogs I have experienced. He was able to lift himself up using solely his tail.

While we were there we did about 8 hours worth of hiking in the rainforest and saw many amazing wildlife. Two toed sloths, many frogs and birds, and Mike even saw a wild Boar. There were tatantulas and interesting varieties of snakes there as well. The area is just teeming with wildlife, and we were informed that biologists have discovered more than 3 new species just in the past month alone. We got to eat with a local with his family, tour an organic coffee farm, try different fruits, peppers, and fruit wine, drink amazing coffee, hike through a beautiful river, and even play in a fusball tournament for beers! Not to mention seeing a 140 ft waterfall back in a canyon no wider than a car!

Truly amazing and no words I know can really portray how incredible it really was. We left today and came to Boquete a nice little town in a valley with 7 to 9 thousand foot peaks on either side. Not sure of the gameplan for tomorrow but there is loads to do here so it should be good. Enjoy the kinkajou picture!