the beautiful Cartagena

location: Ciudad Vieja, Cartagena, Colombia

sail the San Blas from Panama to Colombia

since crossing the Darien Gap on foot is not smart, you can sail instead of fly from Panama to Colombia

a good idea mostly because you get to spend 3-4 days exploring the San Blas, a group of 350+ islands

of which only about 50 are inhabited

by the indigenous Kuna people

whose women make intricate and beautiful hand-stitched items

and men make a living selling fish

and harvesting coconuts

so if you get the chance, hop on a boat

drop the anchor for a bit

explore as many islands as possible

get some R&R hammock time

frolic with the starfish

eat as much lobster as possible

and soak up the dream that the San Blas is

so you have memories to ponder for the sail to Cartagena

(if you ever want to backpack the San Blas, consider the Sailing Koala)

Location: San Blas, Panama

Panamá (ciudad)

things to do in Panama City

walk the beautiful Amador Causeway

explore old churches
Above: San Jose

get lost in Casco Viejo

and marvel at ships in every direction

waiting for a turn to cross the canal
Location: Panama City, Panama

panama canal

i love the canal!

water in the first lock is leveled and ready

here come the next two ships

then this happens!! 

warning: this could be extremely boring for you if you are not Pierce or Jerad (I couldn't figure out how to speed it up)

nailed it! off to greener pastures

and I'm off to my dream-one-day-job in the control room
Location: Panama City, Panama

donde se puede ver ambos mares

hike through the night

to see the sun rise over the Atlantic

and light up the Pacific

and laugh at the French arguing over which sea is which
location: Volcan Baru, Panama

how to make coffee

find a beautiful setting

grow coffee

pick the cherries

dry in the sun

separate the beans

roast...

...to your preference

add water

enjoy!

location: Finca Dos Jefes, Boquete