Bocas del Toro

Hi, just a very quick one - we arrived in Bocas del Toro today, still in Panama. A proper update should follow tomorrow...

Thanks for your messages !

We have moved: still in Panama city but now in Zuly´s backpackers Hostel in a safe district called El Cangrejo. As you can see, the blog is now up-to-date, and in the coming days we´ll try to add some more pictures. Thanks to everyone for your e-mails and comments! We still aren´t reacheable by mobile phone (our phone doesn´t work due to different GSM frequencies), but we´ll find a solution asap and post our number here.

Irving Saladino and our backpacks are here :-)

After wondering for three days if it would ever happen, we were extremely relieved when we finally got our backpacks this morning !!!!!!!!! Today it hasn’t stopped raining, but we are smiling again… at the same time this is a good opportunity to update our little blog…

Yesterday we walked in the “Parque Natural Metropolitano”, a kind of mini-jungle within city-limits with amazing views of Panama’s impressive skyline, and a vegetation that we’ve never seen before…we must have lost more or less 1kg sweating…that’s what this tropical weather does to you.

The ‘Casco Viejo’ (old town) is very small but pleasant. A lot of the colonial houses are very run-down, but we think that this makes out part of its charm. Although considered the wealthiest city in Central America (it is the economic capital of the region, and most big companies have their seat here), Panama Ciudad isn’t exactly the safest of cities we’ve seen – taxi drivers can go on for hours listing all the areas that we should by no means enter… don’t worry parents: we are sticking to safe areas, easily recognizable by those where the police is present and many people walking around.

A colourful addition to Panama’s capital are the buses they have here – old American school buses painted with beautiful graffiti by Panama’s street artists.
Yesterday evening we also visited an area called the Causeway – a palm-tree lined calzada for Panama’s rich and beautiful, connecting four little islands full with open-air restaurants, a ayacht club, and VIP areas. The views of the little harbour around here are pleasant, but we didn’t like its fake, americanised atmosphere.

Today was a very special day for Panameños: Irving Saladino has arrived!! We forgive you for not knowing him… but if you only spent 5 minutes watching Panamanian TV – any channel – any time – you would know him: he won the first ever Olympic medal for this country: Gold in the Long Jump. He was received today by thousands of flag-waving locals, and local rappers are already hip-hopping songs devoted to him.

History and beer in Boston

After a few days in London with Jordi (and a really good dinner in Vinopolis, thanks brother!), we flew to Boston, where we met Ales & Amelia.

Our first breakfast was in a famous bakery placed in the South End, a nice district, with an architecture that reminded us a lot of Dublin’s, followed by a tour through the Samuel Adams brewery, in Jamaica Plain (JP). Ales was complaining because the free beer quantity was not enough ;-) but he will never forget the Italian pizza (very very thin!) that we got for dinner!

On Sunday we walked the Freedom Trail (a 3-hour walk which leads you past Boston’s most important historical sites) and in the afternoon we visited Harvard.
Summarizing…a beautiful and interesting city with very nice and helpful people.

On Monday it was time to leave, but not before meeting up with Charlie´s uncle Pit and his family, who are passing their vacation in the US.

In Panama with just a toothbrush and passports

We are in Panamá Ciudad :) Our backpacks are not :( They are either in Boston or Fort Lauderdale or Miami or somewhere else. Lesson learned: Only fly with Spirit Airlines if you really can't afford better. In the meanwhile, we bought some fresh underwear, and we´re exploring the noisy and humid, but also colourful and interesting capital of Pamana.

The Internet connection in this hotel is absolutely horrible, so please have a little bit of patience - we will post a proper update and some photos as soon as we can.

Last month in Spain and Luxembourg

Tomorrow morning we're leaving for London. Many thanks to our families and friends for the nice moments you spent with us during July and August.

Here some of the best photos of our time in Spain and Luxembourg.

We will miss you !



Charlie & Tere