Wintering in Panama 2011: Life at the Rio Encantado in Caldera Panama

Our Panama home for two months

Wow! Two weeks have gone by so quickly. However, I am determined to tell you about our experiences here in Panama … so here we go. We are staying in a small cabin by the river … well, really a creek during the dry season. There are rapids and a couple of swimming holes. The one outside our front door has a small water fall into it, warmed from the hot springs nearby. Our modest cabin is one big room, with half wall dividers separating the bedroom from the kitchen / den area… oh, and yes there is a separate bathroom. Although rustic, you can drink the water from the tap and put toilet paper in the toilet. (For those of you who travel to third world countries, that is unique.) Every wall has huge windows to see the amazing scenery around the place. It is definitely jungle here, and gets really dark at night when there is no moon. Even during the day, it is best to stay on the trails unless you wear boots, as there are poisonous snakes around. The weather has been really nice… in the low to mid 80's in the day, and low 70's at night … and mostly low humidity since it's the dry season, although we have had rain a couple of days. The Rio Encantado covers 100 acres on both sides of the river, and there are several trails to explore, in addition to walking along the river, on the rocks. There is also a pool for those times when you don't want to swim in the river. Wireless internet is available in some of the cabins, but doesn't reach out cabin, so we have to go to the pool area to get on the internet … which is part of the reason I am so remiss in blogging.
I am taking Spanish lessons here at the Rio Encantado from the Panamanian son of the owner. He is 24 and still learning English. However, he is well educated and patient and has turned out to be a great teacher for me. I take lessons for 3 hrs, 3 times per week. Beyond this, I study from my Spanish textbook and Rosetta Stone. We have only local TV reception, so sometimes I listen to Spanish on TV. When we go out, I try to use my Spanish, but it has been slow going there, as my confidence and memory are a hindrance there. However, I am determined to learn, so I know I will get better.
Included with this post are pictures of our home away from home, the river, and some of the wildlife around us that we have been able to catch on camera. Until my next post … hasta luego!