Volcan Baru on a especially gorgeous early-summer morning. The weather is just now changing from rainy to dry, and we’re coming into the time of rainbows, starlight, and fabulous skyscapes.
Heavens to Murgatroyd – where did November go? And December, for that matter. With 2017 staring us in the face, it’s a good time to look back on some of our best moments this year. So many of those moments have been about spending time with friends and our fur kids in the cloud forest paradise known as the western Panama highlands. Every time we get out, it’s like re-discovering our wonderful home all over again.
Related note – I’ve set a goal for myself to climb Volcan Baru, our resident volcano and Panama’s highest point at 3,474 meters or about 11,400 feet. (No John this time – in his words, he’s saving his knees for Machu Picchu!). On January 28, I’ll join some friends for an overnight trip that will put us at the summit for the sunrise, when we’ll hopefully be able to see both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans at once. There’s not many places on the planet where that’s possible! I’ll be blogging more about that adventure later.
And stay tuned for Latitude Adjustment – the Cuba Edition!!
Until then, here’s a bunch of photos I’ve been hanging onto from various outdoor adventures this year.
JaWatka swimming hole near Caldera
Panamoramic view at the beginning of the Pipeline Trail
One of the steel bridges over the Caldera on the Pipeline Trail
Bromeliads on the Pipeline Trail
More lovely bromeliads
The cloud forest bamboo shows teeth!
I call these Parrot Flowers (although I’m sure they have another name)
Beginning of the Pianista Trail
Headed up to the Continental Divide on the Pianista Trail
The group at the Continental Divide (photo by Larry Wilkinson)
Another outing, this time to the Macho de Monte falls
Trailhead for Los Quetzales Trail
Striking out on the Los Quetzales
Flora, Los Quetzales
This beauty, some type of lily, grows wild in the cloud forest
The Caldera as it crosses under the Los Quetzales Trail
I don’t remember where – but pretty
Setting out on a MUDDY trek to the Los Angeles waterfalls
We hiked through gorgeous farmland to get to the falls
And then the fog rolled in
Attack of the killer piglets!
The panoramic view as we made our way down the hillside . . .
to arrive at the first set of falls.
Yes, we crossed this – and then climbed up the falls in the upper right to reach a beautiful swimming hole!
Next we traversed a steep ravine . . .
to get to the second falls. We didn’t swim here – a little dicey.
Beyond the water’s edge, the falls plunge 90 feet. Eek!
Gorgeous photos! I had to laugh at the first line, “Heavens to Murgatroyd”. I’ve never seen that word printed before. Now, I am curious as to its origin. On another note, we are planning a trip to Cuba in March. We are so excited and we feel that as US citizens we’d better go there soon because who knows what will happen with our new POTUS and the relationship with Cuba. Have a great holiday.
Why, Snagglepuss, of course 🙂 I thought he was the origin of “Heavens to Murgatroyd” but it turns out that it has some Gilbert and Sullivan roots . . . this set off quite the discussion on Facebook with a couple of my etymology-loving friends.
And good for you, planning a Cuba trip. We agree, the sooner the better. The next few years will be interesting for Cuba: will the new POTUS roll back all of the normalization progress made by Obama? Or will he accelerate things so he can build his long-planned hotel there?
HAPPY HOLIDAYS John and Susan looks and sounds like you have had a wonderful year and really know how to live life to the fullest! Hopefully next year, now that we are settled in, we can borrow some pages from your travel blog and be on our way.
Wishing you always the very best, Sharon and John
On Sun, Dec 18, 2016 at 2:36 PM, Latitude Adjustment wrote:
> Latitude Adjustment: Two Wanderers in Panama posted: ” Heavens to > Murgatroyd – where did November go? And December, for that matter. With > 2017 staring us in the face, it’s a good time to look back on some of our > best moments this year. So many of those moments have been about spending > time with friends and ” >
Will you be camping overnight on your Baru trip? I have camping equipment for chilly weather which I’d be happy to lend you. I’m looking forward to hearing about that, and of course your trip to Cuba.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Many thanks! http://learninghints.eu
Hi, sorry for your inconvenience. We just switched to a new host and new theme and we’re still working out the kinks. I’ll look into this today.
– Susan
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14 Comments
What a year! Happy Holidays. Hope that the New Year is filled with more adventures for you two.
Thanks, and same to you and Pat! Hugs.
Wow, what a year! Great photos! Volcan Baru will be amazing! Will see you guys next year!
Yay! Yes – Chengdu, here we come.
Awesome pictures. Ok, so we wouldn’t have those adorable animal faces in the city! Next stop Cuba. ☺️
Ha, do you mean Medellin? We heard a rumor you want to move there. Then we’d have someone to visit! 🙂
It’s great to see you two living your dream! The stunning pictures tell the story of your exciting year beautifully.
Thanks, Mimi! It’s been a great year.
Gorgeous photos! I had to laugh at the first line, “Heavens to Murgatroyd”. I’ve never seen that word printed before. Now, I am curious as to its origin. On another note, we are planning a trip to Cuba in March. We are so excited and we feel that as US citizens we’d better go there soon because who knows what will happen with our new POTUS and the relationship with Cuba. Have a great holiday.
Why, Snagglepuss, of course 🙂 I thought he was the origin of “Heavens to Murgatroyd” but it turns out that it has some Gilbert and Sullivan roots . . . this set off quite the discussion on Facebook with a couple of my etymology-loving friends.
And good for you, planning a Cuba trip. We agree, the sooner the better. The next few years will be interesting for Cuba: will the new POTUS roll back all of the normalization progress made by Obama? Or will he accelerate things so he can build his long-planned hotel there?
HAPPY HOLIDAYS John and Susan looks and sounds like you have had a wonderful year and really know how to live life to the fullest! Hopefully next year, now that we are settled in, we can borrow some pages from your travel blog and be on our way.
Wishing you always the very best, Sharon and John
On Sun, Dec 18, 2016 at 2:36 PM, Latitude Adjustment wrote:
> Latitude Adjustment: Two Wanderers in Panama posted: ” Heavens to > Murgatroyd – where did November go? And December, for that matter. With > 2017 staring us in the face, it’s a good time to look back on some of our > best moments this year. So many of those moments have been about spending > time with friends and ” >
Will you be camping overnight on your Baru trip? I have camping equipment for chilly weather which I’d be happy to lend you. I’m looking forward to hearing about that, and of course your trip to Cuba.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get several e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Many thanks!
http://learninghints.eu
Hi, sorry for your inconvenience. We just switched to a new host and new theme and we’re still working out the kinks. I’ll look into this today.
– Susan