Boquete, Chiriqui, Panamá (August 18-20, 2014)

We decided to go to Boquete with Elder and Hermana Bjornason. It is a town in the Chiriqui province near the Costa Rican border. There are a lot of expat Canadians and Americans who live there. Boquete is a cooler climate than Panama City because of the altitude.  

While we were waiting for our bus we were able to play with some children who were travelling with their mothers. What delightful children! The little guy had the most gorgeous smile! The mother looked very young and was travelling with her three small children. Their bus wasn't leave for David until midnight. They were natives from the Boquete/David part of Panama (I can't remember the name of this group of natives). 

We caught a bus at 11 pm, thinking we'd be able to sleep on the bus. It was very uncomfortable. I think I had the worst sleep, followed by Elder Mathieson. The Bjornasons seemed to be sleeping every time I looked over at them. The bus was a double decker and our seats were on the second level. The picture above is a picture of our bus tickets. The bus only went to David, the second largest city in Panama. It got in around 5:30 am. From there we had to catch another bus to Boquete. The bus was a retired school bus from the US. The bus stopped often to pick people up for work and school. It got very crowded. It cost us about $1.75 each. Boquete is about 35 kms from David. We got off the bus a short distance from the house of the senior missionary couple who are serving in Boquete. 

This is Hermana and Elder Presley. They are from California. They started their mission July 1, 2013 only one day after he retired. They were involved in a serious car accident near the beginning of the year. They were travelling about 80 km down the highway when Elder Presley was startled by a wasp. I think he said it startled him because he's allergic. Their car went off to the side of the road and the guardrail went through the windshield and cut through the middle of the car. Elder Presley lost his right pinky finger, had glass embedded in his hand, broke his nose, had something just miss one of his eyes, and a few other cuts. Hermana Presley's lower lip was cut open and her skin was peeled back from the lower half of her face. I believe she said she also had to have oral surgery. They both had to have plastic surgery to repair damages, but feel they had excellent surgeons and medical care. 

Presley's fed us breakfast, and then took us to a farmer's market where they have a table to share pamphlets and Books of Mormon. We met up with Peter and Donna Wendt. They are American expats who now live in Boquete. The Wendts had us all to their place for lunch. 

This is Peter and Donna Wendt. They met in Hawaii prior to his mission. He is originally from Germany. 

This is a picture of the cabin the Wendts are renting. They have a lease so are living here until it expires. They own two condominiums in Boquete. 

This is the back deck of the cabin and where we ate lunch. It was an absolutely beautiful setting!

Elder Mathieson and I spent the night with the Wendts. This is inside the cabin. It is a really nice place!

Donna and I had just finished making breakfast. 

Elder Mathieson and me on the back deck of the Wendt's cabin. 

Just enjoying the serenity. 

A beautiful flower on the vine along the side of the cabin. 

A side view of the flower. Colours are so vibrant here!

After lunch the Wendts and Elder & Hermana Presley drove Elder & Hermana Bjarnason and us around the Boquete area. 

Hermana & Elder Mathieson, Elder & Hermana Presley, and Hermana & Elder Bjarnason in front of a really cool rock wall. 

Here we are in front of another section of the rock face. Isn't nature wonderful!

This was a dead tree that someone carved alongside the road. You can see these all around Boquete. 

Boquete is the part of Panama where coffee is grown. They claim it is the best coffee in the world...we'll never know. 

Just to show you the size of a coffee plant I took a picture of Elder Mathieson next to a coffee bush. 

We drove up a mountain to a waterfall. 

Panama is a beautiful country!

Farmland on the side of a mountain. 

An interesting flowering tree. No one knew its name. 

Another interesting, beautiful flower hanging from a tree. 

Chickens along the road. 

Elder Bjarnason crossing the footbridge to go to the area where Hermana & Elder Presley visit teach and home teach. 

Elders Mathieson, Bjarnason and Presley with Hermana Bjornason on the path alongside the river. 

This is a little girl who was filling containers from the white plastic pipe coming out of the side of the hill. I asked her if I could take her picture. Afterwards she came over and I showed her the picture. What a sweetly!

If you look very closely you'll be able to see a house in the middle of the picture. This is the little girl's house. The people are quite poor who live here, but seem to be very happy. We could all learn from them!

This is Baru, a dormant volcano near Boquete and is the highest place in Panama. We chose not to go up to the top of the volcano because we didn't have very much time. They say you have to hire a guide because too many people have gotten lost and have not been found again. It's safe to go with a guide on foot or in a 4x4.

 

This is a picture of the pool outside the back of the Presley's house. They let the kids that live in behind their house swim in it, only when they are home. The ward does not have their own chapel. They rent two rooms on the upper level of a strip mall, so the Presley's pool doubles as a baptismal font. 

The children in this photo are part of 11 people who live in a three bedroom tin house Elder Presley and some members built for them. It was originally built for a family of five, but the brother of the man brought his family to live with them. Prior to the house being built for them they lived in a very ramshackle of a structure without a bathroom or water. Now they have water, a bathroom and a missionary couple who have Family Home Evening with them and bake them cookies. Hermana Presley also bakes them birthday cakes to celebrate their birthdays. The children are very sweet!

It was a nice, but tiring trip!