Being able to spend time with some old friends was one of the best parts of my trip to Bogota

This is Bogota!

The spread of the city during dusk from Mount Serrate

The countryside outside of Zipchuir                                                            

This is rainy season in Panama.

But my colorful boots make rainy days better!

Si!  es una sena del barque de mi favorita novela: Travesia del viajero del alba!

Panama Hats or Panamanian Hats?

I dunno but there were quite a few to choose from.

Mi familia en cima del Cerro Ancon. The Panama City Skyline is layed out behind them.

I'm thankful for Panama.

We had a potluck Thanksgiving dinner in the dorms. What  a wonderful feast!

So many people were in our apartment!

This is a dazzling display of the Maker's handiwork.

Es una tortuga!

Apple soda is something I will definitely miss when I come home.

Yet another beautiful island, off the coast of Boca Chica

Is this real life?

Yup!

This is the adorable monkey that walked up to play with us when we went to a hot springs in Boquete.

Everyone was sneaking up to get in pictures with the monkey. He wasn't fooled.

The Hot Springs was on someone's property and the owner walked up to visit and told us the monkey was a pet. He wasn't shy when it comes to food.

Best Picture ever! The monkey tried to see if my friend tasted as good as our almonds. 

Breathtaking vistas en Cerro Punta

In his hand are the depths of the earth,
   and the mountain peaks belong to him

Psalms 95:4

Lord, you have been our dwelling place
   throughout all generations.
 Before the mountains were born
   or you brought forth the whole world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Psalm 90:1-2

La Amistad

Panama is quite a small little world. After living here for three months, on our trip, we stayed at the same hostal as a coworker and later that night meet up with three friends from campus who were at the same hostal (owned by our RA's aunt and uncle) and the second night, we encountered a family from the bus ride up to Chiriqui.

The Friendship Restaurant

Coffee is an old friend indeed. 

This is coworker and his family who stayed our hostal the night before we did. 

Later that night we were in for another surprise when fellow Noles walked into our hostal. Our old friends and new friends were not friends.

Boquete

Hostal Nomba, where we met a musician who went on a three week tour and never went home, where we encountered the family who had sat behind us on the bus with a kid who liked to pull hair, and where I found a dozen books written in Dutch and German, but only one in Spanish.

Boquete was a little town nestled in a mountain valley.

Some of the views in Boquete were breath-taking as well!

Thar she blows!

We went whale watching! I felt like I was in Moby Dick, except that there wasn't a crazy captain and we were off the coast of an island in the pacific. We saw Humpback whales in their migratory path of the coast of Boca Chica. 

After whale watching, we went to yet another gorgeous island, but before we got to the island, some dolphins wanted to play around our boat.

Thar she blows! When people said it is cold in Cerro Punta, I didn't believe them. 

Two costumes and a scary movie in three nights.

On halloween, we had a retro-party with twister, apples on a string, mummy wrapping contests, caramel popcorn and bloody cookies. I was a "Cereal Killer"-Notice the gunshots on the box.

On Friday night, we went to a Halloween dance, and after showing up on time Panamaian style (an hour late) we were dismayed that the party hadn't started yet. My friend Grant and I got out and danced and started the party! My theory is that once people saw how us gringos danced, they weren't self-conscious anymore. That or we made it look so darn fun!

Iglesia de San Felipe

We went to Portobelo 2 days after the festival celebrating The Saint (more commonly known as the Black Christ

The block surrounding the church was covered with street vendors, selling rosaries, trinkets, food.

Ahh. A sign that I'm not too far from home after all.

 This is the bridge for the Gatun Locks

Here is a ship waiting to pass as we went over the bridge.

Here's the water level view of a lock.

Cinco Cinco Cinco

 Here are my lovely co-workers that attended the UN Day cook-out. 

After lunch, there was a raffle with tons of door prizes. I didn't win anything, but I now am very confident in my ability to recognize 3 digit numbers.