Travellingman reisverhalen - - El Valle - Pedasi
Day 8: Vrijdag 30 maart 2012
El Valle - Pedasi

About 7 am I was awake. All night there was a strong wind. It’s a so called falling wind which ‘gusts’ down from the mountains. After packing my bag and breakfast, I put everything in the car. Then checkout and I left around 8.45 am. The first 25 kilometers I went through the mountains to the main road. Here I turned right towards Penonome, where I made a stop. It should be an ancient city, but there was little to notice. Surrounding the square with church were some older buildings, but it was not really impressive.

I drove on to Devisa and turned the Carretera National. Here they were busy changing a two lane road into four lane road. I made a stop in the village of Parita where a number of old houses stood. I walked around and also to the Church, where just a service was busy.

I went looking for the road that led to the Sarigua national park. After asking a few times it turned out to be the second road to the left past the village. There was no sign due to the road works. After a few kilometers of paved road there was a sign to the left and after again 2 kilometers I was at the entrance to the park. I had to pay $ 5. I went into the lookout tower after and overlooked the area. There was a sort of trail that ended in nothing. I walked just beyond an edge of shrubs. There were only a few birds. After I returned I drove by car into the area. I thought I could drive around it, but that was not the case. I could only drive into the area. It is a large arid plain. On the outskirts there is a company that has large water basins, which contrasts with the very dry area. Also here only a few birds. A strange area, but whether that was worth the money?

I drove farther on to Chitre, what is a busy city. I walked around the center. There are only a few of the historic buildings left. I visited Museo de Herrera, where on the ground floor is an exhibition about excavations in the near surroundings including the finds of pots with no decoration (before Christ) to finds of after Christ with painted decorations were or with figured shapes. On the second floor an overview of the time the Spaniards were here. Herrera was a captain who was present here from 1804, but the name of the museum is probably derived from a later president.

After the visit I continued my way, but had some trouble finding the right road. After asking a couple of times, I came on the road to Las Tablas, where I made my last stop. Here are still some old houses and a small church. Then continue to Pedasi along withered fields. 10 km past the village was my hotel. After checking in I had a beer and relaxed. It was already 5 pm. Villa Romana is situated by the sea. Later I had dinner in the restaurant and in the evening, after some reading, I went to sleep.

Initial publication: 22 april 2012
Last update: 22 april 2012
© A. Heeroma

  • Travel route

Panama 2012 tour
»Day 1 Amsterdam - Panama City
»Day 2 Panama City
»Day 3 Panama City - Gamboa
»Day 4 Gamboa - Kuanadup
»Day 5 Kuanadup
»Day 6 Kuanadup - El Valle
»Day 7 El Valle
»Day 8 El Valle - Pedasi
»Day 9 Pedasi
»Day 10 Pedasi - Santa Catalina
»Day 11 Santa Catalina
»Day 12 Santa Catalina
»Day 13 Santa Catalina - Boquete
»Day 14 Boquete
»Day 15 Boquete
»Day 16 Boquete - Bocas del Toro
»Day 17 Bocas del Toro
»Day 18 Bocas del Toro
»Day 19 Bocas del Toro
»Day 20 Bocas del Toro
»Day 21 Bocas del Toro
»Day 22 Bocas del Toro - Panama City
»Day 23 Panama City - Amsterdam

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