Having invested some money through the last few years in reforestation projects of Futuro Forestal in Panama, I finally came to the conclusion that it would be worthwhile to see these projects with my own eyes and to get a feeling about what is going on.
So, in March of 2008 together with my sister Renate and my 15 year old great nephew David, we packed one common suitcase and three backpacks and off we went. The flight was going to be via Milan and Miami to Panama City. It was booked via one of these travel portals for economic flights.
Intending to really spend eventful and active days, we had our first real “impressive event” at the Miami passport control. Flying all around the world and entering dozens of sometimes strange countries the experience at the Miami passport control was only comparable to entering the former East German Democratic Republic about 25 years ago. 
We and the other thousand passengers waiting in front of 25 counters felt like in a military training camp. Therefore, the first tip: bring along a high level of tolerance, some stoic patience and a lot of time just in case this was not only a one off experience but the symptom of a more general US policy / security hysterics.
What a tremendous difference awaited us at Tocumen airport, Panama City. Nice, friendly and efficient people! The lady from the information desk even came out to help us negotiate a good price for the taxi drive to our friends from Futuro Forestal at their Panama City office. Here we met for the first time face to face with:
- Elvira, who had prepared a lot of information about our two planned stops at reforestation projects, one near Soná and the other at Las Lajas.
-Max, who – enthusiastically, the born salesman, if there ever was one - told a few stories about his recent holidays and gave invaluable tips about where to go and what to do. Most of all he immediately booked us a Cabaña (kind of small hut) at the beach of Las Lajas.
- Andreas Eke, who was the founder of the Futuro Forestal project about 15 years ago. He informed us about new projects and also about the international conferences and congresses he is invited to to speak about ecological and sustainable reforestation. Even organisations like the United Nations ask for his expertise on quite a scale.
Straight from there, Max took us to the nearby lock of Miraflores at the Panama Canal with its fascinating museum about the Canal and its sometimes rather bloody history.
Then, after some fun negotiations with the driver we went by taxi to the hotel.
I had booked the first and the last two nights of our stay in Panama at “La Estancia”, which was recommended to us by our friends of Futuro Forestal. Everything else we wanted to do on the go, at maximum one day in advance. “La Estancia” presented us with their luxurious, spacy King’s suite, perhaps an interesting idea when planning a bit of an exploratory trip. And with an absolutely gorgeous fruit breakfast nothing could stand in the way of the most adventurous day!
Even just located at five minutes from the centre, La Estancia is nicely placed on a hill at the start of the Ancon forest park. You have dozens of different types of colourful birds and lots of other small animals squirreling around, easily visible when standing on the hotel’s terrace/balcony. On the other side there is a small road leading up towards the hill top.
Just contact Gustavo Chen and he will assist you in any way he and his excellent staff can.
Within a few minutes of walking up towards the top, we saw the first Tukan and a few monkeys climbing around in these tremendous trees. Such a variety of unknown trees, strangely shaped seeds, small and large flowers and fruit, a great deal of which we have never seen before. And then: this breathtaking view of Panama City and the Panama Canal…
Not bad at all for the first day!
Next morning, taking just our light backpacks, we took the bus to Santiago and Soná. This was really easy! Not knowing that we would have to pay an extra small fee for entering the platform area, unknown bystanders just paid it for us and winked us on! Arriving in Soná I called the given number and within three
minutes Guillermo arrived with his robust pickup to take us to the reforestation project. 
Driving directly to the piece of land, which I had purchased last year, we stopped and walked around in this suddenly sun-flooded plot. He explained the different types of trees which were planted in this area (Teak, Amarillo, Zapatero etc.). As far as I could see, this seemed really to be all very well kept and maintained and it was certainly no monoculture as some other reforestation plantations we had seen and were still to see.
On the bumpy way back to Soná we saw a lot of rather meagre (or was it just this specific type?) cattle grazing on large areas of land, rather poor, small settlements of locals as well as some nicely painted (at least on the front) bungalows and again lots of unfamiliar plants.
Taking another bus, we went straight to Las Lajas, as usual with very rhythmic Central American Music which adds even more to the uplifting experience when travelling in these lively buses. Being dropped at a crossroad on the Pan Americana, we got again a rather talkative taxi driver to rocket us for the last 12 km through potholes and side ditches to the beach and to our 2 storey Cabaña booked in advance. Contrary to our expectations we were the only guests at Panamax 
as it was called. Along a 12 km long hot-sanded beach there were several mini settlements, sometimes with a few huts, Cabañas in local speak and one or the other restaurant or bar. So, finally, we had the chance to saviour these fantastic, freshly pressed, exotic fruit drinks and to fill our tummies with some real fresh and crispy sea fish.
Doing some meditation exercise, our 15 year old just knocked off in the hummock on the terrace of our
Cabaña, only to crawl inside at four o'clock in the morning when it got a bit cool.
At half past five in the morning the sun was slowly rising through the slightly breeze-moved palm trees. 
This was the perfect time for a stroll on the beach, all alone, just with some long-legged birds hopping in the surf.
Punctually, as Germans are, Petra of Forest Finance arrived at eight o'clock with her new four-wheeler. She is the local representative of the German office which is promoting Futuro Forestal products in Europe. First of all, we went to Futuro Forestal’s homely headquarter in Las Lajas. There, we met a few other specialists of the organisation and could see local, hardhatted workers shifting around a load of trees.
We got more explanations about the inner workings and organisation of this place. 
Next we visited the most ancient locations of the project. In clearly marked plots the first trees are already sawed-off for delivery to a North American company, which was the first customer to order FSC certified wood from Futuro Forestal. And, to mention it, at a considerably higher price then originally forecast.
After finally getting to know about the secret of cashew nuts, 
and how they grow as well as the quaintly called tattoo fruit (used by Indians for tattooing/painting themselves as well as by David, very soon), we were left at the crossroads for another bus, a comfortable double-decker, if you got one of the reclining, cushy seats, which we did not, to go towards David (the city) and Boquete.
Due to foggy weather we only spent one night in the resort town Boquete which is quite high up in the clouded mountains and rather cool. This is the ideal spot for mountain trekking,
e.g. up the highest mountain/volcano of Panama,
with more than 3800 m.
To reach our next goal we had to cross PanamaCordilleras. What a most fantastic journey this was! Incredible views, steep mountains, sloping valleys, plants in all shades of green with blossoms in bright colours, the rainforest...
In Almirante we took a regular water-taxi to speedboat us to the island of Columbus, Isla Colón. This is the area, where Columbus came to during his fourth and last trip over the Atlantic Ocean. Nowadays, this is one of the most touristic areas of Panama. Compared to European tourist resorts, however, it is at the very beginning with all its positive and negative consequences. For us it was overwhelmingly positive looking at the helpful and friendly people, the mostly unspoilt nature and the good prices.
Here, we were able to arrange a rather special boat trip to various isles. Together with
some other tourists we visited the bay of dolphins with real dolphins jumping around,
a coral reef, an almost floating restaurant and the Red-Frog-Beach
. Alone with our Capitan we then went to another island to visit a small Indian settlement.
We were able to get an Indian guide to lead
u
s across
the whole rainforest island and to explain a lot of the plants and animals around us. Another small adventure! Most impressive for 
us was his respectful behaviour towards the environment. For example bending sharp leafs/blades around a tree, to prevent us from being cut but not breaking them, trying to catch these miniature frogs without hurting them, imitating birds to get them closer… So we walked, climbed, staggered first through the widespread village, then through the multifaceted rainforest and the swampy mangroves, passing singing birds, almost invisible snakes, mini-frogs and some other animals on the way as well as all kinds of sometimes strange looking plants, which can be used for medical purposes, to eat or whatever.
Back inPanama City, we collected first of all the decorative seeds and leaves, which we had hidden close to our accommodation behind a tree on the wayside.
Then we started our shopping day in the gigantic Albrook Shopping Mall, which is probably five times bigger than anything which we have got in Munich. There, you can get about anything you can think of. You will find all the boutique names and fashion labels and and and... And at what prices …!!?? Sometimes, it was just unbelievable, jaw-dropping and inexplicable. To give just one example: a shirt for 69 Cents (i.e. around 0.40 €). David almost went crazy, so beware, if travelling with children or adolescents!
The last and final day in Panama City was spent with absorbing some culture: i.e. walk through the two 
oldest parts of Panama City: Panama Viejo, the first settlement of Europeans, nowadays almost completely in ruins due to the British Majesty’s pirate Sir Henry Morgan and Panama Casco, the old part of Panama City.
This ancient part is very much under reconstruction. In the most important area probably every second edifice is being built on, mostly by destroying the interior and just leaving the sometimes extremely rich facades, i.e. by gutting the buildings.
After venturing a bit too deep into the seriously depraved part of the city, nearby, where the guidebook says: don't enter at night time, the police stopped us. They didn't want us to proceed any further even during daytime, because “it is too dangerous”. They even called a police van to get us out. With a hearty good-bye and a thumps-up, this job was then done, however, by a taxi just passing by.
Another example of how helpful, friendly and forwarding the Panamanian people were, even in such a big city, let alone in the countryside.
So, at the end we arrived back home with quite some enthusiasm about Panama, lots of shopping bags full with stuff and all our carefully kept Malaria prophylaxis, insect repellents etc. which we just did not need, though some of us used sun lotion, occasionally.
Panama is really a most interesting and fascinating country. There are a lot of things to see and to do, the local hotels and transport/bus/taxi system offer good value at low prices and people are extremely helpful. Even though, Panama started to invest some more money for touristic promotion recently, it is still far away from being a touristic country.
PS: To know more about the Futuro Forestal reforestation project and possibilities to participate in this extraordinary green investment, just click on the right side bar and you will get to the Website of ForestFinance available in German and English!
