Got Lost in the mountains but found myself in Panama City

After celebrating my birthday for 1 week in Bocas it was time for some cool down time up in the Panamanian mountains. On my way there I found a Finnish girl Maria to travel with and as we hiked with our huge heavy backpacks up the steep hill to the hostel (why do they build hostels so damn up high?) it was nice to have a fellow country women along, who understand the meaning of Sisu! (if you don't know what it means, google it) I so needed one :)

It was so worth the tedious hike up that hill as the view from the LOST and FOUND hostel was truly beautiful and peaceful. You can check it out here http://www.lostandfoundlodge.com. The following day we even hiked some more, we did a 5h hike in the cloud forest and aaahhh so nice, beautiful and refreshing (I think I use the word nice and beautiful way too often in this blog by the way...) and it was so good for the nowadays unfit me.

At the hostel we met two sweet old American guys that kindly offered us a free ride into Panama city the following day. So off we went on a 7h road trip to the biggest city in Central America. I have to say that Panama is way more developed than I thought.... at moments it felt like we where driving through the States.. I mean we even stopped at McDonalds! Geeez.... Dont like it that they have taken over the world.

Anyways, the sweet gentlemen dropped us off in Panama city and we hailed a taxi to take us to the best hostel in town, Luna's Castle http://www.lunascastlehostel.com which feels like home already... I mean free pancake and banana breakfast, guys playing guitars, people singing, in house movie theater, tons of books to read, free internet, our own big balcony, beers in the fridge....who wouldn't feel at home??

And tomorrow is all about discovering what this city has to offer before it will go into Semana Santa (Easter) celebrations. (By the way, I cannot believe it is Easter already, it was just Christmas!!)

But first on my list is to for the first time try CEVICHE, which is suppose to be the best here. Thanks wikipedia for explaining what it is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceviche.