This morning my best friend and I found the best breakfast in Puerto Viejo. But wow, what a long day it’s been!

A great breakfast place in Puerto Viejo

The things you see in Costa Rica

If there is one thing I’d like everyone to do when they travel, step off of the main roads. Mind you we only found Cafe Rico in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica because we needed our laundry done, but we stopped to pick it up and had a great breakfast. Yes, this place does laundry, and they do a mean breakfast!

Not only did we get clean laundry and the best breakfast in Puerto Viejo, the woman working there was nice enough to help us with our Spanish – so we’ve written down the words for well done (for Rebecca) and over easy (for me).

I also I love Cafe Rico because of the hundreds of books available for exchange or purchase. While here I traded out my last book for a new one, Snake Ropes. Such great writing and voice in this book.

While we were enjoying our coffee and huevos rancheros, it started raining and started dreaming of staying there all day. It was so cozy while we watched the rain with a great cup of coffee. However, we have to finish packing, Panama here we come!

On the way to Panama

First, we hopped onto a shuttle to head for the border and there were no tears from me this time, thank goodness.

Bird watching at Cafe Rico

The border crossing via shuttles is a bit of a pain.  First, we had to check out of Costa Rica, that was the easy one. Then we walked across a 50-foot bridge that was a bit questionable. We had to watch where we put our feet or we’d fall through and considering we were both carrying a backpack on our backs and our fronts, it wasn’t easy. I spent a lot of time seeing water through the spaces, cracks and holes under my feet.

On the other side, we joined a long line of people waiting to check into Panama. The border station was out of power, so we sat around in the hot sun for a couple of hours. A few clouds rolling by was a welcome sight.

Be in the Know: When going from country to country don’t forget to have proof that you will be leaving that country. So either carry your ticket info on your phone or have it with you in print. (I put all of my travel info in Dropbox, loaded that app onto my phone, starred all of those documents while my phone was connected in the States – that way the documents would always be available whether my phone was connected or not.)

Another good hostel

Rebecca and I on the boat to Bocas Town

Then we hopped on our new shuttle and after that, a boat to Bocas Town. We arrived to the almost overwhelming crush of people and sound, and plenty of people offering help, for a price of course. Searching for our hostel that we had reserved a room online, we found out that it wasn’t in Bocas Town, but on one of the smaller islands, Isla Bastimentos on Red Frog Beach.

We thought of staying in Bocas Town, but the first couple of hostels we checked were full. So we caught a water taxi and it was the best decision we made yet. This hostel, Bocas Bound, is beautiful. On the downside, there is no grocery store nearby so we’re stuck with their restaurant. Not fantastic, but it’s food. (Kind of like eating in a school cafeteria.)

There was a giant spider in the bathrooms, but a fellow traveler was kind enough to take it out of the building. And I’m sure it won’t be the last giant bug we find on our travels.

The good side?  Clean, quiet bunk rooms; partial walls between each set of bunks gives a little privacy; and the location is remote.  I can get some sleep here!  Of course, this is only the first night, we’ll see how things go.

Oh yeah, we’re in Panama!

Want to see more:
Day 12 Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
Day 14 Isla Bastimentos, Panama

I’m Sonja Dewing. I’m an award winning creative writer, a published author of Toy of the Gods, an adventure in the Amazon. If you’d like a free copy of the prequel, Ire of the Gods, sign up for my email list and you’ll get it right away.