saying goodbye to Panama

Oh my goodness.  February and March just flew by, and now my Panama contract is over.  I tried to fit in as much as possible - gave up on some of the islands but managed some goodbyes to friends, an evening at Danilo's Jazz Club, a couple of days' birding in Soberania National Park (adding streak-chested antpitta and pheasant cuckoo to my life list) and a five-day birding trip to the west of Panama, around Chiriqui, La Fortuna and Boqueron.  All this plus listing and packing up everything I own ready to be shipped to West Africa for my second stint in Senegal.

This from my Chiriqui trip isn't the best ever photo of a resplendent quetzal, but it still shows the beauty of this amazing bird.  Whilst not restricted to Panama, it is nevertheless one of the country's best-known birds and so it seemed appropriate to post a picture.  I saw five of them during the few days spent around Chiriqui.  There were some other good birds too, including the yellow-eared toucanet that I have searched for unsuccessfully on two other trips; this time they appeared, frustratingly in the clouds that covered La Fortuna that day and so just as colourless silhouettes calling from the trees, until the cloud briefly lifted and I got to see their colours.  Bare-shanked screech owl, fiery-billed aracari and wrenthrush were some other highlights of the trip.

The birdlife of Panama really is quite spectacular, and I wish I'd somehow found more time to get out there and enjoy it.

The other part of the natural environment that I loved were the sloths.  The last one I saw, although wild, was hardly in a natural environment, as it had come into the open-air kitchenette behind the ticket office into the tiny La Culebra park out on The Causeway.  The guards told me it sometimes comes in to drink water, and does not seem to be disturbed by their presence.  This time it was lying on top of their lockers, and seemed curious about me when I approached.  Of course I took it too far and briefly stroked the fur on its extended leg (how could I resist the chance to touch a sloth?); it hissed at me but didn't seem seriously bothered.

I didn't really get that much time to reflect on my five years in the Americas, my time being rather taken over by all the practicalities such as closing my internet and bank accounts, plus the listing and packing that I mention above.  Overall my feeling was that I would have liked another year, that the country has much more to offer than I was able to experience in my time there.  But looking back over my final year in the country, I actually spent only 13 weeks in Panama, with the rest in 16 other countries.  So I suppose I shouldn't be too harsh on myself for 'failing' to really get to know the place.

I suppose this should be my last post on louiseinpanama ... so I shall see you back on louiseinsenegal !