It’s wonderful to be able to travel again! Our first foreign trip this year was in April, when we returned for another visit to one of our favorite places – Panama. After the past few years of WhatsApp video chats, it was great to again see our friends Raul and Denise in person!

We flew in to Panama City and spent the night near the airport. The next morning, we stopped to bird in Nusagandi, an area belonging to the Kuna indigenous tribe on the Caribbean slope. We were seeking the Spiny-Faced Antshrike, a bird species in its own genus that lives in a tiny area in Panama and Colombia. No luck! We did see other interesting things.

We continued on to Darien, the southern-most province in Panama. We stayed again at the wonderful Canopy Camp.

We hoped to get a ‘lifer’ (first-ever sighting) of a Crested Eagle, one of the largest eagles in the world. Amazingly enough, we saw a pair, including the male on their nest!

Other interesting creatures in the Darien:

We returned for one night at the Canopy Tower in the Canal Zone and as always, enjoyed the views of the lush rainforest in Soberania National Park, the ships transiting the canal, and the skyline of Panama City.

The next day we headed to the west, to the Canopy Lodge in El Valle del Anton. This has got to be one of the most enjoyable places on earth! We were also lucky to be there in time to help Denise celebrate her birthday. We, Raul, cousin Manuel, his wife Maribeth, and Denise enjoyed a lunch that stretched into dinner and was topped off by an unbelievable Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake created by Maribeth. What fun to enjoy a celebration with dear friends!

Though we’ve been to Panama many times since our first visit in 2002, there is always something new to see as well as great places for return visits. We’re sure we’ll be back again before too long.