Snapshot of Hotel Lérida’s mockup in Alto Quiel, Boquete in the Province of Chiriquí, was my place of destination of a journey mixed with work and leisure. It has been one of the most exciting and inspiring sojourns of my life. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
The model depicts the layout of a complex of buildings which constitute a boutique hotel nestled in a valley surrounded by tall purple mountains. The building on the top in a “V” shape (top left), represents the body of a bird with its wings extended. This was the destination of my trip—Shangri-La in Panama. One of the many attractions of this unique hotel in Panama is that it is in the middle of an organic coffee plantations which exports high-quality coffee beans to the United States, Canada and Europe.
Boquete is located up in the mountains of the Province of Chiriqui. The approximate distance as the crow flies in miles from Panama City, Panama to Boquete is 198 miles or 318.58 kilometers. In order to maximize my time at the hotel, I traveled by air from Panama City to David, and then by automobile from David to Boquete which is a short 30 minute drive.
Panama’s western city of Boquete, just 30 minutes from David, the capital of Panama’s Province of Chiriqui, is nestled among the country’s most mountainous region, at 1,200 feet above sea level. Situated between the Caldera River which lies to the east, and the Volcan Baru to the west, Boquete enjoys a comfortable climate ideal for outdoor adverture seekers—rafting, hiking, mountain biking, birding and a lot more. In addition, the combination of cool, brisk temperatures and rich, fertile land, has created an ideal setting for floral exportation and coffee growing. Three of Panama´s most famous coffee companies are situation in this province (e.g., Café Durán, Café Sittón and Café Ruiz).
Snapshot of the Air Panama’s airplane as it was checked out before our flight to David. It was a brief flight which had a duration of only 30 minutes. The round trip Panama City-David-Panama City can be had for $185.98 if you are a pensionado or retiree who benefit from a special discount. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
We departed (a business consultant and I) from Panama City on board Air Panama on Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 04:15 p.m. and arrived at David at 5:00 p.m. The flight was as smooth as sitting in your living room watching TV. Not a single bump; not even landing at Enrique Malek’s airport.
During the flight we had a light snack (onion rings) and options of drinking water, sodas or juices. I went for the cold water. The stewardess was extremely polite and quite pretty too. Inside the plane everything looked spic-and-span. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Take notice of one of the passengers busy tickling his laptop’s keyboard. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of David shortly before five o’clock in the afternoon. The shot was taken from the window of the plane. You can easily see the wing of the aircraft. I’m glad it wasn’t raining when we landed. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Snapshot of several passengers descending from the plane at Enrique Malek’s International Airport in David, Province of Chiriqui. As a previously mentioned it was a very pleasant flight. We even got a red carpet upon our arrival. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
My friend, the business consultant, hired a gorgeous Hyndai Elantra at Dollar-Rent-a-Car at the airport and off we were off towards our destination in the highlands of Chiriquí. There were black clouds in that direction. It was raining when we got there, rather lightly. Photo by ©Omar Upegui R.
Once at the hotel’s premises we checked in rather quickly at the counter and headed for the restaurant. I was hungry and my stomach was anxious for food. You probably know that I have reflux problems.
The food was delicious, the waiters bent themselves backwards to make our stay at the restaurant pleasant, and even the Chef came to our table several times to ensure that everything was the way it was supposed to be. We chatted for a while about what we were going to do the next day, and hit the sack roughly at 10:00 p.m. It has been a long day, but full of rewards.
The next day I would meet with the hotel’s General Manager and start our working schedule. The temperature was a little bit chilly, but the sheets were thick and I slept like a baby. It was my first encounter with Shangri-La. If you return tomorrow, I’ll share with you a story full of excitement, beauty and human emotions. Stay tuned and Good Day.
Just lovely. You’re giving me travel fever, and making me anxious to see what comes next!
Morning Linda:
I know that you have traveled a lot around the world, but don’t know if you have been down to Central and South America. If you do, you can count on our house to stay and wander through Panama. I know you will find it interesting.
I’m now working as a part-time consultant for a local businessman and that’s why I traveled to Boquete. I would appreciate if you would check the quality of my blog posts and let me know if I can further polish them up. I want to promote the hotel through my blog.
Sales and Marketing are part of my responsibilities in this project. As a potential customer, your view of how we promote ourselves is very important to us.
You can also take a look at our Web Page to see if it needs improvements. The URL is http://www.fincalerida.com
I will get back to you via e-mail to exchange more ideas about the project if you can spare the time.
For the next few days I’ll continue writing about the hotel and its gorgeous accommodations.
Enjoy the rest of the day,
Omar.-
I will stay tuned. I look forward to your next column. Two years ago I went there to do their coffee tour. I highly recommend A couple from Spain was staying there when we went.
Hello John:
Thank you for reading Lingua Franca. When I was there, I also met a couple of young women from Madrid, Spain and they were infatuated with both the hotel and its lush tropical vegetation. The trip to the waterfall was also quite an experience difficult to forget.
Take Care,
Omar.-
Hi Omar,
Great to see these anxiously expected great pictures . I haven´t been to Finca Lérida but it is on my plans for next summer. From all I have seen in pictures and read from clients it is a Shangri-la, as you say. I´ll be back to Lingua Franca soon now that we finally have a substitute maid.
Best regards,
Hilda
Morning Hilda:
I was there for only two days and felt about ten years younger. The flowers, the coffee plantation, the politeness of the employees, the purity of the air, the fresh taste of fresh water, all contributed to the improvement of my health.
I think that if you live here, you will prolong your life considerably. Absolutely, Hilda, you must take a visit to Finca Lérida. I hope my pictures will gently usher you to the site.
Best Regards,
Omar.-
Thanks a lot!
Pick up your copy of Boquete’s only cookbook, a collection of local and new-comer recipes you will enjoy for years to come. Prepare dishes made with coffee, traditional meals like Mondongo, and party fare served at many contemporary events. The Boquete Gourmet Community Cookbook is available now at Sugar and Spice Bakery, La Reina Department Store and Souvenir El Cacique in Boquete, Bookmark Bookshop in Dolega, Felipe Motta Wine Store in David, while supplies last. The perfect gift for only $8.00 if purchased locally. Retail price is $12.95, and is available for shipping anywhere in the world.