Monkeys, Waterfalls, and Line Dancing!

Our last day in Boquete was a little more low key, mainly due to the oldest and I having some digestive issues (from the beef at El Sobrason?  Who knows).  We had hoped to go ziplining yesterday morning -- the tours were full.  Then we signed up for a horseback-riding tour -- and then decided against it (thankfully . . . kiddo and I wouldn't have done well bouncing on horses away from potties for four hours).  We ended up sleeping late and going to La Jungla, an animal rescue center near our casita.  Some photos:

This spider monkey was a hoot!  It would reach its
tail through the fence to wrap around our arms and
reach out his hand to hold ours.

A Spanish-speaking macaw named Casey.

This monkey went in and out of the enclosure.  SO cute!!

We were right inside with the birds.  Don't know what kind of bird this was.
Our guide only spoke Spanish, so we only got half the story.  :)

And the youngest was the only one with the courage
to actually hold the snake.

By then, I was feeling better, so the youngest and I decided to check out a swimmin' hole down the road we heard about:

Yep, that's my girl in the water down there.

BEAUTIFUL place, but very, very rocky on the shore and in the water.  We were told we would want water shoes -- but we haven't had any water shoes since we left Jersey.  A possible future investment for the family.

And we ended the evening at the place we started -- Las Ruinas restaurant.  This place has probably the most authentic American-style food we'd had in town.  My BBQ pulled pork sandwich was to die for.  And besides that, we were there for country line-dancing night!

Yep, a bunch of old white gringos dancing to Billy Ray Cyrus
in a thatched hut in Panama.

And so now, we're packed to leave.  We talked yesterday about what we're most excited to get back home to:  the girls said their friends -- hubby and I are looking forward to communicating in English again.  What will we miss in Panama?  The weather and the terrain -- it is absolutely gorgeous here.  And the youngest will miss the sense of adventure!  I think this trip may have awoken something important in her . . .

Our trip back is brutal -- we drive seven or eight hours today to Panama City (with a quick stop at a housing development in a different part of the country on the way).  Our flight leaves at 2am.  Arrggghh!  None of us sleep well on a plane.  We get into Chicago at 9am, and start the drive back to Sioux City (where I hear the temps are in the 90s?  Yeesh...).  Don't expect to hear from me until the weekend -- maybe Monday.  But your prayers would be much appreciated.