Home Away From Home

 

Another mid-afternoon tropical rain shower (I guess I should get used to these, right?) means more time to sit down and write… and it just occurred to me that I haven’t shared a single word about where we’re staying these past two nights, La Mamallena Backpackers’ Hostel in the Perejil district of Panama City. The Lonely Planet says, “If you’re after a small, intimate hostel, Mamallena should be your top pick.” How would I describe our home away from home? Well, I’d say just that — a home away from home! It just fits us…

 

I told Gen the minute we got here that this is exactly the way I envision our apartment (minus the eight beds in each room, of course) — fun, vibrant, colorful, and full of life and spirit! Bohemian chic, without being over-the-top. Laid-back, casual, lots of contrasting colors and patterns — basically everything you’d look for and expect from a young, hip hostel in the city. (Gen doesn’t know this yet, but she’s going around taking pictures of our hostel not only for this blog post, but for an apartment remodel when we’re stateside, too!)

 

During these rain storms, I retreat to the back patio where a giant mural of Panama keeps me company. That, and the hostel’s resident cat and dog. There’s something soothing about an afternoon rain shower and waiting for it to subside — a time to collect my thoughts, contemplate the day ahead, and (of course) sit down and make sense of it all here for you on this blog.

 

I’m amazed at how our hostel (or any hostel, for that matter) brings together such a hodgepodge of people all under one roof. In the few days that we’ve been here, we’ve met a group of strapping young lads traveling from Toronto where it’s two-degrees right now. (And here I was thinking Albuquerque is cold this time of year!) Last night, we watched Batman Begins until midnight. We share a room with two German girls who wake up early each morning for the day ahead…sometimes to the annoyance of this not-so-early riser. (A free alarm clock, right?)  A Dutch woman practices her Spanish on the patio as Gen tries in vain to catch some shut-eye — you should hear that accent! Today we just met an expat gentleman who kindly offered us a ride to David (our next destination) if we’d drive part of the way. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on how you look at it — we don’t have our driver’s licenses with us, so it will be a six-hour, cross-country party bus for us. (Can’t wait for that blog post... stay tuned!!) And finally, this morning we ate breakfast with a British girl who has been on holiday for the past six months and who is returning to the U.K. later this week as a paid caregiver who will get two weeks off a month to travel. (Pretty nice choice of occupation, if I say so myself…)

 

Speaking of breakfast, we all communally make pancakes together each morning — and on our first morning we couldn’t help but add bananas for a Jack Johnson-inspired entrée. The lyrics all too surreal right now: “Can’t you see that it’s just raining?/ Ain’t no need to go outside /… I’ll make you banana pancakes / pretend it’s the weekend now…”

 

I’d write more, but the skies are clearing up. Don’t want to spend all of my time writing and not experiencing all that this burgeoning city has to offer! Until tonight (or the next rain storm): Adios, amigos!