We back-track a bit and get back on the autopiste or Pan-American highway 1 and head to David. Beautiful, scenic drive. Not far after the turn-off, we came across a motorcycle crash with the guy off alongside the road with a broken leg, on the ground screaming. I told Mimi to hope that the people around him would take him to a hospital. Basically a long, steep road at the same grade right up to Boquete. Cool now (terrible hot towards David) and green. Town looks clean and full of life. There is a nice square, the first we have seen worth noting. We park the car and look for a place to stay. No information about camping and lots of places to stay. A couple of places are full, and we just continue a few blocks away from the square on foot and find a very nice hostel for $12/head with parking right in front. Fetch the car and settle in. I think the place was built by the young guy's father. Nice tile upstairs, clean rooms and bathrooms. Looks like the guy built the doors and casing. They offer woodcarving courses and the place is outfitted with some carved furniture and artwork. Common area (living room), kitchen, and dining room all nice. Hot water, washing machine.

We are placed in a room for three with a young swiss guy. I am happy to be able to introduce Mimi to the wonderful world of hosteling. We put some rules in place. She can't be in the room without me and she can't go anywhere without telling me first. Our roommate is a very nice guy. Mostly German couples and Dutch there. I speak German and use the word "weniger" and Mimi must have been listening the whole time because she asks why we're talking about vinegar. Talk to all the people, mostly 24-25 years old, about where they have been, where they are going. Get good tips on Colombia, decide to hit Bocas del Toro next. Lots of memories of an 18 year old traveling through Europe come back.

See our first public garbage cans, cabinetry, drawers, and organized tourism in Boquete. Known as an expat haven, we see many US expats at the local bars and restaurants as well as tourists, but most of the tourists are European. The hostel has brochures offering wood carving courses, overnight camping ventures to the volcano, sunrise volcano hikes, cave hikes, waterfall hikes, horseback riding, coffee plantation tour, probably more that I forgot about. This is the first organization we have seen. The water is potable and there is hot water in the showers, the least of our concerns since we haven't had it now for 2 weeks. We find our first internet cafe with equipment and are able to get on facebook and Mimi can message her mom for 50 cents. I get a haircut and wash from a nice woman with long legs and a tight skirt for $3.50 and was thinking I could use a trim really twice a week.

Nice grocery stores in town. Music playing at the piazzo and a guy giving horseback rides on ponies. Takes Mimi and another little girl down the street and back and releases me from my duty of spending $50 on a horseback riding afternoon excursion! Win! We take a drive up towards the volcano and plan to hike there the next day.

Complimentary pancakes in the morning and we have our own bacon. Take some food and 4 liters of water on the hike to the volcano. Don't expect to complete the hike, just hoping for some nice views. Apparently about an 8 hour ordeal. We are resting about every 50 yards in the beginning on the way up. Guy from hostel desk gives us a bit of a ride in his truck, we have a nice hike and see a lot of people coming back wearing stocking caps and winter coats. Supposedly you can see the Pacific and Caribbean from up there, we'll never know for sure. Sort of an alpine environment up there with some moss on the trees, etc. I think the elevation goes to 3000 meters. We saw coffee, onions, cabbage on the way up, plus plenty of green houses. Cattle and sheep up there. Mimi sets the rules and she made me turn around at 14:00 I believe.

We'll depart for Bocas del Toro in the morning after I get my haircut. Did I tell about the haircut yet?