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Tropical IndulgenceSampling Panama’s SpasBy Patricia KatzmanCasa de Campo Country Inn and Spa "Mmmmm, now that is a wonderful experience,” said Ana Maria Sanchiz, describing a treatment called Moon Bath. “It’s popular with brides who want to prepare for their wedding night but anyone can enjoy it. Quite involved, it starts with a body scrub using the ground seeds of seasonal fruits -- we use papaya, apricots and strawberries, to name a few and deliciously scented essential oils that leave the skin soft, smooth and glowing. Other frequently requested treatments include the “Cleopatra Special” and “Bride’s Veil.”
In a region famed for its healthful climate, Casa de Campo nestles among stately pines near the summit of cloud-forested Cerro Azul Mountain. Five years ago, talented brother and sister team, Jorge and Ana Maria Sanchiz, transformed their family’s former country home into a spa and retreat. Smiling “Major domo superior,” Miguel, ushered me to my room and noticing my look of pleasure, nodded with a smile, “Es muy tranquilo aqui. Un Pariso descansar.” -- “It is very tranquil here. A restful paradise.” Only 19 years old, capable Maria is Ana Maria’s assistant and apprentice. She expertly administered my first treatment, starting with a body “brushing,” to aid circulation. After an exfoliation using Dead Sea and other marine salts, she applied essential oils, including those from a rare rose variety, geraniums, and almonds -- delicious! Next, covered in beautiful silky mud and wrapped in a warm cocoon, I was left to snooze for 20 minutes. Last, a soothing hot shower and an hour’s relaxation, alone in my room.
A new woman bounded joyously from my bed next morning! My arthritis pain had disappeared. Stepping out onto the huge balcony, I was enveloped by the warm by the warm, softly opaque mists veiling the countryside. Against a shadowed mountain backdrop, towering long-needle pine branches slowly materialized through the fog, invoking the dreamy quality of a 16th Century Japanese Watercolor.
Jokingly, I asked Ana Maria if the facial she was about to administer would make me ten years younger. “Well, maybe not quite ten,” she replied, eyes twinkling with good humor. And perhaps it didn’t, but my face certainly looked smoother and my skin was immeasurably softer. Preferring the indulgence of more pampering, I didn’t participate in offered activities that include rappeling, bouldering, bird watching and nature treks along cloud-forested trails. Instead I enjoyed a wonderful foot and leg massage while chatting with my hosts on the pool terrace. Multi-talented “massage artiste extraordinaire,” Jorge, is an engineer. It was he who designed and built the stately white columns supporting the verandah’s translucent ceiling, created the plaster fountain a charming water boy perched above the pool, and the stately portico at Casa de Campo’s entrance. Wrapped in green vines, the portico looks like it dates from the Roman Empire! Ana Maria told me guests come for restoration, beauty treatments, to learn stress management techniques or simply to relax and “retreat.” Honeymooners choose it for the blissful privacy and romantic atmosphere of those deliciously exotic cabins Posada del Cerro la Vieja
Realizing the land was too beautiful not to share, he built lovely Posada del Cerro la Vieja Resort, with rooms in the hacienda-style main building. He soon added individual cabins with sliding glass walls opening onto balconies and stunning views of Cerro la Vieja Mountain’s cloud-forest peak. My spacious cabin, eye-level with the peak, was called “Chichibali” a local Indian word for butterfly. Through casual conversation and organized meetings, Alfonso shared his knowledge of organic farming with his neighbors, educating them to the dangers of using chemicals and the value of preserving the forests. As a result, only healthy, organic foods are now produced in the region. Bananas, plantains, oranges, limes and other citrus fruits thrive in the fertile volcanic soil and rice, harvested three times a year, grows in lowland areas beside streams and rivers. Giant trees drip breadfruits larger than soccer balls and corn grows tall and green. But perhaps the most magical event taking place in these awesomely beautiful mountains is the reappearance of rare albino hummingbirds -- a species that had not seen for almost half a century! Again Alfonso’s vision expanded and he established The Agriculture Center for Sustainable Development where native and experimental crops are grown along with spices and herbs for flavoring food and for or medicinal purposes. During my visit, he pointed out ginger, fragrant vanilla, achiote, nutmeg, rosemary, tilo, oregano, basil, cilantro, parsley and a dozen more. Coffee plants again nestle beneath shady young trees. Alfonso suspected the six distinctly different kinds of mud found on his property might contain minerals useful for skin treatments. Sure enough, careful analysis showed them to contain a high pH content and a concentration of copper among the many minerals. Recently, the world’s most exclusive skin care companies began touting copper as a main ingredient in their newest products for maintaining youthful, glowing complexions! Alfonso’s muds are undergoing exacting scientific studies to determine their best use, and should he decide to produce and market them in skin care products, you can be sure I’ll be first in line to buy them!
Hotel Panamonte
A one-hour flight from Panama City’s municipal airport landed me in David, the country’s second largest city where Santiago, Panamonte’s head gardener and “taxi driver,” was waiting to take me to Boquete. Coastal David is hot and tropical. Only 45 minutes away, Boquete at almost 4,000 ft altitude, boasts a year-round spring-like climate. Facing a quiet country road, Hotel Panamonte wraps a manicured courtyard filled with flowers and shady trees. Art treasures, collected from around the world, grace its public rooms. Rife with history, the hotel has seen its share of celebrity guests. Admiral Byrd chose it to complete his South Pole expedition book. Teddy Roosevelt stayed, as did Greta Garbo and Charles Lindbergh. Hollywood legend Ingrid Bergman visited so frequently, her favorite suite was kept on reserve. Flavored with vibrations from Hollywood’s “Golden Heyday,” her luxurious rooms retain their original décor. It didn’t take long to discover Panamonte’s current legend in the making its restaurant. Exquisite linens, soft lighting and centuries-old paintings complement an elegant country manor house style. I sampled the house specialty - fresh-caught trout smothered in buttery almondine sauce, delicate wild mushroom polenta and fork-tender filet mignon, each superb and accompanied by fresh, crisp local vegetables. These flawlessly prepared meals would please the most discriminating palate. When I commented on the lovely painting on her office wall --. a classical rendering of a woman in shades of pale cream, tan and brown, accented by delicate pinks and blues, Jackie said, “Oh, I painted that,” Doting mother of four handsome, rambunctious young boys, bilingual Jackie is an exceptionally talented artist.
Clear blue and white floral prints and fresh flowers provide Panamonte’s day spa with a delightful feminine atmosphere. And, Jackie has done her research well, choosing Susie Polato and Yalena Moreno to care for her clientele. Transplanted from Italy, soft-spoken multi-lingual Susie is an herbalist who studies natural health. Bubbling Yalina grew up in Boquete, studied massage therapy and cosmetology in Panama City where she worked before returning to raise her little daughter in her peaceful home town.
The Spa at Gamboa Rainforest Resort The last of Panama’s spas I visited opened recently at Gamboa, a “Connoisseur’s Choice” 5-star resort. The luxurious facility offers a full range of treatments along with a well-equipped gym and weight room. You can also participate in aerobics, tai chi or yoga classes.
During the next 3 ½ hours, I relaxed under her expert ministrations. After a sinfully delightful massage and steamy aromatherapy, I floated in a warm bubbling hydrotherapy tub, scented with precious oils, in a darkened room with backlit stained glass windows and flickering candle glow. When Idelma reappeared with warm, fluffy towels, I readily agreed to her suggestion of a facial. By the time she finished with me, I was consumed with a feeling of total wellbeing. Blissfully limp, I toddled off to my room and a waiting, unfinished novel. Also waiting was a surprise -- a small bottle of Bailey’s, chilling in an ice-filled coconut shell, a gift from Gamboa’s public relations manager. With book and Bailey’s I crawled into bed, managing to polish off the drink, but only a few pages of the novel before overtaken by deep, restful sleep.
Helpful Notes:Spanish is Panama’s official language. Fluent English is spoken at all mentioned resorts, with the exception of Posada del Cerro la Vieja. Alfonso understands English, but does not speak it fluently. The most outstanding feature of each properties is the warm welcome one receives. When you visit, expect to be treated like a treasured friend for that is exactly what you will become! Panama Tourism Institute COPA Airlines Casa de Campo Country Inn and Spa Posada del Cerro la Vieja Hotel Panamonte The Spa at Gamboa Rainforest Resort Story and Photographs: Patricia Katzman |
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I arrived in Panama aching, exhausted, and just plain
miserable. I had booked COPA’s earliest morning flight, then stayed up all
night working, and finally, packing. Even at 5 a.m., airport security lines
were long and frustrating. To make matters worse, my painful arthritis
flared up. Fortunately, the 2½-hour flight was smooth and relaxing and by 10
am, a mere 45 minutes after easing through Panama’s efficient
customs, I passed through the unique portal that welcomes guests
to Casa de Campo Country Inn and Spa. 
By the time Jorge completed my deep muscle massage,
combining techniques to relieve stress and induce relaxation, it was time
for dinner a deliciously simple, perfectly prepared meal of salad, grilled
chicken, fresh organic carrots, tiny potatoes and my favorite, caramel flan.
“We also provide vegetarian or ayurvedic meals by request,” Ana Maria told
me. Period furnishings and collected treasures lend an
eclectic charm to Casa de Campo’s comforting gentility. Each room and suite
is uniquely individual and many have balconies. Miguel was right. This was
tranquility. My lovely room, named Hiedras (ivy) for the hand-painted pots of trailing ivy
bordering its walls, was done in soft greens. My grandmother would have
cherished the wonderful 30’s dressing table, and I greedily coveted a tall,
gleaming 8 ft.-wide handcrafted armoire with classic, simple lines.
Four rustic suites with flagstone floors, lofts and
private Jacuzzis shelter beneath lofty trees, surrounded by flowers. Like
the charming wainscoted dining room with its adjoining balcony, they blend
so perfectly into the original house, one would never guess they
are recent additions. Stone steps and winding pathways lead to a
foliage-screened outdoor hot tub and “valley view” massage table.
Alfonso Jaen wanted to be a
coffee farmer. While searching for land in the mountains of Panama’s
Cordillera Central, he came to know local farmers who told him about the
perfect place, owned by a shaman (medicine man). Shunned by the locals who
disliked, and perhaps even feared him, the shaman sold his land to Alfonso.
It had been stripped of its forests for pastureland, so Alfonso restored the
trees, finally panting his shade-loving coffee. Everything was fine until he
went away for a few weeks. He returned to discover his coffee had contracted
a fatal disease! Not one to give up, he planted anatto, a wonderful spice
that colors foods a bright orange-red. Purchased by MCormick, the anatto earned him enough to buy more land, bringing his holdings to
660 acres.
“Are those frogs?” I asked, as we sat in the lounge
near dusk, sipping a fine Argentine wine. “No.” replied Alfonso, “ They are
singing lizards.” Next morning, following a rugged jungle path, we could
hear the waterfall long before we could see it. Pouring over a cliff, it
spills down 90-ft into a cold pool at the bottom of a rocky gorge. We slowly
descended the steep path into the gorge, damp from the waterfall’s mists,
and sitting on huge tumbled boulders, slathered ourselves in coppery mud.
Over the sound of roaring water, I heard singing chirps. “Are those more
lizards?” I ventured. “No,” replied Alfonso, “this time they are frogs.”
Little remains of Panama’s early human inhabitants
other than rock carvings and effigies of purest gold, including those of
tiny, exquisite golden frogs. Years previously I had seen four of the
delicate creatures; captives in the resort town of El Valle, an hour away
down the mountains. They attracted much attention, but have since
disappeared and no one could tell me where any might now be found.
Nevertheless, I asked, “Are they golden frogs?” “No,” Alfonso chuckled, “but recently I
have seen some. They are making a comeback now that chemicals are no longer
used and the forests are regenerating. Perhaps they will survive.” I believe
they will. And I wonder if that despised shaman who sold Alfonso his land
had any idea that another, very different shaman, would replace him!
Built in 1826 as a farm house residence by Swedish
settlers who came early to Panama’s mountainous northern Chiriqui
province, Panamonte was purchased by Hans Collins’ grandfather, a ship’s
captain, in 1928. Converted to a hotel, it remains a family enterprise, now
operated by Hans and his vivacious wife, Jackie.
When Yalina generously offered a tour of Boquete, I
jumped at the chance. Welcoming smiles and a soft-spoken “Buenas” greeted us
every where we went, for in Boquete, everyone speaks to strangers! It was
harvest time and in hillside coffee plantations colorful Guaymi Indians were
busily picking the bright red berries. The region’s climate and rich
volcanic soil combine to produce excellent coffee. To see it picked and
processed, pay a visit to Finca Café Lerida. If interested in
birding, you will find rare avians abounding in Chiriqui’s forests.
Panamonte arranges these tours and a variety of others, including a trek to
11,000 ft. Baru Volcano.
True to its name, Boquete’s flowers bloom in even the
tiniest of yards, spilling down the hillsides in gay abundance.
Beside a seldom-traveled country road, the roofless, rusting hulk of an
abandoned car overflowed with swaying daisies.
After sampling a few too many of the tasty creations
displayed on the restaurant’s buffet, I headed for the spa. Fortunately, it
was Saturday evening and with dinner hour in full swing, I was
the day’s last patron. Sweet-natured Idelma said the other attendants had
left for the night, but she would be “at my service.” As I had no idea
which treatments to choose, she selected for me.
Next morning, I breakfasted outdoors on Corotu
Restaurant’s verandah overlooking the rainforested river. Attentive Arthur
brought wake-up coffee, glasses of fresh squeezed tropical fruit
juices and slices of melon, mango, sweet pineapple and papaya. When Arthur
chided, “You must try the tamales,” I agreed. Filled with chicken and
delicately flavored fresh cilantro, they were the best I’ve ever tasted. I
sampled corn tarts when offered and a variety of other delicious pastries as
well.
Joyous birdsong from the surrounding forest
filled the air and the river shimmered in golden morning sunlight. Lured by
the beckoning rainforest, I managed to walk off some of those delicious
calories exploring Gamboa Resort’s jungle trails.