Road to Panama: Part 2

Bus passengers take a break at a rest stop in Costa Rica along the Interamerican Highway en route to Panama Oct. 12.

The bus takes us from San Jose and winds through mountain passes and through river valleys along the Inter-American Highway. We pass by numerous villages and homes with small family-run stores that offer snacks for travelers, but this one has ample room for the 40-foot tour bus to park and let us off. We stretch, take a bathroom break or buy a snack and are on our way as fast as we got there.


Corn, peppers and tomatoes at the rest stop along the Interamerican Highway en route to Panama. Most of the stores and fruit and vegetable stands one may encounter display their produce in bins out in the open. Many vendors hang bananas and bags of onions from the ceiling.


— Christopher

The Road to Panama: Part 1

Early-morning start: This past weekend, Chris, Julie and fellow Global Student Teaching student and Wisconsin native, Ian Phelps, took a nine-hour bus ride from San Jose, Costa Rica to Boquete, Panama. The purpose was partially for Tico Times work and partly for vacation. The bus left around 7:30 a.m.

It's important to buy snacks and drinks before squeezing ourselves into the 55-passenger motor coach for half a day. Therefore, a balanced diet of Gatorade, coffee and cookies would have to suffice until lunch.

Above, Ian stocks up at the Tracopa bus station in San Jose.


Old or abandoned buildings are scattered throughout San Jose. The ride out of the city takes half an hour to 45 minutes because of urban sprawl and traffic congestion.


By the time we've settled into our seats and prepared for the long journey, the scenery changes. Most of the rest of Costa Rican landscape consists of small towns and coffee and fruit farms. We do, however, travel through a large river valley and a mountain pass.