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The road is well paved for 3/4's of the way, and a bit choppy on the last stretch. You pass a mysterious Chinese gate (wondering why it's there, how old is it and who had lived there), dairy farms and churches, horse ranches and tiny towns, rolling green meadows and lush vegetation. You will think you have entered another country! When you are practically at the top you'll come to an area of beautiful large houses, surrounded by acres of land. The house you want is called Hostal Casa de Campo Country Inn & Spa, owned and run by the Sanchiz sister and brother team: Ana Maria and Jorge Sanchiz Moreno. While Ana Maria is a native of Panama, her English is perfect – so are her massages and facials! Ana Maria studied in the US for many years, received her BA in Communication Studies from University of Windsor, Canada, and MA in Communication Arts from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles before returning back home. When I asked Ana Maria about herself she said “ I consider myself a jack of all trades and master of none, as I have had to put into practice many of my hobbies of years past: painting, decoration, cooking, and went on to become certified as a Cosmetologist and Esthetician.” Jorge is a naval engineer and is now involved in the creation of several solid waste disposal plants in the country. I must tell
you the truth: I have had many massages and facials throughout the years
but being treated in Casa de Campo was an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.
The state of mind, the sound of the rain drops and the tranquility that
surrounds the place helps to get into the right mood for relaxation. Moreover,
the treatment itself is so special. Ana Maria uses various aromatherapy
oils for massages and special facial masks of avocado, papaya and many
more fruity and vegetable masks which brighten and lighten up your whole
face and body— and she also renews every point of energy by placing cold
energetic stones on your face and body. In close contact with nature, you
can relax, enjoy yourself and soothe your aching bones and muscles.
You can come for the day, have one or two treatments of your choice, eat a decent lunch, dip in the small pool or in the Jacuzzi in the garden – if it's not raining - stroll through the grounds dotted with benches, walking bridges and intimate corners.There are several package deals to choose from and the cost depends on the number and kinds of treatments. You might elect to sleep over in one of the large guestrooms or in back of the house in the annex. The way the house is decorated will make you feel as though you have gone back a century in time - even the staff goes way back - Toribio has been working in the family house for about 29 years, Fidencio has been a handy man for over 15 years, and Marta, the cook came to the door 8 years ago asking for a job the day before they opened to the public as Hostal Casa de Campo Country Inn & Spa on January 13, 1996. It makes you feel special to still find a small and significant place such as Casa de Campo in the midst of the cloudy rain forest of Cerro Azul. That is where my yoga teacher, Marcela Garber, decided to take her group on a simple yoga retreat-a remote place but not too remote from the city, a place where a bunch of people can get together and talk about their inner feelings. This weekend retreat was called “How do we deal with our fears,” and included theory and practice sessions. Cerro Azul
was just the place for such a retreat—the cool breezy air helped us get
in the mood for the 7 o’clock meditation sessions on Casa de Campo’s porch.
For our theory sessions we sat on the balcony of our spacious rooms viewing
the amazing vegetation and talking about the different fears we deal with
or just live with for years on end, and learning about the various
tools we can use to relieve these conscious and subconscious fears. I don’t
think it would be that effective if we were all sweating on some porch
in muggy Panama City. It just wouldn’t be the same, I guess. Talking about
our intimate feelings is never easy, even more so with strangers, thus,
the key to success is where you do it and how you organize such a retreat.
I asked Ana Maria to tell me an interesting story about Cerro Azul: “Cerro Azul is a center of energy...in certain areas the compass goes crazy and you can’t tell North from South or East from West. I have had visits from people who say that this is what makes it interesting for many mystic and energetic retreats and also for the probability of being visited by aliens”. Ana Maria also
mentions that self help programs and professional enrichment programs by
companies arrange motivational retreats for their workers or clients from
time to time in Casa de Campo; private companies sometimes hold meeting
there; and massage techniques are taught there by international professors
such as Josep Viñals from Spain in Geopuncture and Chromotherapy
and such massage techniques as Lymphatic Drainage, Californian Aromatherapy
by Jose Miguel Riviere from Colombia.
Further up, in Altos de Cerro Azul, is a popular and newer housing area with a recreation area. Here also you will find Cerro Jefe Forest Reserve and the Chagres National Park, all important for Panama's ecology as well as for guaranteeing the water supply for the Panama Canal. I asked Ana Maria why the place is called Cerro Azul - Blue Hill... “basically because on hazy days the hills look bluish green, as they are covered by the clouds. We are located in Las Nubes, which means The Clouds, due to the fact that we are in a small valley, where clouds get caught in the rainy season, when they hang low in the afternoons. In the rainy months from April to November, after 3 p.m., the clouds actually invade the homes, filling them with moisture.” To see more about the Casa de Campo Click Here The following is a list of articles written by Zvia for the magazine:
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Paradise On Water ~ 