Have you ever gone for a run and felt like you were unstoppable – like after any given feather-like step you may just continue to rise up above the ground and fly away – but then been all of a sudden jerked back into reality?
The thin but rounded rim of an ancient volcano in El Valle, Panama made me feel that way. My sandals did the work for me and glided over the rocks interspersed between the mountaintop grasslands as my mind drifted off in a trance induced by the freedom, sweat, and cool mountain air.
Finally I slid off the edge of the volcano and descended back down the trail we came on, stopping at a waterfall for a cool-off dip.
The thin but rounded rim of an ancient volcano in El Valle, Panama made me feel that way. My sandals did the work for me and glided over the rocks interspersed between the mountaintop grasslands as my mind drifted off in a trance induced by the freedom, sweat, and cool mountain air.
Finally I slid off the edge of the volcano and descended back down the trail we came on, stopping at a waterfall for a cool-off dip.
Still in my freedom trance, I was brought back down to reality by the yelling, angry voice of a mother. Her daughter was walking down the trail with a few boys – all of them also reveling in the afternoon freedom – when the mother caught sight of them and started yelling. She caught up to the girl, who must have been around 14, and asked what the youth thought she was doing snaking off with some boys. The mother proceeded to grab her by the ends of her long hair and give a jerk that lifted the girl’s entire body off the ground, whirled her around, and sent her flying back down the path the other way. She then re-approached the crying and screaming girl, grabbed her hair again, and began to drag her down the trail by the ends of her hair.
I returned, completely worn out, to the town and explored the vegetable market. After picking up some veggies and collecting mangoes from the local trees, I returned to the German Captain’s lodge, gorged myself, and retired to the ‘macas, slipping off into a dreamlike state.
Mikey – ever energetic – woke me up from my napping spot early the next morning. She wanted to work out. But, with a busy day ahead, she didn’t want it to take too long, so she wanted my help with a fast, kick-ass work out. If there are two things I love when working out, they are when the work is fast and kick-ass. We did eight sets of jumps to sprints and were spent.
Upon finishing and gorging on more mangoes, Charlie, Makenzie, and I headed up a different trail to the volcano rim to a large waterfall que se llama “El Chorro Macho.” We found a small clearing next to the waterfall and hiked it straight up to the top of the waterfall, where we hopped amongst the rocks and felt the mix of cool mists with humid, jungle air. At one point while exploring I had to stop Charlie from stepping on a snake, coiled on a rock and camouflaged to resemble a leaf.
I returned, completely worn out, to the town and explored the vegetable market. After picking up some veggies and collecting mangoes from the local trees, I returned to the German Captain’s lodge, gorged myself, and retired to the ‘macas, slipping off into a dreamlike state.
Mikey – ever energetic – woke me up from my napping spot early the next morning. She wanted to work out. But, with a busy day ahead, she didn’t want it to take too long, so she wanted my help with a fast, kick-ass work out. If there are two things I love when working out, they are when the work is fast and kick-ass. We did eight sets of jumps to sprints and were spent.
Upon finishing and gorging on more mangoes, Charlie, Makenzie, and I headed up a different trail to the volcano rim to a large waterfall que se llama “El Chorro Macho.” We found a small clearing next to the waterfall and hiked it straight up to the top of the waterfall, where we hopped amongst the rocks and felt the mix of cool mists with humid, jungle air. At one point while exploring I had to stop Charlie from stepping on a snake, coiled on a rock and camouflaged to resemble a leaf.
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Feeling brave, we stepped out onto the rock ledge at the edge of the waterfall, letting the white waters flow around our feet and free fall into the clear blue pool 35 meters below. The palpable energy of the location soon doubled as thunder boomed overhead and twisting sheets of warm rain began to fall on the sleepy jungle town. We scrambled down the steep cliff next to the waterfall and, despite the clear riskyness of the situation, I couldn’t help myself: I got naked and jumped into the pool, rapidly filling with ripples of raindrops. I felt as if I got all of the energy from that waterfall and storm, and that it would last me for weeks.
Inappropriate? Probably. OK, yes. But it's what happened.
