The photos I shot of Volcán Barú and Boquete in Panama were taken in August and September of 1980. Much of their quality has been lost due to the prints aging. The photos begin with where I stayed [Volcán Barú] while in Panama and end with the Boquete area.
To me, being up on that mountain was paradise. It was heavenly to be without the noises and smells of civilization. The richness of the oxygen in the air was impossible to miss. Being in the lush jungle made me feel healthier than ever! The scent of flowers was everywhere! Every basic necessity of life felt like a luxury. Breathing became a difference experience. The native fruit and coffee was unlike anything I could have imagined tasting! That pure of an environment combined with my intense sensitivity must have been what it was like for Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden.
(Click images for full view.)
Before having gone to Panama, I was told there exists a place where I would be accepted. Now decades later I know why it’s the most remote areas, non-conformed to modern society. Aspies think differently. So do those who are not civilized. Civilized societies are supposedly advanced and more polished. Advanced and polished are subjective terms. I’d rather say societies change.
After learning about Aspergers five years ago, it makes sense to me how I’d fit in a lot better among a highly foreign culture than one I’m native to. The inhabitants of the area where I stayed on Volcán Barú relished my company. Even though we spoke different languages, acceptance was clearly communicated. My favorite memory of the people there is the sound of their laughter. It was contagious and deeper than any I’ve ever heard before.
Normally when others are laughing and you’re not, it’s insulting. It’s a sign you’re being laughed at. But, it’s not always insulting when you’re being laughed at. An example of this was when I was learning to speak Spanish from a translation book I brought with me on this journey. A young school girl sat beside me as I read out loud what was in Spanish from my book. It was my first attempt at speaking Spanish. There were native adults within hearing distance observing what I was doing. Rarely were they not observing me.
As I was verbalizing Spanish for the first time in my life, laughter began to roar around me. I had no idea what was so funny. I got told it was because I was shocking everyone (including the guy who told me this). They didn’t expect me to sound exactly like someone indigenous to their culture. If I was not seen and only heard speaking their language, they’d never know I was a foreigner. I thought I had said something incorrectly which provoked laughter. It was the opposite. After I began laughing, they’d laugh even harder.
Being there provided a lot of opportunities for joking around. When down in Boquete, a phone was given to me to take back up the mountain. The guy said, “Give me a call when you get up there.” Lines for electricity or rapid means of communication didn’t exist where I stayed. Nor did roads past a certain point. It was primitive, as in dirt floor, grass covered huts. The only building not like that was the rustic cabin constructed after my arrival. I didn’t ask for special treatment. It’s what others wanted to do for me.
The women wanted to wash my clothes. People wanted to give in every way they could. They didn’t want me doing anything for them other than to stay there and not leave. They knew I loved horses, so one was brought there for me to have. Someone had even carried a toilet up the mountain to bring to the cabin I was staying in. That too was off-beat humor sending everyone (including myself) into stitches of laughter.
When I left though, it was with painful tears. It still saddens my heart to be gone from there. At least I have my memories of what once was. A special time is something that can never come back to the way it was once it’s gone.
Wikipedia’s info on Volcán Barú –
The Volcán Barú (also Volcán de Chiriqui) is the tallest mountain in Panama and is 3,474 metres (11,398 ft) high. It lies about 35 km off the border of Costa Rica.
Due to its height and Panama’s relatively short width, it is possible to see both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea from Volcán Barú’s peak on a clear day.
Volcán Barú is a dormant, but potentially active volcano just south of the Continental Divide in the western Chiriquí Province. It is surrounded by a fertile area of cool highlands drained by the Chiriquí and Caldera rivers. The towns of Volcan and Cerro Punta can be found on its western side, while Boquete is on the eastern flank.
The occasional fall of hail or ice pellets has been reported on the summit, where the minimal temperature can be below 0°C (32°F) and the formation of frost is frequent during the dry season.
The last major eruption of the volcano was about 500 AD. There are reports and some evidence of a minor eruption around 1550 AD. However, in 2006, an earthquake swarm occurred underneath the mountain, raising fears that it could erupt sometime in the future with explosive force.
Wikipedia’s info on Boquete —
Boquete is a small town on the Caldera River, tucked into the green mountain highlands of Panama, in western-most Chiriquí Province, about 60 km. from the border with Costa Rica. Because of its altitude, some 1,200 metres above sea level, its climate is cooler than that of the lowlands. Its scenic location, temperature, and natural environment make it extremely popular with Panamanians, and attracts tourists from all over the world.
Some of its landmarks include nearby Volcán Barú, a dormant volcano and, at 3,475 meters, the tallest point of land in Panama. Hikers enjoy a relatively easy hike up and over the volcano, along the Sendero de los Quetzales, which runs from Boquete up to Cerro Punta and Volcan, on the other side of the volcano. Boquete is well known for its coffee, judged to be among the finest in the world. The Caldera River runs through the town, a river that has shaped much of its form.