All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware. – Martin Buber
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 (DAY 16)
The sweltering heats bring me from my slumber in the windowless upstairs room of our private jungle hut. I look over to the only other bed in the small room and Tim is still asleep. The rustling noises from below mean only one thing, Char is awake. I poke my head through the opening in the floor, careful to hold my body from falling with arms stretched out on each side, palms flat against the floor to distribute the weight of my body, just then looking upward from staring into the only mirror in the room below, Char gives me a smile, and we both know that our day is beginning.
The sweltering heats bring me from my slumber in the windowless upstairs room of our private jungle hut. I look over to the only other bed in the small room and Tim is still asleep. The rustling noises from below mean only one thing, Char is awake. I poke my head through the opening in the floor, careful to hold my body from falling with arms stretched out on each side, palms flat against the floor to distribute the weight of my body, just then looking upward from staring into the only mirror in the room below, Char gives me a smile, and we both know that our day is beginning.
Climbing in the only mode of transportation available, the small motorboat is at capacity–nine passengers. All but the three of us is accompanied with their large backpacks ready to depart from Rio Dulce, and we are on our way to explore the natural hot spring waterfalls of Finca El Paraiso. Cramming into yet another minivan beyond capacity, an hour later and we are left along the side of the ride absent of any signs, as the driver assures us we are at our final destination. We begin a slow walk, down a rugged dirt road that leads to a river that is surrounded by large trees on both sides of it’s banks. The voices of children can be heard through the swaying branches full of dancing leaves in the light breeze and before long they become visible between the camouflages of the forest. Children’s laughter as they play in the water while the older women are washing clothes, it is only the little ones that take any notice of our presence with curious looks.
When we arrive to a clearing, an elderly man with a large smile greets us. Limited by our language skills, he understands why we are there and we proceed to pay him the Q10 ($1.25 USD) entrance fee for the falls. He leads us down a path through the woods and after a brief walk, the clearing opens to a hidden pool of water with cascading waterfalls. The powerfully gushing hot water ricochets over a series of large boulders to a pool of water that has a cooler temperature below, barely containing ourselves, we throw our bags to the side and slip into the refreshing water. Swimming to the where the waters from above reach the pool below, I find a rock to balance myself, and stand under the waters of the falls. An endless source of hot shower rains down upon me and the massaging pressure that seems to be exactly the right amount of balance, first hitting my shoulders and running down my back, I stand here with my eyes closed, minutes go by, and I am reminded that I have no other commitments for the day, thinking to myself that I could stand here for hours, I smile as the water splashes over my face and have found another piece of heaven amid my travels.
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