If you find yourself in a small mountain town in the Chiriqui Highlands of Panama, look for the ice-cream store boasting fresh strawberries and frozen treats along the main street. If you walk past the seating and into the parking area, a friendly lady will greet you and show you to a wooden garden gate. For 50 cents you can pass through and begin the hill climb along a path lined with bursting blooms not uncommon to this region. The trail zigzags steeply with recycled tires stepping up, on a good day, into brilliant sunshine. The flowers and the views will reward you with each upward motion and eventually, when you can see around the bend, the trail will plateau to a resting bench. Have a seat, soak in the sun and take in the views of the small town of Guadalupe, Panama, the surrounding farms, the hillsides, the mountains and valleys beyond.
On my way up the trail was already in shadow. To capture the flowers, I squatted down and pointed my camera up, isolating them against the blue sunny backdrop. I played with the light filtering through the petals. I delight at capturing Panoramic views of my surroundings, keeping an eye and ear out for an unobstructed hill climb. This one was a gift from a fellow traveler. I passed by the strawberry ice-cream stand many times without noticing the sign. Sharing stories with locals or other people passing through yields fresh perspectives!
Beauty is all around you. Look in, look out, and follow the light! ~Louise