The fertility Gods are smiling and so are we. Our boat Centime is “on the hard” for a new coat of bottom paint and we are taking a break from the heat. We’ve traveled to the lush Chiriqui Highlands of Panama at the base of Parque Nacional Vulcan Buru. It is late afternoon when we arrive.

The natural sounds are vibrant yet soothing: river rapids rushing over rocks, hundreds of frogs chirping in varying tones in harmony with the river, wind whistling through the trees, the rustle of leaves and a variety of bird songs. I close my eyes for a minute to absorb the sounds, trying to differentiate the complex patterns. These are sounds I want to remember, the sounds that music studios try to capture for relaxation and meditation, yet more real and intense than any recordings I have heard.

As I open my eyes the view unfolds beyond the river. Lush mountains rise to meet the clouds with a multitude of textures, and shades of green, woven across the valley. Soft tall grasses intertwine with banana plants and coffee bushes. Moss-covered trees dot the low and medium elevations with orchids hanging from each branch. A thick canopy fills every inch of space above, reaching up to heavy clouds that have settled among steep peaks. A dark hawk soars majestically in the white grey mist stretching its’ wings to ride the thermals.

In the lush garden in front, blue and green hummingbirds shimmer in the light as they dart from one flower to the next only inches away from my eyes. Every color and shade of flower abound, offering bright red, purple, orange and yellow highlights to the verdant green that surrounds me. Carved rock sculptures draw my eyes deeper into the thick vegetation and I wonder who has made them, and what stories they have to tell.