June 15
This morning was sweltering
and sultry, the clouds were down, far below
me, like a carpet made out of pure white cotton.
It was beautiful, ... paradise.
It happened this way. At six in
the morning the clouds began to rise from the
valley a few thousand feet below. I'm in the middle
of a mountain overlooking the valley, above me
there are more mountains, they are green, covered
by the rain forrest, but higher up there are snow
peaks. It's quite a sight. The clouds are below
me, the sky is blue, pure blue, the mountains
above shine, reflecting the sun, the early sun.
My hotel is a very small hotel
run by a German couple. There are many guests
from all over the world, all adventurous people,
wanderers in this strange land. I have a window
overlooking the valley, but it's not enough, besides,
the mosquito net somehow distorts the view, so
I decide to go outside, to the pool. The pool
is fantastic, it is not a fancy pool, it's deep
and small, but it too overlooks the valley, so,
when I go swimming I can see the mountains and
the valleys. So I want to take a quick dip, it's
hot and I think every one is sleeping.
I venture outside, to the warm air, there's
a morning breeze. I'm wearing only my undies,
they are white. I walk to the edge of the pool
and put my foot in the water. It's nice so I want
to jump in. There's no one around, not a sound,
just the birds and the wind and perhaps the sound
that clouds make when they climb up the mountain.
I take my undies off and stand naked before the
valley, the clouds down below, covering it and
protecting me from the eyes of anyone down under.
Wow... I feel like flying, like jumping to
the clouds, they look like a gigantic mattress,
a soft, fluffy mattress. I often wondered when
I was flying on a plane, how it would be like
to jump to the clouds below. It's the same feeling
now, but I'm not on a plane, I'm more than 2,000
meters above sea level but it's a jungle.
I jump in the pool instead, the cool water
is so so fresh. I close my eyes and float, belly
up, my arms and legs spread eagle. The water caressing
my body, the air kissing my breasts, that's when
I hear a whizzing sound, it's very faint but it's
there. I open my eyes and quickly try to hide
under the water. I look around and just a few
feet away, by a railing above the swimming pool
I see this man. He has very long hair, dark glasses
a T shirt, shorts and boots... shorts and boots,
he looks funny. He has a camera... So I bet he
took a picture of me, floating naked, legs spread
open... I'm mad as hell, how dare he? How can
I tell him off? I would have to get out of the
pool. I yell at him to go away in my broken English,
he seems to be an American. Only Americans wear
shorts and boots.
He smiles and doesn't say a word, he walks
away. I'm getting out of the pool when he appears
again. He's holding a bath towel, he passes it
to me. I'm grateful. Why should I be mad at him
anyway? I was the one who was swimming naked in
a public pool... he just happened to walk in to
that sight. He probably wanted to take pictures
of paradise, not me, even if I looked like Eve.
He introduces himself. His name is Jan, ...
he speaks a bit of French but he's half Dutch,
he doesn't speak Dutch at all.
I thought he was much younger ... but as
I looked closer he looks older, not like a young
man, more like an older, wiser man but with a
young look.
I tell him to give me the pictures he took
of me. He laughs, the man is a cynic. "I didn't
take a picture of you", he says, ... yeah, like
I would believe him. "I was taking pictures of
the mountains", he says, "... they are beautiful".
That was an insult. Aren't I beautiful? He's
definitely wiser because he reads my mind, he
laughs again, "... you are very beautiful too,
but I wouldn't take a picture of you without your
permission, specially if you're naked, like you..."
Of course, I believe him... why shouldn't I believe
him. "I want to see the negatives anyway", I insist.
He just laughs again and walks away. The creep.
The town is nice and small, a square with
a fountain, a church, city hall, if you can call
that small building city hall, some grocery stores
and small restaurants and bus stops.
It's a crowded little town this time of year,
the feast of San Juan is approaching and they
celebrate it here with bonfire parties. Winter
solstice, that's what it is. It's cold in the
city, way up, at 3500 meter above sea level, maybe
more. But this is a tropical jungle, so it gets
hot in the day and cool at nights.
