During a recent trip to Panama, I spent a few days in a small town called Las Lajas. It was really small–as in, it had just a store or two, a handful of restaurants (mostly closed due to it being rainy season), a couple farms, a cemetery and a lovely beach nearby that required a taxi to get there.

Since there was little to do, I took some nice walks and simply enjoyed the time at my hotel (La Finca Buena Vista) and out in nature.

What: A Butterfly, Nibbling on Nectar

One day, when returning to my hotel, I spotted this butterfly nibbling on nectar. It was so beautiful, I just had to photograph it.

Panamanian Butterfly, Las Lajas, Panama. (c) L Egle, 2012. All rights reserved.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the shot; butterflies often fly away before you even turn on your camera. But this butterfly, like the people in Las Lajas, was in no rush to be anywhere else. It was in the moment, enjoying some nectar.

Photographic Details

I used my Olympus X-Z 1, an advanced point and shoot, which has an F 1.8 lens. I had the F stop open as far as possible and the lens extended out to 128 mm to create the blur. ISO: 100; f 2.5; 24 mm wide angle; 1/1000 second.

Your Experience?

Do you like to photograph insects, birds,  etc.? Or do you find them to be a bit elusive and difficult to capture photographically? Do you sometimes not even try? If you do, what  sort of camera do you use and which setting do you prefer? Do you have a super fast lens that makes it possible?

If you like photography, you might want to check out these photos–some that are nature-oriented and others that are “trippy” in some way–like the Human Tree I photographed in Guatemala.

This week’s  “trippy travel photo” of mine represents a random moment in time that was definitely off the beaten path.

I don’t know anyone who’s ever been there. And that means it might  be challenging (and fun) to figure out… You may guess what this is/these are, but not where/why, etc.

So…I hope you’ll give it a try. I think we can have some fun with this! You can focus your guessing on:

What/where the heck is it?

And what the heck was happening in that moment?

Any idea?

Post your guess in a few sentences in the Comments section. In a couple days, I’ll tell you exactly what it was, where I was and what was going on. Note: This is in the “Offbeat Oddity” category (click here to see all 3 categories I’ll be using).

Whoever comes closest to guessing–or writes the best caption–wins!

What’s the prize?

Well, at this point, I can only thank you and post a link to your blog. Eventually, I may run a contest and offer an actual prize. Click here to see last week’s Trippy Travel Photo. It’s an odd one!

And the Winner Is...

Aaron of Aaron’s Worldwide Adventures. His guess was “a cave, prison, dungeon,” which comes closest to answering “what” is in the photo. (See his comment below).

**********

So…What Is It and Where Is it?

Cave of the Mad!

This unique cave, also known as the Grotto of St. Anthony, was where the allegedly insane and/or possessed were restrained so that St. Anthony might have the opportunity to “fix” them.

This is right next to the entrance to Der Mar Antonias Qozhaya, the largest hermitage in the Qadisha Valley, which has been around since the 12th century. It’s not far from Bcharre, the birthplace of Khalil Gibran.

How’d I End Up There?

I’d been hitchhiking (sort of) in order to find a hermit named Dario and ended up taking an unofficial taxi with a man named Joseph. Before we went there, we visited this monastery and its unique grotto. I was confused and thought the hermit lived in the cave in which these chains were housed. It was very hard to climb up on the slippery bolders, so I gave up.

Turns out, that wasn’t where the hermit lived. It was somewhere entirely different. That, however, is a story for another time.

I lived in Quito, the capital of Ecuador, 15 years ago and recently had the chance to visit it again for the first time in 13 years (I did visit it a couple years after I left). Of course, the first thing I noticed was that the city has changed. A lot. The second thing I noticed was that, well, it’s a quirky sort of place–one worthy of its own little photo essay.

Hope you enjoy this virtual tour of Quirky Quito…I certainly enjoyed setting it up!

PS: I got in trouble in El Jardin Mall when I shot Photo #8! 🙂

What Has Changed

1. People Multitasking

When I lived in Ecuador, people did one thing at at time. You went to the bank. Or you went food shopping. You put makeup on before going to work.

Now, people are busy. Really busy. And so, they have to multi-task. This woman obviously didn’t have time to get ready for work. So, as one would logically do, she got ready for work–at work. Here, she’s applying makeup while waiting for her customers…

2. Water Faucet in the Sky

Not sure what this is about. I think it’s art. A sculpture of some sort. Anyway, it confused me when I saw it. For a moment, I thought I was under a sink and not in the center of a capital city. Glad I now realize where I really was. PS: I don’t recall this from when I lived in Quito. I’m sure it wasn’t there.

3. Toy Chicky Buses

Back when I lived in Quito, you took chicken buses; you didn’t buy them. Now, you can go to an upscale mall and drop a few bucks on a greeting card and then buy someone a chicky bus (toy version) as a gift. Some more multi-tasking, I think.

PS: Can you imagine how happy I was when I saw these? They made me feel so welcome. It was as if they knew about me and this site.

4. No Longer a Millionaire

I remember how exciting it was to change money–back in the day. You’d go to a “casa de cambio’ and hand over $500 and get back–1,000,000 sucres. ($1 equaled 3000 or 4000 sucres at one point.) You were an instant millionaire–in sucres, anyway. But now, you’re a mere hundredaire or thousandaire–in dollars. And yeah, as you guessed it, that money doesn’t go quite as far. Fortunately, you can still get a cheap almuerzo.

5. Old Town, New Town Safety Reversal

Back when I lived in Quito, the New Town was safe and the Old Town wasn’t. Now it’s the other way around. OK. That’s cool. Still–watch your bag/backpack, etc. wherever you are. Most people I met had been robbed or knew someone who had been. I’m happy to report that I stayed safe.

6. A Bar in the Airport?

I remember the good old days, when the Quito Airport was really limited and had a cage of sorts that one would enter upon leaving. That’s right–in order to leave, you’d enter a cage. And the people waiting for you would look in at you. Or maybe they were in the cage? I can’t remember.

All I know is that a bar in the airport is…well….rather cool. And it feels quirky to me because well, it looks sort of upscale. It’s feels odd to me since it’s not the Quito Airport, the one with the cage, that my friends and I knew and loved. But I’m not complaining…glad it’s there.

7. An Apple Store?

Please, Quito–now, you’re really freaking me out. Now, I know this is not a quirk–it’s a sign of modernity, of being high tech, of a developing country…developing. Still, I included this on my list since it was a shocking change (for me). Back when I lived in Quito, there was no Internet (perhaps the government had it and one or two super rich people) and “apple” was a mere fruit. Now, well, Apple is there!

I like how they handle the name in Spanish, by the way. Sorta funny. I guess it sounds better than “Tienda de Manzana,” which seems a bit ludicrous (if you speak Spanish) because it would seem too literal–as if apples were for sale.

8. Alien Mannequins

Perhaps you thought that unusual mannequins were found mostly in the Middle East. Well, think again. The aliens have invaded South America, too, and especially Ecuador. Check out this bizarre mannequin from El Jardin Mall in Quito. PS: I almost got arrested taking the shot. The police were not happy! Perhaps they were aliens, too?

And the one thing that hasn’t changed in Quito but confuses me nevertheless…

Vulcan Tires

I know that martians have something to do with dry cleaning, so it’s only logical that Vulcans would have something to do with tire repair? Right? Or am I still in MannequinLand? In any case, the tires still say Vulcanizadora on them. And that’s exactly what it was like back in the 90s.

What Do You Think?

Have you been to Quito? See anything out of the ordinary while there? Did I miss anything? LOL Do you find the city quirky in any way? Or does it seem like another other Latin American capital city to you?

Meanwhile…have you unraveled the mystery of the Vulcans and the Martians? Dry cleaning versus tires? If so, could you help shed some light on the topic in the Comments section? Thank you.

When I heard about award-winning Geisha, Panama’s best coffee—which is one of the best/most expensive in the world—I really thought I wanted to try it.

So, while in Boquete, known for its climate and fertile soil that’s ideal for coffee growing, I considered several tours. I then settled on one with Café Ruiz, one of the oldest coffee estates there that offers this hard-to-grow premium coffee.

As expected, I enjoyed the tour; I found the coffee process—all of it and not just about Geisha itself—quite fascinating. But what I didn’t expect was that I would find my tour guide, Carlos, even more interesting.

The reason?

Meet Carlos—a Local Ngobe

He’s not just a local, but an indigenous man. A Ngobe. And one who loves what he does for a living.

As he showed me around, we got to know each other in Spanish and in English. I mentioned to him that I’d volunteered, the day before, at the local Volcancito School in Boquete—one that serves underprivileged Ngobe children.

We talked about the fact that many of the children walk for close to an hour to get to school and are happy when they get a simple breakfast of hot farina. I recalled how sweet and eager to learn they were—and how I wished I could have done more as a volunteer.

“I was one one them,” Carlos told me. His Ngobe family struggled. In fact, when he was 12, he had to work while going to school. And it wasn’t for extra money; he had no choice; they needed the money.

So what sort of work did he do?

He picked coffee beans. At Café Ruiz.

It was a grueling job, based on how he described it. Standing in the relentless sun, getting cut up by the plants, bitten by insects, etc. Fortunately, he worked in all the other stages of the process and eventually advanced to his current job, that of a tour guide—which he obviously enjoys and excels at.

In between conversations about coffee cultivation and the rest of the process—its many and intricate steps—he explained that he was able to finish school and to educate himself, too. I’m not sure if he went to college or to tourism school (he probably did); his English was very good, he was super knowledgeable about coffee and he gave a fantastic tour.

So…back to the story.

There I was, enjoying myself—and feeling psyched about wanting to try the Geisha coffee. After the tour (which included a coffee tasting experience) concluded, Carlos walked me over to the coffee bar.

(By the way, we ran into 80-something year old Señor Ruiz, the owner, on our way. I was thrilled to meet him and have a chat in Spanish about coffee, etc.).

Señor Ruiz

When we got there, I got my free bag of the basic Arabica coffee they give away as part of the tour price ($30, from what I recall). (Believe me, when I got home and tried it out in my French press, I was quite pleased.)

Geisha—$9 a cup

I now stood there, checking out coffee price list–the “coffees of the day.” Geisha, of course, was on the list.

For $9 a cup. (I didn’t even ask the price for a small bag of beans—fuggedabout it!)

Ouch, I thought. That’s big bucks for a small cup of java. But then—it’s Panama’s best coffee and I should try it. I’m a coffee lover, after all.

“So, what’s the deal with the Geisha?” I asked Carlos. I truly respected his opinion; he was both knowledgeable and down to earth. No BS whatsoever (sadly, I do recall experiencing some with snarky foreigners who wanted me to take tours of their estates/farms.)

“Well, it’s good. Excellent. But if you’re a true coffee drinker, you might not like it.”

“Really? What’s it like?”

“It’s smooth–floral and citrusy. Good coffee for tea drinkers. ”

“Hmmm.”

At this point, thinking about my budget, which I’d already blown several times on this particular trip, I wondered if I really needed a $9 cup of coffee. By the way, it was served in a tiny cup. Larger than what you’d get Turkish coffee in, but not much bigger.

“Which of the premium coffees on the list do you recommend?”

Berlina–at $3–a Better Deal?

“The Berlina. It’s excellent. Full-bodied with a hint of chocolate.”

“OK, then. I’ll try that.” I’m a chocolate lover anyway.

As an added bonus, I would be saving several dollars by skipping the Geisha and going for this alternative. And I knew what I was going to do with that money.

Just when Carlos was saying goodbye and walking away, I called him back.

Although I’m a low-budget backpacker, I do tip. And this was case where it was more than deserved.I gave him $5, and he was overjoyed and I so was I.

I then sat down and enjoyed the Berlina, which was great—just as he’d said. Not only was it flavorful, but it was truly satisfying to me personally.

To me, it was the best cup of coffee in Panama.

Your Thoughts/Experiences?

Have you taken any coffee tours in Panama or elsewhere? Did you try any of the premium/estate coffees? If so, how far did you go in terms of price? Did you try Geisha?

In my situation, would you—as a coffee lover—have tried Geisha and skipped the tip? Or done both? Just wondering….

Related Links

If you’re interested in taking a tour with Cafe Ruiz, click here. (Note: I did not receive any compensation for writing this post. I simply enjoyed the tour, highly recommend Carlos and thus, wanted to share this story with you.)

To learn more about the Ngöbe-Buglé Comarca (tribe/reservation),click here.

“Want to go to a Mexican baby shower?” asked Jeanne, a woman I’d just met hours before. We were at a bar in La Paz, Baja Sur, and she was a friend of a friend–someone I’d met randomly on a shuttle bus (click here for that story). The mother-to-be was her (Jeanne’s) friend.

Of course, I said yes. I couldn’t turn down a chance to meet the locals. Also, I was curious about what Mexican baby showers are like compared to those in the States.

Turns out I had mucho fun! But little did I know that I’d see grown-ups drinking out of baby bottles and that I’d soon be blindfolded and force-fed baby food…as part of one of many Mexican baby shower traditions. (If you only want to read about that, scroll down a bit.)

Special Nametags…

When we first arrived at the party–in La Paz, Baja Sur–we were greeted by a well-dressed woman whose makeup was flawless and looked professionally done. She took charge right away, handed us pink nametags and led us to our seats.

I put my nametag on, then read the name on it To my surprise, it said ‘Dana.’ I thought it was a mistake. I almost removed it.

Wearing my ‘Dana’ nametag, clueless re: the games I’d soon be playing

But then, I looked at Jeanne’s and hers also said. ‘Dana.’ So did everyone else’s. Sure enough, Dana was the name of the unborn baby and at Mexican baby showers, people wear nametags with the baby’s name on them!

‘Marisol Mary Kay’ Running the Show…

Back to the well-dressed woman…

Her name is ‘Marisol’ and she’s the mom-to-be’s (Anahí’s) sister. She sells Mary Kay and on Facebook is known as Marisol Mary Kay.

‘Marisol Mary Kay’–the ultimate party planner/organizer

I was intrigued by her since she took her job—running the baby shower events—so seriously. Like a professional baby shower planner! I later came up with a theory why this was the case (keep reading to find out.)

Within minutes, the fun began.

Game Time

Bingo!

First, there was Bingo. Instead of numbers, there were baby items on the cards. (Great Spanish lesson for beginners, by the way—although one item was a somewhat obsolete cloth diaper, which made others chuckle.)

A serious moment during the bingo game

Guessing Stomach Girth w/Toilet Paper

Next came the ‘Abdominal Girth Guessing Game.’ In this, a roll of toilet paper was passed around and we pulled off as much paper as we thought would fit around the pregnant woman’s waist. I estimated at lot, then back-pedaled at the last minute and removed a quarter of it.

I lost.

Oh well.

Then, Marisol called for volunteers. I raised my hand. A few minutes later, I wondered what the hell I’d gotten myself into. I felt a twinge of volunteer’s remorse. Here’s why…

Blindfolded and Force-fed Baby Food by a Woman I Didn’t Know

There were two teams of two people each, and I was on one of them. We all had to wear blindfolds, then feed our teammate baby food. An entire jar of it. That’s right. With a baby spoon. The kind with the rubber tip.

(You might think this is easy and that there isn’t much in one of those jars. Well, you’re wrong. There’s plenty inside and with that darn spoon, it feels like an endless amount of food. )

What a bizarre feeling to be feeding someone else—without seeing anything—and to have food being shoved into my mouth! I could barely find the woman’s face. Somehow, she found mine and I had to eat the food. It got a bit messy.

This is much harder than it looks–believe me!

Unfortunately, it was ‘mixed fruit’ and tasted like baby food. I would have preferred straight banana, which I’ve eaten on occasion,which tastes pretty good. (Yeah, I know—I’m a bit strange.)

Still, it was fun. I laughed hard and spoke a lot of Spanish. More than a few times, I said, ‘¡Ayúdame!…Help!

Sadly, we lost that game. My bad. I was way too slow!

They won, but they also got a lot more baby food on themselves!

Crawling Like a Baby

Then, other volunteers (in this case, Jeanne stepped up to the plate) had to sit on (burst) balloons that had messages inside with a task that needed to be performed. Jeanne’s task: to crawl on the floor like a baby. This was quite entertaining!

Jeanne crawling like a baby…

Adults Drinking Out of Baby Bottles

At one point, one person had to feed a bottle to someone else. Then, a few had to drink out of bottles on their own–to beat the clock. This was quite entertaining!

Putting a Diaper On

The highlight of it all, I think, was when the mother-to-be had to put a cloth diaper on her sister, Dulce—as if she were a baby. Everyone roared with laughter when this happened.

My Theory Re: Marisol Mary Kay

After the games ended, I came up with a theory re: why MaryKay Marisol had taken her job as ‘party organizer’ so seriously and was so amazing at it.

Obviously she’s got a ton of experience from running Mary Kay parties. But I think another reason she took it on was that it was a great way to avoid having to play the games! 🙂

She never got on the ground or got baby food on her face. Muy inteligente, no?

Marisol Mary Kay–Party planner/organizer extraordinaire

PS: quite a few people were very dressed up for this event. Check out the shoes!

Family

Men Were There, Too

By the way, there were men at this baby shower. Not just one or two, but quite a few. Various friends and relatives, including the father-to-be. Most of the men arrived later than the women and hung out and had a few beers. At one point, there was salsa dancing. I joined in briefly, which was fun.

It was touching watching the dad-to-be hug his wife and pose for photos.

Anahí and hubby Gabriel

Why I’d Go Again

I must say that the baby shower was a truly wonderful event. It was fun to see the Mexican traditions and to get to know some locals. The food—tacos and other goodies—was yummy, too.

And the hospitality was just what you’d imagine. I was told more than once that their ‘casa’ was my ‘casa’–and I had no doubt that they meant it. That made me feel warm and fuzzy.

So did feeling the family’s excitement and joy about the new addition. I recall the three sisters (Dulce, Marisol and Anahi) smiling and radiating happiness. They were truly overjoyed that there’d soon be a baby girl in the family.

Sisters sharing happy moment Grandma-to-be (on the left, I think)

Special thanks to Jeannie for inviting me (check out her story about the baby shower–great photos!) and to the family for having me! If I’m ever back in La Paz and get invited to another such event, I’m quite sure I’ll go. And if there’s a chance to see these folks again, I’d love to.

Oh and as for Dana, la bebe, I think she’s been born, but I’m not sure when exactly. I’ll find out soon, I’m sure.

Your Thoughts/Reactions/Experiences?

Have you ever attended a baby shower in another country? If so, where and what was it like? Have you ever gone to one in Mexico? If so, where and was it similar to what I described above?

While traveling, would you accept an invitation such as I did–not knowing anyone there and barely knowing the person who invited you? Why/why not?

Does what I’ve described look like fun to you? And how does it compare to baby showers in your country?

Like This Post? Then Check Out My Book!

If you enjoy reading about random encounters with the locals, then check out my recently published book, ‘Magic Carpet Seduction.’ There are many stories about going off the beaten path, being in the moment and going with the flow—and the cool stuff that happens along the way.

And, if you’d like, check out some more ‘random travel moments‘ from ChickyBus.

The Assistant Director of the Exorcist? In Amman, Jordan? Pretty random and yeah, just a bit bizarre.

What the heck would…um…possess someone to claim that identity? And why did he choose to speak to me and my 12-year-old Circassian-Jordanian friend Shamel? And was he really who he said he was?

Read on to find out…

Man claiming to be the Assistant Director of the Exorcist

Where/Why: A Stationery Store in a Suburb of Amman

I was shopping for a small notebook and an English-Arabic dictionary in a small shop not far from my friend Souzan’s house in Amman. I was with her 12-year-old son, Shamel, a very intelligent and mature young man, who’s now a teenager.

What–Appearance of a Mysterious Man with Pointy Eyebrows

He seemed to appear out of nowhere. The man with pointy eyebrows and intense eyes, that is. I almost didn’t notice him because I was busy obsessing about which mini notebook to buy. He’d been sitting on a chair chatting with the store owner.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked. His accent seemed British and sort of posh, but not necessarily 100% natural. He could be anyone, I figured. A monk. A taxi driver. The devil even…

“No, I have no idea. Shamel—do you know?”

“No, I don’t. Who are you?”

“I’m Mohammad. I was the assistant director of The Exorcist.”

“Huh??” I asked. “What?”

“I was the assistant director of The Exorcist,” he repeated.

He sounded educated, looked sophisticated and for a moment, I thought he might be telling the truth, as odd as it seemed. What would…um…possess someone to say something so outlandish?

But then again, he might have been a pathological liar who believes his own BS.

“That’s the movie about the kid who’s taken over by the Devil, right?” Shamel said, excited. “One of the most popular movies ever, right?”

“Actually, it’s a film that was shot in Iraq,” the odd but well-dressed man said.

The store owner, meanwhile, stayed up at the register, doing his job and smiling from time to time. He seemed rather normal. Interestingly, he didn’t acknowledge what the man in the chair was saying.

How We Reacted: Puzzled and Curious

Shamel and I looked at each other, wondering what was up. The man sounded like he was educated at Oxford University and could have been someone famous—or someone completely psychotic, depending on which sign the moon happened to be in. But he gave such an odd answer, I wondered what his deal was.

“What did you think of The 9th Configuration?” I asked, figuring that he would know. It’s one of the three films in an unofficial Exorcist trilogy.

“The what?”

He then rambled on and on about how difficult Arabic is to learn.

And Then? A Quick Disappearance

Shamel interrogated him in Arabic about his role as director and the movie. Their chat lasted a few minutes. Then Shamel rejoined me by the dictionaries.

We laughed about it and then, when we turned around, he was gone. The chair was empty.

Perhaps he’d seen his reflection and gotten scared?

Later on: McDonald’s and Google

“Let’s Google this guy later,” Shamel said.

“Deal.”

And we did. And sure enough, he was nowhere to be found. Of course, we laughed about it and to this day, we still remember and chuckle about the mysterious pointy eye-browed man.

Perhaps he was more of the inspiration for the film versus the direction of it?

Your Thoughts/Reactions?

I have a knack for meeting celebrity lookalikes and wannabes, but this was my first time meeting someone pretending to be a director. I tend to get into some crazy situations and this ranked right up there.

How about you? Ever meet any oddballs like this while traveling or in your hometown?

What do you think about this man? Can you see why we almost believed him? 🙂

Can’t Get Enough?

Here are more ‘random travel moments‘ from ChickyBus.

Don’t Miss the Bus–or the Carpet!

And how about a book full quirky experiences similar to this one–plus some deeper ones, too? Sign up for my newsletter (click here) to get updates re: my travel memoir, Magic Carpet Seduction, which will soon be available for purchase!

Photo credit: þä½

“The only way to learn is through encounters.” —Martin Buber

With blurry vision and a semi-paralyzed face, I sit in front of my computer, struggling to write, pausing every few minutes to rest.

I fantasize about being somewhere else, someone else (non-disabled)….and in a completely different moment.

But I know that’s not possible and that what is… simply is…right now.

I’m fighting off a sudden, mysterious and temporary Bell’s Palsy that struck me last week—and brought my life to a virtual halt—and I’m also being transported back in time to another time and place when, for an hour, I was…in complete darkness.

Temporarily and voluntarily blind, that is.

And back then, as now, I felt awkward, vulnerable and a little bit frightened.

Unlike now, though, I chose to have that experience, known as Dialog in the Dark—an experiential tour of the unseeing world. My guide: a man named Claude who’s American just like me, but happens to be blind.

I took this unique journey (in Atlanta, GA) because as a traveler, I want to not just to see the sights, but to understand people and their way of life in the deepest way possible. And while most often, I choose to travel to other countries and other cultures, it made sense to stay right here and see…the world of the unseeing.

Tour in Total Darkness

“You can stand up now,” said Claude, with a gentle and caring voice, which had a Southern accent (to me, anyway, as a Northerner). We’d been sitting on some large white cubes in a room where the light gradually dimmed to total darkness and were now ready to move.”Keep your cane down and follow me.”

I listened closely as my eyes tried to find their way. There was nothing to latch on to, though, so I closed them. And I immediately felt off balance. I opened them and it was the same. Dark. Dense. Inky black. And an immediate sense of disorientation that alternated between claustrophobia and excessive openness/exposure.

I was in a state of culture shock. Not from the sights, obviously, but rather, the absence of them.

“Who all is here?” Claude asked and we introduced ourselves. It was me, my friend Sprite, a family of 4 and a couple others. He told us about his life and how he’d been legally blind for most of it and then eventually, totally blind.

“Reach down and touch the ground,” he told us. And we did, feeling the softness of the grass. Thinking back to that moment, I recall it seeming real and smelling green, but now I’m not sure.

Shopping in the Supermarket

“Notice the rail? Tap it, then use it to guide you to where we’re going next.”  And we were led by it to a section of a simulated supermarket. I bumped into a shelf, nearly knocking over some boxes of what seemed to be cereal.

“Touch everything,” he said. “See if you can figure out what it is.” My hands began to feel the roughness of a pineapple, the smoothness of an apple, the unevenness of wooden baskets and the ice cold steel shelves. I shook things and smelled them when I wasn’t sure and often figured out what I was handling. But not always.

And it was sort of fun—until check-out time.

“What about money?” We followed Claude to the register and imagined the logistics of this in real life. “How hard is it to pay when you go shopping normally?” I asked.

“Very hard,” Claude said. I could sense the frustration in his voice and now, living it, I empathized. One could work with coins because of their sizes, but not with actual currency. A debit card would probably be the way.
photo © 2006 Akash Kataruka | more info (via: Wylio)

Crossing the Street

We then moved on to a busy section of the “city” and approached a street that we would need to cross. I was suddenly overwhelmed by the cacophony of people, cars, horns and other noises. I felt a little claustrophobic and stressed out by it.

I was blind now and needed to cross the street and, as much as my sense of hearing had been heightened, I still struggled. This simulation was suddenly feeling very real.

“Sprite? Where are you?” I found myself calling out my friend’s name several times, wanting to be near her. A couple times, I held onto her sleeve or the back of her jacket for some extra support.

Blind Leading the Blind

Although we couldn’t see, there was nothing to fear.  Claude, who was blind, served as our eyes. He knew the terrain—his land—and led us through it. We were in good hands.

“Um, Claude…where do I go now? How do I get over there?” I asked, tapping with my cane and feeling awkward. “Take my hand, young lady,” he said. I smiled, of course, and then wondered how old he was.

Next, I think (funny how I can’t recall the tour in a linear fashion due to the disorientation), we crossed a bridge. And I got to know Claude a bit more. He sounded like he was about 30 or so and was very warm and giving. He seemed to speak from his heart and to radiate kindness. I could see—no, feel—that because of our encounter in the unseeing world.

Alternative Interaction

I then wondered, then what it would be like to get to know people…blindly….at first. What would happen to judgements based on skin color, clothing, size, etc.? How enhanced would one’s intuition be about strangers?

How much better and more accurate would one be—would I be—if I judged a person’s character on how it felt to interact with them versus how they looked?

“Young lady, where are you?” he asked. I think he sensed and heard that I wasn’t in the right spot. “I’m here, Claude. What next?”

“A boat ride.” I sensed that he was smiling, that perhaps this was his favorite part of the tour.

“Really?”

“Yup.”

Like children on a class trip, we awkwardly made our way onto a boat and felt how easy it would have been to fall. Fortunately, the ramp was set up for the disabled, meaning arm rails and a gradual incline and decline.

Once safely on board, I opened my eyes, checking and hoping for a glimmer of light, but finding none. I closed my eyes again and went within,  reflecting on the current moment and previous ones.

Travel Epiphany

It was, I thought, the darkest dark I’d ever been in, and I’ve experienced some seriously dark nights….in the jungle, the mountains and the desert.

Those were different, however, because there, you might make out some sort of silhouette thanks to the stars or catch a glimpse of a burning ember in a fire just shared with felllow travelers.

In this special wing of a building, in a simulated unseeing world, there was no sliver of light that might slip through.

But somehow, this was travel, too, wasn’t it? Sure I was in Atlanta, GA—in the US—but I’d entered another another realm, dimension in which my allowed senses were fully engaged. I was temporarily in the world of the blind, putting myself in their shoes. Living life as they do.

And just as I was getting used to this other world, we reached our final destination: the cafe. We sat on bar stools (I think) and ordered drinks. Those of us who ordered fumbled for our money and when we took the drink.

Now, sitting and chatting with Claude, I and the others felt close to him. He’d been our guide—he’d shown us his land—and during that, a sort of bonding had occurred. I felt like we knew him and he knew us.

“How do you like your job, Claude?” I asked. Many of the questions had been about the struggles of being blind and of being different. I thought it would be nice to focus on something more positive and what we shared.

“It makes me very happy,” he said. “I’m happy to have a job in which I can teach others.”

“That’s great. Me, too. I’m also a teacher.”

I thanked him, as the others did, and smiled, hoping he knew and felt it. And then, the lights came back on and we saw Claude for the first time. Now, in the other world—the one I lived in—I saw that he was an African American man of about 40 with sweet eyes and a warm smile. The  light from the lamp above us, reflected in his eyes, suddenly seemed inappropriate and a bit jarring.

Fortunately, though, the connection we’d made was unbroken and remained…even as we said goodbye and he disappeared…back into his world…for another dialog in the dark.

Awareness and Gratitude…in the Now

Now, back in this moment—sitting here in front of my computer and straining to see the screen, trying to move my face—I think of Claude and the tour he took me on. Being blind for an hour, struggling with the basics of everyday life, was humbling. So is what I’m going through right now.

But as was the case then, my senses are now heightened and I’m more in the moment. And I’m also more appreciative of simple things I took for granted before—the sound of music, the texture and flavor of an orange, the resonance of kind words, the connection from a warm hug, etc.

The bottom line?

I’m in the moment and just a little bit more aware. And I see the world of the non-seeing, the seeing and their overlapping world and culture a bit differently, thanks to Claude and the dialog we shared in March. In the dark. And for those moments—and this one—I’m grateful.

What Do You Think?

Have you experienced Dialog in the Dark? What was it like? If not, would you? Do you consider this experience a trip of sorts? And how do you see the blind community? Are they another culture or simply the same one, with a somewhat different perception?

photo © 2006 Francisca Ulloa | more info (via: Wylio)

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Link Luv

Dialog in the Dark: This is the link to the main site, which explains how the exhibit’s set-up and the mission of its founder, Andreas Heinecke.

Dialog in the Dark for Groups: Here you can find information about group tours, including student field trips.

In case you didn’t know, there are now travel agencies that arrange tours for visually impaired/blind people. Here are some links:

Traveleyes: Special trips to international destinations in which sighted travelers go for 50% off in exchange for “serving as the eyes” for their fellow blind/visually impaired passengers

Mind’s Eye Travel: Offers group tours geared to “sensory discovery”

Photo credit (1st image) goes to þä½ of flickr.