Go Tell It on the Mountain

The other day I climbed a mountain. Literally. Well literally at least a small mountain. The three amigos, Alauna, Leah and myself of course have found ourselves the very fortunate subjects of some incredible Panamanian largess. Last week, we were invited to present a paper at a Psychiatry Journal Club here in Panamá at the gastronomically celebritated restaurant, El Cortijo. As we were in various stages of wiping the remains of our plates to our palettes, we three future psychiatrists collectively gasped and widened eyes in the direction of our new aquaintance (and future teacher and colleague) the sparkly-eyed Rogelio. Now, we weren't witness to an egregious use of dinnerware, flatulance, or a Kim Jong-Il. We were witness to an invitation. At least two of us had awkwardly unbroken smiles when former BCM Psychiatry resident and current Panamá psychoanalytic psychiatrist invited Leah, Alauna, and myself to go on a short hike in a week*. For a variety of reasons of course, first off, Leah and I share an attraction for things green, rocky, and sympathomimetic (excluded of course Ralph Nader) but moreso did our hearts quicken when we explained that this hiking trip would be with Rogelio's best friend Brian. Brian happens to own an ecotourism company, Extreme Panama, in this verdant waist of the Americas and is a trained biologist. Guess what, he speaks English too. A few days later, were off to Parque Nacional Altos de Campana pictured above.

Now for those experienced hikers out there (and if you are reading this chances are you may not be), this was moderate. Would my mother (fifty something year old former cheerleader) had made it? Only if there were promises of Teddy Pendergrass and BlueBell at the other end. Unfortunately, for Alauna, her stomach received no such promises and her body, en league with her stomach, deeply protested its forced exertion that afternoon. Despite my conscious empathy, I truly could not suppress glee for being there. With months of interviewing, and weeks in the hospitals here, it was invigorating to be really physical again. As we climbed perilous paths, brushed aside palms, and swatted would-be vectors of Dengue Fever, we talked about the plants, politics, and pppppsychiatry (I know so much for alliteration). Though I'm not a heavy sweater, it was nice to at least get a bit misty. Or at least it was the humidity.

Rogelio, our trail host, is the sort of individual that in an undulating sea of kinetically ceaseless banter, can spark a brilliant breath of fresh effervescent air. Think Obama '08. As is true with the gracious nature of Panameños, the formality of "attending physician" evaporates as quickly as ones sweat on this mountain. His friend Brian, equally as enjoyable provides the sort of details of our environment that made the journey singular. In any case, I'm a fan of both (I must mention that Rogelio has the slickest psychiatry office and couch and has thus been placed in the category of 'my psych hero'). And thus we bounded on toward the precipice as we past innumerable wild examples of the "exotic" houseplants that graces my desk.

So, à la Rio de Janeiro, at the top was a giant religious symbol. No, not a slim and toned, Buddha, but a concrete 10 foot cross (goodness knows who had the misfortune of carrying the concrete up to this place). As I crawled atop the rocky foundation of this cross, I was rewarded with an amazing view and thought I would share. It was a breathtaking view of Panamá bay, the ships awaiting their turn across the continent, and gently muscular mountains that dove their green shoulders into the sun-kissed Pacific. Gorgeous. Much worth the journey and its accompanying garnish of great conversation and company. Well, that is with the unfortunate exception of our severely dehydrated compatriot pictured at center (look for the scowl of not enough Gatorade).

In any case, I'm having a wonderful time, wish I could stay forever, and am still surviving the taxis here. Given the protests from my friend Ribka, I will try to update more regularly. But who could blame me? I'm busy climbing mountains.

*For the quick witted individuals out there, Alauna was currently
recovering from her colonization by some nasty GI bugs that tethered her to the
nearest bathroom relentlessly. With the addition of ciprofloxacin may her
bacteria rest in peace.