The screech of metal against metal rang in my ears as I flew like a bird through the rainforest, attached by a cable to lines that ran for several kilometers through the trees. Today was by far my coolest assignment yet. Two hours zip-lining through the rainforest under the hot tropical sun, and fresh pineapple and watermelon slices awaiting me when I got back to the park lodge to interview the guides and shoot a few last photos.
This assignment also provided an interesting glimpse into the Latin American culture and “machismo”…
Before embarking on the zip-line tour, I briefly interviewed a female receptionist about the business and the tours. “They are well-trained and very professional,” she said, referring to the male guides who led the zip-line tours to make sure that the tourists were securely fastened to the cables and to rescue anyone who got stuck between platforms (which occasionally happened to me, because of my light weight.) A short time later, I was standing with the reporter on a platform between zip-lines listening to one of the guides describe in great detail the beauty of a particular flower below us, and then compare it to the “superior” beauty of his penis. Regardless of the situation, they seem to have to flaunt their mascunlinity. Professionalism is subjective, I suppose, and when applied to Latin males, takes on an entirely new meaning...
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