Home Again, Home Again

Hi Everyone!

I'm home again from the mountains.  What a time I had, it was really great.   So many things happened that I'm trying to think of how to condense it all into one reasonably sized post.

The city we live in is already fairly high up in altitude (higher than Denver, CO) but we went up a good deal higher on this trip.   The bus trip in itself was really something.  Because of the holiday EVERYONE was going home.  Fortunately we were among the first passengers on the bus so we were guaranteed seats.  But, as is common, along the road we would stop to pick up more passengers going our way.  Soon it seemed like we were in one of those old "how-many-people-can-you-shove-into-a-vehicle" contests.  We were joined by people, luggage, buckets, stools, and a tv set. 

From the village we went up the mountain in a trailer hooked to the back of a small tractor.  A rather jolting ride once we got off the paved road, but so worth it. 

We spent one week there.  Everyone was sooooooo hospitable.  So much so I felt I was in very real danger of being fed within an inch of my life!!  Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious, but everyone everywhere seemed determined to feed us as much as possible.  Ok, I have to admit I wasn't a big fan of the pig heart dish, but everything else, but terrific. 

One day a friend and I were taken by motorcycle to another village on the opposite mountain from us.  Because of the mountainous roads it was either a steep uphill or a steep downhill, bracing so as not to crush the driver in front of me or bracing the other way so as not to slide off the back.  But the scenery was breathtaking.  Mountains, streams, trees, fields.  Really amazing. 

We got to the other village a bit on the late side, but as always, they must feed us.  So we had dinner around 1:30am.   We spent a good deal of time before that just sitting around the wood fire, eating sunflower seeds and talking.  I could see how bonding this is for the people of the village.  Friends and neighbors chatting and eating.  Young and old welcomed and heard. 

Another striking thing were the stars.  Being up in the mountains and away from city lights the night skies were brilliant.  It made me wish I recognized more than The Big Dipper and Orion's Belt, but it was beautiful nonetheless. 

A lovely, lovely time.

Cheers!