Lisa Niver's Blog: We Said Go Travel, page 350

Humble in the USA

HUMBLE

Twenty-odd years ago, on a weekend winter escape from grad school in Denver, a friend and I drove three hours south, then west up 96, climbing the soaring Hardscrabble Canyon, and, not long afterward, setting eyes for the first time on the Wet Mountain Valley, its great expanse not yet scathed by human intent.

The small towns of Silver Cliff and Westcliffe claim the valley floor at 7,888 feet, and abandoned mines speckle the hills east of town, but then, as now, one can see far and wide, as the aboriginal peoples did, without feeling fettered by Huck Finn sardonically called sivilization. One feels small here, like the miniscule figures in Asian paintings the viewer has to hunt to find. Appropriately, one feels one’s humility in the natural world.

Now, I live here, along with my son, two rescue dogs, countless antelope and a host of diverse people from all manner of backgrounds, a community somehow – by luck at birth or greater luck at homing in on this Valley later on – cohabiting peacefully under skies huge with billowing cumulus and autumn aspens fluttering golden beneath the blue.

At the local coffee shop, a grizzled, tattooed biker regales the retired literature professor with tales of his daughter’s wedding to an Orthodox Jew back East. A rancher just returned from Argentina discusses our new radio station with the fine-arts photographer who engineers the station. Painters, plumbers, teachers, and realtors exchange news of family, complain about the price of gas and adore the weather over straight-up coffee, lattés and white chocolate mochas before heading to work each morning.

On Main Street, children leave their bikes unattended while checking out books at the expanded local library, where the free-for-donation shelves sport offerings as varied as French-to- Spanish dictionaries, Nancy Drew mysteries, Introduction to Geology,the Definitive Crockpot Cooking Bible and home-schooling curricula, secular and Christian. On the take-an-issue, leave-an-issue magazine racks, one can find Tennis Monthly, The London Review of Books, Sunset Magazine, The Economist, Western Homes, and Ode, among other offerings.

Every Thursday, the weekly newspaper is immediately consumed cover-to-cover for the local skinny as well as Valley connections to the larger world. A local young woman and her Tibetan husband send bulletins on the recent earthquake in China, soliciting donations from Sichuan province. We learn of inevitable vehicular encounters with deer, the population of the county jail (the “hoosegow”) – generally a handful of men, 1 woman – the time and place of spaghetti fundraising dinners to help residents with no insurance and too many medical bills, openings of new shows at the Third Street Gallery, obituaries of current and former residents, births of grandchildren local and distant, military and academic achievements of recent grads of Custer County High, and, of course, the classifieds, in which one can buy anything from a cutting-edge snowplow to laying hens to widescreen HDTV to “ugly old Jimmy, but works.”

In this valley, we look after each other. Last winter, after my car got high-centered in serious snow, my son, dogs and I hiked back a mile in ten-degree weather to a neighbor, who drove us to the top of our driveway. Just when we were assuming a day by necessity to be spent at home, I heard a strange noise: a horn, right in front of my snowed-in cabin! It was my boss’s husband, driving his snowplow. Although my phone didn’t work, my boss had intuited we were stuck and sent him to rescue us. Some days, that’s how it feels to live here: to be rescued. Nature offers succor, neighbors offer help,

and though the world and its daily vicissitudes never cease their daily rounds, we remain humble yet strong in this, our beloved landscape.

Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

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Avoiding the Drama when We Travel: Tips & Tricks

Planning a trip is exciting, magical and can get us in the mood to explore new places and things. But unless you pay someone – say a travel agent – to worry about everything for you, you’ll soon enough find out that the magic…can turn into a nightmare. I’ve been traveling independently for the past 15 years and – without jinxing myself – I can safely say I was able to avoid most of the travel drama.

But what in the world I am really talking about?

Let’s see. Many things can – and will – go wrong. The longer the trip, the more chances of something to happen. Call it the Murphy’s law of travel if you want.

1. Packing too much

I was guilty of this. Until I started flying carry on only. Boy did that make me turn into an expert. I go by this rule: pack half the clothes and bring twice the money. Really. You can find a t-shirt anywhere in this world and I am pretty sure buying soap is not a problem either. Certain lady items may be a bit hard to find though (so pack your tampons, ladies!).

Pack your carry on so that you have clothes for 3-4 days. Washing machines have made an appearance at accommodations, trust me on this. So 2-3 t-shirts are more than enough. And always wear your bulkiest clothes when you fly.

2. Visas or lack thereof

If there’s something I hate about traveling, that’s figuring out what I need to enter a country. Sure, the European Union is a safe bet: I’m a European Union citizen therefore I can travel anywhere in the area with my ID card. Yes, but for the States, I need visa on arrival. Stop it right there. And start looking into an ESTA application. This is a document which allows citizens from participating countries to enter the States without the traditional visas needed for stays of 90 days of less. Bye bye , drama, hello States!

3. Currency exchange rates

Guilty! Back in the summer of 2011, myself and dearest boyfriend (now , hubby) decided to go to Budapest for the first time as a couple. Previously we’ve been in 2007 as part of a group of friends. What do you know? The prices have doubled (literally) and our money barely lasted for 3 days (out of 5 planed!). Result? We exchanged the train tickets and go back home a day earlier.

I am not saying you should avoid a destination because of the bad rates. I am saying: do the research before you leave! And Hungary is also a good example of a country where you’d rather exchange Hungarian Forint before you enter the country than when you get there. You are welcome!

4. Assume your plane tickets are refundable

So you bought your tickets – maybe part of a longer trip – and you decide to ditch a leg and do something else. Totally fine. But when you start to relay on the money you would have got for that ticket if you cancelled it, things get messy. Generally speaking, plane tickets are not refundable. I am talking mostly about low cost carriers here but traditional carriers don’t really like to refund anything in case of cancellations, particularly for very cheap tickets. And forget exchanges: those end up so expensive you are better off getting a new ticket.

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A Sea of Serenity in Oman

          

With closed-eyes and an open mind, my mind takes me back to a time where strength and hopefulness overwhelmed me.

The  silk-like sand tickled my toes beneath me, the faint sounds of the waves crashing into the rocks and the birds singing beautiful melodies echoed, creating the most soothing music to my ears. I inhaled the salty aroma of the sea calming my thoughts immediately.  The music and aroma of the sea urged me to open my eyes to witness the scene in front of me.

 

My eyelids shuttered open and although i have been on this beach hundreds of times it seemed like a completely different place at five in the morning. The sun met the sea in the horizon creating a sky that looked like a flower blooming with radiant shades of red, yellow and orange. It was a view I have never seen before and I just stood there taking it in. Memorizing every last detail.

 

Everything around me moved, but it seems like time stood still. The sea kissed the shoreline in a perpetual motion and the surf across the horizon meringued against the velvety black sea underneath. At that moment in time the sea of water appeared to be a sea of opportunities.

 

The whole scene in front of me was prodding me to be a part of it and not just a person watching from the sidelines. My fear of sea creatures was forgotten for a moment as my cousin called me over to her. Our feet touched the ice cold water and a scream cut through the sky. The loud scream interrupted melodic singing of the birds and waves. Quieting down, I slowly made my way deeper into the sea till my feet could no longer touch the silky sands below. At this stage, I would normally be panicking about all the kinds of fish swimming between my legs and the crabs that could be creeping in search of a scrumptious meal that would be the flesh of my feet in my imagination. However, all i felt floating above the water in that moment, was the strength I had within me. Not just physical strength, but also the emotional strength of conquering my personal fear of sea creatures.

 

I had started out that day annoyed and frustrated with my cousin for waking me up at five in the morning telling me that it was the perfect time for a jog by the beach. To me, five in the morning is a time where everyone is supposed to be soundly sleeping comfortably in their beds. Little did I know that the stress that had weighed on my shoulders all week would be washed away by the waves after a short swim in the endless sea.

 

That morning taught me more than just the strength of overcoming a fear. I learnt that all the beautiful scenes our earth provides are worth more than just a picture framed on our walls or posted in social media platforms. These scenes can move one’s emotions, build a whole new perspective and ignite sparks of newfound hope.   

 Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

 

The post A Sea of Serenity in Oman appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Videos: #LBBC We Can Survive Concert 2014

My videos from the STAR-STUDDED “WE CAN SURVIVE” 2014 CONCERT
AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL TO BENEFIT LIVING BEYOND BREAST CANCER OCTOBER 24. 2014 #WCS:
Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Iggy Azalea, Alicia Keys, Sia, Paramore and Lady Antebellum and Gwen Stefani to Headline

 

VIDEO: 2014 We Can Survive Concert 2014 #WCS Part 1

VIDEO: We Can Survive 2014: Part 2/4 Iggy Azalea & JLo

VIDEO: #WCS 2014: Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Ariana Grande Part 3/4

VIDEO: Pharrell at #WCS 2014 Part 4/4 concert to benefit Living Beyond Breast Cancer

 

Thank you to the performers of the We Can Survive Concert presented by 5-hour ENERGY and CBS Radio benefiting Living Beyond Breast Cancer at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

 

The concert has an incredible lineup of artists including Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Iggy Azalea, Sia, Paramore, Lady Antebellum and will include a special performance by Gwen Stefani. A $25,000 donation will be made to LBBC to further their mission of connecting people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support.

In addition to funds, the We Can Survive concert will raise awareness of and involvement in LBBC’s mission of connecting people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support. LBBC offers programs, materials, yoga events across the country and more to help women at all stages of diagnosis.

The post Videos: #LBBC We Can Survive Concert 2014 appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

Traveling to Live in Spain

Traveling to Live

Every time I travel to a different place in the world, rather it is a domestic or an international travel it affects me in multiple ways. I went from a very shy, quiet, and fearful girl, to a very adventurous young woman. When I come back to my hometown I try to better myself, help others, and encourage everyone to travel. I even see myself changing and growing into a different person when I come back from my travels. I wish I could travel more often so that I can continue to grow and become more open-minded…

I always laughed at myself because I think it is quite odd that I had to leave my surroundings to realize how smart, inspirational, and open-minded I am. I always knew that about myself, but something happens when you find yourself in a foreign country, and no one knows who you are, and you smell the air, the sky looks different, the water feels and taste different, and your appearance captures everyones’ attention. For some it can be a bit shocking, but to me, it feels like I am finally living.

I recently just came back from Spain and I think this has been the most rewarding trip so far. I travelled to multiple cities such as Granada, Madrid, Malaga, and Rhonda, and each city helped me to grow, and to appreciate every person and everything. For instance, when I was in Granada, I visited the famous Alhambra, the most beautiful and historical attraction. There were a lot of people who came to come view this area. Everyone cherished every monument, flower, and the scenery. Inside this building there was so much love. I thought to myself, do I ever have to the opportunity to just sit and reflect on life with my busy schedule?

Later, I went to Madrid, a very diverse and huge city in Spain. There were so many people in the streets, and I always saw people sitting at local pubs eating tapas and just enjoying their life. No one was in a rush, no one looked worried, a tapa a day is what took their pain away. I questioned myself, when was the last time I just sat in a restaurant with my family and friends just to relax?

While in Malaga, I visited the beaches, and the people were very nice and free-spirited. No one could not stop smiling or laughing, and the humid weather, or the countries’ economical problems did not affect their happiness. I pondered, when have I truly relaxed, and not let life’s obstacles affect me?

The city Rhonda was a great place to visit because it had an historical touch, and it made me think of the past, and my future. Every time I spoke to some of the locals about this town, they always mentioned the mountains, and how beautiful they were. The majority of the townspeople were elderly people, but they were still working and trying to establish a good future for themselves.

I am grateful to have visited Spain because it opened a new chapter to my life, it taught me how to cherish every moment, and to live my life with no regrets.

It feels really good to take time out of your life and just sit and enjoy what life has to offer. Traveling to me is living because one might choose his or her destination, but he or she is not aware of the adventures and life lessons stored ahead. All one can do is hold his/her carry-on luggage in one hand, and personal items in the other hand, and walk in the long line, until it is time to be in the air to fly.

 

 Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

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A Night to Remember at Failaka Island, Kuwait

Failaka Island, an island that was once busy and full of life, was deserted in 1991 after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. It is now rumoured to be haunted with the souls of the people that died in the war and they are forever stuck there haunting the island’s visitors. I decided to go to Failaka to find out for myself if the rumours were true.

To get to the Island you have to take a ferry from the mainland, when I first arrived on to the port, I instantly felt the blaring heat of the sun slowly burning my skin and the stinging sensation with a slight desire to sneeze from the salt and dust filled air. The first thing i noticed were the eerie abandoned houses littered with bullet holes and graffiti which mainly consisted of the names of people that perished and the words “Free Kuwait”.

As night was approaching I decided to climb up on the roof of an abandoned house to set up camp as I have heard  that there are scorpions at that time of year, after 15 minutes of setting up my tent the sky turned into a jet black colour with only a few stars scattered in the sky. I noticed in the distance there was house with lit up windows all alone, some people decided to go back to the island after the war had finished, as they loved the place so much, this gave me a strange feeling of hope and determination because there was nothing left of the island yet people were still so attached to the place, I would love to know what was so special about the place that it gave them this strong sense of attachment towards it.

There was definitely something about that place at night, I did not sleep all night as I was scared that a ghost may pop up at any moment. I kept on hearing a weird quacking like noise throughout the night, which at the time terrified me, but I later learned that there were animals on the island that were in a farm but now they roam freely.There was also an icy breeze that would appear out of nowhere and would chill my bones and make me shiver. I remember reading that when there are ghosts around the temperature usually drops. I found this strange as during the day the temperature was unbearably hot. Setting camp on top of a worn out, harrowing abandoned house covered with  bullet holes certainly did not help me ease my mind.  

The next morning I took the next ferry back to the mainland, there is definitely something odd about that place and the haunting rumours may be true, the atmosphere was very sinister, are there ghosts on this island or are they just some made up superstition, I am not sure but one thing I am sure of is that I will not return.

Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

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Abra, The Philippines: The Tingguians, Bamboos, and the Art of Dyeing

Abra is a province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that is notorious for its records of election-related violence more than any other thing. Development is slow in this province and not much is really happening inside. It is, therefore, not at all surprising that this place is not one of those that would be in your priority of places to see in the Philippines: to mention that you are going to Abra to other Filipinos will surely invite some stare of judgment and even dissent.

How did we, on the other hand, see Abra?

What led us to Abra in July 2013 is to feature its “natural dye makers” — the indigenous highland people called Tingguians – for What I See travel photography show.

The view of Bangued, the capital town of Abra, from the top of the Cassamata Hill National Park.

Right after the storm: International photographer Francisco “Paco” Guerrero, the host of What I See, scouting the surroundings of the Calaba Bridge and the Abra River basin for the best capture there is to find.

The Bamboo Split Weavers

The Tingguians, also called Isneg, are engaged in various crafts. The most important of which is bamboo crafts production. It is for this reason that Abra is aggressively positioning itself as the “Bamboo Capital of the Philippines”.

The Natural Dye Makers

In documenting the production of natural dyes from plants, the team went to the Tingguian village of Namarabar in Penarubia, a town an hour away from the capital Bangued.

Norma Agaid, a Tingguian elder and the sister of the ‘Father of Philippine Natural Dyes’ Luis Agaid, explained which plants yield what kinds of colours: mahogany for red, jackfruit and ginger for yellow, the malatayum plant for indigo, the narra tree for brown, among others.

“Of all the mountain tribes in the Philippines, we have the most number of colours. We only get these colours from sources present around us“, she proudly said.

Norma Agaid sporting an authentic Tingguian attire. Notice the “frog” pattern in her skirt. Traditionally, this is worn during the rainy months in the belief that this will please the gods and their ancestors in giving them the best out of the planting season.

the malatayum plant produces the colour indigo that will later be used in dyeing textiles with various shades of blue.

Brewing narra barks in this earthenware produces the colour brown sap. The narra is the national tree of the Philippines.

The Tingguian women — in their native backstrap-woven clothes — preparing to serenade the What I See team with a traditional welcome song that they composed only a few minutes before we arrived.

The charm of Abra stems from the fact that it is not at all in the tourism map. Indeed, it is highly ignored by outsiders. Hence, our experience in this rustic province can only be as natural and authentic as we can get. Indigenous dyeing is obviously a dying art. It is important to shed light into it as it is a part of the bigger “Filipino identity and local artistry” that most of us Filipinos tend to take for granted.

Tingguian designs are largely linear and simple, but are assigned with many meanings. Some textiles are reserved for use only during special occasions such as birth-giving, nuptials, and harvesting. The vividness of colours in this shroud only suggests the level of mastery they have in controlling the strength of the dyes they make from readily available sources around them.

Paco Guerrero, whose background is no less than Anthropology, could not have described the Tingguians any better, “In the forest, they do not only see trees and plants. They see colours.”

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The Majestic Pond in Saudi Arabia

A remote pond sits in the midst of mint green luscious tall trees, filled with little beautiful songbirds singing the sweetest of tunes and gingerly hopping from one intertwined tree to another. The pond, pregnant with cool, crystal clear water pouring out from a young spring in the creavases on the grey, old, burdened mountain, existed between the surrounding trees was the small pond we visited on a perfectly clear skied day.

 

The place was unearthed by a dear friend of our little family. It was a weekend that we went on to the pond, a week before exams I believe. It was meant to help the children of both families to relieve the strain of studying for the final exams..

 

It was a picnic always that brought us joyous times, a bit of food is always involved obviously, but it wasn’t the food, or the place that made us happy, it was the company of our friends that did. Shortly after we arrived and set up the picnic was when we raced to the pond to bathe in that crystallic water.

 

The elder son, Haytham, was the pioneer, the first to jump in the freezing water. A photo was snapped at the perfect time as his body touched the water and his shivering began, it was accompanied by the burst of laughter from everyone except the poor soul who is freezing. It was a wintery day for fall, the golden sunrays were just observers, not instigators, they heated the water of the pond minimally.

 

One by one, we went into the cold water previously thought cool. A joyous and nostalgic time indeed. The body of water was shallow except for the part we couldn’t stand in, it seemed at the time it would devour and drag us into perpetual, suffocating darkness. That wasn’t the case, nor was fear the case either, it was the care and attention of our parents that guided us on where to go and where to have fun.

 

The pond housed an interesting character, a young frog whose serendipitous meeting with us created a whole new level of play and fun, no animal cruelty was involved I hope. After we had a lovely time with Mr. Frog we continued to splash around and have great fun, even though I did not know how to swim at that time whatsoever, but splashing around was as fun as swimming for me at that age.

 

The pond was unanimously called Abu Shady’s Valley by the council of the kids honoring the uncle whose car we arrived to the majestic place in, a funny incident happened involving the made-up name. The younger brother of the friendly family had a geography exam that week and was asked to name valleys in Saudi Arabia and the poor kid’s brain froze, he needed one more name and could not recall any, to his aid came the name that we came up with for our pond and he wrote it in the exam and was commented on by the teacher.

 

Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

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The Crystal Palace Part 2: In the Depths of Marengo Cave

 Click here to read Part 1

As we entered what appeared to be a dragon’s cave in the side of a hill, I saw that the cave itself is very “American-style” accessible. Each chamber is brightened by colored lights strategically and aesthetically placed by the Light Masters who specialize in placing light systems in the rare caves. Here and there we saw branches off of the main trail. These smaller trails appear to be only a foot or two wide and short and are a part of the Crawling Tour of the cave. We passed the Elephant Head, a cluster of stalactites named for its shape. Our guided pointed out several types of rock formations including Draperies hanging off the ceiling, the almost transparent strips of Cave Bacon, Soda Straws, and Cave Popcorn. The power of suggestion and the fact that food is not allowed on the tour reminds us all that we are hungry.

 

 

When we arrived at the last chamber we all stood in awe, gaping up at the roof of the cavern. The Penny Ceiling gleamed aboves us like the night sky full of stellar constellations. Our guide told us that the glints of light above are actually pennies and other coins tossed up into the sticky black mud seeping out of the rocks above. As we threw pennies up over our heads hoping they would bring us good luck by adhering to the ceiling, our guide cautioned us to be careful. He told us a story about a tourist who accidently threw his wedding ring up and it stuck (they had to get a ladder to get it down for him). Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, none of my pennies stuck.

 

At the end of the tour, just before returning to the surface there is a rock that everyone is allowed to touch near a small underground lake. While the rest of the group took turns touching the stone, I looked into the underground lake and it gave me a very “Lord of the Rings-ish” feeling. The entire cavern was reflected in the mirror-like surface of the water, making it difficult to determine where reality ends and illusion begins. The reflection in the crystal clear water was beautiful and endless, almost reflecting another dimension.

 

After returning to the surface and meeting up with my husband, we (my daugher, my husband, I) went on a second tour. This excursion was a 40 minute circuit of the Crystal Palace. It is on this hike that we encountered Marengo Cave’s famous waterfall and the  original entrance where the two children, Blanche and her younger brother, Orris, discovered the cave in 1883. This discovery was dramatized as a shadow puppet play on the wall of the cave next to the “original” entrance. To demonstrate the total darkness found deep under the earth, our guide switched off all the lights and lit a single candle. After our eyes had adjusted somewhat, the candle was blown out and we were enveloped in darkness. As we stood in the pitch black cave, our guide explained that if we were subjected to the darkness for 6 weeks most of us would lose our sight.

 

The cavern known as The Crystal Palace is located under the local cemetery and it is a large rock chamber filled with many of the formations we had seen along both tours. After giving us the basic background information, our guide adjusted several controls on the lighting board and the chamber was slowly flooded with light. The experience was very unique. As I stood looking up at the beautiful stone formations, I thought about my history, the end of life as I know it, and about the people placed for their eternal rest in the cemetery above my head. I felt grateful for my husband, our children, the two stinking dogs waiting for me up there in the world, and for the things that I have seen and experienced in my life that I could never have imagined even existed. I thought about what comes after death. I thought about Heaven and imagined it being just like the Crystal Palace: it has been here all along but we could not see the beauty of it without the light. It is very hard to go back to the chaos of the outside world when you have finally found an inner peace, yet I still find myself rushing up the steps into the light thinking, “I have to go back, go back to the surface.”

 Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

 

The post The Crystal Palace Part 2: In the Depths of Marengo Cave appeared first on We Said Go Travel.

The Crystal Palace: In the Depths of Marengo Cave: Part II

 Click here to read Part 1

As we entered what appeared to be a dragon’s cave in the side of a hill, I saw that the cave itself is very “American-style” accessible. Each chamber is brightened by colored lights strategically and aesthetically placed by the Light Masters who specialize in placing light systems in the rare caves. Here and there we saw branches off of the main trail. These smaller trails appear to be only a foot or two wide and short and are a part of the Crawling Tour of the cave. We passed the Elephant Head, a cluster of stalactites named for its shape. Our guided pointed out several types of rock formations including Draperies hanging off the ceiling, the almost transparent strips of Cave Bacon, Soda Straws, and Cave Popcorn. The power of suggestion and the fact that food is not allowed on the tour reminds us all that we are hungry.

 

 

When we arrived at the last chamber we all stood in awe, gaping up at the roof of the cavern. The Penny Ceiling gleamed aboves us like the night sky full of stellar constellations. Our guide told us that the glints of light above are actually pennies and other coins tossed up into the sticky black mud seeping out of the rocks above. As we threw pennies up over our heads hoping they would bring us good luck by adhering to the ceiling, our guide cautioned us to be careful. He told us a story about a tourist who accidently threw his wedding ring up and it stuck (they had to get a ladder to get it down for him). Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, none of my pennies stuck.

 

At the end of the tour, just before returning to the surface there is a rock that everyone is allowed to touch near a small underground lake. While the rest of the group took turns touching the stone, I looked into the underground lake and it gave me a very “Lord of the Rings-ish” feeling. The entire cavern was reflected in the mirror-like surface of the water, making it difficult to determine where reality ends and illusion begins. The reflection in the crystal clear water was beautiful and endless, almost reflecting another dimension.

 

After returning to the surface and meeting up with my husband, we (my daugher, my husband, I) went on a second tour. This excursion was a 40 minute circuit of the Crystal Palace. It is on this hike that we encountered Marengo Cave’s famous waterfall and the  original entrance where the two children, Blanche and her younger brother, Orris, discovered the cave in 1883. This discovery was dramatized as a shadow puppet play on the wall of the cave next to the “original” entrance. To demonstrate the total darkness found deep under the earth, our guide switched off all the lights and lit a single candle. After our eyes had adjusted somewhat, the candle was blown out and we were enveloped in darkness. As we stood in the pitch black cave, our guide explained that if we were subjected to the darkness for 6 weeks most of us would lose our sight.

 

The cavern known as The Crystal Palace is located under the local cemetery and it is a large rock chamber filled with many of the formations we had seen along both tours. After giving us the basic background information, our guide adjusted several controls on the lighting board and the chamber was slowly flooded with light. The experience was very unique. As I stood looking up at the beautiful stone formations, I thought about my history, the end of life as I know it, and about the people placed for their eternal rest in the cemetery above my head. I felt grateful for my husband, our children, the two stinking dogs waiting for me up there in the world, and for the things that I have seen and experienced in my life that I could never have imagined even existed. I thought about what comes after death. I thought about Heaven and imagined it being just like the Crystal Palace: it has been here all along but we could not see the beauty of it without the light. It is very hard to go back to the chaos of the outside world when you have finally found an inner peace, yet I still find myself rushing up the steps into the light thinking, “I have to go back, go back to the surface.”

 Thank you for reading and commenting. Please enter the Gratitude Travel Writing competition and tell your story.

 

The post The Crystal Palace: In the Depths of Marengo Cave: Part II appeared first on We Said Go Travel.