Climbing Mountains

Here are some shots from the hike we mentioned a couple posts back. The lake in the crater of the second volcano looked beautiful and inviting, but was too far down to reach on that day. The garment Ruth is wearing is not a burka but a balto, which is cooler. And yes, she does climb mountains in it; John and Lois raised a trooper.

The shot on the right is of Ruth and some others climbing the first volcano. Its crater was dry, and full of the skeletons of small animals, including the blowfish pictured below (and others like him). The birds take them up there to eat, but we also found numerous bird skulls. Do unto others...

The last shot is one my favourites. Yemeni Samurai Chick (Ruth's objections to this name have been noted). The lava formation beside her was unique in that landscape - very few upright rocks remain on the mountain. Shortly after this was taken, we climbed down to the sea in the direction she is facing. The slope was sandier than the one we had climbed up, and the shifting rocks beneath us made for a tricky descent. Lesson learned: don't be an idiot. If the route you took up the mountain was safe, take it again on the way down.









It was a beautiful day, all told, and we look forward to many more adventures. Keep thinking of us as we deal with the daily struggles, too - there are more mountains to be climbed.

With Love,
The Cricket