Date of Entry: August 1st 2016
Date of writing: November 19th 2016
We wake up raring to go, me very excited to get into something resembling mountains, especially with how much I’ve been missing the andes, and after some initial confusion with Abraham and some delicious tapiocas as well as a quick stop at the supermarket to purchase lunch stuff our whole group is climbing into a mini van of sorts. Annie, Tobias, Isabella, our Polish friend, myself and a few others all eager to get to a proper sized waterfall, even though it is dry season and we’re not sure how much water will actually be falling. Still just driving in the national park is a feast for the eyes.
After a good long while driving through the national park we reach a small village our guide pulling over and registering us for the walk up to the top of fumaca falls. (If you want to go to the bottom it’s a3 day walk through the national park which I wish I had time to do). the friendly park guides give us a bit of info while I snap some photos of photos of the falls in wetter times before we start our ascent.
The trail is rocky, muddy and a little steep but throughly manageable at first and soon enough we’re rewarded with some great, all be it cloudy views of the country side below us, lush green forests, dotted with small homes, and interrupted only by the strange flat topped mountains which make this park so famous. As we continue upwards I also past a beautiful blue flower alone among the green and speckled with the dew of a fresh mountain morning.
We continue the climb up, and looking for a reason to stop to catch my breath I quickly strip and take some classic paint me jack photos much to the twisted mixture of dismay and delight of the group.
We continue up to the top of the mountain and cross over following the rocky path under the cloudy sky. Eventually we reach a river and follow it toward the opposite edge of the table mountain. There’s not much water in it and it’s not flowing with any speed but our guide makes us stick to the path when I want to crawl the mountain edge in the river. Oh well, together we reach the viewpoint to check out the waterfall but quickly find that water isn’t really falling. The updraft from the valley below seems to have switched the waterfall into some sort of water fly. It’s cool to see though I do find myself wishing I was here during wet season to see the place in all it’s glory.
A few other groups have beat us up there but we wait them out as they snap some photos and leave then it’s our turn to edge our way out onto an impressive ledge one by one, each one of us nervous as we peer over the edge of the out-jutting rock. Some of us get further than others, but I mean who can be surprised, everyone knows norwegians are cowards. We snap lots of photos of each other and I have to admit I’m a little dizzied as I look down over the edge of the several hundred meter drop and the green valley which stretches out into infinity winding between more of the strange mountains that surround us. It’s a beautiful place, even if the waterfall isn’t quite what I dreamed of at this time of year.
We eat lunch up on this summit and eventually I start aching for a better view of the falls and so I creep out to another rocky ledge, being sure to check it’s stability before looking out on the valley once more and watching the strange phenomenon of water falling up. It’s pretty cool, and Tobias, despite being swiss ;), is nice enough to snap some photos of me.
As we all sit and talk up on that windy summit still soaking in the natural beauty of the landscape all around us, I decide I need one more peek out onto that rocky ledge, wanting to get further our than before. Imagine, I used to be very scared of heights, just another way that travel has helped me grow.
The whole place is unbelievably beautiful but eventually our guide tells us it’s time to wrap up our conversation and get moving, before we head down though we cross the river and head to one last different viewpoint of the valley below on the other side of the falls. I attack tobias based on his nationality and he jumps off the mountain in a fit of pure terror. (Or calmly pushes me away and continues with his day. You decide which is true)
Now of course as soon as we start heading back the sun comes out rendering the sky a brilliant blue and adding a certain vibrance to the green valleys below. I wish the sun had come sooner but I’m glad for the light of it and by the time we make it back down to the trailhead and the van we’re all quite hot and sweaty and eager to head back to Lencois for what we hope will be a nice Moceca dinner. As I look back at the photos I realize I’m still constantly amazed by the difference a blue sky can make for photographs.
