Sunset at Castraacha

After a long hike, I lay down in the grasses along the edge of the Farbrite Mountains in the Castraacha Reserve to catch my breath and rest from the strenuous stride I had kept to make it to the top. This had been my goal for the day to watch the sunset from the heights overlooking the Castraacha Valley and now I let every limb melt into the cool ground and met with the breeze from the evening winds to calm and replenish my overheated body. Afterward, I sat up, drank down, and splashed my head and face with the water in my canister, and sighed at the release of the tensions that had built up in my muscles and tendons.

Here, alone in a vast and elevated space, the sky looked limitless and was filled with whimsical white, grey, orange, rose pink, and red colored clouds. I watched as the clouds drifted, moved quietly, and enfolded into one another across the sky creating many odd and abstract shapes. Some unfolded and bloomed into fountains and others dispersed and quickly dissipated into thin air. Looking at and watching cloud formations has always been one of my favorite past times. Sometimes I see faces and other times figures that look like people, animals, and angels. I grabbed my camera to capture the clouds and the unfolding evening sunset displayed in the sky.

The blazing sun was ascended into the heavens over the Farbrite Mountains, shining brightly and hanging there like a golden Christmas tree ball. The iridescent lights and colors from the clouds vibrated and streamed in with the bright rays of the sun like lines and bars of musical notes casting rainbow reflections over, upon, and along the mountainsides. My heart was overwhelmed with awe of this beautiful sight and my camera was the only eye that I had that could record this fascinating and euphoric experience to share with others when I returned home.

I felt like I was in a universal theatre watching the epic mysteries of nature's confluences displaying themselves with untold messages coming from an invisible and omnipotent higher power that was manufacturing their works behind the scenes and curtains of wanting to be hidden and known at the same time. 

As the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words, and even though I felt awestruck and speechless, a million descriptions flooded my mental vocabulary with sparks of inspiration and visages for a story, a song, a painting, and a poem that would light up somebody's life with hope and promise as much as I was encapsulated in this rare and beautiful moment in time.

I pondered on why it takes climbing to the top of a mountain to be able to fully interact with the peculiarities of space and connect with the unknown reaches of ungraspable information. I knew that once I was back in the Castraacha Valley I'd still see many mesmerizing sights but not in the same ways that I am able to see, watch and experience them as closely and intimately as I am now from the top of the Farbrite Mountains.

I leaned back on my hands, my outstretched legs and feet relaxed while my head and upper torso were energized from the sun's rays and the colorful radiant lights dancing through the clouds. From up here, I felt like I really had my head in the clouds and that my eyes were filled with the glorious golden shine of the sunset.

While the sun was still resting in its place and before the bluish dawn became the dark of the night, I set up my tent, unrolled my sleeping bag, and watched the remainder of the sunset from the opening of the tent door. The stars appeared to break through and shone like diamonds until the universal sky became a glistening kingdom.

My eyes fell tired but the ambiance of even more glory kept me in a euphoric state. At this altitude high up in the Farbrite Mountains overlooking into the valley of the Castraacha Reserve, the air was much cooler and crisper at this time of the evening and aided with keeping me alert, aware and awake.

Then I closed my eyes and rested. The winds swept over me and the quietness felt so soothing that I crawled into my sleeping bag and went into a deep sleep.

I woke up just in time to see the morning sunrise peeking over the mountain tops. I grabbed my thermos of coffee and the muffin I had packed and watched as the sunlight poured out like liquid gold. The rays of the sun pierced through the heavy mist that was settled over the Castraacha Valley and again my camera recorded my early morning experience with a new day. Now, it was time to wash up and pack. The hike back home was going to be a long one and I could tell by the warmth of the sun that today was going to be a hot one.

At last, I heaved my knapsack over my shoulders and began the long trek through the brush. By now the mountain path was well worn through much use. It was easy to navigate safely without the fear of getting lost. The whole of the Farbrite Mountainous Region surrounding the Castraacha Reserve has been well-managed and established as a prime hiking and climbing region for both the locals and tourists. I kept my stride slow and easy to conserve energy. I stopped infrequently to take pictures of the wild white daisies, black-eyed Susans, and the brilliant purple irises. The sun's rays lit up through the trees of the forest and as the mist began to clear up the fragrance of the dew on the flora swirled up and into my nose. I could feel and taste the wholesomeness of nature's natural health spa. I was glad the going back was all downhill and that I did not need to expend as much energy as I had when I had begun my trek up.

Soon, I arrived where I had parked my mini-van and before I left, I sat and took the time to reflect on the exhilarating time and experience I had had on the Farbrite Mountain top. The sun winked at me through the front windowpane. I felt as the warm winds blow over and through me and then every last weight I had carried was lifted off of my shoulders and away.