We park near where we will walk the rest of the way up, only to be greeted by hordes of Haitians attempting to sell us their wares. Being quite used to this by now, we push our way through them to begin our walk. Along the way we begin to notice that a group of boys around our ages have decided to join us. They are pretty silent, however, we realize they've each chosen one of us to talk to, and single us out whenever they can. The guy that talks to me speaks very good english and is being friendly. Suspicious of his motives, I try to be as friendly as possible, while maintaining boundaries. At some point the guy picks up on it and tells me that we're just talking and there is "no obligation" to give anything. To be continued on that one...
There are tons of cannons throughout the place, many set up facing windows. We learned that most of these were stolen from imperial ships. Beyond that, cannonballs were also littered throughout the place.
Once we emerge in the courtyard, we finally see a couple of school groups that have gathered there. We continue upwards to the very top, only to be greeted by one of the most majestic views I have ever experienced in my travel. Views that no picture can do justice. I'm sure many of you can relate to that sentiment. We felt like we could reach up and brush the layer of clouds above our heads. We could see for miles into the valley, with the shadow of clouds upon the land. We could see smoke rising from houses where charcoal was being made. We could hear the faint sound of drums in the distance, most likely from voodoo ceremonies. Needless to say, it was a gorgeous moment.
The fresh air and breeze at the top was extremely refreshing, particularly after the time we had spent in the smoke and dust filled city. It was also strange to think of the beauty from so far away, knowing that things weren't so down below. The peace we felt up there is momentary, a breath of fresh air. However, no one can stay up here forever. You must descend the mountain at some point. Moses took Joshua upon the mountain to gaze upon the Holy Land. Their moment of fresh air was also brief. They both knew the trials that lied ahead. The struggles, the pain, the death.
Eventually we walked back down, only to be greeted by our sojourning friends. The one who had singled me out smiled and began talking to me again. I continued my suspicious interaction. Towards the bottom he began to tell me that while I was up there he was with his kid in the hospital and really needed some help, particularly in the form of money from me. After being in this country for so long, after getting a read on this guy, and especially after being at BSM this year, I have discovered the truth that such statements, such experiences, are simply COMPLICATED. Never an easy answer. However, they always point to the system, the root. This is where action must be taken. This is why guilt can never rest on the rejection of these moments. It's amazing for those who can rise above. However...it's complicated. In this particular situation, especially given that this was obviously a tourist trap, I turned him down and walked away from him fast, which seemed to do the trick.
As we drove back down the mountain in the Pathfinder, we had a moment where the brakes started to smoke! Our driver stopped to let them cool as we dug into the remainder of our packed lunches (which had lasted us MANY meals over our time). These consisted of every sort of combination of tortillas, bread, tuna, fresh avocados, fresh mangoes, oreos, nutter butters, and granola bars.
At the bottom, we walked around the Imperial Palace, which had largely been destroyed in a quake years ago. It was spread out pretty far and we could faintly make out where things used to be.
Of particular interest was a large old tree of obvious importance to the house. We were told this was the "tree of justice," a place where people were hanged. An interesting comparison to the "tree of life." Both testaments to the power of nature, to hold life and death. This palace in particular, was also a clear example of the triumph of nature, of eternity, of God. The remains of this place were largely grown over. A stream trickled down through the yard, into the city below. A reminder that our most powerful structures can not stand up to the test of nature.
We finished our time there and preceded to ride onward to what would be our retreat house for a 24 hour period, Cormier Place, a local beach resort. Supporting the local economy is never a bad thing! We arrive and learn theres only one room left that 5 of us must squeeze into. We take it! The place, however, is strangely quiet. We would learn that this is due to UN soldiers who have made this their temporary home while they work in the city. Interesting.
We take this time, once again, to breathe, to soak in all that we've seen. We take this time to rest, to figure out how we're going to tell our stories once we return home. We feel like we've been in the country forever. We also know we've got a lot to share upon our return.
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