Last week I got some critique from my most faithful reader, as we went for a stroll on the Kopaszi gat (a nice grassy, fresh place near my home). My Norita told me that she has been checking my blog every day, and recognized, that I am not quite diligent in following my starting promise, that was to write about my sources of joy I experience during the year...she might have though I am out of sources, or I'm lazy :) Well she was not far away from the truth..I really was lazy... After the office, a program was always offered, one day a beer with a friend on the bank of the river, the other day a chat with another friend, and invitation to the third etc. All in all, every day I got home after midnight, and I did not feel like turning on my computer...as it was 40 degrees lately in the city I was just longing for a nice shower, and then the bed.
This weekend however, I took part in such an adventure that has to be remembered of. On Friday afternoon I left the office early, grabbed my backpack and headed down to the street, where a car and 4 people were waiting for me already. We sorted the things out, introduced ourselves to each other, and headed to Slovenia. The road took about 7 hours, with a few stops, and it was already quite late when we arrived to a house outside of Mojstrana, where we hoped to get a good night rest to be able to conquer the mighty heights of the Triglav mountain. The parking lot was hidden deep in the forest, surrounded by pinetrees, that towered above us like giants. We got out of the car, and it felt to be able to stretch a bit. There were no lights, though we had to find our way on the small forest road to the house. The air was fresh and cool, the sky was cloudy, but still something could be seen, as that night there was a fullmoon. With the help of the headlights of our companions we managed to get on the right track and walked towards the house. I wished to stay there longer...in the darkness, stillness, just to let myself be completely amazed, and overtaken by the beauty, and mystic atmosphere, but I had to follow my little group, as we were already afraid that we might not get a bed. After sorting the accomodation out, the others went to sleep right away, - the room where we slept was already full, and we did our best to get to bed as quickly as possible not to disturb their sleep - but I sneaked out and went down on the squeeking stairs, opened the door, and stood in front of our wooden house for a while. I could hardly see, I stared into the darkness, trying to make out any sort of movement coming from the depths of the forests nearby...doing my best to melt into that strange, closed world full of secrets. I inhaled uncertainty coming from my inability to see, I was a bit scared, yet curious...and amazed, by the purity of nature...by the stillness, by its mightyness.
The next morning I woke up at 5 and heard the raindrops on the roof. One by one they rushed down from the sky making a nice rhythmical dance. If I was in my bed, I would have been so thankful for that sound, but today it made me worried as I was afraid, that we might need to postpone our trip. We had a quick breakfast, met other very stubborn and determined people, who were there that day for the same reason..to reach out for the top. We all know, that the way up there is going to be hard, that we will have doubts, that there will be a point when we will truly think, that we cannot make, and we should go back...but deep down, all of us knew that it is a sort of test too..and we must not retreat. We started our journey, as the rain seemed to halt, and threw ourselves deep into the woods. At first we had the energy to look around, and explore beauty in the flora and fauna of the place, but after the 3rd steeper hill, our attention started to lessen, and we played only for survival. The road up to the mountain started with a nice path in the forest...then slowly the path started to turn rocky..but still we could see the trees around us...then the whole area wrapped itself into a thick fog, so that soon we lost track of each other, and were hardly able to see further than the top of our nose. Our group broke up..some walked faster, some slower..some were tempted to go back, and give it up, some were sure to make it, no matter what. I managed to keep the girls encouraged, and tried to motivate them by walking in front of them...so that they could see me doing it, and it would give them strength to hold on. There was a point though where they needed to take a longer break, and we separated. For a while I was walking by myself..and talked to the mountain..I realized that we have some similarities, I felt like I understand her...her strict and steep hills, here unreachable heights, her attitude of not giving it easy..her isolation, and coldness..her embracing arms, her variety of forest, and lunatic rocky hills....I felt like I found a friend in the mountain...I could hear her heart beating from far...I knew she wants me to be there, I could feel our energies exchange..that was the moment when I leaned over and kissed a mossy cliff that crossed my path..I had to do it...I felt the urge...I loved this mountain...though it gave me a hard time, tested my endurance, and pulled a pile of obstacles my way...I loved her..because I knew if I was worthy of it, and passed the test, my reward would be of unspeakable treasure..the view from its top.
That day we, completely exhausted we got to 2500 meters, to a refuge house, called Triglavski dom. The house stood there lonely in the middle of nowhere, withholding the grim weather conditions, looking on the peaks of the Triglav mountain. We entered, got a room, and rushed down to the "restaurant". We ordered a soup (jota z mesom) and finished the fulfilling food in a minute. The soup was followed by a beer and some water. Inside it was nice and cozy, the fire was burning in the huge fireplace, clothes were drying by its side. Every other minute another conquerer would enter, and soon the little place was packed with adventurers. They also drank some, and their humours started to elevate..a harmonica was found, a guy started to play, others started to sing and dance. The afternoon was spent by the celebration of our success, joy and contentment. Also it was a preparation for the next day, when the last, but hardest bit of the journey had to be completed..the conquer the top, that was 2867 meters. There it was not possible to walk, we had to climb.
The night gave us enough rest, I was gazing at the starry sky from my window for quite a while still, as the others were sleeping..there were no clouds, and I had the clearest, and closest vision on Ursa Major so far. He winked in through the glass of my window, and after being enchanted by its beauty I sank into the sweet dreamworld, from where I was pulled back quickly though as 2 drunk guys started to sing in front of our door. I opened the door, and warned them to be silent, but it was too late, it took me another hour to be able to sleep.
In the morning, I was ready..in mind and soul to conquer the top..I had doubts about my physical barriers (hoped my legs will not shake and I will not be afraid of the height) but I quickly overcame them, and made my way towards the signs. The girsl decided to stay in the house. They way up was not the easiest, a very srong and icy wind was blowing, the stones became slippery and it was difficult to find a grip on them. But I pictured a spider, and stretched my hands and legs in a way, that they would enable me to adhere to the walls of the cliffs. The people around me had proper equipments, ropes, helmets, warm coat and hat....I had nothing..a pair of light pants, and a jacket...some were even staring at me..might have been a bit cautious about me making it to the top, but I was confident...I set my mind on it, I had to go...I had to do it..and where's a will, there's a way. I made progress, and even passed some guys who seemed to be slower in spite of all their equipments. The vision from the top...was...breathtaking...there are no words to describe it...that is why I made some pictures, but even those are just a weak copy of what awaited us up there. My hands were freezing, my hair got wet from the cloud that wished to swallow the mountain top, the wind did not stop to blow, but it was a feeling of completion to be able to be there look around, open my arms and think: "here I am...and that is what counts". The level of adrenaline increased in me...I could not help but to smile, the guys around were nodding in acceptance, of passing the test, and I was the happiest person.
My joy lasted all the way as I walked down to the refuge house, picked up the girls, and headed back to the car. As that day we had a clear sky, we could see it all, what we missed the previous day due to the fog, mist and clouds. God was merciful to us. After arriving back to the parking lot, we headed home, but took a small bypass, and visited the marvelous town of Bled. We walked around the lake, gazed at the little island with the church on it in the middle, and the castle built on top of the cliff above the lake.
By midnight, I was back in Budapest, and my body feeling tiresome, pleading for some rest, but my heart pounding, and filled with contentment, thankfulness and joy, that I was given the chance of seeing so much beauty in just a weekend.
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