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The walk back to Chavarillo

Thursday, November 2, 2006 | 0 comments

Read the previous part of this blog entry in Climbing the slope of the canyon of Chavarillo.

The river at the bottom of the canyon.
The river at the bottom of the canyon.

When we finally returned at the bottom of the canyon, I took a few photos of the river close to where it would make a huge drop as a waterfall into the deeper part of the canyon.

The river at the bottom of the canyon.
The river at the bottom of the canyon.

We followed the river upstream, back to the spot where we had arrived at the bottom of the canyon the first time that day. Suddenly Esme got a good scare when a big butterfly suddenly landed out of nowhere on her jacket. I had an excellent opportunity to make a close-up photo of this insect.

Close-up of a butterfly resting on Esme's jacket.
Close-up of a butterfly resting on Esme's jacket.

Shortly after, a butterfly landed on my clothes. We both enjoyed this moment, it really felt like we were one with nature and everything was at peace.

Blue flowers.
Blue flowers.

Then we noticed two grasshoppers mating. I tried to get a good close-up, but somehow the female grasshopper got scared, and clumsy jumped away. Even when those grasshoppers are not carrying a partner on their back, they can only make small jumps, and clumsy at that. Now with the extra weight, the female grasshopper even rolled over a few times.

Big grasshoppers mating.
Big grasshoppers mating.

When I finally managed to get the pair on my hands, I was able to make a few good close-up photos, and when the grasshopper pair walked down the side of my hand I could make a very good photo of how the two were joined.

Close-up of male grasshopper genitalia engaged with the female's.
Close-up of male grasshopper genitalia engaged with the female's.

After a few more photos I decided to leave the couple alone, and carefully put them back on the ground. The female hopped away to a safe distance with the male on her back.

Mating grasshoppers on my arm.
Mating grasshoppers on my arm.

Esme and I continued our pleasant walk, both enjoying the now softer light, and the quietness of the place. We started to hear frogs, and we tried to locate one, but couldn't find it.

Light purple flowers.
Light purple flowers.

Shortly after Esme saw a big frog on the other side of the river, resting on a stone. I didn't see it, but since I could cross the river by stepping on large boulders, and get to the exact spot she was pointing at, I went for a closer look. And when I was almost there, the frog, still unseen by me, jumped into a nearby bush. I tried to find it, and then it jumped in a nearby puddle and was gone.

Close-up of frogspawn.
Close-up of frogspawn.

Esme had decided to come over to where I was looking for the frog, but neither could she find it back. We looked a bit around, and in a nearby puddle we noticed a huge clump of frogspawn.

Puddle containing frogspawn.
Puddle containing frogspawn.

We had arrived at the exact spot where we had come down much earlier that day, and after a last look around, we started to follow the track up the slope of the canyon.

Female Nephila clavipes (Golden orb-weaver) against the blue sky.
Female Nephila clavipes (Golden orb-weaver) against the blue sky.

After some walking we arrived back into the main street of Chavarillo. We followed this street to the small park in the center of Chavarillo. We were hoping that the little restaurant where we had eaten earlier this restaurant was open, but it wasn't. So we waited in front of the library of Chavarillo.

The moon above the park in the center of Chavarillo.
The moon above the park in the center of Chavarillo.

And after a roughly fifteen minutes the bus to Xalapa arrived, just when I was taking pictures of the moon above the park of Chavarillo. I took the last photo in Chavarillo of that day, and we got on the bus, and on our way back home.

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