Hike: Montagne Des Singe / "Mountain of Monkeys"

Hellooooooooo!Last sunday we took a little trip up to Montagne Des Singe, or the "Mountain of Monkeys". Although we didn't encounter any monkeys, which I actually hear are quite rare, we had a good stretch of our legs on the climb up to the top.

This little hike is one of the rarer treks as it is "paved" all the way to the top, where there is also a viewing-tower. Apparently such hikes were built by forced labour of French Guianan prisoners. People were used as machinery, afforded the value of what their bodies could withstand in pursuit of infrastructure. Coming from Finland, a young country that functions along the basis of "equal for all", this is a strange concept to wrap my head around. It was an odd feeling, ascending a mountain in the middle of nowhere on a paved path, surrounded by absolutely untamed jungle. I felt guilty using the pavements, as if I too, by default, became part of the "ruling elite".

Although this thought was unsettling, it did not persist to linger long in my mind. I was busy trying to prove my Finnish strength by not falling too far behind Anthony, who was shooting up the goddamn hill. How annoying. But I came to realize that he was most probably just trying to prove his resolute strength in doing so. Quite funny really, both as bad as each other - how carnal, and ultimately quite silly.

Although the hike wasn't all that physically taxing it felt good to reach the top. Exercise in this climate is rather deceptive; after only a short period of time you are dripping in sweat and breathing heavily. You feel rather accomplished even though you've really done bugger all :D

These trees are just magnificent. Just, wow - Goodness. "Hello there tree, you've been here hundreds of years. I pretty much just got here in comparison with you. You look good - keep it up." (Ha!)
So my phone was having some difficulty shooting in the low light so it is a bit over-exposed, but you get the picture - these guys are big.
Melba loved running around off the lead and was her bouncy self. Meanwhile I was hoping she wouldn't run into a poisonous snake or spider or something equally dangerous.
The view from the top was definitely worthwhile. The wooden viewing-tower was covered in little notes or inscribed with names and dates commemorating people's visits - it's funny how humans tend to want to leave a mark on where they've been. I enjoy reading them because it is such a human phenomenon.

You can't see it in the picture but the launch site is just in the distance. Pretty cool.

Melba was pretty beat too :)

 
We took some fun photos :)


And found some of these humongous ants - seriously. Now there is a French Guianan ant. It could probably carry me if it wanted to.


We came home and Melba looked like this - SUCCESS!

Thank you to my readers and I hope all of you are doing well!

P E A C E !