Eagle feathers at the Eagles Lake

Dear traveler,

It was a while since our last adventure when we decided to head towards this fairytale place. 

Some months of nothing besides sitting in the house because of a virus did not seem right for us, as they did for nobody, but all this time we've been checking our maps, getting ready and thinking about what we'd like to do. 

One night we were so eager so we placed our tent in our hallway and we slept there, on the floor. Funny thing was when we realized that the hallway was smaller than the tent...but, we managed. 

But here we are now, on the road, free to explore, to wander, to leave a bit far away from home. Out of all the places that Mamarmot showed me on the maps in the past months, I chose the Eagles Lake. I can imagine the eagles, flying above a crystal clear lake. 

Now let's see!

We slowly start walking on a wider path, through a raw green forest, in the sound of birds chirping and the smooth whistling of the wind through the trees. It's just us here, as we've been most of the time in the past months, We easily climb on a path that winds slowly and we walk and keep on walking and the path starts to narrow and the forest becomes thicker and thicker.

I'm thinking about how sleeping in the tent will be like as it's been a while since I haven't slept in one. I'm thinking about the lake and of how I will walk where the eagles fly and so the time passes until I see a big dirt slope in front of me. It wouldn't normally be a problem, but...

-"How long until we get there?"

-"Well, marmot, I think we walked around one quarter of the entire trail."

Just a quarter? But I've been thinking about a thousand stories in my mind, how come just a quarter? Oh but I don't want to complain too much now, I'm strong and we didn't get much out of the house lately. Come on...

As we walk, we leave the forest behind and the path becomes much more even, maybe it climb s a bit sometimes but not that much. We reach a place called the Gate of Winds from where we have much more sights around us. Mamarmot says that we are getting close. 

Here we meet more hikers along the trail, we even saw a car. I don't know how they got here but I wouldn't want to be them. It was not easy for me but the colors of flowers and the forest's scent cannot be felt from a car.

A few steps forward and suddenly before my eyes appears...the laaaake! I'm so excited!

I run towards the lake, my eyes towards the sky, searching for eagles. It's not the most crystal clear lake I've ever seen, but I like this place!

I don't see any eagles but I see Mamarmot, her footsteps driven toward a direction. She met some of our friends and now she's caught in a chat.

-"Let's set up the tent!"

-"Wait, marmot, we are kind of alone here, let's wait for a while, so others will set up their tents too."

-"Whaaat? You were actually thinking about not sleeping here? I'm not going back! I'm sleeping here!"

We have a snack and a chat with our friends but they have to return home now. Then we see how someone takes out his tent from his backpack.

Now that's more like it! Let's do that too! We say goodbye to our friends and we start setting up our tent. It seems easier to set it up on the grass than on the floor.

The tent is ready, now let's explore! I still haven't found any eagles yet. We start walking aimlessly and we find various interesting flowers.

Wild irises, something that Mamarmot calls yellow poppies and other multi colored flowers that she cannot name..and look, something black. Nooo, it's not a flower, it's a feather! It's actually the feather of an eagle. I knew there were eagles out here, they are just hiding right now.

Once we return from our walk, we can see that in the cabin's yard some other tents popped up but also a camp fire. We join the other hikers and the cabin hunter by the fire and we share some stories and a soup. The hunter goes to look out for bears, not before telling me that the feather I have in my hand is actually an eagle's feather. But I already knew that, of course.

Soon it gets very cold so we head to our tent. I help Mamarmot take some pictures with the tent, by lighting it up from the inside, and leaving her freeze outside, but very soon I get sleepy. I happily tuck in my warm sleeping bag and I instantly fall asleep. 

Next morning I wake up to find Mamarmot outside, stirring in a pot with coffee. Me and dad join too. I slept very well.

We stay here for a while, just to enjoy the view as it's so beautiful. 

After we pack up our tent and eat what was left in our backpack, we slowly hit the road, straight forward above the lake, as apparently we will be climbing a peak before returning home. I may be well rested but this steep climb annoys me. 

On our way, we see more and more wild irises, and soon, we find ourselves on a ridge. From here we walk a bit up to Mălâia peak.

Mamarmot shows me the Ciucaș mountains, which I wanderer through one summer back and she tells me that if we look carefully we can see some friends of ours which are hiking there today.

Come on, Mamarmot, I may be small, but I know that we cannot see that far.

But, we can see something that moves down in the valley. Could it be a bear? Who knows..It's so beautiful out here so we sit for a while to enjoy the view.

The time to return home has come, not before I say goodbye to the lake, which gazes at us from below, sparkling in the sunlight. Maybe next time you eagles will come out from your hiding place, but for now, I'm thankful for this feather and I know exactly what I'll do with it.

I skip back to the Gate of Winds, through the forest, on the paths, and at the end, I enjoy a break with my feet in the chilly river. 

In the car towards home, my eyes gazing at poppy field in full bloom, my mind flies to our red tent laying under the stars. 

-"Mom, where will we set up our tent next time?"

-"Marmot, I think we'll go to a place where you've wandered before."