Angel Falls

Her friend, an engineer, looked at the water leaking from the small aeroplane. No way, he said, I am not boarding.

But Naka, eager to see the rarely visited Angel Falls, insisted to go.

The name brought to mind a stream of heavenly beings, falling from high blue skies into the green of undergrowth.

When the aeroplane started to lose height, the spot appeared: an open landing in the Brazil forests, where some workers cleared trees to be taken down the river to some unknown destination.

After a rather shaky descent, Naka stood on firm ground, swirling. Above her there was no blue sky ... only a roof of green. Birds fell from the trees -- they reminded her of enormous rainbow colored flowers. Frogs croaked in big tulip-like blooms growing in lofts. They are born there and they die there, never touching ground, the leader of the archeology group said.

Ants, eating their way up in the cores of trees as high as 200 ft, frantically closed  holes to the outside with mud to keep big, leave-like spiders at bay. Sloth's or lazy animals were hanging upside down, in motionless wait, while other creatures nested in their hair.

In wonderment Naka started to stray from the group, followed by the leader. Then he suddenly whispered: Turn your head very slowly to the right. You will see something you will never again see in your life.

He stood looking at her, the curtain of leaves pushed to the side. Naked, he stood, a man wild and beautiful. His hair glistened, black olive; his skin a glow of ochre. His eyes big, dark and expressionless. He was close, so close, should she have reached out, she could have been able to touch him. A shiver ran through her body.

Then the forest curtain closed and he was gone, as if the apparition was part of a her imagination.

For a week they waited before help arrived. They slept in the trees in mats, eating fruit given to them by the tree slayers. With no space for another aeroplane to land, the engine parts were parachuted in drop shipment to them.

Further and further she flew from what seemed to be a dream ... but he was forever etched into her memory: a monochrome piece of Inca art.

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