sunrise on la palma

at the beginning of the world all was dark and unformed.  a nebulous mass of water vapour swirled around the flanks of the dark volcano.  the cold stars shone dimly from on high.  from my unconsciousness i emerged; i stirred in my hammock and saw that the eastern sky was aflame with bright red.  i quicky got up and went into the refuge. "isbrand" i called softly, "wake up!  you gotta see this sunrise"

El teide - the 3718m volcano tenerife - from across the sea which was a sea of clouds, gracefully rose into a sky of grandiose arabesque flaming red clouds.  from my 2,000m rocky perch on the old volcanic crest of la palma, i watched breathtaken as the red slowly mellowed into bright yellow.  the whole of the sky behind the volcano radiated a brighter and brighter yellow.  then everything stood still.  i thought: is that it?  has the sun risen?  why hasn't it assumed its familiar ball shape?  and then it came.  the flaming majestic fiery orb, inch by swift inch, rising steadily above the volcano, speading its good news of abundant warmth and light.

the world had begun.