THE EXPLORERS - Day 1 (Sunday) of Travel Log

Today we explored what we wanted to do, and where to go this week. 
Besides, Sunday has always been a special day for me. 
In a tongue in cheek way, today was special because I got my hubby to stop on the side of the road. 
As long as I've known him it's hard for him to follow my sudden impulses, like "Stop here!" 
"Why? Is something wrong? Do you have to go to the bathroom?" 
"No, I just wanna stop and have a closer look at what I just saw in the bend of the road we just passed."
Now for him that would not be a reason to even slow down with the car. But today he managed to stop. Waauw!:)
Usually this is a dry riverbed, but now a little stream was winding down this steep hillside  to the road. We were inching ourselves down this steep hill, but it was worth the view. How enchanting!

When we came in the valley we wondered where all these people were coming from?? Hubby volunteered that these were people who just came for one day -on Sunday. On all major intersections workers were directing traffic -much needed! 
These I saw today were the ones who wanted to take the pics to show their friends, just to say that they had been there. So they didn't care about blocking traffic and were trampling over each other to get the views. They are different from the nature lovers one sees through the week, who like hiking, canoeing, biking. They are respectful of others and of nature, and are very helpful when someone needs help.

Don't know if all these crowds got me off balance or what, but...the following happened.
We ended up on the favorite spot of our kids when they were younger.
I wanted to paint just a little. (in the pic the painting is at a much later stage -today one could only see a few squiggles of paint)

"Hellooo"...after a few seconds, "Hellooo".....a third time, "Hellooo..."
There was something insistent and demanding in the voice that made me wonder, "Does this someone know us? Is something wrong?" But I had wedged myself in a narrow space between a few rocks, so I couldn't move or stand up quickly, without damaging my painting or my palette falling down.

Then I heard a cheerful, "We're coming to see what you're painting."  Still trying to piece together what was going on, I noticed that her voice was kind of irritating, like a boss who comes over to check on you covertly, because you made some grievous errors the day before (remember I'm one who analyzes all these things). So, you don't misunderstand, I don't have a boss - I'm my own boss.
I said slowly "I'm painting what I see in front of me..." 
"Huh?" she asked. 
I guess I must have mumbled.
So, I repeated my great (haha) artistic observation, louder, emphasizing like a teacher.
"Ya---eh...." 
I heard the "duh" in her voice.
I became even more irritated and choose to be silent.
Then after a pause I heard a friendly voice, probably from her hubby, saying,
"It's beautiful." I swallowed saying that there were only a few squiggles of paint on the canvas,  because there was a world of difference between the first and the last voice.

Much later I realized that this was the first time ever that I snubbed someone who was interested in my painting. Not a good way to start my vacation, I told myself! Ooops, I promise to do better:)


 On the side of the road where our car was parked to take the first pic, hubby took a few more photos. And then I saw this. It is as bright red in reality as it is in the pic.

What is this? I remember something about leaves coming through red  - something about  a photosynthetic process plants go through?