The love story of Lee Seon-jae and Oh Hye-won of the top Korean drama series 'Secret Love Affair' continues...
This story is dedicated to my friend and visual collaborator Tess Angeles, whose edited pictures are almost as beautiful as her sweet natu...
The return trek felt easier and shorter, though this time, they actually did have to wait the 20 minutes or so - while the warning lights were flashing - until a small, twin-engine plane took off at the end of the run-way and soared over their heads. It was exhilarating to be so close, though everyone was slightly amazed at the quaint set-up. Ciara explained that there wasn't much choice: 'suitably flat land is at a premium between all the mountains, considering we are the very edge of Europe and the next land mass is the USA.'
Back on the road, they could see what she meant, as they quickly came under the shadow of another prominent outcrop, though this had vegetation along the sides and looked less massive and stark. Hye-won could see that Seon-jae was peering with intense interest to the top of the mountain and eventually, she gave in and asked him what was so interesting. He grinned but shook his head, looking quickly at the others to let her know that he needed to be in private, for that conversation. Intrigued, as soon as they had parked and left the car, she pulled him a little way from the others, to ask what he could be thinking of.
'Call me obsessed, if you like, but this mountain is the closest to a breast with a nipple on top, that I've ever seen.'
She spluttered with laughter and found it hard not to pinch him for his one-track mind but he looked so cute and amused that she could only nudge him with her shoulder, before Ciara started to lead them up the gentle slopes, telling them as they walked why they were there.
'Ok, so this is a typical Irish confluence of history, myth, legend and literature, with a bit of geography thrown in. This is - Cnoc na Rí or Knocknarea - Hill of the Kings, in English - but that name is probably a typical case of male colonisation of female places. In ancient times, Maeve was a warrior Goddess - nubile as the earth and fierce as nature - and this mountain was revered as her seat of power. In later myths, she transformed to the warrior leader, Queen Maeve, who started a war against a rival king, who just happened to be her former husband - stealing his prize bull, of all things - and was generally know to be ferocious and fiercesome. When I was growing up, we only ever called it Maeve's Mountain. Why am I telling you this? Because when we get to the top of this slope, we will see what my friends and I always called the nipple - don't judge us, we were teens growing up in a rural town and had to make our own amusement - and the nipple is the stone cairn or grave where Queen Maeve is supposedly buried.'
She heard the splutters of laughter from Seon-jae and Hye-won from behind her but - apart from a wry smile - she didn't question it further. Seon-jae leaned to Hye-won and whispered: 'you see? I'm an expert on goddesses now,' and she laughed, deep in her chest and whispered back: 'and breasts,' and he threw his head back and Maeve herself could hear him from the top of the mountain.
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It was a pleasant stroll, the trail weaving through the gorgeous, purple-hued carpet of heathers and - with the singing of the wind surrounding them - the day's second foray into nature was just as enjoyable as the first. When they got to the top and turned to view down across the fields and over the sea, it was the most wonderful reward for their efforts and all 5 of them - Ciara included - just stood and gazed their fill.
