Hello dear readers! How is your day? Coming back for another story on how curiosity almost killed the cat, or in this case me xD.
Alrighty guys!
Let's talk about this crazy story my dad and I experienced this past weekend. If you've read my Blog #1 I posted live about how we explored an abandoned mine and almost went to jail. I'll develop the narrative as it happened, but unfortunately I'll have to omite its location for legal reasons, hope you understand.
Well... Have you ever heard the proverb "curiosity killed the cat"?
That's what happened that morning, out of a desire to explore that abandoned mine I ended up entering private land, culminating into a bit of a mess.
The story here presented passed in a foggy morning of that Saturday after Easter, Dad and I woke up early to walk and explore the mountains and maybe photograph the old abandoned mines. We had heard rumours that the mines were closed for visitors, but after travelling so far to see them we could not miss the opportunity, right?
Some locals had told us that maybe we could follow some trails going up the mountains and from there photograph the open mine, where there's a beautiful blue lake formed after the company stopped exploring the minerals. There are also the tunnels, where once operated copper extractions, but we were not willing to risk entering on those tunnels.
If the locals tell you, you blindly believe, there's no problem about entering there we thought. So we grabbed some snacks, water and my camera and headed to the small hamlet near the supposed trails.
How cool was that! I was finally doing something with dad, like we used to do when I was a kid, actually, I attribute to him the fact that I'm an adventure addict. How many places we used to explore in the past and the mines were one of the most exciting ones.
There's something about abandoned places that hook me up; I've explored old railways and train stations, hotels and complete villages in the middle of the jungle. It always feel fantasmagoric to see such places forgotten in time, like one day everyone disapeared and the whole place was left behind.
Before finding the trails we've stopped by a mini market to ask some locals about the pathway. There were some man there talking to each other and one of them aproached to point us where the trail started. Cool, let's go! But remember this bit of the story, it'll be important later.
The trail started going up the mountain below some Pine trees, where after some meters the first buildings could be seen. The wind blowing through the valley was strange and the old metal structures made sounds like an old rusty door hinge *Cr....rrr...rrrr....eee... !*, the floor was full of small stones and there were gigantic erosions everywhere.
- What happened here? why would they simply leave everything behind? - I was thinking.
The first building complex creeped me to death, but of course I was curious, at that time I wanted to explore more and more. Then to complete the desolation there were several black Crows, as if they were watching us. The gates seemed to be locked for many years and the rusty metal structures continued to screak at every wind gust *Cr....rrr...rrrr....eee... !*
We thought those were the forbidden areas, so we didn't attempt to enter there, I took some pictures and we carried on to the main open mine, our objective. On the way more abandoned stuff and erosions everywhere, one small slip on those edges and good-bye dear life. I just can't imagine how it was to operate machinery on those abismall holes.
Dad was ahead of me on top of a small edge when I heard:
- Oh my god! Look at this! - He said.
There it was, the gigantic hole openned by man on the montain, it looked like a big stair sculptured on the rocks, each step being at least 30 meters high on a total of 12 or more. On the botton, the blue lake flooded, what once gave place to mining machinery. I've heard later that the lake is at least 150 meters deep, from there you can have an idea of the crater dimension.
We've spent some time there, taking pictures and talking about how much damage human can do to nature in order to obtain profit.
Until when earth will hold up our damage?
It was mid morning, the fog had gonne and the sun started to pick up when we've slowly started our way back to the hamlet. But on the distance I've heard some more noises, a motorcycle engine *tuh tuh tuh tuh....*
- There's someone coming, do you hear? - I said.
- Yeah, a motorcycle. - Dad replied.
We turned right on the trail just to run into the guard. FUCK...
- Good morning - He said.
- Morning sir. - We replied. He calmly took his helmet off.
- So... you are walking, heh? - He asked.
- Yes sir, just taking some photos. - I said.
- But you know it's private land, right? - He said.
Fuck, what would I say? I knew the buildings were private land, but I didn't know the crater was too. Fuck, fuck, think...
- Really? I didn't know sir. - I said.
- Yeah, it is! I'm gonna need to call my boss. - He said.
Ah come on you bastard - I thought. Why that? just let us go!
- Well sir... do what is right. But there's no need I'm afraid, we just explored a bit and are now leaving. - I said.
- Yeah, but you'll have to come with me. - He said while calling his boss.
Ahhhhh you ****, you really wanna **** us. - I thought again. Even though the guard seemed friendly and kinda sad to be turning ourselves in, I could not stop cursing him on my mind. Bloody bastard you stinky little piece of poo. Poor man... he was just fulfilling his duty.
- Ok, ok... so now that you are kicking us out, please, let us see the tunnel entrance - I jokingly said. I needed to break the ice, I just didn't want to think I was going to jail, come on...
- Ah you'll see it on the way, just don't take pictures. - He said.
- Fair enough! - I said.
The tunnels were the most awesome things ever. I'm glad the guard found me, otherwise I'd try to explore those insane dark tunnels, only god knows how many kilometers they go into the mountains. On the entrance we could feel the cold air coming from the inside and my flashlight had no power to illuminate the end of it, showing how deep they go.
- Ok, let's go! - The guard insisted.
And there we went, to encounter the mine owner or worse, the police.
Fortunately the police was not involved. On the other hand the owner, or responsible for the area, looked us in the eye and gave us the best of the lectures. What could I do besides hearing? I was wrong afterall.
- What are you two doing? - He asked.
- Well sir, we followed some trails and ended up on the mine, we didn't know it's private. - I said.
- But it is! How did you enter? - He asked. I just didn't want to say exactly where, to let him decide if we were guilty or not.
- Ahhhhhh... I just followed some trails up the hills. - I said.
- Aha, I know... Haven't you asked earlier where the trail was? - He asked.
Shit! How does he know? - I thought.
- I know you did! At the mini market, I was there early this morning... - He continued.
Unbelievable coincidence! I just can't believe I had asked, earlier that morning, the owner himself how to enter in the freaking mines! Of course the guard went after us, because I'm stupid!
From there he continued with the lecture, took our data and released us. The guard that I had cursed couldn't be more sorry for turning us in, but he had to, the owner knew we were after the mines.
At least I would not get in trouble with my parents when getting back home, because this time my dad was part of it hahaha.
And that's how curiosity killed the cat!
Remember: Don't do that at home! But if you are willing to risk, at least be honest to assume your mistake! Life is too short, better break the law sometimes than living with the desire.
Did you like this story?
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I'm Arthur. I blog about Brazil, Adventure Stories, Travel, Camping & Life Experiences.
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