Valley of the Floating Mountains

A silent phenomenon takes shape every night and early dawn in the Mayarí valley, as it slowly fills with a dense fog. The intense heat of the day and the low temperatures at night, the humidity in the air, and the tall mountains surrounding the valley all contribute to what I’m about to describe—something entirely ordinary for the valley’s inhabitants, especially for those who venture out to work in the fields or atop the mountains before the sun has even begun to light the sky.

I had already heard a few anecdotes from the students of earlier generations, back when they had to harvest coffee. Wandering through the coffee plantations offered an incredible sight—something that hardly seems real—a phenomenon worth telling again and again. A moment full of wonder, one that would be worth experiencing a thousand times over, if not for the difficulty of the journey and the sheer determination and strength required to face it.