I saw only more Sahara sand at the base of the rock.
It took me some time to get to the base of the rock wall.
When a long steep hike to the base of the rock is needed and the climb itself is easy, climbers prefer approach shoes.
Shining like glass, they defiantly do not blend into the landscape; on the other hand, they aren't visible from the base of the rock.
Below, the broad pathway leading from the surrounding moat and entry gate to the base of the rock fortress passes through a wonderful water garden, about half of which has been restored by archaeologists.
When Alex and I did our first round of New Hampshire's 48 highest mountains, the "Four-Thousand Footers," we broke the Owl's Head hike into two days and camped by the base of the rock slide.
As the tide rose, I stood on the shrinking base of the rock, clutching a bloody finger as salmon jumped all around me, sunlight gleaming off the city, a ferry horn blaring in the distance.
When I started to look at the scene more closely, I noticed that at the base of the rock was a graffitied double arrow, almost certainly a reference point for some refugee boat, which is one of the reasons why the place was so heavily patrolled by the army.
"No, she won't," I say, careful to keep my eyes on Sasha and on her more cautious older brother, Jacob, who's leaning against the base of the rock, a safe 30-odd feet below his sister, eating an ice cream sandwich and most likely pondering the mechanics of subtraction.
