The day 3 afternoon hike through a part of the Upper Geyser basin surrounding Old Faithful was no less stunning. Hues of emeralds, coral, turquoise and ochres dotted the white rock surfaces. On two sides of the wooden boardwalk were numerous volcanic water holes and geysers of different shapes and hues. The anemone geyser, the cone, the twins - yhe waters rose up in smoke over the cobal surfaces surrounded by the saffron and gold rocks. All these colors - which I thought was a chemical reaction, was actually a result of living organisms- the heat loving thermophyles blanketing the rock surfaces. The gem like waters glistened in afternoon sand and the earth's crust bubbled and moved around these deceptively steaming cauldrons of hot water.