I climbed this set of steps all 699 of them and then back down..... As I was going up the steps I noticed how highly polished the tops of the hand rails were yet the other rails and uprights were old and rusty...... I did not have to wait long to find out why this was.... Above me on the steps were some of the locals and I noticed that they had all sat down on the steps at the same time and then laid down....humm strange I thought until I spied a child speeding down the rails over the other locals laying down. The children had just gotten out of school and they would lie across the rails and slide down them. Imagine using your calf and lower thigh as a brake by pinching them together over the rail while using your arms in the same manner on the other handrail.....pants keeping your legs cool from the friction and your coat doing the same for your arms....

Located on Island of St. Helena mid South Atlantic

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