Skip to main content

Walking on the Dunes.

Monday 22 August 2011

Yesterday really early I went with a friend of mine to climb the sand dunes that are a little bit beyond the Iguape beach (about 10 minute drive from here). When my friend suggested we climb the dunes I imagined some dunes that weren’t too high and easily climbable. However, there are some massive dunes with lots of vegetation in between. So it was literally “no walk in the park”. We climbed the sand, walked through vegetation, pushing our way through branches and it didn’t take long before I had no idea where we were going. I tried to keep track of which trail we followed, but soon realized that the bushes and cacti looked pretty much the same, and the sand didn’t keep our tracks very well. We were headed for a higher peak on the dunes so we could see the view of the coast. My friend effortlessly walked along and I think she’s in better shape then I am. I was slogging away, trying to keep up, while images from films I’ve seen passed through my mind. Films where people cross the border to Mexico and get lost in the desert. I was even “economizing” my water a bit, and wondering if the leaves of the plants and bushes could serve as a source of liquid. I know it sounds a tad dramatic, but it wasn’t really dramatic at all and we only walked for about 45 minutes to reach the top of the dunes, so even if we were lost, we still new which direction to head to get back to the road.

Anyways, I wanted to turn back at several points, but I think my Norwegian pride kept me from giving up and I am glad I didn’t. The view at the top was spectacular! You could see the sea and the coastline and it was so peaceful and amazing. Over us some birds of prey were circling around us and they were so close you could actually see their feathers and how they would steer in the wind. It was almost as if they had fingers on the tips of their wings to steer. Amazing. God is so creative and detailed and the whole scene just took my breath away and made me want to worship Him.

Soon the birds of prey were getting a little too close for comfort so after a little while we decided to head back.

We got a tad lost, or rather took a different path back, and arrived safe and sound at the car. It was a good way to start the day.

(I took a bunch of photos, but since I don’t have them here with me, the post will be posted without them. Maybe I’ll do a photo post one of these days, just putting a bunch of pictures from here so far.)

Popular posts from this blog

Getting to know the local culture.

Life is a strange thing. Last week went…not much happened, and then it was over. The weekend was quite calm without too many wild and exciting things happening. Except, of course, a wee outing to watch the National Championship for Veteran Ploughing. Now, like me, you might be sadly lacking an understanding of what this actually means. So I am delighted to be able to enlighten you in this respect. It’s basically (for the “farm-language-illiterate” like myself) a competition where you use old (hence the name “veteran”) tractors and ploughs, and plough up a stretch of field which is then evaluated and the one scoring the highest sum (accuracy, depth, how well the soil is turned is all given points) wins. I must admit that this information I got by eavesdropping on a conversation next to me where a man was explaining to some of my friends how it all works. So that was a fun adventure….although we only stayed for a bit. What is sort of occupying my mind at present is my upcoming travel abr...
Read more

Taking in the familiar and a heart connected.

Amsterdam. It still has that muggy feeling in Summer, and a constant flow of people which if you stop to think about it, it's quite amazing that there would even be space to accommodate them all. But then I guess they are not all staying. Just passing through on their way to or from somewhere. It's always good for the heart to visit somewhere that was once home. The familiarity of streets and customs makes it easier to embrace what might be new as well as the joy of being reacquainted with old friends. Friends. So many of them to be found in this city, ready with hugs and good words that are uttered when seeing someone who was away again. Friendship. A treasure that cannot be bought. Cobblestones trodden by many, including myself. Sitting on a bench. Praying. Remembering the first time I stumbled upon this area lined with windows with red lights and curtains. An area which has come to represent no longer windows, but people to me. Some still behind a window. Others who have ...
Read more

Tuesday children's prayer | Handing out shoes and feeding toddlers.

No day is the same here. After getting up early (which seems to be what I do here), and eating breakfast which was bread with butter (accompanied by an amazing cup of coffee given me by an American friend), I headed to the prayer room for children's prayer. This is a prayer time where the children come voluntarily to pray before school on Tuesdays and Fridays. Entering the room I was so impressed by how it was full of children eager to pray. There were probably 60 or 70 children there, and it was amazing to see one after the other choose to pray for their families and people who are sick, and other subjects on their little hearts. It was so great and an experience that I will carry with me for a long time. After prayer it was "Shoprite" time, which meant piling into a bus with other visitors and missionaries for the weekly shopping trip. I didn't quite know what to expect, but I had a few items to buy and hoped it would be a stress-free experience. As we drove along ...
Read more