Go Tell It From the Mountain

We have agreed to have a lazy day today and catch up on the washing etc. We mosy about the hostel and plan a churrasco(bbq) for this evening. We take a short walk to the supermarket and buy the best steak they have together with various bits and bobs and return to the hostel. We speak with the guys in the hostel and they point to the hill in the far distance and advise that the view here is amazing. Today is well in the 30's and Mark says it is too hot to do this. Me being me i ask another Brazilian guy in the hostel(Andreas ) if he would like to do this and he agrees so just after 4 oclock we set off.
A 25 minute bus journey takes us about half way up but the rest is up to us. Oh shit what have i let myself in for???
The cllimb is pretty hard and alll up hill, as i turn every bend all i see is another slope and the sun beats onto me with no forgiveness( iam am going to be tonights bbq at this rate.) After a 2 hour climb the end is in sight and as we round the corner I cant believe the view. I am on top of the world literally, below the smaller mountains are scattered genourously and we just sit and watch as the sun slowly and gradually takes her place. I knew that this trip would bring many beautiful things to me, but when you put the little extra effort in it can bring so many more. We have to head back down as soon as the sun is set , because we have walked through a forest and when you lose the light the track down is as arduous as the track up!
As we start our decent I think i see people in the trees, only to find out they are Fireflys, I try to take a video but there are somethings in life you just have to look at with the naked eye and seeing these little creatur
es light the way is a truly magical experience as i have never seen a firefly before. Halfway down I say to Andreas look at the sky ! I have never seen so many stars and i Lie on the ground for 5 mins taking in the full constelation, another magical moment. we refill our bottles from the natural spring and continue the trek down watching the city light up around us. It is really dark by now and the torch on the iphone comes in really handy. We await the bus with anticipation as im could eat a scabby horse and hopefully Mark has the BBq prepared aand has not spent the last hours emptying the hostel fridge.
The Churrasco is superb and we sit with a few people in the hostel as Mark entertains us all with his tipsy humour and is a wonderful end to a magical day.Read more