PERU

After 3 days of travelling from Ilha Grande, we arrived in Lima, Peru.
If you didn't know better you would think you ended up in St Petersburg.
It's a city of cold buildings, a heavy atmosphere and the sun rarely ever shows it's face...
Without feelings in fingers and toes we found that our travel agency had booket us in at the Grand Hotel Boulevard...heavenly surprise-party!
The backpacker-life has limited our choice of clothing,
and little did we know how much we would suffer during the following week...

Spending some time in Lima we came in contact with lots of open people,
and the culture is definately warmer than the climate.
Even our new amigo Christian begging in the street was enjoying life*

"Come and steal, I've got everything you need!"

Precious pearls

C

Coming to Peru we thought we were the flexible brothers with no limits...
but we proved ourselves wrong. But man we can tell you we've grown...alot!
Torture has now another dimention...
Being on the bus for 22 hours straight with a temperature near freezing point, driving only up and down endless curvy roads...feeling the altitude sickness hunting you down, your fever exploding and headache killing, you just don't want to live anymore!

And that is no joke...even Mr Philip & Robert Flexible (yes us!) gave up all hope!
The worse was that when we finally got to Cusco we had to order the same bus- tickets to get back to Lima only 4 days later.
Not exactly the brightest start of a new adventure.

C

Cusco is a city in the mountains close to the Andes. It's on a hight around 16 000 feet
and the thin air has it's impact on everybody expect the local people.
But it's a beautiful place with beautiful people!

The city has tracks of the incas (indians) but also the Spanish
architecture gives it an extra touch!
Cusco is definately run by the enormous tourism
caused of the world's famous Machu Picchu.
The people are still down to earth and laid back as South Americans.

I

If you are just taking some time to sit down and actually look around in the main square,
people are more than happy to sit down just to have a chat and share their stories.
Not all conversations are understood in the sense of languages,
but a quick look in their faces where life left it's tracks,
is telling more than a thousand words!

Anti- tourists as we are (believe it or not!), even we had to humble ourselves and
join the migration from the city to the mountains of Machu Picchu.
Just getting there was a project of taxis, trains and buses for hours.
But one of the world's 7 wonders was waiting.
The place where about 300-500 Incas used to live,
has it's own beauty in the majestic mountains of Peru!!

"Been there, done that!"

BRAZIL

Coming to Brazil brought us a totally different flavour than Africa;
new country, new continent.

We started our time in Sao Paulo, a city of hard work and hard people.
The common mindset is "You work to live and live to work"!
It's also a city of hardship and "destinies" with no hope.
The difficulties are neither hidden or forgotten, but in the open for everyone to see.

We didn't spend much time here, but we got to talk to the locals,
share stories and definately get some new perspectives!

After our time in Sao Paulo, we wanted to leave for Rio de Janeiro. To take the bus there we had to spend quite some money. Arriving at the bus- station we figured we no longer had cash on our visa card. putting all our cash together, we had just the amount to make it there, on the penny! Thank Mr PT!
But late at night in Rio, with no where special to go, with no cash and a broken internet- bank we were not the queens of the castle!! We started begging for money without even knowing how much we would need and where we would sleep that night. Welcome to the land of NO English! We hardly made it without being beaten...People in Brazil are not very friendly in stressed situations! You can say the definition of bad temperaments were born right here!!
But after patience, prayers and an unpaid bill at the internet- cafe, a man walks up to us with just the amount to take the bus in to the city, Ipanema. Just being protected at a late night in the criminal city, leaves us thankful to up above! A overbooket hostal even took us in without the ability to pay....what a difference a day make!

Being on the way to something you don't know, leaves room open for God to move....we love it!
Growing in dimentions you never knew...




Getting to know the locals in Ipanema (part of Rio), was amazing! With all different backgrounds and views of life and living....we had quite some experiences! Being invited daily to the barbeque of only locals at the corner-bar outside our door, eventually lead us to the slums of Rio.
No other tourists EVER go there by night, but we even got invited to a private birthday-party
at the top of a slum house in the nearest favella ("slum-city")
including DJ a la homemade and REAL samba *
Sorry Lonely Planet, we got there before you!!!

We also went to the favelas by day with a guide to get our pictures (book- material). We got to see Rosinia, the biggest favela in South America with about 200 000 "registered" inhabitants. Amazing to see how the people manage to live in such conditions and in these circumstances. We haven't had the chance to upload these pics, but this is one of the city- walls. Right after this shot was taken, the mafia showed up with their machine guns pointing at us. The favelas works with their own laws and punishments. You need to watch your steps....but you can be sure no one ever steals from you, cause they'll definately get their arm cut off...the next time, they'll be shot!

Being in the country where nothing matters more than football, of course we had to be a part of the celebration! In the spirit of Ronaldinho, we joined in the crowd of crazy Brazilians! Seeing Fluminense against Atletico on Maracana Stadium we didn't know how we would make a difference...But little did we know! Even in the crowd of thousands of people we got hooked up with some new friends that we got to spend some real quality time with!
Nice Price.

The statue of Christ alias Mr PT was nearly hunted down by the millions of tourists surrounding him with digital cameras and lenses in all sizes! Happy are we to know that we carry him inside the heart, and not on megapixels! Thanks mr cool...

Being busy in the city, we had to take a fat break. It was time for rehab!
On a sunny day Mr driver Bubba came and picked us up in his old VW minibus
packed with youngsters ready for paradise hotel.
Welcome to Ilha Grande.

AquaRio.

We got to spend 3 days in the most beautiful surroundings by the ocean, honeymoon- spirit!

We also found some brothers in Christ*

You might wonder where the smiles of this policeman has gone...
Well, it's just to hard to respect a police that drives around in a golf-car...hehe!
Paradise just doesn't give the police much to do...so why not entertain for a while??
At least we clothed ourselves in the Brazilian flags...



Taking us down to the station we couldn't nothing but to remember Hebr. 13,2;

Do not forget to entertain strangers!!
For by so doing some people have entertained
angels without knowing it.

Remember those in prison
as you were their fellow prisoners
and those who are mistreated
as if you yourselves were suffering.

Prison here we come.

Back to Capie*

After our stay in Ethiopia we still didn´t feel quite finished with Africa...

Longing for our friends & memories in Cape Town,

we changed our tickets so we could go back...

Celebration for real!!

Surprised were the faces of our loved ones when we were back south...Hearts 2 heart!!

For some reason Cape Town feels like home....

We forgot to tell you about some stuff we did the first time we stayed in Capie...

We heard that there was a ywam base in a suburb of CT and decided to go and check it out...Time to see some family!

So jumping on a train as the only western people, we arrived safely in Muizenberg.

A beautiful surfing town with a shot of hawaii.

When we stepped out of the train, an old lady asked where we were going...we didn´t know so we followed her to feel safe. It turned out that she worked on the local radio station and wanted us to come with. To make the story short, we ended up having an half an hour interview telling our stories, talking about our journey, dreams, visions & future plans. The perfect opportunity to share some of what our hearts are longing for...

Mr Nelson Mandela; please turn up the volume:)

The rest of the day we spent with ywam and the people there....inspiration for them and for us! The weeks topic at the dts was "destiny" and again we got to share some of what we have experienced and the story of our journey. Looks like we were right on time...again Mr PT (Personal Trainer up above) has full control on where he wants us to be!

Our time in Africa is up...sad but true!

We´ve made amazing relationships and we´ve definately left pieces of our hearts...




Africa; we promise to be back, soon.