“Silence is praise to You” – Psalm 65:2
The next morning we set out again to the road. We decided not to prolong our stay in Oaxaca and to continue towards the coast.
Heading out towards the mountains
Having before us two options to the coast, we opted for the less direct route but one which is easier on the engine, the option with less ups and downs. Nonetheless if you are travelling on Mexico’s West Coast there is no escaping the mountains.
So we headed south-west towards the coastal city of Salina Cruz.
But first we had planned a stop in a small spot along the way. A place called Hierve el Agua (Water boils) located among the mountains of Oaxaca. Here mineral waters come out of the rock and form natural pools. The pools the overflow down a precipice and mineral sediment forms along the walls of the precipice.
Annapurna on the road
We went off the highway and up a small winding road that eventually led us to a small rural village. There we picked up 4 tourists that were on their way to Hierve el Agua. We payed the 25 pesos fee (about 2 dollars US) and soon we were admiring the wonderful scenery that was displayed in front of us.
Hierve el Agua
The wind was lowing and the air was cool. When the water comes out of the spring it comes out warm, but then as is flows on the rocks towards the pool, the cool air of the sierra cools the water, so the water is cold, but it is definitely worth bathing there and enjoying the magnificent view.
After enjoying for a couple of hours the water pools and the view we went back to the kombi and prepared supper. Afterwards we went walking on the trails in the sierra to observe the sun setting on the valley below. We sat on a rock while the last rays of the sun spread their golden beams across the valley. As we sat there I understood the psalmist when he said “Silence is Praise to You”.
The last of the sun’s rays
Many thousands of years ago, a Hebrew poet probably sat on a hill overlooking a valley and uttered these words. Words which sometimes in our fast paced lives we cannot grasp until we sit and admire the marvels of the world. To understand the poet, one must be in a similar position, and then the message shines cristal clear. Here we sat and praised the Creator in silence.
The best praise is silence
Soon darkness covered the valley and before long we were witnesses of another spectacle of nature: the starry sky. The vast and black expanse of space above covered by luminous stars too many to count. One is then overwhelmed by a feeling of smallness.
We then retired to our kombi where we huddled under the blankets and kept admiring the shinning stars until our eyelids betrayed us and we soon fell into a deep and repairing sleep.
The next morning we got up before the sunrise and went out again to admire the valley as the sun rose and shone its rays on the valley again. This spectacle was as marvellous as the sunset, and soon we felt the sun’s rays warm our cheeks and chase the cold morning air away.
Sunrise on the valley
We then had breakfast and prepared ourselves for another day on the road. A new day for us, new challenges, new discoveries, new life renewed every morning.
A new day
“And if these mountains had eyes, they would wake to find two strangers in their fences, standing in admiration as a breathing red pours its tinge upon earth’s shore. These mountains, which have seen untold sunrises, long to thunder praise but stand reverent, silent so that man’s weak praise should be given God’s attention.”
-Donald Miller
Musings of the road 