Just About a Perfect Day

Today was a good day indeed.

To me, there is nothing quite like the sound of the ocean. The tide rolling in and gently breaking against the beach produces a sound that has a calming and lulling effect on me. I could sit and just listen for hours. Since Macau is a peninsula, that is one of the things I was looking forward to on my sojourn here, the sound of the ocean. However, hearing this sound has proved to be more elusive than I had hoped. Today was different though.

After having a late lunch with some new found American friends, we all decided to make a trek to a beach that neither Chris nor myself had yet to visit. I cannot remember the name of the beach, but really the name is unimportant. Just going to the island of Coloane is a treat in itself. The entire island has a feel to it that an antithesis to just about everything that is Macau. Upon arriving at the beach, it was almost deserted. It was quiet and beautiful in a way that only sand and the ocean can be. As I said, I can always just sit and listen to the ocean. To make this story even better, the weather in Macau is now balmy and breezy. It actually feels good to be outside.

This is me enjoying the myself on the beach. And no, it doesn't take much to amuse me.

Now you may think that the above is enough in itself to make the day a good one, but it gets even better. After sitting on the beach for a while, we go to a nearby cafe and have some very good coffee. We chose to sit outside so we are still able to hear the beach, and this particular cafe has birdcages at each table. So we were serenaded by a bird as we are enjoying our drinks. And no the story does not stop there.

This is Chris and Erika on the beach.

It turns out that one of the Americans is a runner, yes a runner!!! And it just so happened that he was meeting a friend in Coloane to go running in the mountains later in the evening. So I was able to get in on the running and it was perfect. Well, to be completely honest at first, I was afraid that I was not going to be able to hang with these guys. The very first thing we did was run up and hill that just kept going and once it finally stopped, we started up some stairs. Needless to say, it was a bit more difficult than a treadmill. However, once we made it past that particular section, the trail was not so bad. And the view was great. It was around 5:30 when we started running so it was cool and nearing the last stages of daylight, so it was similar to the time that I would run at home. Just being able to run outside and feel the breeze blowing on my face and hear outdoor sounds rather than M&M (that is what they play at the gym) was such a treat. I found myself just hanging back and enjoying being outdoors, basking in the quiet and peacefulness that was everywhere. Well, if you discount my gasping for air the first ten minutes, then it was quiet. And yes, I survived the run, however as I am sitting here I can already feel the beginnings of soreness setting in. I do have to say that it was well worth it, and I have plans to go again soon.