From Dusk to Dawn

— Dusk and dawn are two of the most beautiful times of the day. The sky can be ablaze with color while at the same time bathing the world in a soft light These are times for reflection and renewal, and often a time to appreciate the beauty that nature has to offer us.

Dusk and dawn are also times a traveler will experience when flying from to the USA to Brazil. Normally, those are night-time flights. It was no exception for us when we boarded our plane departing the Dallas-Fort Worth airport in Texas.

Although I am not the type of traveler that uses his phone to make photos while taking off and landing, this time I simply could not pass the chance to photograph the beautiful sunset that was presented outside my window. This is what I saw.

Dusk is often a time to look back on the day and appreciate all that we have accomplished. It is a time to let go of the worries of the day and simply enjoy the moment. With that view right before my eyes, I could not let the chance pass me by. I was thankful our flight to Brazil — the first in three long years — was off to a good start. The clouds had a very pleasing texture and colors to light up the sky in a vibrant display.

Dawn, on the hand, can be thought of as a time for renewal. As the sun rises, we can start fresh with a new perspective. We can set new goals and make new resolutions. Dawn is a time to be optimistic and hopeful for the future. As our 9.5-hour flight was arriving at the Guarulhos airport in São Paulo, my husband and I both began to marvel at what was happening outside. As we descended to about 10,000 feet (roughly 3,000 meters), São Paulo and the Serra do Mar (Sea Mountain Range) began to emerge from the clouds. The scene was nearly surreal.

Sometimes it was as if the mountains were floating in thin air or were islands in the sky. The haze and fog still bathed the autumn morning (remember that the seasons are reversed in the southern hemisphere) that was just starting. It was approximately 7 AM in Brazil. I could truly see how special a sunrise also is. It was a time of peace and tranquility. It was a moment to relax and reflect on what that trip to Brazil would mean.

As I mentioned before, these two photos were made using my Samsung Galaxy S23 cell phone. Although the first photo did not require a lot of work, the second photo had some glitches, mainly water spots on the window and glare coming from the rising sun. I tried to eliminate those as best as I can in order to enhance the lush green from Serra do Mar.

Both dusk and dawn scenes were a blessing for us. They truly enhanced and welcomed us to our family in Brazil.