estuvimos rodeando
-we were surrounding
Pretérito progresivo para el sujeto nosotros del verbo rodear.

rodear

Aunque estuvimos rodeando el lago Malawi todo el rato, no lo pudimos contemplar hasta llegar a Cape Maclear, un pequeño pueblo asentado delante de unas islas que resaltaban el inalcanzable horizonte del lago.
Although we were surrounding the Malawian lake all the time, we could not contemplate it until we arrived to Cape Maclear, a small village settled in front of some islands that highlighted the unreachable horizon of the lake.
Palabra del día
el mantel