I can’t say enough good things about this place, so I won’t even try. All I can really say is I loved it tremendously and I plan to return as soon as possible. After our trip to Trancoso, mentioned in the previous posting, we made excursions to Caraiva and Itacare.

Caraiva was not unlike Trancoso, a small town on the beach with lots of little shops and eateries. Getting there was a few hours on the bus, followed by a few minutes across the river in a canoe. The canoe ride was pleasant, what with the lack of a rumbling motor and the soft sound of water all around. We were a small group this time, so it made for much easier getting around and decision making. We stayed one night in a pousada, where the seven of us cooked a meal and enjoyed some serious stargazing. The night sky was so incredibly clear that I would say it easily rivaled the skies I’ve seen from 10000 feet above sea level in the mountains of California… and we were AT sea level.

Itacare was a different story. This was a much bigger town… very touristy. The place seems to revolve around surfing, in a way. Unfortunately for us, it rained the entire time we were there, which was two nights. Supposedly, there is a stretch of five incredible beaches that we didn’t get to see. We did make it out for a minute to the other main beach around the corner from those five, but the skies were gray and the mood was too. We were disappointed because it was some 6 or 7 hours in a car to get there and was to be even longer in a bus to get home to Arraial d’Ajuda. There were some good moments, but all in all, the rain killed it.

Our last couple of weeks in Arraial were tranquil. Capoeira classes were mellow and nowhere near as crowded as before the encontro. I like that… room to breathe. Partying died down as well, and nights were ending at 2 and 3 instead of 5 and 6 in the morning. I had a chance to meet a lot of people, a few of which became good friends really fast. I left feeling like I’d been there a really long time and had known some of these people for years. One example is my man Florencio. I ate, drank, spat rhymes, boxed beats, witnesses the most unbelievable battle of breakdancing one could imagine and got invited to a wedding all in one night with the guy like I’d known him since way back in the day. The wedding was AWESOME, by the way. I’ll have to refer you to another site to check those pictures, but perhaps I’ll post some video.

Anyway, Brasil was amazing. Thang and I have since travelled our way through Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santiago, Chile, where we are now. Those updates are on their way with pictures of their own. Until then, enjoy these last few pictures from Brasil!

The beach at Caraiva
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Where the river (left) meets the ocean (right) in Caraiva
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Long breaking waves at a beach on the way to Itacare
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Waves crashing in Itacare
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One last friendly reminder from Arraial d’Ajuda
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What are you… a person who gives something… and then is dissatisfied and they wish they had never… given it to the person they originally gave it to?
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Florencio with one of his paintings (check him at his site)
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Forro band at Madam Frufru’s, Arraial d’Ajuda (same place where Florencio’s painting hangs)
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