Salvador, bus station, late at night. A Brazilian chic selling us tickets to Lençois. On her computer a lovely autumn-leaved oak forest. We looked at each other and thought the same thing: The grass is greener on the other side, right? Brazilians don't adorn their desktops with palm tree beaches as we do. Neither do they crazily listen to Seu Jorge and Gilberto Gil or flock to old samba bars. "Take us to some nice Brazilian concert," we begged our Salvador friend Victor ... and landed in a posh nightclub with country music and girls dressed as if it was a royal wedding. You thought the Brazilians stuffed themselves with maracuja and papaya? Think again. The most desired and highly priced fruit is ... a (tasteless) strawberry.
Despite this reality check, our holidays 2012 were a huge feast on Brazilian cliches: picture postcard sandy beaches, flawless sun, fruit-loaded breakfasts, fish-loaded dinners, omnipresence of music and dance, hectoliters of maracuja juice and caipirinha, 'acai, acaiiiii, acaiiiiiiiiii' crys on the beach, spontaneous capoeira shows and football matches against the backdrop of the sunset-lit sky, cheerful people exhibiting one of the world's biggest smiles and their relaxed pace, as if life was to be lived to the swaying bossanova rhythm.
With Tom's job in sight, the two weeks and half had a somewhat apocalyptic feel. It might well be the last 'real holidays' in quite some time to come. Carpe Diem and the sweet Dolce Vita thus followed us all way long. Off the beaten track and in low season it was easy to cut off. The programme was set a long time ago, Jericocoara being Tom's ultimate dream and Bahia mine. The mix couldn't be better, leading us from the Salvador's Afro-Brazilian urban beauty over Morro's postcard beaches and Chapada de Diamantina's endless trekking paths to Jericoacoara's kitesurfing paradise.
Voila a short photo summary:
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| Salvador, thy name is Colour / Salvador de Bahia, quartier de Pelourinho |
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| A two-storey city, an elevator bringing you up and down / L'ascenseur permettant d'acceder a la ville-basse et au port. Au loin la vieille prison flottante et les "tankers" qui croisent dans la baie |
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Instead of B&B we opted for airBnB, a good surprise
https://www.airbnb.com / Nous avons logés chez Neil, un anglais qui nous a loué une chambre sympathique dans le quartier de Barra. Son chien vous dit bonjour. |
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| Havaianas apprenticeship / Dans un atelier de confection de tongs, ou j'ai trouvé mon bonheur |
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| Morro de Sao Paolo, a postcard island / 2h de bateau direction l'ile de Morro, petit paradis verdoyant, locaux adorables, pêcheurs et couchers de soleil...dodo a la pousada Colibri, un MUST |
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| When the time slows down ... / A marée basse avec les pecheurs |
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Mr Coco, our best friend / Monsieur Noix de coco, rien de plus désaltérant quand il fait 35 degres. Egalement appréciable Monsieur Arrosoir qui vous rince les pieds régulièrement avec son ustensile, rafraîchissant!
Arriving at Lancois: at 30 years a night-bus ride feels different / Direction Lencois, 8h de bus de nuit, repos au petit matin dans un hamac accueillant en attendant que le village se réveille
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| My favorite fossil / Rochers surprenants |
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| Sunset-inspired samba / Rio negro tout proche de Lencois, piscines naturelles et cours de samba |
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| Chapada de Diamantina: where the world belongs only to you / Départ depuis Lencois pour le trekk dans le grand parc naturel Chiapada Diamantina |
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| Human waterfall / Cherchez mes jambes! |
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| Hand in hand / Vale de Pati, trekk parmi ces immenses cheminées |
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| Jericoacoara, where even a toilet has a great view / Retour a Salvador, avion pour Fortaleza puis 4h de 4x4 dans les dunes pour finalement rejoindre le petit paradis de Jericoacoara |
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| Getting ready / Jeri ou le spot de Kitesurf ideal, je me suis régalé, 30 noeuds tous les jours. |
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| Ballet on the sea surface / Personne pour t'emmerder, la plage est sans fin |
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| Buggy dreams / Le buggy est l'unique moyen de transport sur les plages et dunes avoisinantes |
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| Taking a Venice-type ferry / Excursion a Tatajuba, et voici le Bac local pour traverser la lagune d'eau douce |
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| When all the worries vanish ... / oui c'est moi, les fesses dans l'eau et l'estomac satisfait d'huitres excellentes |
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| Tatajuba's rainbow / Lagune d'eau douce a Tatajuba |
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| Tarzan in a Wonderland / Un petit garçon, dans le plus simple appareil, dans une mangrove |
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| Coco-flavoured meditation / degustation de coco pieds dans l'eau |
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| Sunset, full moon and a mouth full of sand / La fameuse dune de Jericoacoara afin d'y admirer le coucher du soleil |
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| Premature Carnaval in my samba teacher's kitchen / Cours de Samba chez Mel |
