Oi amigos.
After a long time and thousand of kilometres farther a quick life sign from me again.
I already entered in the jungle and arrived in Manaus this morning by boat.But since I coulsn´t write for such a longe time first lets go back to last New Years Eve 2010.
On my last night (29th Dec) in Olinda I got to know two nice guys in my hostal, Matias from Argentina, and Oskar from Mallorca. So on the 30th we left together to Praia da Pipa a Surfer Spot near Natal to spend New Year´s Eve there. Two weeks ago after some days of desperating searching I finally found a hostal there to stay for 4 dyas for 270 Real...about 100Euro in a 8 bed dormitorio. And that was still cheap offer in comparison to what my both new travel mates who had to pay in their hostal 350 Reals. My hostel was a so called Eco Hostal. I was I bit scared what will expect me. Frist I was far outside the city centre, so the guys were a bit concerned of that and accompanied me there. But it arose that it was a really cool place... recent opened it was located within a huge garden with different birds, monkeys and kind of "monkey foxes" - they face looks like a fox but they were climing and swinging from tree to tree like monkeys do ...I never so that kind of animals before. Also the family there and my room mates were really nice.
So on the 31th Dec Matias, Oskar and I rented some bikes to see a bit the coast up from the rocks and watching the "nascer da luna" - the moon-rise - obviously an important event there. We found a really laid-back bar at an isolated beach (after some kilometres of cross biking over really sandy streets) far away where we were hanging around on a sofa with a chilled coconut.
At night a barbecue was set on in the hostal of the guys, where Matias, as proved barbecue expert, because he´s argentinian, did some steaks and grilled fish. Aside we had Caipi, some chilenean guys brought a kind of Fernet Branca and I tried to introduce to the folk the Spanish national drink - Calimocho (Red wine with Coke)...well, let´s say...the people loved the Caipi ;). As a typical Brazilian tradition we went at midnight all dressed up in white clothes to the beach, counting down to the new year, then stepping 7 times against the waves to have a wish free for the New Year (typical Brazilian tradition) and watched the nice fireworks. The beach were so crowded so we lost us afterwards and after some drinks in the town, we ended up in a small Reggea Bar with live music.
A comment to this picture aside. Based on anthropoligal interest I only sacrificed myself making this foto with them, showing how Brazilian C-models look like ans ans what´s men´s beachwear fashion at moment (so Sebastianm leave you shorts at home, Brazilian women like brown men´s legs)...so no dubious motives behind that if someone with a lot of imagination on a lonely island should think that. The day after was "tranquilo"...I slept long, did a long walk at the beach later and after a second nap under a palm tree I got some energy back to try some surfing again. Next day I played the first time "frescibol" a kind of Beach-Table tennis. The rackets are like table tennis only bigger and since the sand floor was quite hard so you could make long shots with the ball...it was fun! In the evening we went to watch the sunset and went for a delicious shrimps dinner for our farewell, because Matias and I left next day.
On the 3rd 2 of my kind roommates, Pedro and Wittenberg (yes, that´s his real name) gave Matias and me a free ride to Fortaleza which was little 10hours away. But it was such a cool roadtrip..both knew a lot about Brazil, their hisyoty and culture, and were so free to share their knowledge with us. We had a really nice lunch toghether in a Kilo Restaurant (where yu pay your amount you eat and choose from a free buffet - quiet popular in Brazil) and when we arrived they went with us to a huge Tapioca place - it´s a kind of pancake made from maniok flour in a sweet or savory version, as you prefer. I ate one with dried meat ("carne do sol") which is typical for this region and aside you drink normally coffee for that - perfect combination for me ;) I Love Tapioca!!!
Next morning Matias and I took a bus for a 6 hours ride to Jericoacara, the last hour by jeep crossing a natural park of white sand dunes with blue lagoons to reach this hidden village where you don´t have a post office, nor an ATM. And really it was heaven on earth there. Situated on a beach perfect for wind surfng and kite surfing next to a huge dune where on top the sunset was celebrated every evening with cheering and applause. And really there was s.th. at this sunset I never saw before - you saw single beams in alternate colours. On the trip there we met Darren, a guy from Californiam who took up Oskar´s place.
Since he had a professional camera I was keen that he could make some fotos of me when I tried sandboarding next day on this dune. So he did and surprisingly after the 2nd try a happy croquette was sliding down the dune without falling. But I have to admit that I only went down 5 times afterwards I was dead running up the dunes again. At night my hostal father gave a samba concert with dinner for us and my flatmate Madleine from Sao Paulo tried to teach me a bit samba aside...in 1month is already Carneval and I don´t feel prepared right now...when I will go to Sao Paulo we want to catch up with the classes again ;).
Next day we made a trip to the "Paradise Lagoon" a blue sweet water lagoon with white sand beaches, palms and hammocks in the water...it was so idyllic, I didn´t want to leave that place anymore ;(. That night I gave my farewell dinner with a typical dish - Fish in Banana Sauce...yummy!Next day it was time to leave this paradise for me and I made a 2days trip mostly with jeeps through natural parks to Lençois-Maranhense...a park of white sand dunes inany a size of the Netherands with lots of blue lagoons. Since the trip there was quite exhausting and my guide was slobbering over that´s one of the most beautiful places in Brazil you have to see - I was quite dissappointed from what I saw. Given that the rain period haven´t already started, there hardly were any lagoons and those who still existed had little water and only a greenish-brown colour. Not exactly that what I expected to see. Apart from the nice Brazilian people I met in every place and are always open for a chat, the only hightlight at my stay there was culinary....Fish in Maracuja-Sauce this time...also not bad! ;)
After so much natural sites I headed forward to the cities Sao Luis and Belém.