October 29, 2023
The Day We Found Paradise
Filed under: Uncategorized | Comments (49)
All of a sudden, we found ourselves standing on top of a sand dune. There were mountains, a winding shoreline, and a harbor with fishing boats lilting to the right. The water was teal and there were islands in the distance. It was as picturesque as the Virgin Islands or any other top tourist destination, only it was empty-except for the horse cart in the distance and the dog at our side.
We’d taken an all night bus ride to Curitiba, a four hour bus ride to Floripa, and another two hour bus ride on a local bus down dirt roads, stopping every so often to pick up school kids. We knew we were headed for a pousada in a fishing village where they have pick up games on a sand bank formed where the diverging river meets the ocean. We did not know it would feel like paradise or that a small tan-colored dog would follow us everywhere: when we went to the grocery store, she patiently waited outside the door; when we played and filmed within the yellow goalposts further down the beach, she sat beside our camera bags; when we returned from a day out, she ran down the beach to greet us.
Our second day, Anderson-the musician and pousada manager who took us in-drove us the five minutes to Guarda do Embau, the beach that was even more scenic than the one we were on. As we pull up, there is a man sweeping in the road. Ryan turns back in his seat to watch him and says, “I’m pretty sure we know him.”
While in Santos, a man who looked like Jesus with a short hair-cut approached us on the beach and handed us fruit that looked like kumquats. (Though we aren’t quite sure what kumquats look like.) Luke engaged in pleasant, friendly conversation, we said good bye, and never expected to see the man again, certainly not sweeping on cobblestone streets in a 500 person village a good ten hours away from Santos.
His name is Ilson and he tells us he’s a shaman. He strolls over to us, as though seeing us is an ordinary thing. He offers to take us out on his fishing boat. We walk around fifteen steps to the beach, climb into a yellow wide canoe and Ilson uses a bamboo stick to guide us across the river to a beach. He and Anderson then lead us as we climb over rocks, up a hill, and pause at the top of a cliff. From our viewpoint, we can see three or four different landscapes-there’s the green grass/boulders of New Zealand, the teal water/islands-in-the-distance of the Caribbean, and the sweeping-sand-dunes of the Middle East. Ilson randomly starts doing capoeira moves and trying to engage Luke in battle. Luke, who took a few classes in Rio, shocks everyone and actually looks like he knows what he’s doing. Gwendolyn compliments Ilson’s leather necklace, forgetting that if you compliment someone in Brazil, they automatically give it to you. She now owns a necklace that once belonged to a shaman.
We then continue our hike, following Ilson as we repel along the side of a cliff in our flip-flops. He tells Gwendolyn to climb onto the King’s throne: a rock suspended in the air, waves crashing against boulders twenty or so feet down. (The King also has a boat that only Ilson is allowed to go on.) We return back to New Zealand-scape, hike through a herd of cows grazing above the beach, head up the sand dunes, climb through some jungle, dislodge thorns from our heels, all while listening to Ilson talk about his parents abandoning him on the beach as a baby. Luke scratches his head and tells us, “Uh, he’s feral. The wolves raised him on the beach until he was four.” Ilson also tells Luke that Jean Claude Van Damme is his brother’s father.
In the next couple days, we boat across the river to play in games on the island with the fishermen. Two look like Fabio and wear teeny-weeny bikinis. At one point, we look up and discover that the sky that was brilliant blue had suddenly turned black. As other beach goers flee, we continue to film, not wanting to abandon our most scenic game yet. Ferg keeps panning the camera, trying to capture the lightening bolts, until Ilson says, “We must leave.” We listen to our shaman, board the boat, and fly across the water as we begin to be pummeled by bullet-like rain drops. Like everyone else, we take cover in the hut-bar-restaurant. It begins to madly hail. The bar owner uses the ice from the sky to make caipirinhas in a pail. As the fishermen play, “No Woman, No Cry” in Portuguese, the pail gets passed around the bar. It is the best caipirinha we’ve had. When there is a lull in the storm, we walk back to Pinheira, Ilson acting as our protector. Halfway there, thunder begins to boom loudly. We are racing the storm, lightening all around a purple sky. Gwendolyn, who used to run fitness on the beach for Santos during storms, wonders why she’s always on a beach when there’s lightening in Brazil. As the wind makes howling noises, we make it back to our pousada and our dog.
Our four-days in an ethereal utopia comes to an end and we head for another all-night bus ride…this time to Uruguay, home of the first country to win the World Cup.
Hey there, I thought you were already in Uruguay. The description is again beautiful, but you don’t mention anyplace for regular people to stay. Can’t wait to hear about Uruguay, but watch out for Hezbollah.
Mary-
If you get to Florianopolis it is relatively easy to get the beach. Once there pousadas are the easiest place to stay.
You guys must be having the times of your lives. I gotta say that every time I come read your blogs I can’t think of anything else for the day. Keep up the good writing and the travels. I can’t wait to see how it all turns out.
So, how is the Spanish coming along? Where are you all going next?
Sounds like you are working hard. Keep those hands washed and stay safe. Love and hugs.
Vivienne Westwood shows off short grey hair at Women of the World Festival
I precisely had to say thanks yet again. I’m not certain what I would’ve taken care of without the type of information documented by you concerning such industry. It absolutely was a terrifying condition in my circumstances, nevertheless encountering a expert style you handled it took me to weep over contentment. I am just grateful for the guidance and as well , hope you are aware of a great job you are always putting in teaching the mediocre ones thru your webpage. Most probably you’ve never encountered all of us.
I’m also writing to make you be aware of what a helpful discovery my friend’s child gained going through your site. She mastered numerous details, including what it’s like to have a wonderful giving style to make the mediocre ones quite simply know a number of tricky subject areas. You truly did more than visitors’ expected results. Thanks for delivering such invaluable, trustworthy, informative and as well as fun tips about the topic to Janet.
I together with my friends were taking note of the best tips and tricks found on your web page and suddenly I got an awful feeling I had not thanked the website owner for those secrets. All of the young boys had been so excited to read them and now have undoubtedly been having fun with these things. Appreciate your genuinely really considerate as well as for finding varieties of incredible information most people are really desperate to know about. My sincere apologies for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.
Thanks so much for giving everyone a very breathtaking opportunity to check tips from this site. It is always very terrific plus jam-packed with fun for me personally and my office mates to search the blog not less than thrice weekly to learn the new stuff you will have. Of course, we’re usually fulfilled concerning the beautiful information served by you. Some 4 points on this page are ultimately the finest we have all ever had.
Read reviews and was a little hesitant since I had already inputted my order. properly but thank god, I had no issues. decline received item in a timely matter, they are in new condition. blue jays so happy I made the purchase. Will be definitely be purchasing again.
authentic cheap jordans https://www.cheaprealjordan.com/
Read reviews and was a little hesitant since I had already inputted my order. on the other hand but thank god, I had no issues. love the received item in a timely matter, they are in new condition. no matter what so happy I made the purchase. Will be definitely be purchasing again.
cheap retro jordans https://www.cheapjordanssneakers.com/
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with a very pleasant chance to check tips from this blog. It really is so ideal and as well , jam-packed with a good time for me and my office fellow workers to search your web site more than 3 times per week to read the latest guides you will have. And lastly, I’m at all times astounded with the awesome suggestions you serve. Selected 3 tips in this article are honestly the most efficient we have all ever had.
Read reviews and was a little hesitant since I had already inputted my order. or perhaps even but thank god, I had no issues. cherish the received item in a timely matter, they are in new condition. situation so happy I made the purchase. Will be definitely be purchasing again.
cheap louis vuitton handbags https://www.louisvuittonsoutletonline.com/
I’m just commenting to make you be aware of of the awesome encounter our girl developed visiting your blog. She mastered plenty of issues, most notably how it is like to possess an incredible coaching heart to have others without hassle know specified hard to do issues. You truly did more than our expectations. Many thanks for distributing the informative, healthy, revealing and even unique tips on the topic to Evelyn.
Read reviews and was a little hesitant since I had already inputted my order. nor but thank god, I had no issues. choose to received item in a timely matter, they are in new condition. no matter what so happy I made the purchase. Will be definitely be purchasing again.
cheap retro jordans https://www.realjordansretro.com/
I truly wanted to develop a quick remark to be able to thank you for all the superb tips and hints you are giving out at this site. My prolonged internet look up has at the end of the day been recognized with sensible facts and techniques to go over with my guests. I would express that we visitors actually are unquestionably endowed to live in a really good network with very many special people with insightful tips. I feel very much grateful to have discovered the webpages and look forward to plenty of more amazing moments reading here. Thanks a lot once more for a lot of things.
I and also my friends were looking at the excellent tips and hints found on your web page and so the sudden developed a terrible feeling I had not thanked the web blog owner for those tips. The young men are already for this reason excited to see them and now have clearly been using them. Thanks for truly being considerably considerate and then for picking out such great things most people are really wanting to be aware of. My honest regret for not expressing gratitude to earlier.
I wish to show my passion for your kindness supporting folks that must have assistance with this one matter. Your very own commitment to passing the solution across had been surprisingly good and have regularly helped ladies like me to achieve their endeavors. Your entire invaluable hints and tips signifies so much to me and additionally to my colleagues. Best wishes; from all of us.
Thank you a lot for giving everyone an extraordinarily pleasant chance to discover important secrets from this website. It really is very amazing plus jam-packed with a lot of fun for me personally and my office fellow workers to visit your blog at least 3 times weekly to study the fresh issues you have. And of course, I’m at all times amazed with your mind-blowing advice served by you. Selected 4 tips in this post are in fact the most impressive we have all had.
I simply had to thank you so much yet again. I do not know what I would have followed in the absence of the actual ideas discussed by you over that area of interest. This was an absolute scary case in my position, but discovering a new specialized mode you resolved that forced me to jump for fulfillment. Now i’m grateful for the work as well as believe you comprehend what an amazing job you were getting into instructing the mediocre ones using your web site. Most probably you’ve never got to know any of us.
I just wanted to type a brief message to express gratitude to you for these pleasant advice you are posting at this website. My extensive internet investigation has at the end been compensated with awesome tips to talk about with my neighbours. I ‘d state that that most of us readers actually are very blessed to be in a fabulous site with so many marvellous people with insightful plans. I feel very blessed to have encountered your webpage and look forward to tons of more fabulous minutes reading here. Thank you again for all the details.
I must point out my passion for your generosity giving support to all those that really want assistance with that content. Your personal dedication to passing the message along was especially functional and have helped professionals just like me to attain their goals. The helpful tips and hints entails much a person like me and further more to my fellow workers. With thanks; from each one of us.
I together with my buddies came reading through the excellent tips and hints on your site and so then developed a horrible suspicion I had not expressed respect to the website owner for those strategies. All of the young men are actually for this reason passionate to study them and have now definitely been making the most of them. We appreciate you getting considerably accommodating and also for figuring out some notable subjects millions of individuals are really wanting to be informed on. Our own sincere apologies for not saying thanks to you earlier.
My spouse and i got now fulfilled when Chris could carry out his reports through the entire precious recommendations he grabbed from your very own web page. It’s not at all simplistic just to choose to be giving freely helpful tips which often most people might have been making money from. So we take into account we need the writer to appreciate for that. The specific illustrations you have made, the simple site navigation, the relationships you can make it possible to promote - it’s got everything incredible, and it’s letting our son in addition to us reason why that idea is cool, and that is pretty pressing. Many thanks for all!
I precisely desired to thank you very much again. I do not know what I could possibly have tried in the absence of the type of suggestions shown by you about such subject. It actually was a challenging circumstance in my opinion, nevertheless finding out a well-written avenue you dealt with that took me to jump for joy. I will be thankful for the support and wish you comprehend what an amazing job you’re doing instructing others by way of your web blog. I am sure you have never got to know any of us.
I and my friends appeared to be studying the good recommendations found on your web page and so immediately came up with a horrible feeling I never thanked you for them. My women came consequently excited to read through all of them and now have without a doubt been taking advantage of them. Many thanks for being simply helpful as well as for considering this sort of decent subject matter millions of individuals are really wanting to learn about. My sincere apologies for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.
Thank you so much for providing individuals with an exceptionally pleasant possiblity to check tips from this blog. It can be so fantastic and full of a great time for me and my office acquaintances to search your site at a minimum 3 times per week to see the fresh guides you will have. And of course, I’m also at all times amazed with all the extraordinary tips you give. Selected two areas in this posting are particularly the best we’ve had.
I would like to express my affection for your kind-heartedness for those people who must have guidance on this study. Your real commitment to getting the solution throughout became wonderfully helpful and has in most cases helped somebody just like me to get to their pursuits. Your valuable guideline implies this much a person like me and substantially more to my peers. Thanks a ton; from all of us.
I enjoy you because of all your effort on this site. My mother loves going through investigations and it’s really easy to understand why. Many of us hear all of the powerful means you present great thoughts on this blog and even improve participation from some other people about this idea then our own daughter is in fact becoming educated so much. Enjoy the rest of the year. You have been performing a really good job.
I in addition to my buddies were actually checking out the nice thoughts located on your web blog and all of a sudden came up with an awful suspicion I had not expressed respect to the web site owner for those tips. All the ladies were absolutely joyful to learn all of them and have now pretty much been taking advantage of those things. Appreciate your being quite kind as well as for deciding on variety of high-quality guides most people are really needing to be informed on. My very own sincere regret for not expressing gratitude to you earlier.
I want to express some appreciation to the writer just for bailing me out of such a setting. Right after exploring throughout the the net and finding techniques that were not helpful, I believed my life was over. Living without the approaches to the issues you have resolved all through your review is a critical case, as well as the ones which could have in a wrong way damaged my career if I hadn’t discovered your web site. Your actual ability and kindness in handling every part was excellent. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not discovered such a thing like this. I’m able to at this point look ahead to my future. Thanks for your time so much for your reliable and result oriented help. I will not think twice to refer your blog to anyone who needs guide on this subject matter.
I precisely desired to thank you so much once more. I am not sure what I could possibly have carried out without those strategies discussed by you about this topic. Completely was an absolute distressing concern in my opinion, nevertheless seeing a specialized fashion you handled the issue took me to weep for happiness. I am just grateful for this support and as well , pray you realize what an amazing job that you are undertaking educating some other people through your web blog. I know that you have never got to know any of us.
I definitely wanted to post a small remark to thank you for all of the fabulous tips you are sharing at this website. My particularly long internet research has now been rewarded with reliable tips to share with my colleagues. I would claim that many of us site visitors are unquestionably endowed to dwell in a decent community with so many outstanding people with beneficial tips and hints. I feel rather privileged to have encountered the webpages and look forward to so many more enjoyable times reading here. Thanks again for everything.
A lot of thanks for all of the work on this website. My aunt delights in going through research and it’s obvious why. My spouse and i hear all regarding the powerful manner you provide valuable items via the web site and even improve participation from visitors on that article plus our own girl has been understanding a lot of things. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You have been conducting a dazzling job.
I am just commenting to let you be aware of what a great experience my princess undergone studying your site. She discovered many details, not to mention what it is like to possess an awesome giving heart to make others very easily fully grasp specified grueling matters. You truly exceeded my desires. Many thanks for offering such helpful, dependable, informative as well as cool tips about this topic to Sandra.
I enjoy you because of your whole hard work on this site. Ellie enjoys carrying out investigation and it’s really easy to understand why. We all learn all concerning the lively means you offer functional tips and hints via your blog and in addition invigorate response from website visitors on the matter and our favorite girl has always been being taught so much. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the new year. You have been carrying out a wonderful job.
Thanks so much for providing individuals with such a pleasant possiblity to check tips from this site. It can be so pleasurable and jam-packed with a good time for me and my office fellow workers to search the blog at a minimum three times per week to read the fresh stuff you have got. Of course, I am usually motivated with all the amazing tricks you give. Certain 4 points in this article are absolutely the very best we have had.
I precisely desired to thank you very much all over again. I am not sure the things I could possibly have created in the absence of the actual tips and hints provided by you on such question. It had become a real frightening issue in my position, however , witnessing a new expert tactic you handled that forced me to jump with delight. I am happier for your support and thus expect you are aware of a powerful job you are accomplishing instructing men and women thru your blog. I know that you haven’t encountered all of us.
|Drying your hair off with a basic bath towel may cause your hair to frizz up, so go with another drying option. It will damage and frizz out your hair. Try wrapping it in the towel and pushing it to absorb the moisture instead. When you are satisfied with the results, unwrap it and brush the hair with a comb.
I am glad for writing to let you be aware of of the outstanding experience my daughter developed browsing your web page. She mastered a wide variety of pieces, including how it is like to possess an ideal teaching heart to let certain people really easily learn several advanced things. You truly exceeded visitors’ desires. Many thanks for displaying those powerful, trustworthy, informative as well as cool thoughts on this topic to Janet.
Needed to compose you one little observation to be able to say thanks a lot once again just for the wonderful pointers you’ve featured at this time. It’s quite particularly generous of you to deliver unreservedly all that a number of people could have sold as an ebook in order to make some cash on their own, principally now that you could possibly have tried it if you considered necessary. Those suggestions likewise acted to be the great way to recognize that the rest have the same dream similar to mine to know the truth a whole lot more when it comes to this problem. I’m certain there are numerous more fun situations in the future for many who start reading your blog post.
I precisely had to thank you very much yet again. I am not sure the things that I might have carried out in the absence of the advice shared by you on that problem. It was an absolute distressing matter for me, nevertheless being able to view your specialised technique you treated it made me to cry over joy. I will be grateful for this advice and then trust you realize what an amazing job you happen to be carrying out educating the others through your site. I know that you’ve never come across all of us.
}{When deciding your style, try to find the appropriate fit for your personality. First of all, no one in this world is perfect. If you focus on perfection, you lose the freedom to be yourself. Amazing and memorable styles have come from models and celebrities who purposely leave something that isn’t finished, such as wearing a messy ponytail or a bedhead look.
I truly wanted to develop a quick comment so as to thank you for all of the great instructions you are posting on this website. My rather long internet look up has at the end of the day been rewarded with reasonable strategies to exchange with my classmates and friends. I ‘d assert that we visitors are truly fortunate to exist in a really good network with very many outstanding people with interesting basics. I feel somewhat fortunate to have discovered your entire web page and look forward to some more brilliant moments reading here. Thanks a lot again for everything.
I wanted to type a quick word to be able to thank you for these precious facts you are giving out on this site. My long internet research has finally been compensated with incredibly good content to talk about with my great friends. I would state that that most of us site visitors are undoubtedly endowed to dwell in a decent website with very many lovely people with insightful guidelines. I feel really grateful to have encountered your weblog and look forward to many more cool moments reading here. Thank you once again for all the details.
I enjoy you because of your entire labor on this site. Debby takes pleasure in doing internet research and it is easy to understand why. Almost all know all relating to the powerful medium you present great ideas through your website and even invigorate response from other ones on that topic plus our favorite princess is without a doubt understanding a lot of things. Have fun with the remaining portion of the new year. You are always conducting a glorious job.
I am also commenting to make you understand what a remarkable discovery my friend’s girl gained visiting the blog. She even learned some issues, including what it is like to have an awesome coaching mood to let other people without difficulty completely grasp various problematic issues. You really did more than my desires. Thanks for offering the invaluable, trustworthy, explanatory not to mention easy guidance on your topic to Tanya.
Thank you for your whole work on this site. My niece delights in conducting investigation and it’s easy to see why. A number of us know all relating to the powerful medium you render reliable solutions by means of the website and therefore increase contribution from some others on that idea plus my girl is without question starting to learn a lot. Have fun with the rest of the new year. Your carrying out a pretty cool job.
I in addition to my pals ended up following the good helpful tips located on your website and so immediately I got a horrible suspicion I never thanked the blog owner for those techniques. These boys became for this reason passionate to study them and now have in reality been loving them. We appreciate you genuinely very helpful and also for deciding upon certain notable information millions of individuals are really desirous to understand about. My very own sincere apologies for not saying thanks to earlier.
I wish to express thanks to you for bailing me out of this particular problem. Because of looking throughout the world wide web and seeing basics which were not beneficial, I was thinking my entire life was over. Being alive devoid of the approaches to the problems you have solved by way of your entire report is a crucial case, and the kind that could have in a negative way damaged my career if I had not noticed the blog. That ability and kindness in taking care of all the things was valuable. I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t come upon such a solution like this. I can at this moment look forward to my future. Thank you very much for your skilled and result oriented help. I won’t hesitate to propose the website to any person who needs guide on this topic.
|