Hotel Civico State of Paraiba

... was like quicksand, which meant no messing around at the side when getting in for a swim, you have to dive straight in. It was very refreshing to be swimming in freshwater rather than saltwater and cooled my down from the midday sun. My “guide” also came in for a swim, and although it took him a good 10 minutes, the inevitable happened… out came the compliments and the usual lines in Portuguese that I now know off by heart! After ...

... at the table next to us) and an amazing Torta de Caranguejo (a kind of crab omelette – a lot less hard work) at the Caranguejo Express.  It was a wonderful place, crammed with Brazilians talking, eating, laughing and drinking – the joy Brazilians take in socialising really is something.  I tried to imagine what something like this would feel like in Scotland – and couldn’t – and, again ...

Pasar de Barreirinhas a Parnaíba no es lo más fácil del mundo. Hay que pillar una toyota que va cruzando el pequeño Lencois (otras lagunas en una arena más oscura) hasta Paulino Neves. Ahí como fui con la toyota de tarde, tuve que dormir para irse el día siguiente a las 4 de la mañana. Así que decidi armar mi carpa (=montar mi tienda para lo no-chilenos jeje) en la plaza principal. Pido a un barcillo que estaba cerrando si la podia armar detrás, no hay ...

19/9/07 The trip to Parnaiba was also fine. The bus (minvan thing) drove me to Parnaiba and actually to the doorstep of the poussada I wanted to go to which was nice. Once again there are no tourists around and I tried to organise myself a boat up the river to Tutoia.... BEcause there are no tourists there are no boats so I aranged a river tour for tomorrow and then an onward bus to Tutoia on the same day. 20/9/07 ...

Parque Nacional Sete Cidades Onze ankerplek in Louis Correa is bepaald geen standaard plekje maar wel geweldig mooi. De boot ligt regelmatig te zwaaien tussen de krachten van de wind en de stroom en slingert daarbij behoorlijk. Het anker zit echter zo vast als een huis. Als we al een dag of 5 geankerd liggen op de rivier, besluiten we het er op te wagen en het binnenland te bezoeken.We vinden het toch wel wat spannend om Netjer onbeheerd achter te laten tijdens ons ...

Luis Correia en de Parnaïba-delta Het waait niet hard als we vertrekken uit Camocim en we zeilen met een ruime windse koers naar Luis Correia. Perfect weer om de halfwinder weer eens uit de zak te halen! Deze is op tijdens de overtocht gescheurd en in Salvador gerepareerd. We hebben tot nu echter nog geen gelegenheid gehad om 'm weer te gebruiken. Het gaat geweldig met ondanks de lichte wind halen we toch een snelheid van 5 à 6 knopen. In de loop van de middag zegt Jeroen dat ...

Jericoacoara is remote. By remote I mean that the only ways of getting here are on horse back, or by a one hour 4x4 drive along the beach. It is surprising that given this so many people seem to manage to make it here to admire the stunning sand dunes which provide the seclution from the outside world, to participate in all sorts of outdoors and water sports, but mostly to drink caipirinias and dance on the sand until dawn! The town is little more than five streets, none ...

AT this point we have befriended Cassio and Renna a father and son team who are travelling. Son is 10 years old and they have been to the Amazon jungle from their home of Fortaleza (where we hope to end up in a few days). They are on an adventure and selling jewellery on the way. In our now fluent (!) Portuguese we establish we are all going to Jericoacoara so decide to go together. Wait 10 mins outside a bar in the smallish town of Tutoia for ...

In Paulino Neves we had to wait for 45 mins to get our next ´bus´ to Tutoia so went and gots some lunch in the village. Got our next bus where will require you to use your imagination. Imagine: - Open backed jeep with 4 planks of wood across the outside for us to sit on - our big rucksacks and several other peoples bags plus rice etc under the planks to allow for more leg room! - The equivalent of 2 football teams plus referees and 2 small babies sitting on these ...

The last few days have been kind of crazy. I showed up in Barreinhas, this tiny little town that is close to the entrance to a national park, Lencois Marenhuses. I was seriously the only person there who did not speak Portuguese. Definite reminder of being in China! But I did find a cute posada and one travel agent who did speak English who set me up on a tour on a 4x4 ("quatro por quatro") for the next day of the park. The tour was ...