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Itaparica - Monday 3rd March
Entry 20 of 87 | show all | print this entry |
After a lazy day yesterday, we set off to the nearby island of Itaparica. There are lots of islands, which are easily accessible from Salvador, but Itaparica is the closest , with only a 45 minute ferry ride and boats leave every hour. We got a bus to Terminal de Sao Joaquim to catch the ferry. We'd just missed one and had to wait an hour for the next one. When we arrived at Bom Despacho, the ferry terminal in Itaparica, we were hoping that there'd be some information on where to go as we didn't have a clue where the best beaches were. But there was nothing, just a line of Kombis (VW van taxis), which are the form of transport on the island, and drivers hanging around in groups. We tried to ask a couple of Kombi drivers, where the best beaches are but they didn't speak any English so it was very difficult. Finally, with the use of a map, the driver was able to convey to us where there was a good beach, with pousadas facing the beach. He offered to take us there for 15 Real. As we were in no position to quibble, we trusted his recommendation and hopped into the Kombi van, relieved to be going somewhere!
About 10 minutes later, he dropped us off at a beach called Ponta de Areia and it was beautiful. Calm sea and close to deserted beach, it was an escape from the bustling places we'd grown used to. The street was lined with pousadas and we stumbled upon a cute white villa style pousada, with blue shutters, called Nel Blue. We took a look at the room and for 80 Real, it was perfect. Run by an Italian family, the pousada could have been something out of a pretty Italian village as each room is set in a patio courtyard, with its own table and chairs outside for guests to enjoy their breakfast. The only problem was that, as we started unpacking, swarms of mosquitoes appeared from every corner of the room - we ended up at war with them, swatting them with a towel but it didn't seem to help. I plugged my mosquitoe killer in and hoped that they would be gone when we returned from the beach. We spent a couple of hours relaxing on the beach and swimming in the warm, calm waters. As the sun had almost set, we went back to face the mosquitoes. They were still flying around everywhere so we went to the local supermarket and bought some mosquitoe killer spray. The war continued and in the end we won - all the mosquitoes had dropped to the floor.
The woman, who runs the pousada, offered to take us into Itaparica town, as she was going there to collect her daughter from college. She explained that they sometimes run a taxi service, when it is convenient to them. She took us to a nice restaurant on the marina called, Chez Soi Namaste, and kindly translated the menu for us and even asked the waiters to book us a taxi back when we'd finished. It was so kind and helpful of her to do that for us as we would not have had any idea of where to go.
Itaparica town was like a ghost town, with most shops and restaurants closed and only a handful of people walking around. I think we must have been at the only open restaurant in town. The low season had just started, which explains the isolation on the island. After a delicious meal of steak with sauteed potatoes and shrimp pasta, we got a taxi back to the pousada. I was relieved that when we opened the door, there was not one mosquitoe to be found! I was going to sleep ok tonight!
Where I stayed:
Nel Blue Pousada
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