Buzios

Monday's Pictures

We left Nilopolis this morning at 6:00AM (6:30AM actual) – ugh. I don’t like getting up early! We loaded up on the van and set out for Buzios – our beach resort destination. On the way we stopped at a bus stop/gas station/oasis type place and had breakfast. Here I saw another Brazilian first: food by the kilo. Personally, I don’t like weighing the food I eat – its almost worse than adding up fat grams and calories. I’m not sure how much it weighed, but it cost R$10.75 – ouch, it wasn’t that good (or that much, I promise!). Oh well, it was a hot meal and felt good under the belt (wait – I’m not wearing a belt…).

Loading back into the van, we head to Arraial do Cabo – a beautiful costal area with a fantastic harbor. Once we arrive there, Pastor Pedro Paulo goes out on the dock and finds a boat and captain for us to take a tour with. After some famous Brazilian wheeling and dealing, we’re on the boat for a four-hour tour (a four hour tour… - sang to the tune of Gilligan’s Isle).

The tour was nothing less than spectacular. The wind was a bit high and the waves choppy, and everyone once in a while a huge swell made it into the protected cove-like area, but it was wonderful. The water was so clear that in many places you could see 10-15 (more?) feet into the water. WOW! In several places the captain backed into the beach and several jumped into the (not so) warm, winter waters of the Atlantic Ocean. After a while, my favorite part of the trip came, and we went sea fishing. None of us had rods, but we didn’t let that stop us. Nope, let’s grab a water bottle, tie some line, weights and hooks to it, and drop it over the side. We had everything we needed but one: fish. Yep – they kind of forgot to show up. Save one 2 oz pan fish that Don managed to snag. Alas, Don was feeling merciful, and let the pitiful thing go. So we had no proof of our trip to take home and feast on. Oh well, we had fun!

We then headed into town for “launches,” or snacks, and found a food stand that sold meat in fried dough pockets (mostly air, but some meat…). Marvin and I took a nap while they cooked our food, and everybody got a cheap chuckle. I’d been up since 5:30AM – what was I supposed to do? :)

We then went by Pastor Jim and Betty’s apartment that they have invested in in Arraial do Cabo. What a beautiful place! It’s just a block away from the beach, and full of vacation comforts. Betty walked around with a “perma-grin,” seeing the apartment completed and decorated for the first time. After a quick testing of both bathrooms by just about the entire team (they worked well, by the way), we headed out to our pousada (hotel-type place), Sable d’or. On the way we stopped by anther pizzeria – at least that’s what the sign said. I did my best to get excited about eating pizza after just eating 306 pieces the day before, but to my pleasant surprise, there was no pizza to be found. Just another all-you-can-eat-pay-by-the-kilo eatery. And it was really good (just like most of the food here in Brazil. So much for going home a few pounds lighter!).

After dinner we headed to our pousada, and discovered it was a gorgeous place. I went to my room and laid down on my bed. I remember talking to the guys, listening to the weather report in Portuguese calling for rain tomorrow (at least that’s what the picture showed – I’m not real sure what he actually said…), and trying to fluff out a very small, flat pillow. The next thing I remember is roosters crowing, and a faint glow above my head from the rising sun shining through our (screenless) window. It’s 6:00AM – where did those last 7 hours go?


Chow,
Mark