Brazil

There are a few beaches here. The closest one has a barraca, or outside restaurant, on the beach with plastic tables and chairs and umbrellas. It is lovely but we save this beach for lunchtime. In the morning we walk down the coast about 25 minutes to a long, deserted stretch of white sand that is surrounded by rose-coloured, hundred foot high cliffs and palm trees. The water is clean and clear and calm and there are dolphins swimming close to shore. It really is paradise. We can only stay until the tide starts to come in because it comes all the way to the cliff and it is treacherous getting back over the rocks. Then we have lunch at the barraca, swim some more, and head back to our pousada to enjoy an afternoon siesta in the hammock or read or play cards. I know, I know - it is really a tough life. Kate and I hate it so much here that we decided to stay for four more days. We have already been here for almost a week. That is the benefit of traveling for a year - not having to move if you do not want to. Not that we have to go somewhere awful after this. There are beach towns like this up the whole coast. Brazil is paradise!

The only problem (and aren't there always in paradise) is the huge, pre-historic looking bugs that like to hang out in our room. Like the fruit, there is not an equivalent of these creatures in New York, lucky for you! The first and biggest was larger than my hand with its wingspan of two inches on each side. Even the Australian guy who came to see was amazed and disgusted. And the noises it made, my god, like a chainsaw! Well, I carted my bug screen around for eight months and it is finally coming into use.

My birthday is in two days. Not a bad place to be to celebrate. We just have the big decision as to where we want to go in the evening. Have made friends with other people in the pousada and we are still with Adam, Jules and Lee so we will certainly have a party. Of course, it will be nowhere near as good as my surprise party last year, but I will manage I am sure.

I will be traveling for nine months. I am starting to really miss my family and friends and all the comforts of home that I just take for granted like being able to pick up the phone and make a phone call or look in the fridge for something to eat or use the computer without paying. This place is the only place around for miles and is a ridiculous 8 dollars an hour making it the most expensive Internet I have used in South America.

My friends, Jill, Michelle, and Dana are coming in a week and a half and I cannot wait to see them!!!!!!

OK, I am absolutely sweating and have already been here an hour which is a third of my budget for the day. It has been hard to keep within our 30 dollars a day budget because of traveling expenses. It is cheap to sleep, eat and drink, but the buses and taxis are a fortune!

Four more days here and then we are heading up the coast...

April 16-Fortaleza Ceara, Northeast Brazil

Brazil must be synonymous with glue. We just cannot leave places once we get there and have averaged an astounding 10-day stay in each place we have visited. We stayed in the last place, Canoa Quebrada, which is four hours south of Fortaleza, for twelve days. Part of that stay was during Semana Santa, or Easter week, which is a huge holiday here so it was quite crowded.

Canoa Quebrada is yet another beach town on the coast of Brazil. The northeast of Brazil is much poorer than the rest of the country and unemployment is rampant. The average age expectancy is 56. Many children do not attend school and have to work for food for their family. Canoa is small with no paved roads. Most of the locals live in small houses with sporadic running water, no television, and mattresses on the floor. People were very friendly and helpful and the place is becoming a tourist destination. With the coastline up for sale, Canoa Quebrada could become the next Cancun, which would be an absolute crime, especially if it is foreigners buying all the land.