I have officially fallen in love with Brazil! Arraial d´Ajuda is the most gorgeous little town... cobbled streets, colourful buildings, fairy lights in the trees, live music being played at all hours, hippies everywhere, capoeira and dance. It´s so quirky! I can´t even remeber what made us come here but I´m glad we did, if I had to describe myself as a place I think it would be here!!
It´s not peak season so is pretty quiet on the tourist front but I think that´s why I like it. Yesterday whilst on one of my wanders I met a group of locals on the beach playing capoeira. We got chatting (with my rather poor, but slowly improving, portuguese on one guy trying to translate) and it turned out 2 of them were lambada teachers so the girls and i spent last night in a nearby neighbourhood learning lambada and dancing the night away. The actual residential area of Arraial d´Ajuda is very run down with 30% unemployment rate and a lot of recent political scandal. No tourists ever go out of the centre so it was a real taste of ´true Brazil´, and a real privilage to be invited. No one spoke English, except for the guy who I met on the beach, and I felt very ignorant not knowing much portuguese but no one seemed to care and everyone was so welcoming.
After learning the lambada and dancing till my legs felt like jelly we went to a small square in the centre of town and continued to dance to a live band. My feet are battered and bruised but it was well worth it! The Brazilian´s passion for dance completely swept me away and I definately want to return to this area and learn the lambada properly. I love that nothing out here has anything to do with money. Music is played because they love it, people dance because they love it, no money changes hands and no one is trying to make a profit from what they are doing. I really could get used to this way of life.
Unfortunately we have to head off tomorrow and continue up the coast, but I´ve heard great things about our next stop so fingers crossed it won´t disappoint. I´ll keep you posted...
It´s not peak season so is pretty quiet on the tourist front but I think that´s why I like it. Yesterday whilst on one of my wanders I met a group of locals on the beach playing capoeira. We got chatting (with my rather poor, but slowly improving, portuguese on one guy trying to translate) and it turned out 2 of them were lambada teachers so the girls and i spent last night in a nearby neighbourhood learning lambada and dancing the night away. The actual residential area of Arraial d´Ajuda is very run down with 30% unemployment rate and a lot of recent political scandal. No tourists ever go out of the centre so it was a real taste of ´true Brazil´, and a real privilage to be invited. No one spoke English, except for the guy who I met on the beach, and I felt very ignorant not knowing much portuguese but no one seemed to care and everyone was so welcoming.
After learning the lambada and dancing till my legs felt like jelly we went to a small square in the centre of town and continued to dance to a live band. My feet are battered and bruised but it was well worth it! The Brazilian´s passion for dance completely swept me away and I definately want to return to this area and learn the lambada properly. I love that nothing out here has anything to do with money. Music is played because they love it, people dance because they love it, no money changes hands and no one is trying to make a profit from what they are doing. I really could get used to this way of life.
Unfortunately we have to head off tomorrow and continue up the coast, but I´ve heard great things about our next stop so fingers crossed it won´t disappoint. I´ll keep you posted...
4 comments:
All sounds wonderful - very jealous. Trouble accessing at school but am trying to sort! xxx
Hello Hello Hello!!! I am completely and utterly jealous! especially when you said there were hippies and the fact that no one cares about money! I love it and I want to get on a plane right now! I am so excited that you are having the time of your life!!
I am all packed and ready to start!! woop woop! miss you loads, attempted to ring you many times then slowly remembering!miss you and keep being inspired xx
You describe these places so beautifully!! Glad you are having a great time. -x-
Hey hon - great pics! Don't forget to include Woody in some ... he'll be a lot less trouble if you keep him occupied you know. xxx
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