Well it certainly is a snowy morning on the east coast! While the blizzard rages (or, y'know, snow falls peacefully) outside my window, I can't help but look back on photos from our recent trip to conjure up memories of sea salt, sand and sunshine.
Enter Praia da Engenhoca. A beach in Bahia, it's nestled at the foot of a tropical rainforest - 12km outside the surfer town of Itacare. Known for it's waves, Engenhoca is a favourite surf spot, but it's not exactly the easiest to get to. Though a short hike through the rainforest is not a bad trade-off for a day spent on these shores.
Sitting on that beach made me feel so small in this great wide world. It became very clear to me that I am SO incredibly lucky. There were so many crazy twists and turns of fate that brought me to be in that exact moment. I mean, how did I end up on a remote beach in the Northeast of Brazil? And how did I hike THROUGH THE RAINFOREST to get there?
IT WAS AMAZING.
I'm incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to visit and explore this little corner of the universe. And, I'm so happy to have been able to explore it with this crowd! Without them, I quite literally would have been lost (and wouldn't have had nearly as much fun). Here we are drinking from coconuts on the beach, because let's be real - it's the best way to drink coconut water.
Ok, I'm sorry guys, I'm not really giving you the full picture here. In order to do that, we need to talk about THE FOOD:
We ate REALLY well on the beach. Pedro's cousin, Dante, is a sous-chef at D.O.M., in Sao Paulo. He and his girlfriend, Kafe (who is also a chef, and all around awesome lady), made us tuna ceviche, grilled red snapper, okra, potatoes and onions. They cooked in a fire-pit that we dug with our hands (and ok, rocks... and I didn't really help that much... but I took photos)!
Maybe I just watch too much TV, but I felt like Anthony Bourdain on Parts Unknown. Seriously, I had to keep asking myself if it was real life. It was some real Travel Network-like business.
Visiting Engenhoca in the way that we did, was such a unique and amazing experience. From the incredible vistas, to the perfect crashing waves (and the most delicious food ever), Engenhoca was truly a paradise.
Maybe you just see a beach, but what I saw was a shift in my perspective.
That this earth is a vast and wonderful place. That I am capable of a lot more than I give myself credit for. That I am the luckiest girl in the world. That sometimes you just need to be OPEN to new things, and stop worrying all the time. And of course, to breathe, and just LOVE, fully and unconditionally.
I had never been to a place like Engenhoca.
It truly opened my eyes, and cracked open my heart.
Peace + love until next time,
Alex