Hitting the waves

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It started this winter with a photo of a lovely, hidden beach outside the small coastal town of Itacaré. Exploring that beach was our reason for going to Brazil

Last night, we arrived in the town after a ferry trip from Salvador across the 'Baia de Todes os Santos' and then taking a local bus for many hours south through the endless stretches of cocoa plantations along the Atlantic coast.


We're not yet on THE beach (it is hidden and you have to walk  into the jungle to find it)

But even at the local beach, just outside the town, the waves are hitting hard. High above the tops of the palm trees, stretching towards the blistering sunlit sky is a group of black, vulture-like birds flying around in endless circles.



Itacaré lies, where the Rio de Contas runs into the ocean, creating a natural harbor. It was known as a mooring place for pirate ships and whalers and in modern times it was one of the places, where cargo vessels could load their precious cocoa.

Surrounding the town is one of the largest expanses of dense Atlantic rainforest

In this tiny harbor town, surfers and backpackers from all over the world assemble to ride some of the best waves in all of Brazil.


We rent a small house, aptly named 'Surf House', just behind the main street, Pedro Longo. Our landlord, Stefano, tells us the area back in the 80ties was an abandoned farm, which was occupied by hippies and squatters.

Since the squatting started, lots of people have moved in and rebuilt the area with a myriad of  lavishly colored, tiny houses - all without consent or written ownership of any property



A line of shops is selling jewelry, swimwear, baskets ware, and surf paraphernalia and an infinity of small bars and restaurants add to the already festive atmosphere.


The hippie heritage is probably the reason for the signpost in the middle of the city that points to (among other exotic destinations) the alternative culture meccas of Amsterdam and the Danish free town of Christiania.

 

You don't have to stay long to tune into a groovy mood. 

The hippies are here - with one significant piece missing: In places like Amsterdam or Christiania, you can whiff the pot being smoked all around you. 

Here in Itacare, the youngsters complain about what they call the 'Gestapo' - the local police, which occasionally sweeps the nearby jungle for kids with reefers.


All Itacaréans seem to wander barefooted around the cobblestoned streets carrying surfboards

We're all surf bums, young and old, and everyone wears a bikini or swim shorts as a uniform.


Now we are sitting in the open air 'Marley bar' - close to the old harbor - having  our first ever caipirinha drinks in Brazil

Yes. We DO have to explore the magical, hidden beach of lore - out there, somewhere in the jungle. But it wasn't going to be today.

Right now, we're just two hipster-granny-surfer-dudes, enjoying life to the full.

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