Praia da Pipa

Noronha wrapped up with watching spinner dolphins jump out of the sea and do their spinny thing, a few more giant iguanas, some radical maneuvers on the motorcycle, and then the plane. I landed in Natal, where I spent the night and part of the day. It has a bit of a bad reputation, which I´ve decided is totally unfounded. It wasn´t the best place I´ve been, but it was totally comfortable, scenic, with good infrastructure and nice vibes. In fact, as I was cruising through in my taxi, I almost felt like I was in Santa Barbara. Natal was more like southern California than any other Brazilian city I´ve visited. Then I realized, that´s because Americans built it! Natal is the largish city it is due to FDR, who decided he liked the location for launching air strikes on Africa during World War II, so we came in and built air bases and infrastructure and the local economy boomed as a result. I stayed in a youth hostel built to resemble a medieval fortress, drawbridge, moat and everything. The adjacent bar, the dungeon or somesuch, was having live disco night that night- lucky me. Anyway, Natal was not really my destination so the next day I got on the bus for Praia da Pipa, a few hours to the south.

So far Praia da Pipa has been one of my favorite spots in all of brasil, which is weird becuase very few people told me to go and some siad don´t. It´s kind of like Playa del Carmen/Bali meets Brasil, which for me is great. There´s beaches, surf, the usuall brazilian nightlife, along with great restaurants, xique hotels, and a cute main drag full of bars , boutiques, restaurants and pousadas. It´s great. And guess what happenend? At this point I am sort of daring the universe to keep providing great coincidences, and it obliged. First night on the town I am walking down the street and what do I hear? Mike, is that Mike? Everyone in Itacare got a great kick out of the cosmic coincicence of me and Amy being in the same place at the same time. I kept telling everyone it happens everywhere I go. Well Pipa is no different. Brook and her husband, long time friends/acquaintences from Santa Cruz happen to have a house in Pipa, and visit for several weks each year, and just happened to be in town. We kicked it for a little bit and swapped notes, and they introduced me to the local capoeira teacher, who happens to know Papiba (my Brazilian music techer from SC and a capoeira teacher), and they have the same mestre, who I have met, named Ralil. Small world getting smaller. I´m in a rush to see a few more spots in the next week before I go back to Salvador to meet friends, so I think just one more day here. Got out in the surf today but due to a sprained ankle couldn´t get on my board, looked fun though. Tomorrow more beach and exploring, maybe rent a bike, then back on the bus to Canoa Quebrada. More to Come- M