Mark and I took the kids to Praia de Japaratinga for Labor Day/Brazil Independence Day weekend and it was here that I finally found something I love do to at the beach. And it only took me a year to figure out. Each morning I meandered along the beach looking for seashells and instead of stressing about sunburns, whining children, and the pending dread of combing sand out of my daughter's hair, I felt something vaguely... like happiness. My kids and husband thought my enthusiasm for exploring low-tide was overkill, but they humored me anyway as I yelled at them to come look at the washed up eel, or sand dollar that was desperately escaping to sea while I spilled a shirt-full of shells. This strange feeling of joy and repose kept getting caught in my hair, and I almost didn't know what to do with myself- except collect more. Wander more. It was awesome. Happiness. Huh- go figure.
Of course our weekend wasn't totally confined to my monastic shell collecting, we actually came to the beach by invitation of some new friends we made at Carnaval. They rented a huge house where we stayed with a group of people we never met before. The arrangement was fantastic with each person more helpful and laid back than the other, which made the weekend incredibly easy to navigate. We grilled, drank beer, made pancakes, played games and went to the beach. The town of Japaratinga is definitely a beach destination having hundreds of rentals, pousadas, and resorts, but it doesn't feel touristy at all. Not once did I see vendors selling fake tatoos, hair braids, paintings, or ice cream- even with the multiple tour buses that clogged the narrow roads. Instead we saw people crabbing and fishing, playing soccer, and bathing leisurely. Just like the way it should be for a three day weekend.
Of course our weekend wasn't totally confined to my monastic shell collecting, we actually came to the beach by invitation of some new friends we made at Carnaval. They rented a huge house where we stayed with a group of people we never met before. The arrangement was fantastic with each person more helpful and laid back than the other, which made the weekend incredibly easy to navigate. We grilled, drank beer, made pancakes, played games and went to the beach. The town of Japaratinga is definitely a beach destination having hundreds of rentals, pousadas, and resorts, but it doesn't feel touristy at all. Not once did I see vendors selling fake tatoos, hair braids, paintings, or ice cream- even with the multiple tour buses that clogged the narrow roads. Instead we saw people crabbing and fishing, playing soccer, and bathing leisurely. Just like the way it should be for a three day weekend.
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| Praia de Japaratinga, Alagoas |
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| My stash. |
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