Low Tide in Boa Viagem

Exploring Recife's beaches during low tide always ends up interesting. Besides exploring the reefs that are full of tiny crabs, fish and seaweed, the kids and I often find various remnants the ocean left behind: live, dead, and inanimate. I regularly see washed up jellyfish, all blown up with very threatening purple tentacles whether they are dead or alive. We wander amongst oyster shells, seashells, and the occasional dead fish and sand dollars. But as beautiful and colorful the beach is here, it is not immune to copious amounts of trash- plastic bags, shoes, and popsicle sticks seem to be the biggest culprits. Luckily glass and cans are recycled and fishermen take care not to leave hooks in the sand, so for the most part, fear of cutting our feet is only hampered by reef rock and forgotten broken plastic spoons or forks.

Avenida Boa Viagem

Mega low tide- no sharks here.

She dressed herself. I swear.

Today however, what should I find floating by our legs? A kidney. Yes, a kidney still attached to the previous owner's mesentery and ureter. With a couple of flies feasting away, the urine creator was a blood-sucked, yellow-white color, about  6" x 4" and bobbing like a castaway without direction or hope. Of course, being the dramatic realist that I am, started scanning the area for other body parts, maybe an arm or a head with eyes and mouth horridly frozen open to suddenly pop up. Maybe its sister kidney would suddenly wash up on shore too? Obviously I redirected my children to cleaner waters, but felt the zombie organ was following us, and it was. (Never mind that we were all following the current.) After calming my criminal intent paranoia, I surmised the kidney came from a goat or a cow, perhaps used as bait and either fell off a fishing line, or carelessly discarded into the sea. I'm going to think that anyway.

Exhibit A: Right sided kidney

The BIG Question about Fernando de Noronha

If visions of my pale body flopping behind a boat haven't dissuaded you from wanting to experience Fernando de Noronha, I heartily support anyone remotely interested in visiting "Brazil's Hawaii" and will continue to explain a bit more about our trip including how much we paid (gasp!) for this whole venture. Yes, I am going to talk about the forbidden topic. Yes, it was expensive. Yes, it's a Brazilian rite of passage. Yes, it's worth every penny.

Before we could book our rooms on the island, we needed to have our airline tickets purchased. Luckily for us, we could fly directly there from Recife in under an hour. We used GOL airlines, and the kids (ages 2 and 4) were considered a discounted price. So tickets cost us 2,518.00 USD respectively; 2 adults for 383.00, 2 kids for 230.00. Maybe we got a good deal, maybe not- but if you find a cheaper flight, I don't want to know. Can't spoil the fantasy, now can we? I will admit that the GOL website wouldn't accept our credit cards and ended up paying via PayPal.

I sent on this information to reserve our rooms at Lenda Das Aguas. We paid around 3000 USD for 3 rooms (the kids, in-laws, Mark and myself) for 7 nights, about 142 USD/room/night. Not too shabby! The rooms included breakfast (fruit, cereal, meat and cheese plates, eggs, pastries, juice, tea, coffee) AC, and mini fridge, and the occasional wireless Internet. We were warned the satellite in FDN is tricky sometimes. Our rooms were cleaned daily, and the staff could make reservations or inquiries on our behalf. Despite getting gouged by the falling window pane, I was pleased with their service and attention given to our kids. Since we went through Your Way, I wired the money directly to her, and she followed up with payment (and she does not charge any fees).

Once this was completed, Mark and I could breathe easy for a few months. A few days closer to the trip, we knew we'd have to pay a Nature Tax and the rate varies by the number of days on the island. The good news is, kids under 18 don't pay. Seven days equaled about 115 USD per person. It seems all normal people can pre-register online and print out the forms ahead of landing. I did that, but the documents I produced couldn't be found in the system- so they had to register us again before handing over our credit card (cash works too). All this took place at the airport. They do hand you forms on the plane to fill out if you don't do it ahead of time. I was strongly advised NOT to lose these receipts of payment; they are proof to get off the island too and I had to show them to multiple people before even passing security.

Of course once on the island, you need to purchase a national park entry card if you want to enjoy their trails and beaches. A fee equivalent of about 66 USD gets you 10 days of adventure if you are a non-Brazilian resident. Again- keep the cards with you. If you register to do some of the fancier guided activities, like doing the boat tours, hiking certain trails or swimming at Praia de Atalaia (protected water where you can't wear sunscreen or touch the ocean bottom to due a delicate ecosystem) you need the cards.

With plane, hotel, taxes, and cards paid for we were free to roam the island. Luckily Fernando de Noronha is a remarkably easy island to navigate. It has one main paved road, with various rocky dirt trails that divert to trail heads and beaches. During our week we used the public bus (around a dollar a person/ride) and the occasional taxi to navigate the bigger stretches of travel (7-15 bucks/ride) and hiked for the rest.  Mark and I put the kids on our shoulders, and off we went. Other people chose to rent dune buggies a raucous form of fun and noise as their form of travel. Personally I loved the idea of easier access, but loved the idea of built in exercise more. On average we walked five miles which included some moderate hiking up/down to the beaches. Every day we'd come home coated in dirt, staining our flip flops and clothes with an earthy brown.

There are maybe 3 grocery stores on the island and all easily walkable. I neglected most of what was on offer here, with exception to purchasing 5L bottles of water and snacks. Instead we loaded up on breakfast, snacked through lunch, and tried a different restaurant every night. A few, I might add we came back a few times for desserts on "date night" if I stayed awake past 8pm. Independently owned restaurants, each had their own style and various menus. Luckily, we received a handy list of Adriana's favorite restaurants and the ones we tried were great. The ones not on the list were meh. I think we spent an average of 100-150 dollars/day on food for everyone. 

The boat tour was mind blowing. It blew our minds so much, we went back for more. For the price of 60 bucks/person, a shuttle picked us up at our hotel, we enjoyed a boat ride that covered the length of the island, an hour of snorkeling or swimming off a beach only accessible by guide, and a meticulously prepared lunch. Again- Worth. Every. Penny. My belly became round and happy eating sashimi, baked fish, fried fish, crabs, veggies and fruit. Even the kids ate it! Even Mark ate it. 

I suppose equipment rental added up a small sum, 6 dollars/day for snorkel and fins, 4 dollars/day for an umbrella and 7 dollars/day for chairs. But we didn't do this everyday. Some beaches offered natural shade while others simply didn't offer anything at all. To us, it was a matter of enjoying the environment and heat with the resources we had. And lots of sunscreen. I slathered one liter's worth of sunscreen on my family during the week. 

Before we add up the grand total, just for sticker shock, I would like to mention the many free activities we did enjoy: a recently added playground in the "downtown area," a lesson on turtle management with real researchers and real turtles, child friendly hikes and swims including big waves and tidal pools.  We visited old churches, cannons, and the historic square where prisoners would receive their punishments. Apparently during the early 1900s Fernando de Noronha served as a prison, especially of the political kind. The kids loved relaxing in hammocks, burying each other in the sand, and visiting the Shark Museum. Even though the island (at least during January) is rather dusty with hibernating greenery, we got to rub our feet in some real grass too, just outside the museum. The open space is dotted with iron sculptures that flocks of tourists pose and dance around. Seriously, I saw a group of Brasileiros whip out their articulating selfie sticks, dancing around with utter abandonment. 

In total? A week in Fernando de Noronha cost my family of four: 6,200 USD in my estimate. It was magical. Hot and sticky. It was momentous and fun. It was trip also done in the honor of Mark's grandmother who passed away July 2014. She'd highly approve. 

Keeping a watchful eye.
Praia do Meio.

Nap time on Praia Cacimba do Padre.
Passed. Out.

Adolescent turtle weighing in at 60 kg, or 132 pounds
and 2.5 foot shell length.

TAMAR researchers hanging on for dear life.
PS: I love this man's beard.

Pedra de Urso (Bear Rock)

Right before he got taken out.
Praia Cacimba do Padre

Small mouth grunt fish, often mimicked by
the yellow goatfish as a form of protection. 

Right out of Finding Nemo.
I moved, they moved. 

Baia dos Porcos.

Score 2 for mom.
Passed. Out.

Useful sites

Ecotourism planner:  http://www.yourway.com.br/

Fernando de Noronha government and information on the Nature Tax: http://www.noronha.pe.gov.br/

Boat/SCUBA/Planasub tour company (there are many more ready to show you a good time):
www.trovaodosmares.com.br/

Noronha turtle project: http://www.tamar.org.br/

Brazil's conservation organization: http://www.icmbio.gov.br/portal/

Hotel we stayed in: http://www.pousadalendadasaguas.com.br/acomodacoes/index.html

Beach info: http://www.world-insider.com/practical-travel-guide-for-fernando-de-noronha/

Yellow grunt fish research: http://www.biotaneotropica.org.br/v4n2/en/fullpaper?bn02704012004+pt

Pipa: The Beachy Side

Praia de Centro
Peeking out from under the canopy.

Before we geared up for our first Brazilian vacation this week, I scoffed at the idea of traveling from the beach right out our front door to, well... another beach. How different could it be? In my mind, all sand is the same: sneaky, itchy, hot, and filled with crabs. While the sand in Pipa really wasn't much different than the sand in Recife, the experience was indeed totally different, and in a good way. For starters in Pipa, there was no threat of shark attacks. Instead, this insanely popular hippie town promised dolphins. Sure enough, from the beach (and from a tour boat) we could watch slick, bottle-nose dolphins swimming amongst the paddle-boarders and surfers. Even though I saw them appear probably 50 times, my reaction was always the same: a startled shout with an exaggerated arm fling and a finger point in hopes they'd freeze for only a moment longer. This was followed up with a jostling of either child dumb enough to stand near me as I'd yell "Did you SEE that?!" Oh the joy.

Praia de Madeira
for beginner surfers and paddlers. 

Kayaking with dolphins. 

We saw a bit more than dolphins- obviously a multitude of fish and crabs, some monkeys, turtles and lizards. (More on this later.) The people watching here was impressive as well. Since Pipa has evolved from a fishing town to a tourist destination, visitors from all walks of life filled the streets to dine and shop along the cobblestone main street, after energy draining days of swimming, tanning and surfing. I'm talking HOT and sunny- I went through three bottles of sunscreen, chasing after the family as they'd dash to the water, pretending they didn't hear me.

Everyday after espresso and pastries we'd hike down the 100-130 foot cliffs to explore the various beaches. We'd find a giant umbrella with lounge chairs, crack open beers and order fresh squeezed juice. It was pretty surreal, especially when I managed to get the kids to nap- yes NAP on the beach. Mark dared to suggest I just might be a beach expert like the ones I enviously wrote about recently. I wouldn't go that far. But it did help stretch the time of "vacationing" with toddlers. When Deets wasn't trying to battle the ocean with his spoon, and Margo wasn't obliging me to bury her in the sand, we collected sea shells, spied on crabs, and wandered the long stretches of beach during low tide. It was about as tropical as one could get, and considering my tolerance for intense weather it wasn't half bad. I might even say I had fun.

Crease face.

Praia de Amor for advanced surfers. And Deets.

By the afternoon we'd truck back up the cliff side with the kids on our shoulders and back to our house where I'd stand in the backyard shower fully clothed. Only after my initial cool down, could the defrocking commence as the children and husband followed suit. With all the effort of "relaxing" in paradise, I never knew we could smell so bad. Hanging clothes up to dry outside was mandatory for the entire family- especially since we packed only four outfits for each person. Big mistake. I wished I packed more considering how filthy we got; one child still in diapers and another who didn't have any underwear packed for the week. I wonder who forgot that detail? Afternoons dwindled into early dinners of meat and beer followed by copious amounts of ice cream. By 8:00pm, with another shower,  the majority of us already passed out ready to be woken up bright and sweaty at 5:30am- ready for another day at the beach. 

Beaching It- Practice Makes Perfect

Recife: 8.0500° S, 34.9000° W 

I don't know how other families do the beach thing with such finesse. All around me, I see tranquil children who are happy digging holes in the shade, others content with splashing together near the shore. They linger for hours, laughing and playing, snoozing between activities and eating fried cheese on a stick. After some hours these harmonious families head home, happy and without the telltale waddle of too much sand in their cracks.  And don't even get me started on their beautifully tousled beach hair. These families clearly are beach experts. Or- they have magical powers. 

I want to know their secret because on the occasions that I take Deets and Margo to the beach without Mark it usually goes down like this: first I have to negotiate with Deets. He always wants to swim- always in the frigid pool, never in the ocean (though I can understand why). When he finally acquiesces, I chase both kids around the apartment for about twenty minutes to slather on sunscreen and I end up pinning one of them down to put on a swim suit on while the other pretends not to know how. I then squish into my own bathing suit and put on an elaborate show trying to put sunscreen on my back. It involves a lot of grunting and reaching but eventually, I can feel confident that I am somewhere between 85-95% covered. 

We walk across the street with one child tossed over my shoulder, angry that she can't 'just walk into traffic' and, the other insisting pausing in the middle of the crosswalk yelling at the cars to stop- because he's a super hero. We've arrived to the beach and Deets immediately wants to go straight into the water clothes and all, whereas Margo runs in the opposite direction just to prove a point. This means I have to repeatedly drag Deets back onto shore, chasing her down and at the same time getting inundated with unwanted shark attack advice from other beach goers. Or questions about whether they are twins. What time we do have in the water together is relatively entertaining: Deets jumps the waves and I bend over swinging Margo in my arms, giving the onlookers a primetime view of me squatting like a sumo wrestler. We never do go in further than my knees. Because quite frankly, there are sharks out there.

At some point I convince them to retreat to the shade for some bubbly water while I catch my breath, profusely sweating from exertion, sunscreen running in my eyes. The break lasts about 30 seconds and the cycle of herding cats begins again. I am chasing them amongst the various vendors showcasing obnoxiously loud toys, kiddie pools, ice cream, nuts, and again- quail eggs. Finally, after forty-five minutes  a long day in the surf we slink back to the sidewalk half dressed, tired and dehydrated (because someone decides to use the bubbly water as foot wash) with an obscene amount of sand matted into our rat's nest hair. Our other, darker places are also crusted in sand.

When I finally cajole the kids into the shower for a rinse,  I swear I will never take them out alone again.  Then another day comes; the waves tease, the sun beckons and distant music lures all of us back out there to explore. I become entranced once again and fall in love with living here.  I am sure one day WE will be the beach experts with harmonious, glowing auras. Or maybe that's the sun exposure talking. 

The First Four Days

Good God I have never showered so much in my entire life these past four days! I always said I prefer humid weather over dry and in theory I still stand by that, but my body seems to disagree. With my hair and face greasier than a diner stove top and sand that lurks in all my creases, I've been forced to rinse and re-rinse several times a day in addition to watering down the children as many times too. They are experts in performing Down Dog in the shower to get all the sand out. Deets and Margo keep figuring out the hard way that when they sit in the surf and their swim suits fill up with heavy sand, chafing their cracks.  But of course it has not stopped any of us from taking multiple daily swim trips to the ocean or the pool. They love it. Even Jim-dog loves the beach and he hates water.

As for me, I love that they love it. Never having been a beach-person, I am learning what not to do. For example: don't bring a water bottle that your daughter will inevitably bury in the sand. Don't bring a bag for towels and snacks; they are useless and actually encourage more sand.  Don't try to hide cash in your bikini top, especially coins (where DO I put it?!) But the good news is the vendors will still take it, even if it is mashed against your personal parts. We've already teamed up with a couple of gregarious beach vendors to use their chairs and umbrellas in exchange for purchasing drinks.  Turns out coconut water served really cold isn't half bad. That is, until your daughter drops it in the sand and you end up drinking the beach. 

Let's talk about the weather really quick: yes many of you saw on FB the gorgeous sunny day picture of Recife when we arrived on the first day. Traditionally, that's how it is here. A piece of humid (80-90%) paradise 6 degrees south of the equator with a coastal breeze that keeps the temperatures steady between 72-75F at night and 84-89F during the day. Starting "last night," (sunset is around 5:30pm) the wind and rain started. It hasn't really stopped, and resulted in our family looking like drowned rats when we took the dog out during a break in the storm.  According to weather.com, the wind speed only clocks at 15 mph as I write this, but from our apartment the roar of the waves and wind blasting through the windows make it sound far more violent. I could've sworn I saw the Wicked Witch flash past our balcony. 

Despite the rain, Deets still begs to go swimming. When he's not also begging to watch movies, we are playing on the playground and walking the dog. I don't know how Deets even has energy these days because he's not eating much with exception to yogurt. Since Margo does whatever Deets does, my children have pretty much boycotted all food when normally, the kids voraciously eat anything we put on their plates.  It makes for interesting diaper changes and bathroom breaks. I am sure it's just a phase, and I am not trying to sweat it too much. But we all know that's easier said than done. 

Yesterday we walked to the store to pick up some groceries, and Deets demanded we buy him a kiwi. That's right: urgently demanded- as if it was a matter of life and death. Because it was his favorite.  I bought it even though I knew for a fact he'd refuse to eat it later. So we made a deal: he would eat three pieces with dinner and if he did, he could watch Cars in Portuguese. Poor kid gagged and it took him 30 minutes eat the kiwi, but he did it. And now he knows not to ever demand for things when we are at the store. I wonder how many times Margo will need that lesson when it's her turn? On another positive note, Deets did try a piece of papaya without any solicitation before spitting it out... can't say I disagree with him, I think this fruit might be better in a blended and very boozy cocktail. 

At any rate, between these ventures we have been spoiled rotten by Mark's work sponsor/neighbor and her family. Not only did they have our apartment set up with dishes, sheets, groceries and flowers, they helped setup Internet! (My friend Dina in Kiev wrote a post about how happy she was to have immediate Internet access over having a place to sit upon their arrival and I couldn't agree with her more. Yes, I am a slave to staying connected with friends and family. It's the motor that keeps me going with this chosen lifestyle.) Besides all this they've fed and watered us, they put together a newbie Happy Hour over the weekend which was chock full of similar aged children running around. It was a joy. They've taken us shopping and sightseeing some personal favorite spots already. They even call just to check up on us! Mark and I are so grateful for their company and they are making the adjustment quite pleasant. 

Tomorrow I will wrangle the kids and check out their potential school. I also plan to buy the following: vegetable peeler, cheese grater and trash bags. Watch out world.