Diary/Photo Journal

Weeks of February 06 - February 12, 2011

The beginning of the week was to knock off some of the items on the "to-do" list and that included dealing with finding parts for Cindy and for addressing the issue of Gerson's tenants and their not paying rent for nine months. 

But, not all was frustrating as we did head to the beach to spend a few days in Camboriu with Gerson's friend, Gabriel.

The Gurgel was a Brazilian made car went bankrupt soon after Brasil opened up its market to other cars Roadside waterfall Large waterfalls on the mountains

Gabriel and Gerson enjoy the view View around Camboriu Paddle boarder enjoying the surf

This trip to Camboriu (and later to Florianopolis) were to be our last beach days of the stay in Brasil and it did not disappoint.  We were fortunate to have several days of sunshine and rain only at night.  Camboriu has created a terrific walking platform that goes around the northern point of the bay, along a more secluded beach and again, around another point.  We took this several kilometer walk and enjoyed the many of the different stunning views.

Camboriu and all it offers: hired Pirate ship, playing paddle on the sand, buy ice cream, buy beach sarongs or other clothes, people walking... View to Camboriu and along the beach walk to the neighboring beach

Neighboring beach - Praia dos Amores An artist had fun in the sand Views to the beaches and bay

We enjoyed our short visit with Gabriel (as he had to return to his home in Blumenau) and decided to take a little road trip to more southern beaches.  Every time we visit, the increase in popularity of the area is very noticeable and this time was the same.  There are still some out-of-the-way places, but they are becoming a bit harder to find.

More views around Camboriu and along the beach walk that was punctuated by a very steep and high climb to the top of the point - Pedra Careca

A map of the area Peninsula de Porto Belo, south of Camboriu View out to the beautiful bay and the many fishing boats Gerson overlooks Zimbros on one of the arms of the land and a large oyster farm

We had quite a bit of fun allowing the GPS to get us into and out of these places as the roads (or what they called roads) were rather dodgy at best.  Crossing a few rivers and high tide pools were the easy part.  Fortunately, there had not been much rain the day before and our traction of the tires was true.

View out to Baia do Tijucas High tide made the road interesting while driving through Praia Conceicao Louise overlooking the Atlantic

Zimbros was a small enclave the last time we visited Nice little communities and still a remote little beach - Praia da Tainha The roads were fun

Our jaunt around the beaches just increased our want to get Cindy back on the road (and legally on the road) so we can spend some time in the more remote areas.  We did find one stairway to the top of an outlook and it gave us a tremendous appreciation of the topography of the area.  Not to mention that Gerson almost stepped on what I have researched to be a Oxyrhopus Trigeminus, or rather in layman's terms, a Brazilian False Coral Snake.  Unfortunately, I had to get around Gerson to try and get a picture and the slippery visitor was much too fast. 

Yes, that was a road across the beach and we needed to take it Views to some very nice beaches Praia Conceicao Praia Mariscal

At the end of the week, we enjoyed a lazy day at the beach and headed over to Ilha de Santa Catarina for a few more days with a friend of Gerson's and our last breaths of Brazilian salt air.

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