Penedo was absolutely stunning- like Olinda except with more brightly coloured houses and colonial architecture without a ridiculously big hill to climb to get to it! We had a lazy few days, more hammocks and sunshine and sunbathing and ice cold beer. Socialising is a very important part of life- whole families go out in the evening to enjoy the atmosphere- even babies sleeping while parents whip out the samba moves! There is also lots and lots of very loud music playing everywhere, which seems strange in such a small sleepy place, but in everywhere we have been so far people drive about or cycle around with huge speakers attached and music BOOMING. Maybe a gentle taste of what´s in store for carnival?

Continuing the theme of small more remote places we headed to Mangue Seco for the 13th and 14th (how romantic!) Getting there involved a boat across to Neapolis, a bus to Aracaju, another bus to Indiaroba, a taxi to Pontal and finally another boat across to Mangue Seco. This place really was tiny tiny- sand roads/streets and no cars only sand dune type buggies. There were only a few streets but it was infuriatingly easy to get lost (maybe our brains our slowly melting in the heat) and very hard work walking on the sand- a mini work-out for the calves every time we walked out of our room. The beach is across a sand dune which we naively thought we would cross at 10am, and when the sun is scorching by 8am you can see where the problem might be...without flip flops (too hard to walk in the sand) it was p-AIN-ful on the burning white sand, we were walking gingerly afterwards! The beach when we got there really was beautiful; the most deserted and secluded we have been to so far and the possibility of walking for an hour without seeing anybody. Unfortunately we wanted to make the most of this gem and maybe spent a little bit too long in the sun...we left crispy but satisfied. We probably did the most exercise in one day when we went to that beach and with all the sun we were exhausted and called it a night a 7.20pm (not after a decent helping of portuguese Paddington Bear- one part he performed SInging in the Rain- brilliant! Although have you ever noticed how strange his head looks without his hat?) And thankfully, despite the picturesque location and stunning stars, hallmark holidays don´t come this far so it was a lovely peaceful Valentine´s day. Awww.

We stopped off at Praia de Forte for one night, very much a touristy spot which was quite a shock to the system- but now on to Salvador for CARNIVAL!!!!!!!


Benny and Jee xxxxxx