Down By The Sea

We made it to the coast after driving in the mountains and hills of the area known as "The Colonial Towns" around of the Brazilian city and capital of Espirito Santo and turned right (south) to see where we could stop. According the the travelling Bible "Lonely Planet" a small fishing village called Meaipe is good but virtually unknown to travellers outside Brazil so of we went. It was beautiful, small several hotels and restaurants along the seafront area and a small town behind but most looked shut for the winter. We found a small area that looked open and enquired in the first hotel. Yes they could squeeze us in. Well ok possibly 20 bedrooms or so and just us there. It was the same in the restaurants, several were open but as far as we could see the tourism trade in the town consisted of us two, a couple from Scotland visiting his brother who now lived here in Brazil and one other Brazilian couple.

A very quiet Meaipe

The first night we went to an Italian restaurant and just us in there and the second to a huge place with probably space for 300 diners and it was all the tourists staying in the town so 8 in total. It was really quiet so we moved down the coast much faster than we originally intended. We are now at a place called Buzios and this will be are last stop before Rio de Janeiro. Buzios is a peninsular jutting out into the Atlantic with some 23 beaches, all different. For mid winter it is buzzing, plenty of people around, lots of restaurants and a good feel to the place so here we stop for next few days.

A Very Different Buzios

We have already tried a few of the beaches and restaurants, the sea is warm the food is good, lots of seafood and shellfish for me although Jan may get fed up with pasta and salads by the end. Everyone seems to drive around in 70s style beach buggies that can be rented everywhere.