This Place, We Like

Things are starting to look up. Our bank has refunded our fraudulent charges for now (subject to Banco do Brasil not protesting it) and we’ve been able to successfully withdraw money from a few international banks.

We had seen the a large camping area next to the beach on our GPS, so we headed to Garopaba. It’s a good-sized fishing town that’s not in our guidebook, but not off of the radar for the Brazilians either.  For a few extra bucks we were able to score a campsite right in front of the water. This was great the first day, but the next 2 nights the spot proved a bit too windy. This campsite is a big, family friendly place. And, the Brazilians and Argentines have started moving in for the summer holiday. Each person gets a designated space, and they have covered it completely with tarps,  even making sectioned rooms inside with them.  I wish I had taken a photo of some of the rope work holding these things together. Serious Eagle-scouters. Of course, there is also the big bus style RVs as well.  These folks definitely have the toys that we haven’t seen outside of the U.S. and Mexico.

Probably the best part of this place is that is is really set up for kids. They have an indoor game room with foosball, pool tables, ping pong. Outdoors, they had a courts for bocce ball and soccer, as well as lots of bike riding room. And, the beach is just right there. Bode met up with a group of about 5 kids and spent each day pal’ing around.

With the beach right in front, and the town a few blocks away it’s an easy place to relax. We were told that our spot as well as every other (this campsite is 1 km long) was reserved from Christmas day to mid-January.  We couldn’t afford to stay that long anyway – it was pretty pricey.

Bode got an early Christmas boogie board, and was out front riding the waves. While I was waiting for him, another grumpy old man walked up to me and asked me a question. When I told him (in Portuguese) “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Portuguese”  I got another rant. Argentine? No. Uruguay? Nope.  Being an American didn’t matter either, he just just kept intensely talking to me.  This went on a little too long, and I just kept smiling. I don’t understand you. He kept going and we were becoming a spectacle to others on the beach. Finally, I got up and joined Bode in the water for a little boogie boarding. Later, I spent an hour on my Portuguese lessons!

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One thought on “This Place, We Like

  • December 24, 2012 at 8:50 AM
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    nice post. where’s the sexy photo shoot picture?

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