Leaving Rio behind the next stop on my route was Buzios, a quaint coastal town a few hours drive from Rio. After reading in a guidebook that Buzios is to Rio de Janeiro what the Hamptons are to New York I was intrigued to find out what this place was like. Arriving at the bus station was somewhat strange as there didn't appear to be one! As the bus began to empty quickly Sarah and myself soon realised that we must have arrived so got our bags, got off and went our seperate ways. Day two in Buzios, I decided to explore the area and find the beach, this didn't end up too well as i ended up getting lost but I eventually started to hear the distant sound of waves crashing so headed in that direction and voila i'd stumbled on Geriba beach!If you like surfing (or watching people surf) this is the place to come to. Big waves create a surfers mecca. Finding a spot on the beach wasn't hard, I just followed the music and ended up in a front of a friendly guy called Bruno's make shift stall. He was selling Caipirinhas and had Bob Marley's Legend album blasting from his speakers, what more could you ask for when spending a lazy day on the beach!?
Geriba was tranquil but I took the minibus to the centre and into the buzz of Buzios and Chez Michou, where I discovered the best crepe EVER!Thanks Pedro! Strolling around the centre and harbour, I soon began to realise why Buzios shares a comparison with The Hamptons. Chic stores nestled between restaurants and bars on Ruas das Pedras explained why people flock here for a weekend getaway!
Since arriving in Brazil I've mainly spoken in English or Spanish and barely any Portuguese so it was a warm welcome when I met three lovely Brazilians (one of whom shared an uncanny resemblance to Daniel Son in Karate Kid!) It was thanks to them that after being asked by the people of the place we were staying at "are you Gina?" (I was slightly bewildered as I'd not long before introduced myself as Ashleigh and thought it was strange that they'd already forgotten my name!) However, after a good laugh and an explanation from Natalia I soon came to realise that they hadn't been asking "are you Gina?" but "do i want dinner?" A mixture of broken english and the Brazilian accent got me lost in translation!
My last night in Buzios was good - great company, great food and it was lovely to see the two Brit girls again who i'd previously met in Rio. That was me done with Buzios, my next stop was Arraial do Cabo. Probably not a place known by many apart from Brazilians but a place many are probably missing out on if they just stick to the beaches of Rio! I took a four hour boat tour around the islands and only two words can desribe how it was: Absolutely Stunning! Crystal clear turquoise waters and sand as fine as caster sugar this place pretty much seemed like paradise. It was a hot day on top deck but it was well worth it to see the afternoon sun dancing across the glistening sea.
Well, I'm leaving the Brazilian coastline for a few days and am heading north of Rio to Minas Gerais and some colonial history.
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