Last weekend we went to a place that I have wanted to visit for a very long time, Ubatuba, the surf capital of Brazil!
It's a bit of a long trip for a weekend but the weather forecast was perfect and I had just been paid for my evening teaching job so it was now or never! After a quick stop at a cafe on Paulista for a super unhealthy breakfast of Brigadeiro cake, Vanessa and her sister picked us up at the metro station and we took the marginal out of São Paulo.
After the usual two-hour delays due to traffic we finally arrived. We dropped our stuff at the hostel and headed straight for the beach! The first beach we chose was called Itamambuca, around a 15 minute drive from the centre. It was without a doubt one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to.
We arrived starving after the long journey so immediately headed to the beach bar. We ordered an ice-cold Brahma followed by camarão and chips, typical Brazilian beach food but maybe not the best for our plans to swim afterwards!!
The rest of the day was spent doing absolutely nothing...
We stayed until sunset, and it was definitely worth the wait. I tried to capture it on the camera but it never comes out as good as you hope.
Vanessa cartwheeling in the sunset
My not quite so elegant attempt!!
We stayed until the beach was deserted...
In need of a sugar boost following our hectic day (!), we headed to the centre for an ice cream at the famous Sorveteria Napoli.
When we got back to the hostel there were already people cooking in the kitchen. We cracked open a bottle of wine and introduced ourselves. Like all the best hostels, there were people from every corner of the world, all with amazing stories to tell,with which the copious supplies of caipirinha only improved as the night went on! Before we realised it was 1AM, Vanessa partied on and I called it a night!!
For me breakfast is definitely the most important indicator of a good hostel and this one did not fail to disappoint! The best tropical juices, fresh pão francês, coconut cake, homemade goiaba jam and Toddy (the Brazilian equivalent of Nesquik!)were just a few of the things to choose from! After eating enough to make absolutely certain that we wouldn't need to buy lunch we set off for the town bus station.
When we thought it would be impossible to top the beach from the day before we arrived at Praia Félix. It was different to Itamambuca, surrounded by thick forest, but it was equally, if not more beautiful.
Watching the surfers made me really wish I'd hired a board, especially as the water was like a warm bath compared to the Scottish and Cornish beaches that I'm used to! I will definitely be surfing next time...
The day only got better when Vanessa went for a walk and brought back a coconut!!
After what felt like no time, it was time to head back to São Paulo...My estimation of the hostel went up again when the owner gave us a lift to the bus station in his pick-up! Even the fact that the journey back to São Paulo took 8 hours when it was meant to take 3 couldn't dampen our spirits.
The state of São Paulo has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan. Obviously this is of great cultural importance but more importantly for me is that it means the sushi is incredible and a lot cheaper in the UK! Even at the cheapest por kilo lunch restaurant there is normally a plate of freshly made sushi on offer. My new favourite type of sushi that I tried for the first time when I arrived in São Paulo is Temaki. It is so popular here that there are restaurants where it is the only dish served, called Temakerias.
How a Salmon Temaki should look!
Temaki description from Wikipedia!: Temaki (手巻, "hand roll") is a large cone-shaped piece of nori on the outside and the ingredients spilling out the wide end. A typical temaki is about ten centimeters (4 in) long, and is eaten with fingers because it is too awkward to pick it up with chopsticks.
Last week Paula had some friends over and we all had a go at making some Temaki ourselves. It was definitely not Paula's first attempt, she made it look very easy.
Mine didn't look so professional but wasn't bad for a first attempt! It was seriously yummy and so much cheaper than at a restaurant. I will definitely miss the Japanese food when I come back to the UK and will be bringing back lots of sushi making ingredients!
