Alcobaca, Bahia

This weekend was Independence Day in Brazil and the Barbosa family and I took a trip to Alcobaca, (in Bahia) about five hours away by car. The ride was beautiful and for the first time I finally got that I AM IN BRAZIL! It hit me like a wave, full body contact. From the window of the car I saw coffee plantations, papaya tree farms, palm trees, bright green grass, and lots and lots of trees for making paper. For five hours we drove past tall, skinny trees used for making paper. The vast scale at which these trees grew was astounding. They went on, and on, and on over hills and valleys - I simply could grasp how many there actually were.
When we arrived in Alcobaca, we were greeted with peculiar looks because the town contains approximately 2,000 people total. It is a quiet town and every body knows everyone else. We stayed threes blocks from the beach, but I don't know if they can be called blocks, because all the roads are dirt - it was more like threes dirt paths, an orange house, and a few palms trees away from the beach!
Relaxing and inspiring, all in one. Alcobaca would be the place I would bye my house from what I’ve seen of Brazil so far (but anything could change). The city is small but the home of the dance, Fohal, my favorite! I was told that the people who live in Alcobaca are joked about because they do everything slowly, as if everyday is a vacation, but for me, everyday IS a vacation! Simply terrific!
During this trip I saw so many beautiful and tragic things. There was such stimulation in everything that I laid eyes on. I was like a little kid - I wanted to stop and touch and feel everything. It was hard to sit still and I kept looking around incase I might miss something spectacular! The bottom line: I was consumed with awe and admiration.