Zip Line across Ribeira Beach - Itacare, Bahia

2-part zip line: one across the ocean and the other back down the mountain.

R$30 zip line= UDS$ 12, pretty cheap let's hope the price doesn't reflect the quality.  Let's hope we don't end up in the ocean any earlier than we want to today.

Maile excited to get going

Strapping into our harnesses 

Hiking to the drop off point

We made it!  We drop off this cliff and sail over the ocean!

Hannah approaching the first landing, the ocean is below and to the left.

                                                         Taryn on the first landing

                              View of the ocean below from the first landing

                         Crazy kids; second take off point, zip line back down the mountain

                                                     Derek approaching the second landing

Carson approaching the second landing

 Brad loving the ride

Maile at second landing

Taryn loved the zip line and wanted to do it again, now lets go swimming!

Ending the day with some serious battles of Tap Tap Revenge

Surfing in Itacare, Bahia, Brazil

The owner of the pousada we are staying at also has a surf school in Itacare.  He has surfed all over the world but was born and raised in Bahia, the largest state in Brazil.  We had two different guys help us out named Junior and Adriano.  I think we entertained them more than they entertained us.  One of the days we walked through town carrying 5 longboards.  As if the white gringo family with all the kids weren't a spectacle already...now we are carrying surfboards with us to draw more attention.  Another day we (7 in our family, 2 surf guides, and the driver) piled into a car with room for 6.  We have gotten used to being uncomfortably close to strangers and always being sweaty is kind of the norm here so this wasn't a big deal.  And another day all 10 of us piled into a boat made for no more than 4 people and drove across the bay to reach a hard to access beach.  Getting to the and from the surf spots was just as entertaining as the surfing.  And our guides/instructors were total tree hugging, pot smoking, nature worshiping surf rats which made for interesting conversation with a family of conservative Mormons from American suburbia.  The surfing conditions weren't the best but we had a great time and saw some incredibly beautiful beaches.

Carson getting ready to shred on his Brazilian potato chip.

Hannah, Maile, and Carson lined up after a successful surf session with the beautiful Praia da Ribeira in the background.

Maile, Brad and Hannah at Praia da Ribeira.

Grabbing the boards for lesson #2, everyone got pounded and beat up today.

Taryn and Derek's job was to wax the boards

Ready to go.  Junior, our white faced, crazy instructor in the back with Adrien.

One of the first waves of the day for Maile.  Carson wanted to catch a wave and not ride whitewater; sorry, not today.

Hannah popped up from the beginning

Beautiful Ribeira beach

Lesson #3: walking out to the boat that took us across the river from Coroinha beach.  We headed to Pontal beach (Long beach) Today was much more successful; the kids didn't take such a beating and had so much fun.

loaded up on the boat 

Pontal Beach (Long Beach)

Hannah

Maile and Carson

Maile

Derek

Taryn

                                              Ending our day with a game of "Loser"                    

Going to Itacare, Bahia

We decided to take a road trip to Itacaré.  5:00 am tractor ride to the river boat, 2 hours on the boat to Valenca, three hour bus ride to Itacaré and we arrived!  Itacaré is a surfing village that has a rasta, dread lock, surf bum, feel.  In the winter it hosts national surfing competitions and is well known by all die-hard surfers.  We are staying at "Lawrence's Pousada" on Rua de Pituba (road to the beaches). There are 8 different beaches that surround Itacaré. 5 of them are walking distance from our Pousada, and the others have to be driven to.  We will be here for 5 days; during which the kids will be taking surfing lessons from a local named Junior.  Today was day one of lessons.  The water is very dirty and full of debris because of the huge rain storm that we also got in Garapua last Wednesday.  It was pretty windy and overcast as well; we hope the sun will decide to join us tomorrow.

At the bus stop in Valenca.  We waited for the bus for over two hours

Itacaré's surf village

More of the surf village

Road to 4 main beaches (praia's)

At Concha beach

One of many surf schools

Resende Beach

Natural showers at Resende beach; the water pours out of hollowed out logs.

Walking home from the beaches

Another surf school

Front garden of our Pousada

Front entrance to our pousada

Surf boards everywhere

Arranging surf lessons with "Junior"

Walking to the beach for day one of lessons

Walking home from lessons

Showing the kids how to use their board

Taryn and Derek want to hit the water

Derek wants to know where the waves are???

Maile and Hannah after my request to please smile. :)

Out in the very choppy water, no waves today just practicing their paddling, Dad and Carson are a little too advanced for this.  

Now the whole family is out with Junior

Walking home from lesson one

Hanging out in our casa

This is Lila, the 9 year old daughter of Lawrence and Marie, the pousada owners.  She brought a game and puzzle down for the kids to play with.  She leaves in the morning for Spain with her mom so we only get one day with her.

A little shopping humor!

The front yard of the house to our casa.  Again, our laundry line. :)

Our casa.  Super cheap rent; R$200 per night= USD$85.00  We have the bottom half, which include a full kitchen, beds for 8, and a private front yard, plus we are only minutes to 5 beaches in Itacaré.