Featured writer: Valéria S.B.B. Oliveira
Praia do Amor – http://www.pipa.com.br
I’ve lived in the Northeast of Brazil since 2001 (in Natal for 11 years and in Pipa for 7 months). I’m moving back to São Paulo in a few days. When I left São Paulo, I was sure I would miss it a lot. Although I didn’t want to live there anymore, there were lots of places and things I liked very much. I really missed my friends and family, but I didn’t miss living there. Actually, I’d never understood homesickness until now. I never felt nostalgic about a place before, but I’m sure I’ll. Maybe the reason is that I never felt so connected to a place before living here. Maybe it is because no one can leave a place this beautiful without regretting it. The only thing I know is that I feel blessed and privileged every time I take a walk on these beaches. Every time I arrive at Praia do Amor (photo above) and look down, the view takes my breath away. The view from Chapadão (photo bellow) has always made me feel the same way.
Chapadão – http://www.pipa.com.br
My most favorite beach is Praia do Madeiro. It is one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil: white sand; coconut trees; rain forest remains and 3-meter-high multicolored sand cliffs are the background for watching dolphins playing in clear crystal waters.
Praia do Madeiro – http://www.pipa.com.br
It is a place to spend the day under the shade, watching the kaleidoscope of changing colors created by the sky’s reflection into the water, where dolphins and surfers share the waves.
Praia do Madeiro – http://www.pipa.com.br
This reflection gets its perfection at Praia dos Golfinhos. When the tide is low it feels like walking in a mirror that reflects cotton-candy clouds. It is impossible to get blasé about a place like this. Every time I go there I feel grateful to be able to do it almost every day.
Baía dos Golfinhos – http://www.pipa.com.br
The dolphins are usually swimming around, very close to the beach. It is very nice to see adults, and even senior citizens, turn into children when they spot a dolphin. They usually run towards the water, pointing, laughing and – a lot of times – screaming. When the dolphins surprise a swimmer, passing by them very close, you can see them turning to you and smiling, with the look “Did you see that?” in their eyes.
Baía dos Golfinhos – http://www.pipa.com.br
The dolphins are usually just swimming around. They are not the spinner dolphins. It is unusual to see them jumping, flipping, and spinning outside of the water, but if you are lucky enough, you will get to see that. I had already seen them doing that sometimes, but last week it was ridiculous: they jumped and flipped outside the water every single day. They made everyone at the beach happy. You could see children and adults running, pointing and screaming. It was a very special good-bye for me: it was as if they were saying “bye-bye!”; “so long!”; “see you soon!”
Could days like those get better?
Yes, they could! Days in Pipa can always get better: just walk back to Praia do Centro and watch the sunset!
Praia do Centro – http://www.pipa.com.br
The same one I have the privilege to have from my window, by the way.
Praia do Centro – http://www.pipa.com.br
Every morning I wake up, open my window and 95% of the time I see blue skies, emerald green waters and golden and red sand cliffs. I’m going home, but I’m sure I’ll homesick!
Morro do Careca – Natal – RN
Photographer: Stefano Paterna (direitos reservados/copyrighted)
www.stefanopaterna.com
I think any time you live somewhere, you take a piece of it with you when you leave. Just imagine the beautiful bits you’ll be taking with you this time. Loved reading (and seeing) this!