Northeast Brazil's Best Beaches

Brazilian beach towns are stunning, white sand mixed with activity and then a bit of solitary coves. Porto de Galinhas is rated as one of the best in the Northeast part of Brazil. Today we took a flat bottom little wooden boat called jangadas to the Maracaipe Mangroves where seahorses mate. Better was taking a jangadas with sail out to the reefs when a low tide natural swimming holes can be explored. The profusion of swimming colors matched with multi colored sails will astound you.

There are no high tower hotels to interfere with you viewing pleasure, just some great properties that blend in with nature. The town itself only has four streets but is filled with restaurants, bars and shops. Truly Porto is a place to kick back or if wanted to kick up your inner kid. Two thumbs up for this gem about an hour drive from Recife.Thanks American Airlines for revealing this treasure!

Bequia and Manhattan, Night and Day

After a fast paced day at the European Travel Commission yesterday, I was drawn to pictures I took down in St Vincent and the Grenadines last week. I wanted to relive the bare footing slow pace and breath the salty air, it doesn’t take me long to get nostalgic over a special place.

One of my favorite places down there was the Island of Bequia (“BEK-way”) just nine miles away from St Vincent, a perfect sail. Its main town is Port Elizabeth, a funky little place with great water views and small scale restaurants and shops. Amy’s Creole Grill was also where I had the best French fries I have ever tasted.It was almost like my lobster sandwich was the side dish. In keeping with the laid back Bequia way it is also a place to drop off a finished book and trade it in for a new one. A long way from the fast pace of Manhattan and people rushing around.