On my last visit to the dentist the hygienist recommended me to use one of those powered and rechargeable toothbrush.

I was somehow a little upset because I though she was trying to sell me something I didn't need.
Note, she didn't pull a powered toothbrush from her drawers and handed it to me. She gave me a flyer or little folder with information on those products from an specific brand. Well, she probably was trying to sell the product, I guess.

I went back home and did a further research in those toothbrushes and tabled the subject.

The other day I went to a store and for no specific reason or further notice I grabbed one of the brands that was on sale and brought home. I read on the little manual that I could return it withing 60 days if I was not 100% satisfied (gross, I thought). That was part of their Satisfaction Guaranteed! :-)

Okay, so now I had it and I wanted to see how it would work.
I was a little concerned that I would receive a shock when I would use it. Oh well, I'm a traumatic post induced accident creature, what can I say? :-) This is a funny history.

Anyway, I charged the thing and when it was ready I went to try it.

I will never use stop using them again! The cleanliness sensation was felt immediately! It was like I went for a dentist visit for hygiene and they brushed my teeth with their little machine.

As there was two of them, I asked if my husband wanted to try it and he got hooked too. So now, we both have one and I will use it as recommended, twice a day and in between I will use the regular one.

Love it and recommend it!

I’m not a gym rat or a super fit person. Yes, I go to the gym on a regular basis, four to five times a week, depending on my work schedule. So I guess I fit in the average crowd.

I don’t think it is a bad thing taking your kid to work out with you. However, sometimes I think, fathers want their kids to grow their muscles way ahead of what I would consider normal.

First of all, I believe a ten year old child should be doing things that are more appropriate for their age, like playing soccer, basketball and all that great outdoor sports.

Yes, I’m suggesting you to go play with them instead of bringing them to your world. For that you will have a better time.

Okay, let me explain my why I’m talking about this. I was working out at the gym yesterday and I couldn't miss this big guy doing his routine exercise right in front of me. He was working out on this shred shoulder machine and he had two forty five pound on each side. He had his kid with him, a cute sweet looking skinny boy, probably 10 or 11 years old. No more than that.

I’m 5.1 with 105 pounds, so I’m not a big girl. That boy was shorter than me and I don’t need to say his weight was way lower than mine. His father, on the other hand as a tall guy, I’m a bad guesser but I would say that if I get close to him my head would probably fit under his arm if he extended his arm on a 90 degrees angle, so you figure his height and I’m not going to guess his weight as I would never get it. He was not fat but he was not that fit either.

When he finished his set he instructed the boy to remove one of the 45 pounds free weight and leave one on each side.

Then, for my surprise and disbelief it was the boy’s turn. I was in shock. Seriously, I really was. That skinny boy was going to do his first set with 45 pound on each side of the machine!

No, that was not possible that that father wanted his child to do a shred shoulder with that much weight on it.

The boy positioned himself and could barely reach the two handles and his proud dad was there instructing him how to place his feet, his body, etc.

Another girl passed by them and looked at me and rolled her eyes and shook her head. I return the head gesture.

The kid made an extreme amount of force to lift the weights and his little body was all shaky in the first attempt. I was almost jumping from my machine and grabbing the father’s shoulder and throwing him out of the gym. That’s what I wanted to do.

The body of the boy was all over the place. He shredded in a weird way for three times and couldn’t do anymore.

When he literally dropped the weights down he put one little hand on his back and another on the back of his neck. My heart broke instantly and although I’m not a mother I had a mother instinct right there and I wanted to run to him and hug him and tell him that he didn't need to do that, that he didn't need to please his crazy father and that he would get stronger in the appropriate time, at with the right age, not working out in the gym, not now.

I can’t stop thinking about that poor kid and I regret I didn't break the rules of etiquette. I should have talked to the father but I was concerned I was going to do something way out of line. Perhaps I should talk to my friend Elaine about this one.

How could his father not realize that that was too much for his kid, for any kid for this matter?

When I go to the gym I see all kinds of people doing their routines without any knowledge of what they are doing but to I see a father pushing their child to an extreme like this it’s not acceptable.

I think gyms should have age appropriate rules for machines or at least someone from the gym should be watching this discrepancies and approach whoever is doing an exercise incorrectly and help out.

Gyms here are different from Brazil. In Brazil when you sign up in a gym, you are assigned to a professional that will put a program together for you and go over the exercises and machines with you and then you receive a workout sheet marking the order of the exercises, how many times, how much weight you should do, etc. You will stick with that program for a certain period of time and then when it is time to change they will come to you and go over the new exercises and machines and so forth and so one. And whenever you have a problem or doubt you just check it with them or they come see you on a regular basis to correct your position etc.

It is probably like what they do here when you hire the personal trainer. But in Brazil it is a standard.

I can’t say how many times I see people wandering around the gym trying to figure out the machines. Some give up and go to another machine, some manage to figure it out and do the exercise, but I wonder if they know what is that for, what benefit they will get from it. No wonder why most of people that go to the gym can’t get the results they expect. They don’t have any instruction. It’s all a guessing game and that’s probably the reason many people give up after they go for a couple of months.

Ahhhh, look at this picture!!
Fernando de Noronha is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful places to visit in Brazil. It’s been featured in various famous world travel magazines. It is an ecological sanctuary and it is protected by IBAMA as a National Marine Park.

It is an archipelago that belongs to the State of Pernambuco that occupies an area of 17km2 and has 21 island and islets although only Fernando de Noranha is inhabited and its population is approximately 3,000 inhabitants.

There are many ways to explore its attractions: by boat, by jeep or buggy, or simply on foot. It is ideal for those who enjoy a good walk, snorkeling, diving, take great photography or simply relaxing, enjoying silence and peace with the sound of the ocean and its natural beauty as a gift for your eyes.

Dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays and even sharks made this place their home and a huge variety of colorful fish that can be seen swimming in the clear warm waters.

I’m all for nature and as an animal lover, to see the Dolphins and other animals in their habitat is something that is priceless to me. The amount of Dolphins you can see playing around, jumping and spinning in the air in the Dolphin’s bay is unbelievable. Precious!

From December to June or July is the time when sea turtles go there and to other beaches, to rest or to make their nest and place their eggs. Unfortunately among other factors, natural predators are a big problem as the birds take advantage of the opening of the nest and they catch little turtles before they can make their way to the water when their nest is opened. Thanks to the great work of Project TAMAR, many of the little turtles are able win this battle and survive. Visitors can make arrangements with them to go see when they open the nests. It’s a great experience for adults and kids and they learn about the importance of protecting the species and environment. Kids get very excited and perhaps a new future Marine Biologist will come up from the experience! For more information about visitation to this great project check out their website http://www.tamar.org.br/base_ing.php?cod=20.

The access to Fernando de Noronha is made exclusively by the cities of Recife, capital of Pernambuco and Natal, capital of Rio Grande do Norte. So if you are visiting other cities, be aware that you will have to take a connection flight in one of these two cities.

By the way if you will be in Recife or Natal anyway for the connection flight, I suggest you to take a couple of days to visit the city. Natal and Recife are great places to visit as well. Natal has beautiful white dunes that end in the beaches and you can rent a buggy and explore the area and have lots of fun. Recife is a great option too, with its beautiful beaches, some really famous that drowns tourist from all over the world. So do your research and decide for yourself.

Oh, and if you are going to the World Cup to watch the games in these two cities, it will be another great opportunity for you to go and visit Fernando de Noronha.

The visits in Noronha are controlled and you pay an environment tax at the airport on your arrival, so be prepared for that.

For me the best time of the year to go is September, October and November as it is low season, it doesn't rain and the visibility of the sea is 50 meters.

I have a friend who says: “I pay more but I don’t give up on comfort”.

So every time I travel I think of her and her “quote” or when I talk to another friend about travelling, we always joke and say her quote, as we both know her.

The same is valid for the other group of travelers who, like another friend of mine would say and I quote “you will stay all day out and go back only to sleep, so why pay more?” He has a point too.

Whatever your choice is, I’m absolutely sure you will love Noronha!

The prices of the Pousadas varies and some are simpler than others and there are a few options that are more expensive and of course offers the luxury you are looking for and it is up to you to decide whether you want to treat yourself with a five star accommodation or prefer to stay in a more modest one. It will depend on your budget. Everybody can visit and be happy in Noronha! 

If you go for a more upscale I suggest you to go for Pousada do Ze Maria. It has great location and you are going to love the accommodations and amenities. They combine comfort and elegance with simplicity and has great atmosphere with very helpful staff. Ze Maria, the owner, is a very cool and laid back guy that understands the art and concept of receiving well a guest and he makes sure the services provided have high standard and quality. The rooms are decorated with great taste. Everything is just beautiful with all the attention to details. No wonder why artists and other famous personalities in Brazil stay there.

At Pousada Ze Maira the food is out of this world and if you like seafood you will be in paradise! Seriously! 
And every Wednesday and Saturday from 8pm there is the famous Ze Maria Gastronomic Festival where it is served a rich banquet with dozens of dishes to please all palates, especially the paella, various fish, shrimp and other seafood, in addition to bread flour, jack-fruit rice, meat, pasta, salads and Japanese food, with fresh fish. Then there are the marvelous desserts, including pies, cakes, mousses, fruit salads and other options.

They suggest to book in advance by phone +55(81) 3619-1258 or by email. 


Check them out on Facebook and Twitter and see for yourself. Visit their website too!

https://www.facebook.com/PousadaZeMariaNoronha /
https://twitter.com/pousadazemaria
Their website here: http://www.pousadazemaria.com.br/index-en.php

 
When to go: Dry/high season (from September up to March) and rainy/low season (from April up to August)

See some pictures of Pousada Ze Maria bellow and check out his website for more information!

Fernando de Noronha bellow... enjoy! *All rights reserved to Pousada Ze Maria and photographer Jose Henrique.

Only one month to my trip now and I’m getting really excited about it.

That’s because I know I will have great time with my family and friends. I miss them a lot as I go there only once a year… but it is wonderful every time I go. I always have a lot of fun.

We will spend the New Year’s at the beach at my brother’s apartment. Spending New Year’s at the beach in Brazil is so much fun.

Most people dress in white… I mean, ALL white. It is a tradition. Heck yes, that’s a must and I’m not different, so yes, I will be in white!

There are some superstition and some people, no, a lot of people offer flowers, perfume or other little gifts to Iemanja, the Goddess of Water, the mother of all Gods in a religion named Umbanda. I may talk about it at another time when I write something about traditions in Brazil. Anyway, the way they offer her these gifts is that they go into the water at or around midnight and leave the flowers and gifts there in little boats or straight in the water for her to take.

This is way for them to thank her for what she did for them and/or to ask her other favors for the New Year. You know, love, money, success, health…

Another thing a lot of people do, including me, is to jump 7 waves!  It is to bring luck or to take away the lack of luck… I don’t want to say the other word because it attracts it! God forbid! Knock in the wood!

Now I got all into the superstition thing, let me go back to what I really wanted to talk about when I decided to write this blog. It’s about my trip!

Travel is a passion of mine and that’s the reason every time I have the opportunity to travel I don’t think twice and now I have the perfect excuse to travel more when I go to Brazil because I want to show my husband and you all the beautiful places we have there. The ones that I’ve been to or not, yet!

So, after spending a few days at the beach in Sao Paulo with my family I will take my husband to a trip that I think it is worth driving to get at our destination. There is a paradise between the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and I’ve been there before a couple of times but I want him to experience it as well.

We will leave my brother’s on January 2nd and start to make our way to Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro.

We will spend a night in Sao Sebastiao in the North Coast of Sao Paulo. I wrote about it in aprevious blog. It is a shame we don’t have a lot of time, otherwise I would stay longer in this little hidden paradise at Praia do Toque Toque Grande. I’m so looking forward to my stay there and spend some time with Edson and Renata Pavao.

I love the beaches in the North Coast because they are not as crowed and they are simply beautiful.

From there we will hit the road! No, not from that song (this is one thing I always get upset when I don’t know what people are talking about, so here it goes, I’m talking about the song that says: “hit the road Jack, and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more… ). I’m talking about the highway I mentioned in a previous blog and that I think is so worth to drive on! Rio Santos Highway!

We will drive in this highway by the ocean passing by the cities of Caraguatatuba, Ubatuba and reach the state of Rio de Janeiro at Parati, a cute little city full of culture and cute old buildings with its historic town.

From Sao Sebastiao to Parati it will take about two hours and a half, maybe a little less. Then, from Parati to Angra, our final destination, it will take another one hour and a half.

Angra is located 151 Km from Rio de Janeiro and 411 Km from Sao Paulo.

This time I will stay in Angra dos Reis the three days I will spend there, instead of spending a night and then visit Ilha Grande and stay for another night in Ilha Grande, like I used to do. The reason for that is because the beautiful place I chose this time is just wonderful! Right there in the waterfront, surrounded by lush vegetation Pousada Jamanta has large and comfortable suites perfect for couples, with private balcony, air conditioning and ceiling fan, frigobar, TV and DVD and electronic safe. They also have flat type apartments for four, five or six people, with mini kitchen and ocean views!

There is a cute little church that was built in 1780 that is just in front of the pousada… in this small island! It is called Ermida do Senhor do Bonfim.

There is one thing that I’m very excited about and I’m sure I will jump right in! I’m going to dive with them and see all the cute colorful fishes, sea horses, sea turtles and other marine animals of our diverse and beautiful fauna.

Pousada Jamanta even have their own operator diving, boat, watercraft rentals, maritime private area, pool, canopy beds, private dock, wireless throughout the inn, game room, steam room, grills, restaurant, rent kayaks and masks and fins, self parking and ramp access to the sea for small boats for their guests to take advantage. Guests can take the boat and visit islands and beaches around and do whatever they want.

Another great thing about them is that if you are visiting from Rio, they can offer you a private transportation with bilingual driver (Spanish and/or English). You can contact them directly at atendimento@pousadajamanta.com.br or click here to send them a message through their website.

I’m so looking forward for this trip! I will sure post more pictures at Brazil for All’sFacebook page. For now, check out the pictures from Angra and from the Pousada Jamanta and start planning your next trip!

Thank you for visiting and reading my post. Talk to you later!