On Thursday, March 23, we drove to São Miguel de Gostoso with Allen & Cathy. It is on the coast north of us about 2 hours, and the beach actually runs east and west there.  On the way we stopped in Pajé by the beach and had a beautiful seafood lunch. It was really delicious. We were looking around the property after lunch and at the horses on the adjacent property, when the owner came over, and told us all about his place and that we could rent it for a family vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In São Miquel, we stayed at a Pousada (like a bed and breakfast) called Hara until Saturday at noon. It was beautiful. It looks ordinary on the outside, but as you go through the gates you break into big smiles as their sign says: Welcome to Paradise, a spot between heaven and earth. We checked into our rooms; each had a balcony that overlooked the property. We were also greeted with a glass of iced hibiscus tea. There were bougainvillea petals placed around our room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We headed to the ocean which was at high tide. There was a big slope down to the ocean. I sat on the slope and let the waves break over my legs. One big one carried me away. I lost my good sunglasses and the glasses underneath them. I didn’t do what I thought – take them off. My suit filled up with sand. We watched the sunset.  Hara’s ads talk about having a private beach, which is sand and lounge chairs and a hammock hanging in a thatched roof shade. It has a gate that you go through to get to the ocean, which takes a few minutes to walk to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can eat all your meals at Hara. Breakfast is complimentary. The food is all made to order. We enjoyed some excellent meals with good service from a young man named Carlos. He is 22 years old and is studying public administration. He has tattoos and braces. His dad is a chef in Galinhos, which is further north, and which he highly recommends.  Friday night we ate a meal in town at a place called Oré. All the shops and restaurants were open until at least until 11. We ran into an American family, the Cooks, and a couple from Mossoró. He is a member of the Stake Presidency there. It was a lovely coincidence. The Cooks, Jared and Alison, leave in May. They have lived here for a while to give their kids an international experience. Jared served a mission in Brazil and they had one of his converts with him. We had met her before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hara is also a spa. You can have a Yoga class in the morning, sign up for massages treatments, etc. It has a lovely pool and you can order drinks to be brought there. The service is great.

​

​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We went to the beach again Friday and Saturday. Allen & Cathy & Allen went horseback riding on the beach. I watched the waves and listened to a book. We watched the sun go down. We went at low tide on Saturday and I let the waves wash over me again. I loved it so much.  My ear is still plugged on one side and I couldn’t quite get all the sand out of my hair. It was hard for me to walk in the sand. We got a little too much sun, even with sunscreen. I loved seeing the coconut groves on our journey and the little towns we passed through.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​