Hippie Town

Last week I started my ISP which will focus on the benefits of capoeira for removing children from the streets to homes. I met my academic advisor on Thursday and started interviewing/filming on Friday. It´s a little scary taking my video camera in public, but what will happen will happen. My advisor is a true city girl, pretty cold. I´m glad I only work there for one week.



I found a University that hosts college kids from CA near Campo Grande, where I now get free internet (b/c I pass as a gringa) and where I met a surfer from CA named Lucas. We were talking about cheap get aways and he mentioned a place called Aldeia Hippie in Arembepe. I left on Friday afternoon by myself with a backpack full of the absolute necessities, a little money, and the names of the busses/Aldeia Hippie/Arembepe on a piece of paper.

I was a little nervous, especially after arriving in Arembepe in the dark and without a clue of where to go. I took a moto-taxi to the edge of town where the driver dropped me off with a curt "Aldeia Hippie- straight". I gave the guy an extra $10R to walk me into the village. It somehow had slipped my mind that hippies don´t use electricity and I would arrive in utter darkness. Shoes in hand, we waded through a stagnant river and then up a sand bar, dodging palm trees and getting a little light from the many stars overhead. After narrowly dodging the hidden rear end of a horse I arrived at the "Janice Joplin" house. It looked fitting, so I bid my guide goodbye and stepped inside the little open hut made of palm trees, old plastic tents, and many numerous other objects.

The man of the house (Cezar) should have his picture in Webster under Brazilian hippie- an indigenous Brazilian with a full head of long black dread-locks wearing a turquoise speedo, lying in a hammock with his woman, complete with five little hippie children eating popcorn on plastic chairs- eyes fixated on a mini battery TV. After a little small talk, Cezar said I could sleep in the hammock for $10R. Ta bom.



I didn´t get much sleep- mainly because the dog kept barking, and the rooster began cockling at 4am. At one point, the rooster was directly beneath my hammock. When I woke up, I started talking with the family about how life was like in the Hippie Town. People visit from all over the world to camp and smoke mj. Everyone was very friendly and laid back. As I was exploring, I met a man named Cacao who owned a pousada in the village. He was very friendly and hospitable. As he was showing me around, he shimmied up a palm tree and opened a coconut for some delicious coco de agua. One of the main attractions, besides the enourmous amount of weed, are the turtles that lay their eggs on the beach.

I was planning on staying until Sunday, but I freaked out and high tailed it for Salvador later Saturday evening after exploring the nearby town of Arembepe. The hippie´s were great, but I needed a companion in order to feel safe. Amanda!! Why did your apendix have to burst?!

On Sunday I went to the National Ballet of Cuba with Julia in a very fancy theater near Campo Grande. For $15 US I got into the nose-bleed section and enjoyed 3 hours of beautiful dancing, while being surrounded by the most well-dressed white people I have seen since my arrival in March.

Two very different experiences, one really great weekend. I want to go on a different adventure every weekend until I leave on June 13. Suggestions are appreciated! Until next time, my hand might as well be glued to my umbrella because the forecast calls for rain every day, all day.