Feeling refreshed from the bus ride we took a taxi to the nice part of Itacare where all the pousadas face the beach.  A we were told that 10 reias is the taxi fare anywhere in town even if you've going shorter distances.  Tourist BS i reckon....we're finding brazil to be very expensive and so for that reason look forward to leaving.  However, we managed to discover a gem of a pousada that was 50m from the beach with a huge balcony overlooking the scene below....happy days. 

Hiring some surf boards we hit the waves, which were pretty nice but dominated by freaky locals who smashed out 360 airs and stuff like it was nothing.  My excuse was i hadn't surfed for 3 years.  Again the locals were friendly in the surf and it was a nice chilled vibe.  However, things got complicated that afternoon during the end of my second surf.  Just after finishing my best wave of the day I got a bit excited, no 360 airs but it was nice wave.  Anyway, whilst going under the next wave i managed to get my toes in the path of my surfboard fins and slash the underside of two toes.  So, off to hospital we go for an experience in brazilian stiching. 

We were hanging out with a cool Israeli couple, Oz and Jen and to stem the blood Jen gave me a feme pad, which worked wonders.  All travelers should carry this multi-purpose item.  So after hitching a ride with a surfer dude and a local direting us to the hospital Dan and i were in the theatre room.  Bugs flying around the blinking light on the ceiling, sweating profusely and listening to dan translate the doctor's strange brazillian dialect (thank god for Dan) i prepared to have stiches with no anaesthetic...ok, kidding.  As the doctor prepared the instruments a bug flew down and started crawling over the thread....nice.  Luckily dan brought this to the doctor's attention with 'insecto, insecto' so he kindly changed the thread. 

After a painless affair we were back at the pousada sipping beers, which I can't to now for the next week as i'm on antibiotics.  It hurts cause the capahrinas are so good here!  so i sneaked in a few since, so don't tell the doctor.  Anyway, after a few more days on the beach of no swimming or bare foot beach walking (big frown) we came back to Salvador via a private transfer company, which is another story involving multiple transfers, being left in the car in what we were told were safe areas, the driver hooning around the wrong side or roundabouts at over 100 clicks and just missing ferries. 

Last night in salvador and every Tuesday night it's like mini carnival with street bands, drumming processions and food.  What a super night and ended up in a salsa bar to wrap it up.  They know how to party here and the vibe in the street was fantastic, with my favourite being the drummers slowly moving through the town and everyone dancing behind and around them.  Just watch your pockets.

Now I'm chilling out to let the foot heal properley for the Amazon adventure on the 31st.  Can't wait.