Alagoas is not exactly the largest of the Brazilian states and benefiting from the fact that we actually own a car, we start to know quite a bit of it. This means that when looking for a nice weekend destination, not many new ones come up.
But still, there was one box unticked on our ‘have to visit’ list: the delta of the São Francisco river. Considering that Piaçabuçu had been described to us as dead as a city can be, we were looking for accommodation elsewhere. Having found what we believed to be a nice Bed&Breakfast at reasonable distance, the only challenge was to get the directions jotted down as concretely as possible over the phone.
“Just enter the village and then you drive through the main street and then you turn right and continue on the beach.” On the beach didn’t sound quite right but we were going to find out, weren’t we?
Beforehand was however the visit of the aforementioned delta and what can I say: it was beautiful! We were lucky enough to find a guide taking us out on a small boat together with another couple, avoiding the big ship with its 50 odd people and persistent music.
We thus spent a relaxing 3 hours – one hour to get to the delta, 30 minutes on the dunes of the delta, 30 minutes chugging across the delta to see the old lighthouse close by and then, guess what, one hour back.
While the sun was setting quickly, we headed towards our accommodation but arrived in Pontal do Peba only after nightfall. Driving through the village was easy enough but what do you do when end of the main road leads you directly into the sea? Obviously: ask.
Result: we were advised to go back to the beginning of the village and drive by the beach there as the upper part was impassable due to the incoming tide. Said and done – though with a slight worry about our car getting stuck in the sand. However, as it turned out the next morning during the low tide, not only was the beach road by far the more travelled one but also the faster and funnier. Especially the 180° sharp turn using the hand breaks, soundly shaking the cars and its passengers…
La puce, die Welt and everything else 