"TOTO, WE'RE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE..."

I just got off the telephone with my brother, and remarked, "Justin, I don't think I'm coming home."
Strange how we experience binaries for a reason- without the dichotomies of dark and light, sweet and salty, utopia and dystopia- we perhaps might not know the gradients of perfection that exist. I thought Berkeley was good...until I came here. And somehow, the thought of returning home after experiencing one month in Brazil sits like a lump of coal in the bottom of my stomach...
But that's just me being dramatic. I can't help it, this place is so goddamn beautiful it hurts. And after being thoroughly blissed out this weekend, I just had to share a slice with all the voyeurs who care to take notice.
I went with a pack of 5 adventurous, excited, and equally curious friends to Itacare, the place where seasoned world travelers get shipwrecked, abandoning their dreams of conquering the globe instead to surf, learn the ocean's currents, and generally just adapt to the yellow mellow lifestyle that inhabits this ethereal place. Upon first glance, it seems rather ordinary, a hyped-up, psuedo rendition of Berkeley, with its dreaded-out hippies everywhere and ma and pa shops littering the unpaved streets and roads. But you know this ain't no ordinary town- you can smell the sea salt in the air, the fervor and exocticism of the uncharted, the general euphoria that covers the town like a thick, hazy blanket. You realize, in some strange way, that you have entered a place that will leave its mark, brand your soul like it has done to so many, and that perhaps, when you finally leave, that no place shall ever compare to its mystical charm....

Itacare; first glance

the hike to lush waters

the first peek at paradise

catching the surf

the ladies

vasant, amdist deep thought

later, waiting for our bus

cooking our own dinner; krispin and sharon

we decided to abandon eating out and cooked up a fantastic meal in our pousada

vasant, manning the kitchen

the candlelight dinner, courtesy of krispin

out later that night

brasil, baby

street dancing

at a reggae club. i guess i must be lovin' the music

meet krispin, the finest english gent i have ever had the grace to come across. not only did he enchant me with his candor and wit, but he's got quite the resume: professional wild-life photographer, web designer extraordinaire, and former member of a Brit experimental rock band. (And that's just naming a few)

Krispin and Sophie having a talk. At the BBQ, Sophie told me of the many luminaries and royal dignitaries who have frequented Itacare- Charlize Theron, herself, was only there a week ago!

A sunburnt Jeaninie, with her pal, JoJo. I love this kid- he doesn't speak a lick of English, but what does it matter. He only managed to impress me with his entertaining display of theatrical gesticulations and mannerisms!

cerveja, anyone?

haivianas: only everyone who's everyone has got 'em.

sharon catching the sunrise.

lush.

meet andy. our brazilian-british friend who not only has the dopest accent ever, but happens to know itacare like the back of his hand. He was our ever so charming tour guide and surf instructor at that.

a hike through jungle terrain in search of the next pristine beach

petra of austria, and ivy of nigeria- 2 more nomads who "sorta" fell captive to Itacare's nomadic spell

is gorgeousness a word?

my life at the present moment, as you can see, consists of scoring the perfect shade of bronze. god, i know, it's tough.

here's one rendition of the brazilian thongkini. and ivy's fabulous ass modeling it (ahem, unbeknownst to her)

band of brothers. andy and krispin having a *moment*

another *moment* perhaps?

yeah, eryn's pretty much joining the ranks of Sports Illustrated

just juicy.

Welcome to my amateur film reel starring Vasant. Here he is being choked by some strange amorphous shadow thing.

... as well as man-handled...

not to worry- Super Vasant is here!

we found donkeys combing the beaches... must be a brasilian thing. i can't tell here whether vasant and krispin are more enamoured with the donkey than it is with them!

the donkey taking a bite out of eryn's ass- hey, i don't blame it

"sharing is caring" ;)

probably only the funniest and most absurd looking picture ever. meet 'vasant of the jungle'.

to coin sharon's ever so appropriate phrase- "feeding time!"

always lovely, miss kat

the trail back home

told ya Heaven exists ;)