Driving towards town I was looking forward to a different day. Having seen the less good sides of the city and learnt about some of the deep challenges, it was exciting to also get to see some of the beauty and the positive parts of this place. After a few stops to take photos of the beach and sea, we arrived at the crafts market. A market in an organised area designed to meet any and all needs for souvenirs a tourist might have.
There was so much stuff and very persistent vendors who kept calling me "amiga Brasileira" because of my accent. I found many lovely things, and left wishing I had brought more cash, while at the same time thankful that I didn't. I'd rather spend money sowing into people then stuff. But it was great to see the beautiful crafts in wood and fabric that these skilled people had made. A beautiful expression of their culture.
It was a real treat to sit down at a table with a white table cloth for lunch. I had a seafood kebab with prawns and squid and fish, and it was delicious. Finishing it off with my favourite dessert pudim (like a flan or caramel pudding) made it the perfect meal. We sat overlooking the beach, and not having walked in real beach sand (the base is sandy; sandy roads, but a different kind of sand), I put my feet in just to feel it. I love the sea and it was so refreshing to look out at the vast horizon. In some way the sea connects the world, and standing there it was an expression of nations connected.
A lovely day with lovely people, and a heart full from seeing beauty.