Sailing Down the Coast

Last summer, some college friends and I went to the North Carolina coast to go sailing. Spending a day sailing around on the Neuse river was eye opening; I had never done anything quite like it before. This past week, when presented with an opportunity to go sailing again, this time down the Brazilian coast, I jumped at it. Two Hungarians, Attila and Janka, are on an around the world sailing trip and happened to be in Joao Pessoa for Carnival. After meeting them during the festivities in Olinda, they invited a group of us to join them for a day trip down the coast. How could anyone say no?

The trip was a blast! Caribbean blue waters, gorgeous coastline, and great company! The only problem was the light wind. We didn’t arrive to our destination until nearly eleven that night. Instead of trekking into town and trying to find a taxi home, we spent the night anchored on the river. We tasted the Hungarian national liquor, Unicum, which is a potent blend of more than forty herbs. Attila and Janka described it as something that becomes bearable only after a couple of years of drinking. The next morning, only slightly feeling the effects of the Unicum, we walked into town. After taking a quick look at the ruins of an old Dutch colonial fort, we were in a taxi and on the way home. It was a great trip. Thanks again Attila and Janka.