A Weekend In Hell's Living Room

I came into this year in Brazil making a promise to myself that I would take advantage of any travel or cultural opportunities that were available. I’ve followed this self-enforced rule fairly well; the only exceptions were during the NCAA basketball tournament. This past weekend I was invited to go to Mossoro, a mid-size city six hours to the northwest, with a couple of colleagues. Not knowing anything about Mossoro, I decided to join them. If native Brazilians think it is a worthy destination then there was must be something there. Right? Well, maybe not. The hotel concierge where we stayed Friday night aptly described it as “hell’s living room.” While Mossoro has some anthropological charm it is known for one thing above all -- heat. When the thermostat isn’t breaking 100 degrees it usually is pretty close. Growing up in the sweltering southern summers of North Carolina, I’m accustomed to this type of climate. However, of all of the things I miss about home, triple digit temperatures are not among them. Returning on Sunday to the much more pleasant climate of Joao Pessoa was a welcome respite -- at least here there is a constant ocean breeze. Despite the ever-present heat of Mossoro, it was an enjoyable weekend -- salvaged mostly by the wonderful company and frequent stops at beaches on the journey both to and from.

These are some pictures from these beaches...