I have a million places I want to visit in Brazil, and Pipa was one of them. I first heard about it from a mountain guide I had when I climbed Nevada de Tolima, a high volcano in Mexico. He described it as a beautiful beach backpacker destination that was very popular with foreigners—not my typical destination, I thought to myself, but I added it to my travel queue anyway — our expectations are often wrong when it comes to destinations we haven’t yet visited.
Two years later, when I was in Joao Pessoa, Brazil, Pipa was also recommended to me as a place to visit as I continued to explore the country, which piqued my interest – it seemed like the universe wanted me to visit Pipa. It wasn’t until this year, though, that I had the opportunity to do so when my friend and Brazilian ambassador, Valquiria, suggested we visit for New Year’s. Great idea!
Pipa’s MacGuffin happened to be a concert by one of Val’s favorite musicians, Ivete Sangalo. However, Ivete canceled the show. We weren’t going to another concert anyway in a super well-organized venue. This is not the first evidence I’ve encountered that Brazilians know how to party. There were no lines for alcohol (which was included as part of the concert ticket), and there was even a full buffet. I must admit that I am not a very good partier anymore, or maybe I never was to begin with. Being around so many Brazilians made me realize that I just don’t have that carefree, fun-loving disposition that makes me want to dance, sing, drink, and let loose. If I have more than a couple of drinks, I sleep terribly (and I don’t get drunk). ALcohol has mostly traded in whatever relaxation it previously afforded for feeling somewhat ill, instead. As I read this last paragraph back to myself, I am aware that at age 45, I have reached my next stage of life. I think I might be interested in gardening or growing bonsai trees instead of partying.
Pipa has a lot more to offer than well-organized party venues. There are plenty of beaches in the town and surrounding areas, and Valquiria and I explored many of them. Besides exploring each of these beaches, a highlight of my trip was the many opportunities we found to use my new camera. I still use my mobile phone’s camera quite often, as it is about 1/10th the size and weight, and I can take a photo in about 4 seconds without anyone noticing.
Pipa was also my first introduction to moqueca, a traditional and spicy fish stew. If you are thinking it’s something like a seafood chowder, you are completely wrong. It’s more like an asian curry stew with lime and garlic and about a dozen other complex flavors. Also, unlike other fish stews that you may be mentally comparing it to, it tastes very fresh. The flavors of the comprising parts are distinct and unhomogeneous (unlike those restaurant seafood soups we’ve all had before that seem like they’ve been sitting out under a heat lamp for a few weeks). Anyway, now I’m a big fan of moqueca. Thanks, Pipa!
