Days 36 to 38– Country Life Carioca Style
On Friday morning we rose and finished packing and were on the road by 9am. Miguel & Christina took Michael & I, and Derek & Marketa went with Carolina, Sylvia & Liana. The final road in was an adventure with many potholes but the deep ruts from the rain were the worst part. We bottomed out several times but both cars and Liana survived the drive.
The estate is amazing – quite the resort. There are 8 bedrooms with ensuite, with 1 supersized for the ‘teens’ with their own 2 bathrooms. There is also a large dining room, living room, upstairs a giant games room with TV / theatre section, billiards and card tables. Outside down the hill is the pool and pool house with full kitchen including BBQ and pizza oven, steam sauna, showers and more games room space for table tennis, as well as indoor and outside dining areas and seating sections. Further down the hill is the soccer pitch with the orchards and gardens all around. Several acres are carefully landscaped and groomed with plants brought in from around the world. The flowers are spectacular as the photos capture!
Saturday we took advantage of the farm and spent the day swimming, gaming, eating, drinking cerveza, eating, drinking caipirinhas, swimming, eating, and ATVing. I was given a lesson in brigadero making – 3@395g cans of sweetened condensed milk, 3 large heaping tablespoons of 50%cocoa powder (I bought some to bring home!), 1 tablespoon butter. Mix together then cook until it boils, turn down and stir constantly until it is thickened – 15 min at least – and forms “little mountains” and comes away from the edge of the pot. Xfer to a bowl and serve when cool. You can roll and coat with nuts or coconut. If you add cookies, use sweet arrowroot biscuits and add while it is still warm.
In the evening after a great BBQ dinner of beef and brigadero for dessert, we played “Big Slap” where Michael was surprisingly slow to react and loss quite convincingly!
On Sunday we took the ATV out again for a longer ride taking in views of the entire farm estate. Between Sat & Sun rides we traveled both the low and high roads, the bamboo groves, through the orchards, past the pond and stables and through the fields. It was cacqui harvest time and the workers were busy picking. The avocados, limon, mangos and other fruits were not in season unfortunately! Afterwards included more pool side fun and today Miguel managed to hook up some music and we sang and danced and exercised in rhythm. We were treated to some spectacular boodie dancing by Christina & Sylvia, and even Derek (aka Teodora in Czech) gave us a show.
Sunday evening after another marvelous meal of Gorgonzola spaghetti, pork tenderloin & salad we headed back to Rio. On the way we passed by the fa-vela where Mariana (the woman executed earlier in the week) came from.
Down to a few days remaining – but filling every minute with amazing times and great memories 🙂
Great memories!!!