Being that my husband grew up in Europe he is a huge fan of soccer football and travel. When he found out the world cup was in Brazil, it was an adventure he was not willing to miss. He actually had dear family friends who lived in Rio so after booking two plane tickets and a decision to stay at their beachside condo, it was all booked. We were going to the the Rio de Janeiro World Cup!
The place we were staying was right on the San Conrado beach and a 15 minute car ride to the Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. It was the absolute perfect location and we had a fabulous time getting to experience Rio as the locals do. It is a city full of energy, music, and colors! If you are heading there for the Olympics this year, you are in for a treat!
While in Rio we were invited by a friend of the family to visit an Island off Angra. We were told everything would be taken care of and to hop in the van that would meet us downstairs in the morning. Brice and I are always up for an adventure so without hesitation, we said yes! After a few hours in the van and a 30 minute boat ride, we were there! A magical private island, surrounded by untouched beauty. It was like something out of a movie dream. The water was gorgeous, the sand was spotless, the views were breathtaking and it was so quiet you could hear the natural habitat surrounding you. It was like we had stumbled upon this oasis, worlds away from our normal lives. And then we saw the house. The architecture was gorgeous! It was modern, with open windows and views to the cove below. It was done to perfection and if I ever have a beach house, I will definitely take inspiration from it.
We spent the day enjoying freshly made local cuisine (still dreaming of the tapioca empanadas), playing paddle ball in the sand, wake-boarding around the island, eating some more, and then dancing into the early morning hours to a local band who made the commute to play for us. It was an experience I will never forget and one that was definitely for the books!
I didn’t share too many of the details in this post, but if we are ever in the same place at the same time, ask me about it! The things I left out are so crazy you wouldn’t believe me. Out.of.a.movie.