One person’s travel adventures are another person’s travel dreams.  That is how I have felt traveling vicariously along with Andi through her wonderful photos and stories from Brasil.  There are some places that positively vibrate with music, making our hearts sing.  There is something in the music of Brasil that resonates inside me — the rhythm, the feel of the Portuguese language, and that unique intermingling of joy and melancholy.  When Andi invited me to write about my biggest travel goal, the rhythm of the samba and bossa nova music made Brasil my inevitable choice.

But where to begin?  Being the 5th largest country in the world, there is so much to discover in Brasil!  That is where I would let the samba music I love lead the way.  My 1st stop would be the marvelous city of Rio de Janeiro, birthplace of the great Brasilian poet and songwriter Vinicius de Moraes.  How could I resist walking in the footsteps of the Girl from Ipanema along the beaches or seeing Christ the Redeemer located in the Corcovado mountains high above the city?

In his song “Samba da Benção,” Vinicius says that samba was born in Bahia, one of the states of Brasil located on the Atlantic ocean in the north-eastern part of the country.  Since this is my dream trip of a lifetime, I would head northwest from Rio de Janeiro to Salvador, the capital of Bahia, where I would wander the streets of the historic district of “Brasil’s capital of happiness.”  After that, some beach time along Bahia’s Cacao Coast and Discovery Coast would be the perfect ending to a beautiful adventure.

The soundtrack to these travels, of course, would be samba.

Traveling to Brasil may not seem like such a big travel goal for someone who is already living the expat live in Italy.  Although, not speaking Portuguese and never having traveled to South America, I must admit that Brasil, rather oddly, feels far more foreign to me than Europe.  It is certainly quite a journey from my home in southern Italy!  Reading about Andi’s travels to Brasil, however, has inspired me and I now know that my goal is very real and achievable.

While I am not sure when I will have the travel budget to visit Brasil, I know that when I hear the music of the Brasilian greats, such as Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, that someday the music in my heart will lead me to Brasil.

Laura Thayer is an art historian and freelance writer living on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy. She writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and blogs about life on the Amalfi Coast at her own site Ciao Amalfi.

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L. and I decided to dine at the restaurant at Casas Brancas.  We had the entire place to ourselves, and while it was definitely romantic, I missed the energy that comes from a crowded restaurant.

L. and I celebrating a fabulous vacation thus far.

After our suburb meal, we took our time walking into town, as it was slightly past midnight and even though we were visiting during off-season, midnight was still too early for the clubs.  Besides the beaches, Buzios is also known for its happening night life all year round.

A view of Buzios sparkling behind me.

Along the way we passed by Brigitte again and could not help but pose for some more pictures with her!

I loved her sense of style and the fact that she was sitting on a suitcase.

L. loved her, well. . .

We stopped in some stores and enjoyed some ice cream to kill more time, and then around 1:30 we decided to go dancing at Pacha.  I have been to Pacha’s all over the world and I am always impressed with the fabulous atmosphere and music, however I doubt there is a Pacha with a better view than the one in Buzios.

Around 4AM, which to L. was still very early since he is Argentine, we returned to our pousada.  As we drifted off to sleep, again with the doors open, we agreed that tomorrow we would rent a buggy and drive from beach to beach.

When Andi asked me to write about my biggest goal in travel, I thought it over and realized that 1) I had more than just 1 goal and 2) my goals were all interrelated.  Once they are accomplished, they will all join hands and combine together to become my greatest dream realized, which is: to become a guru in budget traveling and  photography!

I can easily have a life full of travel plans, photos, souvenirs, and stories, but with the only motivation being the enjoyment of travel, without which travel is worthless.  We should enjoy every second of our time on the road.  By becoming a “guru”, I could share all my travel experiences with other travelers so they they too can enjoy their travels to the fullest.

How can I hope to achieve my greatest dream?  Here are 5 things that I have been consistently working on in order to put myself on the right track:

1. Utilizing my limited budget to travel to as many destinations as possible.  Certain luxury needs to be sacrificed at times for the greater good.
2. Always strive to take better photos.  Taking photos is my favorite hobby and by continuing to improve my photo taking skill, I hope to become a professional travel photographer.
3. Always gather and record every budget saving tip and experience during my travels and then blog about them.
4. Keep improving the readability of my blog, by providing more quality content.
5. Once I become more experienced in budget travel and photography, start sharing my experiences through a series of e-books, talks, and guides.

When all the above travel goals have been achieved, my ultimate goal of becoming a guru in budget travel photography can then finally be realized.  I just hope I will not be too old to travel by then. . .

Cecil Lee is an avid traveler who is also a passionate travel blogger and travel photographer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and on his own travel photo blog, Travel Feeder.

Song of the post:

The surprise that awaited us at Casas Brancas was truly the most magnificent sunset I have ever seen.  They had promised us the best sunset in Buzios and they definitely delivered!

“We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” ~Jawaharial Nehru

My 1st view of the sunset -- trust me my eyes were wide open!

It was as if the sky was on fire.

I am certain that at first I took about 100 photos and then I realized that I was not enjoying this special moment to the fullest and I put my camera down.  I love that photography enables us to capture  moments in time that we never want to forget.  And when I see something that stirs my soul, I cannot help but take photo after photo until I feel like I have a successful shot.  Though lately I am trying my best to find the right balance between capturing moments with my camera and with with my memory.

It was now time to go get ready for our big night out on the town, since it was after all a Friday night in Brasil. . .

Ever since seeing the travel guide, Samantha Brown, broadcast her experience in Machu Picchu, I became obsessed with learning about everything this sacred land holds and I have made it my goal to visit one day.  It is unarguably one the most beautiful and powerful places in the world; holding the vibrations and sensations of a generation long gone.  People say it is the “lost city” of the Inca tribe.

The traditional Machu Picchu view (photo by Pedro Szekely).

One of the spots in Machu Picchu that I must see is the Intihuatana stone (meaning ‘Hitching Post of the Sun’).  It has been shown to be a precise indicator of the date of the 2 equinoxes and other significant celestial periods.  At midday on March 21st and September 21st (the dates of the 2 equinoxes), the sun stands almost directly above the pillar, creating no shadow at all. I got chills while watching Samantha feel the energetic movement of the stone.

Legend says that when sensitive people touch their foreheads to the stones, the Intihuatana opens one’s vision to the spirit world. These sacred stones were the instruments of the Inca people and were systematically searched for and destroyed by the Spaniards when they took over Cusco in 1533.  When an Intihuatana stone was broken, the Incas believed that the deities of the place died or departed.   The Spaniards never found Machu Picchu, thus the Intihuatana stone there and its spirits remain in their original position.

How I hope to achieve my travel goal?  Well, I will either travel there alone or travel with a  friend that is as enthusiastic about visiting Machu Picchu as me.  I choose to not look at the ‘hows’ in life anymore.  If I am meant to go, I will go.  How it will happen?  Who knows, although that is the best part.  It will be a surprise when I finally complete my quest.  I would like to, however, go on this excursion by the time I turn 40 years old.

Why is it such a powerful place for me?  I have a strong feeling that if I got there I will learn so much more about myself; perhaps I will learn some new things about my limits and how I can achieve other goals in life.  Another reason I want to see this magical and ancient city is that I think I would sense many things more clearly and firmly.  I already have a great sense of people and life and  I think that Machu Picchu would just further increase my senses.

The Intihuatana stone at Machu Picchu (photo by Chris Smith Ronnie Shumate).

Katie Greenaway is a freelance travel writer and is the Local Expert of Florence for Nile Guide where she also provides the secrets of Florence on her blog.  She writes about her life in Florence on her personal blog Olio di Oliva e Sogni di Vino and contributes to MNUI Travel Insurance with travel articles.

Song of the post:

L. and I decided to sleep with the door to our terrace open, so that while we slept we could hear the sound of the ocean.  It was one of the most peaceful sleeps in my life to date!  The beds in the suites at Casas Brancas are built on platforms, so that couples never have to get out of their bed to see the view of Buzios Bay.  In fact, the following pictures were taken from bed!

The breakfast that is offered at the pousada is included in the room cost and is a buffet of Brasilian delights ranging from tropical fruit to exotic cheeses to local cakes.  My favorite, of coure, was the french-press coffee that each couple recieved with the meal.

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As previously mentioned, Buzios has over 20 beaches and no matter who you talk to each person is very opinionated on which beach is the best.  L. and I wanted to form our own opinion, so we decided to spend the next 4 days seeing as many beaches as we could.  That would prove to be the biggest challenge of the trip; deciding which ones to visit!  The 1st beach we chose was Praia Brava.  Casas Brancas reserved us a sunbed at the ultra-trendy Rocka Beach Lounge and Restaurant.

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Before heading to the beach, I took a quick stroll in town to look for a new bikini.  I was inspired by the Brasilian women to buy a Brasilian bikini (ie: a bikini that showed more skin than I was definitely used to).  I found the perfect one by Betty Sue, though you will have to wait a couple of posts to see the unveiling.

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It took us about 5 minutes to get to Praia Brava by taxi.  And as always the case with Brasil, I was definitely impressed with my surroundings!

Me on our sunbed wearing my silk cover-up I bought at a bazaar in Jaipur, India a month before.

L. on our sunbed.

Our 1st view of Praia Brava.

It was easy to understand why Rocka is such a popular place — with a picturesque view of the ocean, against a soundtrack of Brazilian bossa nova coming from the bar, and the smell of fresh seafood cooking — it was the perfect setting to spend the day, even a week.

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Normally, since I am a sun worshipper, my first task at hand is to find the perfect spot to take in the sun, but I was in the mood for some exploration.  Thus, L. and I went on a little walk with my underwater camera.

Could this be our favorite beach???

After our walk, it was time for our 1st round of caipirinhas of the day.

Salud!

And then of course some sun bathing!

Several hours and one delicious meal later, we went for yet another walk, this time to the deserted part of the beach where we had even more fun with my camera.

One of my favorite photos from the trip.

I loved how Praia Brava, despite being one of the more developed beaches, still had parts that were unspoiled.

Once the sun began to set, we decided to return to Casas Brancas.  We had wanted to see at least 1 other beach, however we loved where we were so much that we ended up spending the entire day there.

As if the day were not special enough, we had an incredible surprise awaiting us at Casas Brancas. . .

Well, I wish I could say that we celebrated our 1st day together in some grand fashion (though I know not all beautiful adventures have to be filled with excitement in order to be beautiful), but all we really wanted to do was sunbathe, drink, eat, and drink some more.  We had another 4 days to explore!

I had a lot of positive feedback on an India post where I included some accompanying music to listen to while reading.  Thus, I thought for my Brasil posts I would include a different song with each post, since I am a huge fan of Brasilian music and would love to share some of my favorite songs.  If you are interested in listening, press play below.

According to the staff at Casas Brancas, the ambiance of Buzios once the summer season has come to an end, which is around March, drastically changes.  Honestly, I think it is silly that there are “seasons” in Buzios, since the weather is gorgeous year-round.  Nonetheless, we were enjoying having what felt like the entire city to ourselves.

The intricate landscape and decorative touches of Casas Brancas makes it almost impossible to even want to leave the grounds.  It was also rumored to have the best sunset view and I make it a point whenever I am traveling to not miss a sunset if possible.  L. and I had brought along reading material, however we could not take our eyes away from the dazzling Buzios Bay.  It truly looked like a painting with its perfectly placed fishing boats and islets.

As the sun began to makes its way over the horizon, I decided to try a new drink: a frozen caipirinha.  It was definitely not as good as one on the rocks, although still delicious.

Sunset + Brasil + sexy Argentine + caipirinha = pure, utter bliss!!!

Once our stomachs started to beg for some food, we began to get ready for dinner.  Just like Argetines, Brasilians dine late, so we made a reservation for 11PM at a nearby Italian restaurant, named Satyricon.  Casas Brancas is only a five-minute stroll from the center of town, making it unnecessary for us to ever need a taxi at night.

In the ’60s, a visit to Buzios from the french actress Brigitte Bardot with her Brazilian boyfriend transformed the city overnight from a small fishing village to a dream destiantion.  To thank Ms. Bardot, the city memorialized her by constructing a bronze statue of her sitting on a suitcase.  It is about 10 steps away from Casas Brancas, located along the seaside promenade, otherwise known as Orla Bardot, which winds along the water and guides pedestrians into town.  I, of course, had to pose with the statue!

One more shot!

Satyricon’s location is golden, since it right across the street from the ocean.  To take advantage of the ocean breeze, half of the restaurant is open to the water.  It is highly regarded by many as the best restaurant in Buzios.  Unfortunately, the prices reflect its reputation (expect at least $150USD for 2 people).  The waiter that serviced us was Argentinean and once he discovered that L. was too he generously sent us over a free bottle of Italian wine.  The caprese salad coupled with the basket of complementary focaccia bread would have been enough, however the pasta dish I ordered was so good, I made room for it all.

Me and L. celebrating seeing each other again.

Yes, another caipirinha.

We needed to walk off dinner, so we took a pleasant stroll through the main cobblestone street of Rua das Pedras, which is lined with boutiques, gallaries, bars, and cafes that stay open very late.

A constant soundtrack of bossa nova music seemed to play in the background no matter where we were and along with the lapping of the waves against the seawall and the twinkling of the stars in the nightsky, I was 100% convinced, and still am, that Buzious is the most romantic place on earth.

We could have wandered around all night soaking up the incredibleness of everything, but L. and I were eager to get some rest in order to have lots of energy to search for our favorite beach the next day!

If we truly want to know the secret of soulful travel, we need to believe that there is something sacred waiting to be discovered in virtually every journey. ~Phil Cousineau

Prologue: When I stepped foot for the 1st time exactly 5 years ago in South America I was definitely on a journey for the sacred.  I had just ended a 6 year relationship and while I was healing with each new day, I was ready for my heart to be filled with passion for life again and I knew that traveling would be the exact catalyst I needed.  I sold my engagement ring and bought a ticket to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  Little did I know that not only was I going to fall head over heels in love with the city, but also with a man there.

“Our story”  that took place over the last 5 years is one that deserves to be written about and shared with the world and that is exactly what I intend on doing one day in the form of a romantic travelogue.  For now, I will say there were of course ups and downs, due to the long distance, but our love was strong enough to make it work in the end, as you will see in the upcoming posts. . .

7 months ago I took a life changing solo-trip to Brasil.  Brasil, for me at least, is one of those places where you find yourself pondering selling all of your belongings and moving there immediately to live out the rest of your days.   So, when my Argentine boyfriend (L.) suggested we meet in Brasil only 4 months after that trip, I did not hesitate before saying sim!  The only thing I requested was that we visit a city neither of us had been to before.  We researched the perfect place for our rendezvous and eventually settled on Buzios, a city 2 hours north of Rio de Janeiro.

L. and I wanted this to be a special trip, thus we decided that we would splurge on luxury accommodations.  I asked several of my Brasilian friends for their top choice and every single one said Casas Brancas.  Thankfully, due to it being the off-season they still had a room available for an affordable price, as I was only giving them 2 weeks notice.

As my plane arrived in Rio, I truly felt like I had returned “home.”  My flight arrived earlier than L.’s; I found myself a coffee and waited on the other side of customs for him while soaking up the energy of Brasil.  It had been almost a year since I had seen L., but when I was finally in his arms it felt like we had only been apart for 1 minute.  Casas Brancas sent us a car and before I knew it we were on our way to Paradise.

Buzios has become a playground for Cariocas wanting to escape the urban life of Rio.  It is peninsula with over 20 beaches tucked into its curves and coves.  Some of the beaches are less than a hundred feet wide, while others are more than a mile long — each one offering its own charm.  We intended to explore as many of them as we could over the next 5 days.

As our car pulled up to Casas Brancas I was not sure which sight to marvel at: Buzios or the pousada? I am not being hyberbolic when I say that both are the definition of absolute perfection.

Well listen, do not let me decide for you, come take a look yourself!

Let us get back to that view for a quick second.

There is a sensation that we travelers get, I would liken it to a “traveler’s high,” when we find ourselves in a place that feels so right that the thought of moving is almost painful.  That is exactly what I was feeling while looking out at Buzios.

The other gorgeous view!

Our room was not quite ready, so we continued to wander around the grounds taking pictures, as well as drinking caipirinhas.  Yeah, it was barely 11AM, but when in Brasil, do as the Brasilians do, right?

Our room was #20.

Once we were let into our room, I can promise you it did not disappoint.  Unfortunately, I did not think to take pictures of the room itself, as I was too preoccupied with the view from our private veranda.

We relaxed into our lounge chairs (pictured above) and pondered how we should celebrate our 1st day together. . .

Leave it to Andi to always challenge me when she invites me to write for “My Beautiful Adventures.”   To know Andi is to love Andi; her exuberance, zest for life, and that crazy, blond southern sugar that just oozes from her.   She is quite goal oriented at 28 and has created an impressive bucket list for the next year.

Me on the other hand, I go with the flow.   That must be where the age gap comes in, because when Andi asked me to write about my travel goals, the first thing I said to myself was,  “Goals, who sets goals any more?”   Then I realized, I did at 28.  I wanted to be a network news anchor and see the world, or at least part of it.  So, I did!

Law school, on the other hand, I did on a lark.  I needed a back-up plan in case news went south, which it did dramatically after 9/11.  If I scored well on the LSATS, then I would go to law school.  I scored really well, but kept deferring admission, so much that my law school eventually said take the plunge or do not apply again.  I thought if I could survive my 1st year then I could get through anything, because that was mental boot camp of an unimaginable magnitude.  I survived my 1st year and so it went for each subsequent year.  Law school was never, ever a goal, but I tackled it as a mental agility competition with myself, for myself.

I took stock of my travel adventures for this article, just for Andi.  I even plotted out one of those “Where Have I Been Maps” and realized that while I have visited 15 countries thus far, I have only been to 7% of the world’s land mass.  That is definitely not much compared to Andi who has seen 19% of the world.

Yet, I cannot say that I have a “travel goal” per se.  Life gets in the way of goals. . .and goals turn into dreams. . .and dreams sustain us.  I do have travel dreams.  My dream would be to have enough money that I could just pick up and leave for a weekend, a week, a month or a year, without any obligations or worry, whenever I want.  I used to do that in my 20s, like Andi.  People then thought I was nuts.  People now still think I’m pazzo whenever I escape to destinations unknown.

The ultimate bliss would be to travel for a living.  I did that some as a rock journalist.  There was a period were I always seemed to be on the road, interviewing Bon Jovi or taking photos of U2.  I do not miss the rock ‘n’ roll insanity, but I long for that freedom, that ability to pickup and go.  As a travel consultant, I hope to get back to that soon, however this time to be a vagabond with dough, because I do not do backpacks and hostels, never did.  I enjoy luxury travel, hot and cold running water and steam showers, preferably surrounded by marble tiles, room service and of course a spa!

These are tough times we live in, the toughest some of us have ever weathered.  I know that Australia’s Sydney Harbor, the bays of Alaska, and a sunrise over Haleakala, Hawaii will still be there when I get around to visiting them.  I dream it is sooner rather than later. . .in the meantime, it will be the dream of travel that sustains me.

One of my dreams: to watch a sunrise from the top of Haleakala. (Photo by David Schultz)

Lisa Fantino is an award-winning journalist and attorney and the creative force and travel consultant behind Wanderlust Women Travel.  She has recently launched the Italy destination wedding and Italian honeymoon planning site, Wanderlust Weddings.  She writes travel features for MNUI Travel Insurance and blogs as Lady Litigator.