Friday Postcard: Miami Beach, Brazil???

Posted in Brazil Facts, My Trips, Travel Recommendations on 26. Mar, 2010

Hi people / Oi gente!

TGIF! Hope your week was a good one.

One of my very favorite places in Brazil is Natal, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte in the northeast. You can get an idea why by checking out the video about Fut Vôlei on YouTube. I’m working on a couple more videos about the place.

Natal has an almost perfect climate, with more than 330 days of sunshine a year. Almost monotonously (had to spellcheck that one!) beautiful. Natal has beach, dunes, and some interesting history.

The history of Natal (from a European viewpoint) began in 1597 when the Portuguese sighted the coast. but the French tried to settle the area, and the Dutch contested it for some time. Later, in WW II, the U.S. had an airbase here, as this is the part of Brazil closest to Africa. One result of these various foreign incursions is that, in addition to the expected black-haired, brown-eyed folks, you will see brunettes, blondes, and even a few redheads. Quite curious.

The U.S. airmen stationed here used to end their daily training runs at a spot they named “Miami Beach”, and it is still called that today. You’ll see a sign there to that effect. Actually, it does have a Portuguese name, but I don’t recall it. Everyone just calls the place Miami Beach.

While Natal doesn’t have fantastic surfing, the best in the area is here at Miami Beach. As luck would have it, I have a buddy who lives directly across from Miami Beach. When I stayed with Miguel and his wife Marilia, I snapped this shot of a surfer strolling across the beach, which he had almost all to himself.