Saturday 7 December to Wednesday 11 December 2017
Our holiday is however not an end yet. We have added an extension to the end of the main holiday with a few days in Buzios which is a small town along the coast north of Rio de Janeiro. It is a three hour drive to our destination and we know one other member of the party is making the same journey – however separate cars have been booked so we have a peaceful trip, although the driver is a little mad!
We travel via some hills to reach our destination. We also for a while run parallel to a narrow gauge railway – which I think must be closed. In the hills we see a lot of cattle – in very green conditions – so farming remains strong as an industry.
Buzios became famous as the place where Brigitte Bardot holidayed in 1964; this cemented its fame; it puts us in mind of a small Mediterranean seaside location – a small cove and no doubt when she came here in 1964 it was a lot less developed than now! Our hotel, Casas Brancas, sits on a hillside on a promontory facing west and on the first night as we eat in the hotel’s excellent restaurant we enjoy a superb sunset – the other evenings are not quite as good unfortunately!
Photos covering our days can be found here, this includes pictures of the small statue of Ms Bardot – everyone takes a photo of it as they pass!
We have a nice quiet room looking out to the west as well. We can see a string of lights along a distant coastline which marks a road as it heads further north. The hotel is very relaxed and we are only a short walk into the town centre, although we drive through a built up area for quite a time before reaching our destination. One evening meal is taken in our hotel at 74 Restaurant , one along the seafront (Rincon) watching the world perambulate past and one in an adjacent hotel (Abracadabra) restaurant – Mistico. The choice at breakfast given the small numbers in residence is amazing and it lovely to be able to sit outside enjoying the view and the warmth.
On Monday we walk to the Rocka beach club on the other side of the promontory and this is marred by two navigation errors – well wrong turns! And when we get there we realise it is a mistake for us as Rocka is immediately adjacent to another beach bars both of which are playing (different) bangin’ music (as they say). Not restful!
We lie down on a bed and decide to stay put until we have had lunch – which I have to say was absolutely excellent. Then we take a taxi back to prevent getting overheated in the afternoon sun. We are very pleased to be back in the peace and quiet of our hotel.
We do walk down to the small town centre as well. On our walk to the beach club we also passed some gated residential areas so the place is clearly popular and in demand. We are out of the main season so once the weekend visitors return home the hotel becomes even quieter.
Our return flight is overnight so we leave Buzios with reluctance in mid afternoon and the journey goes well for a long way. Then on the edge of Rio de Janeiro we get attached to the back of a very slow moving traffic jam. It transpires there has been an accident somewhere close to the exit for the airport. Anyway safely delivered and in time for our check in and return home. Then we find that our departure will be several hours late as well! The plane was late leaving London. Disappointing there is nowhere decent to eat airside – the same fast food outlets are repeated but we were hoping for a good meal and then go to sleep. So we snack in the airport and then interestingly actually get a good meal on the plane itself.
Heathrow here we come!