Some first encounters of the Brazilian kind ...

Planting our roots on Ipanema beach, there'll be no going back now ...

Initiation into beach life includes a family picnic of pastoso (yummy savoury pastry) and frutas of Brazil.

Our first friends from the UK are in town, helping to reinforce our traditional British beach behaviour (an activity not shared by the local...it's just too hot!).

However, it's mandatory to join the locals in a splash around...



... it is also mandatory to development an amazing brazilian beach body (and bum). Therefore Bhavna was up and out the door for 7.30am on a bank holiday Monday to participate in a grueling 1 hour and 15 minutes of pain in a ladies fitness class. The class was completed in bare foot, so that we could feel the sand between our toes, whilst we stretched,  ran (in my case jogged...slowly), pumped, squatted and oh so much more, but the sound of the lapping waves and the beating sun made it that little bit more, bareable...

...and so did the thought of a rewarding misto croissant and chocolate latte.

Jasmine and Rory are also getting into the beach / surf scene....slowly but surely.

Jasmine's first foray into the surf...here it comes...

... that was easy, lets try without the armbands. Jasmine finally convinces her mummy to get more than her toes wet...

Rory doesn't want to miss out on the fun, but prefers if 'the wave machine' was turned off.

The children adapt effortlessly to Saturday behaviour on Ipanema beach...especially when it involves chilling out with a sorvete.

After a great day on the beach, no one feels like cooking, so we retreat to a beach cafe for some dinner.

It's been a long day, and it's well past bedtime, but on the way home we can't resist a few more minutes on the sand....

...happy days!

Love from Bhavna & Rob xx