Story of a trip: Brazil

Here is the travel diary of pro surfer Pauline Ado in Brazil.

It's the stuff of dreams: with its climate, parties, great beaches and Rio carnival, Brazil is an incredible destination.

For me, Brazil is above all one of the greatest destinations for surfing. In my calendar, it's always a very important stopover, and it's a country I really appreciate, even outside the competition.

I wanted to tell you more about my trip.

Challenger Series stopover: Saquarema

The Challenger Series surfing circuit makes its 6th stopover (penultimate of the year) in Brazil, at Saquarema on the famous Itaúna beach.

For several years now, Brazil's surfing capital has been hosting a variety of world-class competitions, and has become an unmissable spot...

Soccer is the main sport in Brazil, but it's not the only one.

Brazilians have been passionate about surfing for some years now, and this craze is growing, not least thanks to the incredible performances of their male athletes. Gabriel Medina, for example, became the 1st Brazilian WSL World Champion in history in 2014. Since then, the Brazilians have been unstoppable, winning 6 of the last 8 world titles (3 for Gabriel Medina, 1 for Adriano De Souza, 1 for Italo Ferreira and 1 for Filipe Toledo). Ferreira also became the 1st Olympic surfing champion in Tokyo; and as soon as I arrived, I felt this passion for surfing.

Surf and Beach Culture

Leaving the hustle and bustle of Rio behind, I find a warm surfing atmosphere in the Itaúna district. I mainly get around on foot or by bike in this district, where surf shops, cafés and local restaurants follow one another. No big waves here, but very pleasant weather for my first few days here. Good, I need a little time to recover from my trip.

I admire the sunsets, which are more beautiful every evening.

Beach culture is very present here and there are always people on the beach, sunbathing, playing volleyball or juggling soccer.
 

What do you eat in Brazil?

I quickly adapted to the local way of life and its gastronomy. Rice and feijão every day, picanha, grilled fish, acai ice cream and of course exotic fruits (bananas, mangoes, papayas...). It's excellent and very nourishing, so I'm careful not to overindulge just before my competition.

The surfing competition

On D-day, the weather conditions deteriorate slightly as the event gets underway.

Lots of local fans come to admire the surfers, taking photos and asking for autographs on flags, t-shirts, caps and so on.

I finished 1st in my heat in the first round and felt better, but the competition came to an end for me in round 32 with a tough heat in which I didn't manage to express myself fully.

In the space of a few hours, the spell was broken, but the good humor of my local hosts quickly restored my spirits. Tessa Thyssen, a team-mate of the French national team, even reached the final, which is a good thing for French surfing!

Is the language a barrier?

The locals are very welcoming and always ready to party. My broken Portuguese and their almost non-existent English don't prevent us from understanding each other and communicating our joie de vivre.

My memories of Brazil

It was my last evening there that will remain one of my fondest memories with my hosts, Lu and Barbara, mother and daughter, who ran the guesthouse. They prepared a traditional Brazilian meal with rice, farofa, picanha, salad and molho de tomate....Everyone pitched in, we chatted about our countries and cultures: that's how the magic happens and how friendships are made.

I hope I'll see them again when I come back!

I hope this account of my stay in Brazil has inspired you to go there. As for me, I discover a little more every time I go back.

See you soon!

Pauline

©Riblanc