Praia dos Carneiros

We woke up early the next morning and got a ride from our host's brother-in-law's taxi driver to the hotel that he runs.  Really, its more like a mini-paradise with huts you can stay in.  We didn't get to stay there (though I'm highly considering it for when I can one day afford it), but they let us use the facilities to hold our stuff while we spent the day on the indescribable beauty of Praia dos Carneiros.

Our first sight upon walking in on this hidden paradise were the wild turkeys running around everywhere.  There were also monkeys running around and climbing up trees, and a big peacock prancing around.  My thoughts, "Is this the real life, or is this fantasy?"

Monkey.

Peacock.

I wanted so badly to lay out in that hammock, but the fact that I hadn't paid the hundreds of dollars that everyone else had paid to be there kept me from doing it.

The weather was absolutely ideal. What a comeback from the disappointment we experienced at Porto de Galinhas! 

I didn't get this off of Google images.

Nor this.

Between the sand and the water there was a stretch of reef filled with sea urchins, sea anemones (I admit using spell-check on that one), little fishes, crabs, and hermit crabs.  Jaren and I spent some time on the reef trying to catch tiny fishes and crabs, and then feeding them to the anemones.  It's still fun.

Jaren and I took a little exclusive excursion on a boat, who showed us what there is to see at this wonderful beach.

The boat stopped at a little secret spot where the sand was filled with pieces of what they call "white mud," though its really more of a clay, that you can rub on your skin.  Legend has it that the clay has healing effects.

I didn't think that I could ever be whiter than I already was, but I guess I was wrong.

At the end of the boat ride, the guy let us borrow his snorkel gear (for a reasonable price) and we got to go around the natural pool in the middle of the reef.  Luckily I didn't get the girl mask (the guy said my head was too big for it).  Amongst the coral were lots and lots of fish, and it was really cool to stick your head down there and watch them inside the little caves.  Some of them were really colorful, and when they hit the sunlight that came through the reef they would glow bright shades of blue or yellow.  You had to be careful not to get poked by the sea urchins, which everyone says are poisonous enough to send you to the hospital.  

Also, I'm not sure what the other two snorkelers in the back of the photo are doing.