I could have posted pictures of kids going to school in a wheelbarrow—the local transportation system on the island—a horse taking a sea bath, locals navigating steep streets with creamy cakes in hand, garbage collectors in Havaianas, a gorgeous sunset, even more gorgeous beaches.

And I will.

Just not tonight, because I have a slice of bolo de cenoura to eat.

Also, now that I’m 43, I’ll go to bed earlier and stop trying to fit everything I have to do—or make myself do—into a mere 24-hour day. It’s only… fuck, 2 a.m. again? Okay, never mind, maybe next year.

It’s been a good birthday. After turning 39 in Ubatuba, 40 in Salvador, 41 and 42 in Itacaré, I turned 43 in Morro de São Paulo, on the Ilha de Tinharé, with my mum—and Feng, who happy birthday-ed me from snowy Ottawa.

We left in the morning at low tide to walk to the town of Gamboa, famous for the giant clay cliff along the way. We stopped there for a while to cover ourselves in clay, let it dry, and rinse off in the ocean—I may be 43, but my skin is smooth, obrigada, Brazil, for the free skincare.

Then we hung out on the beach for a while before taking a taxi boat to the village, because it was high tide by then, so no walking back.

“How about another beach after your first three?”

We ended the day at Segunda Praia, Morro’s most popular beach, where Argentinians sip mate on one half, Israelis play ball on the other, and no one starts World War Three for no reason.

My mum bought me a lovely silver ring—silver is cheap here.

I have love, I have sun, I have relatives I enjoy hanging out with, I have great friends.

I’m lucky.

Praia do Porto de Cima, R. da Ponte Grande, 387 - Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - BA, 45420-000
Praia do Porto de Cima, R. da Ponte Grande, 387 – Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – BA, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia Ponta da Pedra, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Paredão de Argila, Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Praia da Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu - BA, 45424-000
Gamboa, R. de Baixo, Cairu – BA, 45424-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - State of Bahia, 45420-000
Taxi boat from Gamboa to Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – State of Bahia, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia - Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia – Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia - Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia – Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia - Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia – Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia - Morro de São Paulo, Cairu - BA, 45420-000
Segunda praia, Quinta Praia – Morro de São Paulo, Cairu – BA, 45420-000
Rua Caminho da Lagoa, 53, Cairu, Bahia 45420-000
Rua Caminho da Lagoa, 53, Cairu, Bahia 45420-000

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8 Comments

  1. Christiane March 26, 2026 at 4:38 pm

    HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY !!! The ring is so lovely 🙂

    Reply
    1. Juliette March 28, 2026 at 3:21 am

      Thank you!!! I hope to see you this spring in Ottawa!

      Reply
      1. Christiane March 29, 2026 at 4:48 pm

        Yes looking forward to see you when you are back 🙂

        Reply
  2. Isa April 8, 2026 at 3:14 am

    I have a lot of articles to catch up (it’s been a crazy month, and I’m not even in Brazil!) so: Happy belated birthday!
    It’s important to be grateful for all we have (and damn, such a lovely place to be spending a birthday! 😉

    Reply
    1. Juliette April 8, 2026 at 7:58 pm

      It’s never too late, that’s why I’m blogging and not posting on Snapchat 😆 (It’s Snapchat where messages disappear, right?)

      It’s always nice to see here here. Damn, I miss your blog.

      Reply
      1. Isa April 9, 2026 at 2:41 am

        Dang I have no idea. I’m nearly joining you in the 40s so Snapchat is very far from me 😀
        I miss my blog as well, very much. I still don’t regret taking it down, the Internet is too shitty. But I’m happy those kind of places still exist!

        Reply
        1. Juliette April 9, 2026 at 8:59 pm

          Well, know that I miss. I get it, though. At this stage I’m keeping mine just to rebel. I’ll be the last space without in-your-face ads and lies!

          Reply

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