All about the trip to Ilha do Mel: With shows by Djambi, Varal Roots and the Surforeggae family fun!

Surforeggae invades Ilha do Mel. We left gray, bustling São Paulo to immerse ourselves in the mystical, tranquil climate of the Island. The place is a "world funnel", where you find people from all over — Japanese, Argentines, Italians, etc., all with senses surrendered to the charms of the beaches and nature's delights found there. We left on the 14th at 11:00 PM, and already on the way our bus was packed with positive vibes to be unloaded on the Island. The smell keeps changing, purifying... some rainy spots on the road weren't enough to shake the optimism of people betting on paradise weather. And they were right! Approaching the ferry the sun was already "merciless" (thank goodness!)! Soaked in Surf, Forró and Reggae climate, the bus was taken over by Bob Marley, Jackson do Pandeiro, Gladiators, played on a guitar and sung by everyone present. Ferry, a few more minutes by bus and it's time to board Johnny, the boat that would take us to magnificent Ilha do Mel. Impressive to see the island growing before your eyes. No matter how many times you go to Ilha do Mel, the sensations are always special. Time to settle in and blend in. Packed campings, local houses accommodate some people, anyway the island was taken over. Surf crowd straight to Praia Grande where most sport practitioners concentrate, Reggae and Forró crowd going wild to the sounds at kiosks, bars and friend circles. To make it even more special, on the island on the 15th and 16th there would be two great shows: Djambi at bar Zorro and Varal Roots at Parada do Surf. Of course Surforeggae had to check it out! Upon arriving at Zorro, Steel Pulse's "Steppin' Out" was already being played by Djambi. You could already tell what the show would be — Roots. The European tour did the band a lot of good. The guys are getting better and better. They dropped some new tracks and known bombs like "Keep this Feeling". The bar went crazy wanting to charge at the show. On Ilha do Mel? Money only for the bare minimum: lodging and food. And some "waiter" from some "bar" still says: - "To come to the island you ONLY NEED MONEY". Petty thinking next to so many people of character from the place. Well, in the end the doors were opened and Djambi's show was a blast. But there was more reggae on the island, and we were on the hunt. A more "native" spot on the island, "Parada do Surf", had band Varal Roots performing. Those who know understand — the guys are conscious reggae. They dropped several bombs that thrilled the crowd. Tired from the trip, we turned in to make Saturday "THE" day. Some at Praia Grande catching waves, others just taking dips and enjoying beautiful Praia de Fora. Nearby was the Gruta das Encantadas. A Nature's masterpiece. Gruta Hill is an immense block of magmatic rock cut vertically by a wide basalt vein that, being softer, has been corroded by the sea for at least 150 million years. Gruta das Encantadas is wrapped in legends and fantastic stories about beautiful women who enchanted everyone who approached them, as poet Alberto Cardoso recounted: "Era uma vez... Dois olhos marinheiros entre o fluxo e o refluxo na paisagem retrataram: Ao clarão de um relâmpago numa gruta se escondiam as mais lindas sereias O mar com sua força bruta pelas gretas penetrou e aquelas virgens belas num só coito violentou Houve um silêncio profundo... e as nereidas possuídas os olhos cheios de amores cantaram suaves cantigas encantando os viajores Como todas as estórias depois do que se passou Gruta das Encantadas essa gruta se chamou." Other spots on Ilha do Mel, at Encantadas itself, like Praia do Sequinho, Morro do Sabão, the Chapel visible only from afar, Praia do Miguel and Canal da Galheta, would need much more time to portray than the practically 2 days we spent there. Not to mention Nova Brasília with Praia do Belo, Morro do Meio, the Lighthouse, etc. Nova Brasília is another magnificent spot on the Island. There are the Fortresses of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres and da Barra, the Casamata with Praça das Armas, which has cannons installed from World War II times, and the Lookout. In the early hours of the 17th, before our departure, at bar "Guia Ilha do Mel", we had a fantastic guitar circle. People from various parts of Brazil and even an English reggae woman were there. An accordion player joined the circle and, with two guitars, we took "Vampiro Doidão" to the most psychedelic level in the world! The music rolled until 7:00 AM. Our brief stay on Enchanted Ilha do Mel comes to an end. Where special people come and go... and some stay, like the very friendly Paulo and Denise and the entire Guia Ilha do Mel board, the crowd at bar Encruzilhada, serving a delicious salad, patient and cheerful Margareth and her packed camping Enah-ha, reggae guy selling various bombs on CD (thanks for your work and for Steel Pulse's Earth Crisis), and everyone who makes this island an illuminated, welcoming place. "This trip is totally dedicated to DECO, brother of our friend Renato Roschel from Surforeggae, who left us on 11/06."

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