Remarkable, exceptional, outstanding... It's truly difficult to find words to describe our unforgettable stay with Norma.
First of all, the island of gigoia is a real hidden gem in the middle of the bustling city of Rio de Janeiro. Unlike the rest of the city, this place makes you feel safe and tranquil. Kinda reminded me of Alleppey. Lots of nature, animals (esp. the kitties were great) and quite some fantastic restaurants.
Then Norma's house - a gem within a gem. Impeccably clean, decorated with great care and the dogs, tortoises, chickens and parakeet living in the garden were really sweet, especially the big white playful doggy whose name I forgot.
But most importantly, Norma is a real sweetheart. She's a very strong and hospitable woman who made us feel righr at home from the start. There were so many small details that make her stand out as a host, like the local flowers she left in our room, the herbal teas she has prepared or the tour around the island she has given us. Only downside was that our stay with her has been far to short, for she's a very fun, interesting and quite knowledgeable woman who I'm sure you can spend hours conversing with.
PS: Having chosen to stay on a small island in the middle of summer made us rather uneasy about being eaten alive by mosquitoes, at first, but luckily it turned out that the there were no more mosquitoes than in the rest of the city.