Our story began in August 2006 in Ibiza, the Balearic Islands.
Eliane, a 29-year-old Brazilian, was there to meet her cousin for a vacation.
Christophe, a 36-year-old Frenchman, a true "Ibicenco" at heart since his early childhood, was also on vacation there as every year…
Our meeting was a revelation, and our love was passionate, intense, sincere… and exotic too, as we communicated in Spanish, the only common language we shared.
Eliane had a 10-year-old son, Pablo, who was attending school in Brazil, in the state of Mato Grosso.
Christophe, a businessman, lived and worked in France.
Our life was then written in the skies, between Toulouse and Tangara da Serra, as Eliane could not stay in France for more than three months, without wanting to uproot Pablo from Brazil for an uncertain future. This life of reunions and separations was difficult for each of us, but ultimately necessary to be sure of our choices.
Christophe fell in love with Brazil. Whether it was the Lençóis Maranhenses, the Iguazu Falls, Rio de Janeiro, Paraty, Salvador de Bahia, or even Manaus in the Amazon… We eventually decided to buy land in the Nordeste region, where it's sunny all year round, with a small house by a lake, just a stone's throw from the ocean, to build the "pousada" (guesthouse) of our dreams…
In January 2008, Pablo and Eliane moved permanently to Toulouse. At barely 11 years old, Pablo did not speak a word of French. His involvement and adaptation were incredible, and he joined middle school in September 2008.
In the meantime, the small house at Lagoa do Banana in Nordeste was renovated, and it allowed us to spend wonderful vacations there with family and friends… We loved the kindness and simplicity of the people. This life by the water, in shorts and Havaianas, suited us perfectly. Driving a buggy on the dunes and endless beaches gave us a sense of freedom we no longer found in Europe.
But the dream was abruptly shattered in August 2009 when we were "home-jacked" by armed men. After an entire night lying on the terrace under the threat of weapons, but thankfully without violence, we made the decision to leave Brazil. Our children, Pablo and Juliana, were 12 years old and 6 months, respectively. We couldn't imagine the next step being kidnapping…
Flora was born in October 2010.
Christophe worked a lot, and Eliane wonderfully cared for and raised her three children. Life in France was beautiful, but our dreams were elsewhere… particularly on our beloved island, Ibiza. On August 9, 2011, the day of St. Amour, on a cliff facing the iconic Es Vedra rock, we got married, undoubtedly one of the happiest days of our lives.
We wanted to build our dream home on this magical island and live there year-round. Christophe had sold his company, and we could live outside of France. However, given the legislation, the rental market, and real estate prices, we simply couldn't afford to build our dream house there.
However, thanks to Marcelo, Eliane's brother, who had come to Ibiza to work as a waiter, we had the opportunity to buy a restaurant together in 2016, located in the old town of Ibiza. This was certainly one of the best decisions of our lives, as this business greatly contributes to our family's well-being. The restaurant is called LA PLAZA, in Dalt Vila, and Marcelo or Veronica, his wife, will warmly welcome you.
We had finally resigned ourselves to not building our dream project and decided to take time to travel. After Brazil, we spent time in Asia, Australia, Africa, and Europe…
Beyond these travels, our life between Toulouse and Ibiza was beautiful.
The children were growing up. Pablo, after an incredible academic journey that makes us proud, was about to become a doctor. As for Juliana and Flora, they were thriving in middle school and bringing us so much happiness…
Eliane had more time, and in 2020, she finally decided to focus on herself by doing what she loved: helping people and contributing to their well-being!
After multiple training courses in massage, she decided to pursue studies in Chinese Medicine and opened her own wellness and beauty salon.
As for Christophe, the son of an architect and a builder at heart, he was in need of new projects because, without a project, life has no meaning…