Destination Paraty on Brazil's Costa Verde (Green Coast). The alarm goes off at 2 am and Christi and I pack our bags and slip quietly out of the Marco Polo Inn and Argentina (for the last time). We have reserved a taxi, which happily speeds us across the border and neither the Argentinean nor Brazilian immigration officials seem to care that we only crossed the border 8 hours ago. It is a … [Read more...]
Trindade, Costa Verde, Brazil, Day 126
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Sadly our room at the Geko Hostel in Paraty lacks air-conditioning, which is a shame because Paraty is hot and humid. Unfortunately (as we are rapidly finding out) the cost of living here in Brazil is much higher than in Argentina and our meager budget is being stretched to the limit (hence no air-con). We also have no option but to walk passed the schooners at the waterfront offering expensive, … [Read more...]
Paraty, Costa Verde, Brazil, Day 127
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Paraty (meaning river of fish) is located on Brazil's southern Costa Verde (Green Coast). It was founded in the 17th century by the Portuguese as a port to carry the huge gold deposits mined in the interior to Rio de Janeiro and return supplies and African slaves to the mining area of Minas Gerais. Gold extracted by slaves in Brazil funded the Portuguese empire in the same way that silver … [Read more...]
Santa Rita church to the temple of Rio, Day 128
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Before boarding the mid-morning bus from Paraty to Rio de Janeiro, the sun finally breaks through the clouds and I race around the waterfront photographing everything from colonial houses to the harbor and the picture postcard view of Santa Rita church. Collapse, perspiring, into the air-conditioned bus. Sometimes you just have to hustle to get good photos! It’s a 4.5-hour ride to Rio and the … [Read more...]
City tour, Rio de Janeiro, Day 129
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Christi and I wake to find heavy rain pelting our hostel. Unfortunately, the rain seeps quite profusely into our room as well. Rio de Janeiro in the rain is dismal. Rio in the rain while enduring cheap, damp, squalid accommodation at the Wave hostel almost reduces Christi and I to tears. Ever hopeful, we join our city tour which promises spectacular panoramic views of Rio from Christ the Redeemer … [Read more...]
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