Parati, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

-
Brasil may be on the world scene as the site of World Cup Finals, but the country is, of course, more than futbol.
My ten day trip started and ended in São Paulo, but sandwiched in the middle, I spent three nights in the marvelous little town of Parati in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A six hour bus ride from the City, this colorful colonial town lays right up against the Pacific Ocean in a bay. From an afternoon boat trip that romantically included a live guitar solo performance of Antonio Carlos Jobim's Girl from Impanema among other Brasilian music, I snapped this not particularly well-focused photo. But I love this scene for the context of Parati against the hills beyond.
I stayed at the Misti Chill Pousada with two new friends that I made on the busride from São Paulo. They generously offered their friendship and company on the boat trip—as well as bicycling to a waterfall that we slid down and wandering through the beautiful and historic old town.
The colonial town is white washed with brilliantly colored doors and windows. Shops and homes alternate throughout the cobblestone streets.
In Parati, I went out dancing the foro with a Brasilian man—and I learned that a good lead truly can make you a great dancer! I walked along the crescent sand beach and at passion fruit desserts from a vendor who sold his sweets from a wooden wagon in the street. A truly romantic travel destination on the coast of Brasil, Parati should not be missed!
Location: Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tambulilid, Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines

-
Image
Flying. Most everyone seems to appreciate that feeling of loftiness - no strings attached, no obligations to attend to: freedom. Part of the reason I volunteered in the Philippines earlier this year was to lay things aside: a slow-growing business, deadlines, the internet, even friends and family. Of course, we always take some of this with us wherever we go, but now and then, a significant break is warranted. On this particular break, I wanted to fly - to get away, to hop on airplanes around the world, to redistribute my efforts into something physical and tangible. The funny thing is, volunteering is hard work - laborious and exhausting, but so incredibly freeing. I recommend it. Volunteering in a post-disaster area means difficult living conditions, sweat, a little blood, and probably a few tears, too. With All Hands Volunteers on the Island of Leyte in the Philippines, difficult living meant that 50-60 people from around the world shared two toilets; lived in tents, or in
Read more

Round Top Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

-
Image
© 2014 Andrea Rip | The Earth Ink Have you ever visited a place where you wander through streets and alleyways that block your view from your surrounds? Perhaps you're in the middle of Hong Kong and only see skyscrapers rather than the water or the dramatic hills surrounding the City—or maybe you have been hidden in the trees of Mount Rainier National Park and unable to see the majestic mountain towering above you. Rather than remembering the scope of your surrounds, we often focus on finding one little shop on an unnamed side street and forget that through the urban jungle or fir forest lies a magnificent mountain. Enjoying the details of a place has a great amount of value. We learn about communities and culture. We seek out nooks and crannies and get to observe what a place is made of. But sometimes, we need to get up above the streets and through the trees to gain perspective on where we are—both literally, in geographical place and figuratively, in a mental space. W
Read more

Plaza Mayor, Madrid, España

-
Image
Determined to own a legitimate Spanish passport stamp (and not just a discounted stamp for spending a half hour running to catch another plane in the Madrid airport), I booked an overnight layover in Madrid to break up a long trip from the Tel Aviv to Honolulu. The flight arrived late and I took the Metro just in time for the Real Madrid f ú tbol match fans to pour into the rail system. Squeezed and squished with my carry-ons held close, listening to four men rap in Spanish while drunk locals panicked that they missed their stop, I had a very lovely conversation with a Canadian couple who had just witnessed the f ú tbol spectacle and enjoyed the jam-packed Metro ride for the cultural enthusiasm of the fans as much as I did. I took the train to Puerta del Sol and walked to a beautiful, quiet, and efficiently-run Hotel Liabeny where I promptly went to sleep. Waking up early in the morning to make the most of my layover, I entered the cobbled streets and city plazas before the city w
Read more