Date of Entry: May 16th-18th 2016
Date of Writing: August 31st 2016
(All Photos Courtesy of the Awesome Lydia Weber)
After some amazing days in Rio and on truly crazy night out which was actually so much fun, (something I say very rarely about a night club evening) Lydia and eat some breakfast at the awesome Mamaluco hostel in Rio and head to the bus station to catch our bus to Paraty, a small colonial village by the sea halfway between Rio and Sao Paulo where Lydia will have to catch her flight in three days time. (I know guys I’m sad too). Either way It’s a roughly four hour ride to Paraty and by the time we get there it’s dark so we opt to take a taxi to Canguru hostel about half an hour outside the center of Paraty in a nice quiet neighbourhood. On the bus we happen to meet an Ecuadorian guy I met briefly in Rio as well and he convinces us to come to Trindade, a small beach paradise near Paraty later.
There we are incredibly lucky to be greeted super warmly by the friendly staff, who give us a tour of the awesome hostel including an incredible entertainment room, before getting one of the best dinner recommendations I’ve ever received. We walk the 25 minutes back to town chatting as we go and find ourselves at Banana da Terra, an expensive but absurdly good restaurant, and since Lydia is running out of time in south america, the expense is worth it. It ends up being one of the best meals I’ve ever had, and once I’m back to Paraty, I intend to go back over and over again even if a good meal costs about 30 CAD.
The next morning we eat a delicious hostel breakfast, leave our big bags at Canguru hostel and head into Paraty walking along the beach and heading through the charming white washed colonial centre of town before grabbing a local bus to Trindade (about 5 reals and 40 minutes away). Seeing Paraty by day for the first time we realize just how pretty a town it is.
We get to Paraty late in the day and spend a long time wandering the streets and beach right in this tiny little hippy paradise which has a really good feeling about it. Eventually we find our way some distance up from the beach to Kaissara hostel where our Ecuadorian friend is working. It’s very comfortable and tucked away from the touristy main street up in the jungle with hammocks and a tasty breakfast included, the only downside is there’s some mosquitoes. We watch some Grey’s anatomy before heading into town for pizza. Later that night I can’t really sleep so I end up heading down to the beach which is abandoned and lit up by the stunning night sky.
I wander along the boulder covered sand appreciating the stillness and the sound of the ocean crashing out on the rocks. I end up staying out there until 4 am before heading back to the hostel and grabbing a few hours of sleep. The next day the clear skies Stay and Lydia and I decide to go for a hike along some beaches to some natural pools that Brazilians seem to be crazy about.
The beaches in Paraty had been a bit of a let down but not so in Trindade, they are beautiful white crescents backed by dense green jungle and fronted by lovely greenish waters with waves rolling in. In many ways Trindade feels like Paradise, and thankfully at this time of year it’s not too hot for me (about 25 degrees).
After a little more than an hour of walking along the beaches and up through some narrow jungle paths we reach the natural pools where the waters are perfectly calm thanks to a huge collection of boulders serving as wave breakers. It’s beautiful and there are a few fish for me to snorkel with, but honestly I feel like the hype among Brazilians for these natural pools is strange, for me I much prefer swimming in the waves on the open beaches. Still Lydia and I have walked here, and it is pretty so we go swimming and exploring through the boulders.
Eventually we head back through the jungle and onto the beautiful beach, the sun now fully out. We both decide to go for a swim. I have some very great photos of Lydia swimming but sadly they are lost to the world as my Sd card was lost months later in Sao Paulo. But really who wants to see Lydia in a bikini swimming when they can see me swimming in my boxers right guys?
As the afternoon wears on we head back to town and catch the bus back to PAraty where we’ll spend one more night before I hop on the bus to Sao Paulo with Lydia and will have to say goodbye, but first we take a few more photos of the incredible beaches of Trindade. Lydia also takes one of my favourite photos of myself which I’m pleased was taken on her camera. Thanks Lydia!
Sadly on the bus back to Paraty and Canguru hostel Lydia drops her phone and in the darkness doesn’t realize it’s gone until we’re back at the hostel and by then the bus is gone and despite our repeated efforts it’s too late. To make matters worse Lydia is getting very ill on her last days in south America.
I spend the next day wandering through Paraty while she tries to rest, and I manage to get a few small gifts together for her, including some of our photos from the past three weeks developed to add to her own photos she’s been travelling with. Strong person that she is, she rallies in the evening and we head to Banana da Terra but unfortunately it’s closed on this particular day. Luckily I’ve looked up a backup option and while it’s perhaps one notch down from our first meal in Paraty our almond crusted brie, various brads and spread, and berry sauce coated steak at Caminho do Ouro restaurant is still among the best meals I’ve had in South America and if you’re in Paraty you should check out both restaurants.
The next morning we wake up, and after one more unsuccessful check with the bus offices about Lydia’s phone we climb on an early morning bus to Sao Paulo (about 5 hours) both full of sadness. Me because I’m saying goodbye to Lydia, and Lydia because she’s saying goodbye to South america where she’s spent the last 8 months of her life (at least she’s getting rid of me which I’m sure helped to cheer her up a bit.)
The 4.5 hour ride goes smoothly and at the bus station we hop on the expensive private bus to the airport where we’ll say our final goodbye. It’s a damn hard thing to do, but like most things it has to be done and eventually she’s on her flight back to Germany and I’m in a taxi (but you should always use Uber in Brazil as it’s so much cheaper) bound for the amazing to the awesome Blue House Hostel in Sao Paulo, sad to have said goodbye to such a good friend.
Lydia, if you read this, it’s been a pleasure to meet you and get to know you and make such a wonderful new friend. I feel confident we will stay close as friends throughout the rest of our lives, regardless of geographical distance between us, and I’m sure our paths will cross again. I can’t wait and I’m so glad I made the last second decision to jump on that ferry to Uruguay with you. What a three weeks it was. Lydia, you’re awesome, best of luck in Denmark this year, and I can’t wait to see you again.
That night I head to bed at the comfy and homey blue house hostel with no plans and no real Idea of what comes next. Little do I know it, but Sao Paulo has a pretty big surprise in store for me, and I’ll cover some of that in the next entry.
