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Published: October 8th 2007
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Me
Oh yeah I'm sporting a speedo!!! Itching to get out of the city I headed for coast for yet another small adventure. This time however I convinced a friend to join me, which was not that hard being that our destination boast some of the nicest beaches in Brazil. I did however lack to mention that this would not be a relaxing beach outing and that we were in fact going to trek over 64km (40m) to complete a hike around the entire island.
Armed with a stove, fuel, a tent with a hole in the bottom (still need to fix that, damn kuat), some food, a couple of speedos and big bottle of rum we jumped on a bus for a ten hour bus ride to paradise. However excited we were, our thoughts of paradise were put on hold as our bus ran a red light right out of the bus terminal and almost caused a major accident.
After a hair raising bus ride we arrived in Angra dos Reis in the state of Rio De Janeiro where we boarded our boat to Ihla Grande. Slighty rainy and overcast we stepped off the boat into the small town of
Fishing for Coconuts
It almost killed me when it finally came down. Abraão where we were greeted by a barrage of people trying to get us into a restaurant or pousada. Passing them by we found a place to stay for a few bucks, dropped our bags and headed for the beach. A two hour hike away from Abraão , Lopes Mendes is famed as one of the nicest beaches in Brazil. We arrived to find it deserted and began to explore the tropical surroundings of mangroves, coconut trees and jungle wild life. With the help of a large piece of bamboo we managed to get a few coconuts down from a tree and sat there thinking how just a nights sleep away could whisk away to such a location.
The next day we headed out for our hike around the island. Despite being exhausted from our previous days adventure we found ourselves running through the jungle like a couple of madmen who just escaped from jail. The trail winded throughout the lush jungle, climbing and descending the steep hillside revealing breathtaking views of the coastline below. Small towns dotted the shore every few miles and the farther we hiked from Abraão the less tourist we began to see,
Jail
This is the closest I ever hope to get in a brazilian jail. until we were just about the only ones.
Camping is prohibited on the beach and in the jungle, so we were confined to staying in campgrounds in the villages. It is amazing how much more genuine the people in the smaller villages acted. No hustling, no bartering, just people living a simple life and curious what a couple of Americans are doing so far from home. As the days passed the weather began to clear, our food began to dwindle, our skin began darken (just slightly) and our legs began to tire.
We decided to pause for a few days in a place known as Adventureiro. The town of about fifty was just about deserted. With a campground all to ourselves in one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen it was hard to imagine ever leaving to return the concrete jungle of Belo Horizonte. After talking with some of the local fishermen who ushered us onto the beach we found ourselves pulling in a massive net in the dark of night. After about an hour or so we and about a dozen other people managed to pull the net onto the
beach. Filled with a few dozen fish and several massive sting rays they divided up the bounty between the villagers and headed of to home to cook dinner. The next morning once again we headed out with a few fishermen on their small boat to watch them pull their nets in. After a few hours of at sea we found ourselves back on dry land feeling a sense of respect for the guys who get up day after day to do this work. They gave us fish and after a little help filleting it we had ourselves a meal of rice beans and fresh fish.
We headed from adventureiro to a the small town of Parnaioca. Upon arriving we found out that they in fact had no camping in this community of only two people. Feeling our need for a place to sleep one of the villagers offered us his backyard to camp in and some food to supplement our bag of white rice. Waking on our final day on the island we heard the sounds of howler monkeys, countless birds and crashing waves.
On the last leg to Abraão we passed by what
Paradise
On the way to Praia Lopes Mendes was a penal colony housing some of Brazil political and dangerous prisoners. Active up until 1996, the place looked as though it had been deserted for a century.
We arrived in Abraão to find ourselves once again hassled by street vendors, wondering how many tourist visit this amazing island never to know the true essence of its beauty. But then again not many people want trek over 60km though the jungle.
Once again I found myself back on bus headed to BH planning my next adventure. Until that time you all take care, tchau.
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Wow!
Those beaches look beautiful! Definitely worth the trek. You keep up the adventures and I will continue reading them jealous as all hell!