http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Brazil , Rio de Janeiro , Paraty en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:22:08 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:22:08 BST We left Cuzco and flew back to Lima and on to Sau Paulo Brazil. The nine hour wait at Lima airport was not as bad as anticipated but after two flights and a 6hour bus ride to Rio we were pretty tired. We had struggled to get a decent hostel as we booked so late as unsure of our plans but we ended up in Cococabana we had a cool little appartment within the hostel and we were very excited to go http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-324334.html Well its a week now since I finished the Inca Trail so now the pain has gone Ill probably reflect on the experience more positively The first morning we were told to wait in our hotel lobby at 4am to be picked up when we were still waiting at 4.45 in the freezing cold reception I started to doubt my decision to tackle the Inca Trail Eventually we were on our way clapped on the bus by our po http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-324320.html I write to you today from paraty...which is an old colonial town on the east coast...about 2 hours further south from Ilha Grande.Paraty is very picturesque....all cobbled streets and white buildings and small enough to wander around in about 40 mins. It looks very much like colonial towns in the caribbean. Other than wandering around the streets havent done too much whilst we have been here.... http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-323232.html Here we are in ParadiseTravelled from Rio to Paraty300km down the coast aiming to sleep a little since our excitable hostelmates kept us up screeching at Facebook outside our door till very late However sleeping was impossible knowing that at any moment we might have to adopt the brace position despite v comfortable luxury coach.Arrival in Paraty was marked by despair at our rubbish Brazili http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-319888.html Paraty a very wet rum festival a very sunny sailing adventureHaving left Ilha Grande on a very very wet boat we braved our first locals bus and sped towards the pretty colonial town of Paraty. A 5 hour journey later we arrived to.....rain rain and more rain. A soggy day and a half later our spirits werent dampened we persevered through a weird muddy pinga rum festival a hillbilly brazil http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-316234.html Another early start I'm getting the hang of this and cake for breakfast loving it. Back to the station and we catch our coach to Sao Paulo. The standard of coaches just gets better and better. This one comes with loads of leg room perfect for my 5'4 structure and even personal headphones. The journey flies and five hours later we are in Sao Paulo. http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-315417.html Waking up to the sounds of cockerels and dogs we have an early start at 8am well for a holiday and after a shower and breakfast our first sighting of cake but sadly not our first taste as it had all gone we went into town to book tickets for a boat tour R20. There were many companies to choose from but we ended up on the Sir Francis Drake for a five hour tour.After travelling through some b http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-315409.html Arriving at Paraty our first objective is to buy our tickets for Sao Paulo and go for the 9.40am on the 29th with Empresas Reunidas Paulista R40.36.We walk through the town and find our Bed and Breakfast where we find our room has been overbooked. However we are put up in a new appartment and after unpacking we decide to head into town and soon find market stalls selling arts and crafts. Paraty http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-315389.html Yes another place of beautiful beaches After a 12 hour bus trip to Sao Paulo where we didn039t stop we were actually advised by Brazillians not to stop it039s a concrete jungle and I swear I saw snow when I woke on the bus in the middle of the night but noone believes me I KNOW I saw it we changed buses for Paraty. Arrived in the middle of a giant thunder storm. We stayed in the his http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-312909.html Thursday 10th JulyWe arrived in Sao Paulo bus station at around 9am after about a 15 hour bus journey from Iguazu. It had been a bit of an eventful journey. We had been on the bus for about 2 hours when the military boarded the bus all with fully loaded guns pointing at us. We sat very still as they searched nearly all of the guys on the bus. Poor Rob got a bit of a shock. Hersquod been in http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-312119.html The flight from Lima took around 5.5 hours but with a good film the time passed quickly. We were flying into Sau Paulo and had already decided that we would move on straight away as we did not fancy a stint in the city. Our time in Brazil was short only 8 days as we had cut down on our allowance because of the expense and spent more time in Argentina. With that in mind and in general need of re http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-303621.html Paraty est une ville touristique situee a environ 6 heures de bus de Sao Paulo et 4 heures de Rio. Cest une charmante petite ville avec la mer la plage et des iles paradisiaques. Un tour en bateau est presque oblige a Paraty car meme si la ville a du charme visiter les iles est super. Apres le froid du reste de lAmerique du Sud ca a fait du bien de sechouer sur les plages pendant une semaine http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-302899.html We were all looking forward to relaxing on the beach after 2 12 days of traveling on the truck. We were also all very optimistic about the place that we were heading as our tour guide and driver had talked it up a lot. Unfortunately them talking something up was not always a good thing and so while optimistic we were hesitant to get too excited about what lay ahead. We arrived just after sunse http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-300195.html NeilHaving dragged ourselves away from the tropical paradise of Ilha Grande we made our way along the coast in the direction of Sao Paulo. Before we hit the metropolis of SP we have dropped into the small colonial town of Paraty.Paraty is one of the local holiday destinations of Sao Paulo residents and is a picturesque seaside town with cobbled streets 300 year old buildings and beaches all s http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-298099.html At the end of 10 months travelling 5 in South America I'd topped up my tan bought too many pairs of Brazilian Havaiana flip flops had sewn my flags on my backpack and was ready and excited to return to realityMy last week was spent in the island of Ihla Grande and the colonial beach town of Paraty where I managed to chill out completely in preparation of my return.10 months has gone so fast. http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-291856.html Paraty is a small colonial town 4 hours South of Rio back in the day it was a regular haunt of pirates who would come here to steal the gold which was shipped from its port. Our stay here was pretty unplanned as we were now going backwards to our original route which was to head up towards Belem and up the Amazon River. Wed heard so many good things about Paraty and after our stay in Arriail do http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-290005.html When we arrived in Paraty we had only planned to be here for 2 nights but this quickly turned into 3 the minute we stepped off the busPartay is about 2 hours west of Ilha Grande and easily reached on the local buses. Its the most fantastic town which consists of classical 18th century Portugese colonial buildings in the historic centre where our hostel was found. This part of the town has no v http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-286985.html This is the first entry on our blog and the first time using a blog at all so apologies in advance if it comes across a bit 'unbloggish'. PS David is doing the first entry.We are in Brazil What an amazing country so far read on. We arrived in Sao Paulo on Thursday 5th June and yes I survived cattle class and after about two hours in rush hour traffic we arrived at the Casaclub Hostel http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-286260.html Though I am not yet rich or famous for that matter I have decided when I have such funds Paraty is where I would like to be. Though not in a simple house not even a small island but a big one with its own castle. Though my fantasy may never come true it was hard not to imagine it. Passing by forts from the days of old now reconstructed into beautiful homes on some amazing island I was in awe of http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-280526.html After spending most of the past month in cities we were looking forward to hitting the beaches of Brazil as they are supposed to be some of the best in the world. We first travelled by bus and boat to the island of Ilha Grande which is one of the largest islands in Brazil about 3 hours from Rio. We stayed in a really nice hostel and as we arrived we saw hummingbirds in the garden... what a coo http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-279349.html We originally planned to go to Rio De Janiero but because of a severe outbreak of the West Nile virus we had to stop at Paraty. We werenrsquot disappointed. Paraty has over 60 islands and over 300 beaches. It was founded in 1667 and acted as a port and trading route for the Portuguese bring back gold to Portugal. The downtown probably looks quite similar to the way it did in the 1700's. T http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-271274.html Colonial port town of Paraty Brasil. We arrived in the rain and left in the rain but in between was beautiful. The historic part most of the town is closed to vehicles and has a slightly curved grid of rough cobblestone streets. It is very similar in architecture same period to Ouro Preto but a flat beach front version. We were walking the streets in the rain cursing ourselves for no http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-267052.html Tuesday 15th AprilI must be improving at this sleeping on transport lark... Although I kept feeling cold I 'slept' til 730 then dozed til 822 when I was woken by my phone buzzing... Winchester number not sure who 830am we stop for breakfast... See my egg sandwich cooked in front of me Back on the bus for the last leg to Sao Paulo hopefully arrive about 1130am as our next bus to Paraty is 1pm http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-265180.html Wow Brazil's Green Coast the Costa Verde is amazingly beautiful.......when the sun shines We had a great few days in Paraty soaking up the sun chilling on a boat but then our luck with the weather changedParaty is a wonderful place with a lovely historic centre. The cobbled streets are nice to look at but hellish on flipflopclad feet At times of exceptionally high tides around full moo http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-264869.html Paraty has another tourist draw. In the bay of Paraty ed. Possibly Ilha Grande there are reportedly 365 islands one for every day of the year it's probably 366 islands on leap years. The islands and coastline are stunning and Sao Paulistas and Cariocas residents of Rio and Sao Paulo flock to the schooners for a day of delights snorkelling lounging sun bathing and listening to music on a http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-257200.html Paraty a small colonial port town on the southerncoast of Rio de Janeiro state illustrates one small subsection of history and culture of Brazil.During the 18th century the hills and mountains of Minas Geras a few hundred kilometers to the North were plundered the Portuguese had found their el dorado cities of gold even if it were all buried under hills. Massive quantities of gold and gemston http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-256479.html Tony Karen sayParatyThe colonial centre of Paraty or the 'Historic Centre' as it is called is beautiful and has not changed much for hundreds of years. The buildings are small painted white and adorned with latticed windows and colourful painted borders. The cobbled streets and lack of traffic no cars allowed only horse and carts make it a lovely town to stroll around especially at night a http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-254845.html Paraty Jabaquara Campground January 25 to 30 2008 Visiting the Pantanal was scraped because of hellip wait for it hellip too many mosquitoes Turns out the hidden agenda was a six day stay at Jabaquara Campground. This place is situated along Jabaquara Beach. People walk out from the town to sit by the water. There is no surf to speak of. The beach sand is not free of beer bottle caps and http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-247926.html Well since my lastblog i have found sun and my skin in no longer white it is slowly going froma bright red hue to off brown colour. My nose was soo redtheother day that Santa rang me up wonderering would i guide his sleigh So i left Rio on an overland truck with 19 others on boardmade up of mainly ozziez but also english dutch american and 3 other Irish and drove a short drive South Paraty. http://www.travelblog.org//South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-245105.html