Paraty to Ilha Grande

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Am beginning to suss out how to combat this heat. Shamelessly left the fan on maximum all night and can safely say it wasn't the heat that kept me awake last night but the itching mosquito bites! For the second year running have forgotten to bring my antihistamine cream and my mother's fallback treatment, dabbing with very hot water, is simply not an option here. Nowhere that I have stayed has had hot water, except in the shower, and this is usually at best lukewarm! Anyway, the fan certainly seemed to reduce the temperature. I hope that Alfredo's electricity bill doesn't arrive before he writes his review of me for Airbnb. (They can't possibly have smart meters here, can they?) For those who don't know how the Airbnb system works, guests write comments about hosts and vice versa. The clever thing is that you don't get to read your host's review of you until you have written one of him/her - or vice-versa. So if I rubbish the accommodation, the owner can't write a negative review of me in retaliation. So far I am the dream guest ! Quiet as a mouse, goes to bed early, washes up after breakfast, listens intently to everything her host says as if they were uttering pearls of wisdom (Well, of course I do, all except Alfredo have been speaking in Portuguese). So what's not to like?

Alfredo had offered to take me to the bus station, which was fortunate, because the taxi drivers here are reluctant to turn out too early, although apparently this does not stop them complaining about his picking up /dropping off guests thereby depriving them of business. This time he parked a block away from the station so as not to incur their wrath. He's off to Uruguay to see family tomorrow and tells me that so far he hasn't found anybody to clean his house and meet new Airbnb guests whilst he is away. And this is in spite of the fact that the people he asked were not in steady employment.

On arriving at he bus station I was greeted like a long lost friend by one of the Dutch couples who had been on the boat trip the previous day. When they told me they were going hiking I was suitably impressed by their daring but then noticed this gorgeous Brazilian (male!) standing smiling next to them - their guide! So not so impressive although I take my hat off to anybody walking in this heat even if, as he assured me, it would be less humid in the mountains. Would have loved to have joined them (him!) but am off to Ilha Grande today. Decided to get the local bus rather than the private transfer, mainly on the grounds of cost - it will save me over £15.

Once on the bus, after the usual procedure of asking everybody in sight which one to get on, I sat and enjoyed the scenery I'd missed coming down from Rio because it was dark for the latter part of the journey. (It gets dark around 5.45 pm here) This really is a lovely coast with beautiful bays and islands and golden sands fringed by tropical jungle. However after about half an hour quickly realised there was a downside to the local bus , no suspension, air conditioning or toilet. Shot off the bus at Angra dos Reis, the ferry port, and was very lucky to find a public loo, almost non-existent in Brazil, right there next to the Tourist Information Office. Had been a bit worried about where exactly the ferry and the ticket office would be in relation to the bus stop. I should say, ticket offices, as there seemed to be about half a dozen different ways of getting to the island by boat. However was in luck as there was a boat leaving in 15 minutes right from the quay on which the Tourist office was located and the ticket office was across the road.

For the first time had to lug my luggage onto the boat unassisted but it was only five steps and one of the crew did help me when we disembarked. It was a very fast catamaran, so fast it was impossible to take photos, and because of the awning covering the boat you couldn't really see out either. Actually I spent much of the 40 minutes journey mesmerised by this young Brazilian couple who were lavishing all their attention on two very white small poodles. I guess the one with the three glittery bows perched on its head was the female. Tried to take a photo but their proud owner would insist in trying to get them to pose, which was fatal. Don't know why I found poodles in Brazil so incongruous or perhaps it was the combination: poodles on a catamaran in Brazil!

There was another Tourist Information Office at the quay where we docked so made sure I knew where I was heading. There are no motorised vehicles on Ilha Grande except the refuse truck etc.but there are men wearing official porteiro vests who will transport your luggage in carts. My pousada was only about 10 minutes walk away although pulling your case through sand picking up stones regularly made it seem much longer. Took an immediate liking to the owner of the pousada who spoke Portuguese slowly and deliberately for me. My room has air-conditioning, a fridge. a safe, proper white cotton sheets, three towels, not one, and a rail for hanging clothes to dry in the bathroom. Luxury! Deposited money, passport etc in the safe very gingerly - me and hotel safes do not have a good record and these instructions were not crystal clear - and headed off for something to eat.

Needless to say I didn't manage to find the restaurant the owner had recommended until after I had eaten but will try it another time. After a sandwich went for a look round Abra, the 'capital' of Ilha Grande. If I thought Parati was touristy. this is worse. I have never seen so many tour/travel agencies in my life, all apparently offering the same trips on the island and passages back to the mainland. All the placards also fail to provide the really essential information - the price. How am I supposed to choose, especially in this heat, and how will I ever get back to Angra on Thursday?

Went back to my room, had a cool shower (water not even tepid this time), put the air conditioning on full blast and collapsed in a heat on the pristine white sheets - bliss! Decided it was too hot to venture out until the sun had gone - or perhaps at all! When I did eventually emerge pestered the owner some more with a series of requests, an adaptor to make my adaptor work, a travel agency that knew about bus timetables and which tour to take. Had decided that couldn't face the sales talk of the tour agencies and would put my fate in his hands. He patiently explained what was available and said I could pay when I checked out!

Am really appreciating being so close to the centre of things here (granted this place is tiny but there are pousadas further out), after all that interminable trekking backwards and forwards from my digs in Parati. Found the bus 'office' closed in spite of the information about its opening hours indicating the contrary, but with time-tables up in the window. I had been hoping to avoid going back into Rio on my return trip because of the interminable traffic jams but looks as if this will not be possible as the bus from Angra which bypasses Rio doesn't leave until 2.40 p.m. and I would rather be in Petrópolis, my next and final stop, earlier in the day.

Went out for dinner later on to a restaurant which LP describes as on the beach where you can watch the crabs scuttling as you eat delicious sea-food. Turns out that a lot of the restaurants are on the beach, only this one involves walking about half a mile through heavy sand to get to it, and the crabs must have wisely retreated - none to be seen. A lot of restaurants in Brazil, particularly in touristy places it appears, serve dishes for two people. When the waiter came back for my order I complained about this - had failed to spot the small print on the menu which says one person can order the dish for 60% of the price for two. Generous of them! When in due course the food arrived I double-checked that it was for one person because it was certainly twice as much as I could eat. No wonder there are so many young overweight Brazilians around.

This is a perfect place for a romantic candle-lit dinner although I noted with relief that there were plenty of people dining there who did not fit this bill - two families, several pairs of women etc. Whilst I whiled away the time waiting for my fish stew in coconut milk I had a caipirinha which was certainly relaxing and listened to the live music which was so generic that I hadn't realised it was live until people clapped. Live music is mandatory in Parati and here, it seems. The food was certainly the best I have eaten since I arrived in Brazil but far too expensive - about £2O including my drink and an 'optional' cover charge for the music. Never mind, I have only spent the money I saved by not taking the private transfer this morning. You are paying for the ambience and Ilha Grande majors on ambience - as I walked back across the sands you could see the stars and just make out the schooners and sailing dinghies moored off shore and the lights of the other cafes and restaurants in the distance. The restaurant I ate in is called 'Lua e Mar', The Moon and the Sea! Reminiscent of the nicest resorts on Greek or Turkish islands, I guess, which Brazilians might consider damning with faint praise.

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Photos

Lua & Mar, Abraão
The romantic restaurant!

Comments

[Jenny Clark]

I am avidly following your adventures Judy! You have managed to really mix in withthe local culture, rather than do the tourist traps. Very well done, it takes such a lot of effort - keep up the good work! XX
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[Judy A]

Tourist traps
Thanks, Jenny. Have certainly been to touristy destinations but have done it independently which, as you say, is hard work but much more interesting.