Sao Paolo
I recently had the chance to join a good friend on a business trip to Sao Paolo. Although it was my third visit to the city, I was just as excited to explore as I was on the previous trips. Unfortunately, my days of relaxing and hanging out with my college friends in New York caught up with me and instead of spending my days roaming the streets of Sao Paolo, I spent my days working in the hotel room and in cafes close by where we stayed. I still tried to squeeze in as much as I could between deadlines and classes as did trips to Batman Alley, the Centro Historico, and even got to go see a movie at a real movie theater (this may have excited me more than Batman Alley did!).
As always, it was a great trip and Sao Paolo never disappoints. The city is overflowing with awesome restaurants (including some vegan Japanese ones – yum!) and the architecture in the historical center rivals some of the grand buildings that you see in Manhattan. Although many travelers skip Sao Paolo for the stunning beaches of Rio, the city really does warrant a few days’ worth of exploration.
Paraty
When I was trying to decide what to do during my trip to Brazil, I did a Google search for the best colonial towns in Brazil and Paraty popped up right away. I plopped it down on Google maps and was delighted to see what it was about halfway between Sao Paolo and Rio. I was still trying to decide if I wanted to head north from Sao Paolo or south heading towards Florianopolis but a quick look at the incredibly cold weather that Florianapolis made me decide that going to a famous beach town in southern Brazil may not be the best decision during the winter.
So I headed to the bus station in SP and got a bus to Paraty. The bus took seven hours but was comfortable so I spent the time getting caught up on work, making my next travel plans and sleeping. I got to my hotel in Paraty late in the evening and wandered out to find some food for dinner.
Holy smokes! I knew that Paraty was a well-preserved colonial town but I had no idea just how beautiful it would be. The cobblestone streets and colorful houses looked just like some of my favorite spots in Mexico and even at 9 pm at night during a pandemic, the streets were alive with people. I strolled around a bit taking some photos and then headed back to the hotel, eager to see what it would look like in daylight.
The next morning, I was up bright and early to go explore. In the quietness of the morning, it was even more charming. By 11 am, the city was back in full swing and the shops were open and ready for business. Most of them were selling the normal touristy crap but every once in a while, there would be a little boutique selling pretty sundresses. Sadly, my bag is stuffed to the gills so I couldn’t buy anything. I happily spent the next four days working in cafes and wandering around the streets. It was relaxing and gave me some much-needed time to get caught up on work.
However, all good things must come to an end and I knew that I needed to start moving again before I got lazy and just decided to stay forever. I headed back to the bus station and after missing two busses in a row and having an acai bowl that made me sick moments after I ate it, I finally was on my way to a town called Angra dos Reis where I could catch the ferry to my next stop – Ihla Grande.
Ilha Grande
Before leaving Sao Paolo, I knew nothing about Ihla Grande. I had seen it on a map but hadn’t read anything about it or heard anything about it. So I was pretty surprised to have two different friends message me while I was in Paraty telling me that I had to go to Ihla Grande. That was how I ended up going there.
Thanks to missing two buses in Pararty (that were two hours apart), I ended up getting the ferry to Abraao when it was already dark. As the boat zoomed through the dark water, I had no idea how much beauty there was all around me. I arrived on a wooden jetty and walked up to a beachside street lined with bars, restaurants, and shops. The first thing that ran through my mind was “oh great, I have arrived at another tourist trap.” However, this impression quickly changed as I walked onto one of the side streets heading away from the water. The sand quickly turned to dirt and although the same tourist-type businesses continued, the atmosphere became a bit more laid back. I quickly found a hotel right in the center of town, dropped off my bag, and went to grab some dinner before passing out in bed.
The next morning, I headed out for a boat trip that I had organized the night before on my way home from dinner. I was debating on whether or not I wanted to go as although I love being out on the water, I hate being out in the sun all day. I am sooooo glad that I went though! I spent my day with a lovely group of Brazilians who tried their best to communicate with me in a weird version of Spanglish and was really impressed with the beauty of the island. It reminded me a lot of the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand or the Outlying Islands of Hong Kong that it made me feel right at home.
After getting a very early night’s sleep after the boat tour, I was up bright and early to go for a hike to Praia de Lopes Mendes. Although the hike was a little bit tough at times with some steep downhills that made my knees feel like they were going to explore, it was one of my favorite days that I spent in Brazil. The views were amazing, the beaches were pristine, and since I was lucky enough to run into two of my friends from the boat the day before, I had some great company. That night, we went out dancing to live music at a beach bar.
The next day was cold and rainy so I happily spent the day inside getting caught up on work and preparing for the next leg of my adventure – Rio de Janeiro!
Rio de Janiero
The next morning, I headed out on an early morning ferry and bus transfer to Rio de Janeiro. The total trip took around three hours and along the way, I was treated to spectacular views. We finally got to Rio and I was dropped off at my hotel in Copacabana. When I was checked in, I was told that the elevator only went as far as the floor below mine and that I would have to walk one flight of stairs. The front desk agent told me this with a wink and when I got up to my room, I was ecstatic to find a view of one of the world’s most famous beaches. Yeah, yeah, the view may have been slightly obstructed due to the beachfront buildings, but I honestly didn’t care. $20 a night for a private room a block away from the beach AND I get a view? Yes, please!
Since it was my third time in Rio, I decided to skip some of the touristy activities and just spend my days enjoying being so close to the water. I worked a few hours a day while admiring the view from my room and then spent hours upon hours walking along the Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches and throughout each neighborhood’s narrow streets.
Bye Brazil! See you again soon!
Due to some logistical issues related to traveling during COVID-19, I decided to abruptly end my Brazil trip so that I could try to get closer to Europe. As always, it was a great trip and I am already looking forward to going back and exploring more of this beautiful country.
