23.07 - Day 34 - Paraty, BRA

Paraty, Brazil

Friday 23rd July 2010

A poor nights sleep thanks to pub crawling Aussies, the two Brazilians snoring in tandem with Krish along with the pesky buzzing of mosquitoes. Thankfully for an extra $3 we jump ship and take two nights in a twin room with en-suite. 

Another clear blue sky hot day beckons and by 11am we’re aboard Banzay, a three deck boat with approx 70 others. Sitting out front leaning back against the cabin windows we set sail. Well motor. There are over 300 islands off the coast of Paraty and we’ll visit four. 

The first a wide expanse of beach equipped with eateries. The second dropping of anchor is off a privately owned island with multitudes of marine life. With no snorkel I content myself jumping off the top deck (surprisingly high when I stood up on the railing) and bobbing in a noodle around the ship to keep cool.

At the third stop, a turquoise green bay the others eat cooked lunches whilst Krish and I munch on fresh bread and banana on our newly introduced one super cheap meal and one decent meal a day – and not forgetting our healthily sized buffet breakfast – fear not, we’re hardly fading away. 

Another 30-45 minute trip to our last stop a small secluded idyllic bay. After swimming to shore we pass the time throwing and catching as all boys love to do.

Growing clouds and setting sun as we re-enter the marina just after 5pm. Following a warming and salt rinsing shower, it’s back out to find that decent meal. 

As we still haven’t adjusted to the late late dinners we’re the first ones in the restaurant – Jorge the friendly waiter offers us free shots of a local spirit which certainly warms the throat. Lunch time skimping pays off and we’re rewarded with fish with capers and rice and potatoes – enough for three. Or enough for Krish and I as the case may be. Jorge shakes our hand farewell and sends us on our way.

There are many dessert carts on the street corners but we step into some sort of Brazilian Women’s Institute cake shop. Lemon meringue tart for me and something resembling (and tasting) like three Twixes melted into one lump for Krish. 

From there we try another bar in the main strip (And by main strip I mean only six bars) for more Caipirinhas; the second one crazily strong, so the 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th back at Vilareal seemed manageable. This may not have actually been the case as we slip slide on the cobbles back to Che Legarto Hostel.