Para mi...Paraty

 Paraty. One of those cobblestone street towns that steals your heart and makes you fall in love with every pebble.

This post hurts to write. I feel the heaviness of goodbye in my heart, even nearly 20 days later. It's like writing is bringing back memories I started to forget; opening a would that started to scab over. And every so often that happens. A place captures your soul and won't let it go - ever. 

I knew I'd appreciate the town. I defintely did not expect how much. As I got off the bus from Rio, I met some other travelers. We decided to walk to our airbnbs together since they were in the same general direction, and taxis were ridiculously expensive. But first, a bathroom stop. My new traveler friends said they'd wait for me but warned me the bathroom stalls had no doors. That was definitely a first.

The day was dreary, but as we left the bust station we were met by a horse, always a positive sign.

I made it to the airbnb and instantly fell in love with my airbnb and the host, Lili. 70 year old retired world traveler and with all the stunk of a badass. She has her own botique with clothes she hand picks to resell and adores her rescue dog Gafu (and he adores her. And actually eventually quit barking at me and accepted me as a friend, too.) She also feeds stray cats on the roof (one of those cats adopted me, too.) The house was cozy, with my favorite kind of view.

Paraty turned out to be a place of adventure, starting with the first night when I was awoken by a bug bite on my lip, causing my lip to swell and go numb. Since we were basically in the jungle, I was scared that I'd been eaten by a toxic spider. I texted Lili and she came out in her nightgown to give me some antihistamine and assured me it was just a mosquito. But, if it got worse she'd go to the hospital with me. Thankfully, it was better in the morning.

Lili cooked for me and frequently made me coffee and shared all she had generously. We talked about travels and kind people and she often spoke to me in French (she lived there for a few years.) I ended up extending my trip twice, and would have continued if her space hadn't been booked. Even though I moved to a hostel, the angel let me keep a key and continue teaching from her kitchen and porch. I don't know what i would have done without her opening her home because everything was overbooked for New Years.

(On the last night she made a delicious meat and tomatoe and potatoe and wine dinner.)

Exploring the town turned out to be a dream. The cobble stone streets with colorful colonial buildings, countless unique cafes and restaraunts, the river trail, palm trees, boats, and mountains beyond it all never stopped feeling like magic.

(The view on my daily walk to crossfit)

After exploring, I decided on a tour to - go figure - go hiking. Since it has rained in Rio and I hadn't gotten to see "Pao de Azucar" (Sugar Loaf mountain) I was in luck - Paraty had one too! We started out on a boat tour around the bay, the only isthmus in Brazil, and swimming with colorful fishies. 

After a few hours we arrived to the base of the mountain.

The hike itself was 45 minutes of close to 500 meters straight up in 95 degree heat and 100% humidity (Close anyway.) But, the view was worth it, and most of the others had decided to stay down on the beach, so I had the view to myself. 

(Someone came later to take this pic ;))

It was a little intimidating, though, as I was standing on a round rock on top of the world and could roll off at any second. So, I sat down and enjoyed lunch with a view.

The next few days were spent working and working out (one of my favorite crossfit gyms I've been to - Crossfit Vikings.) And then I met Mauri. We connected online, and after chatting a day or two and making it clear I just wanted a friend to explore with, he came to find me on the bike trail. We chatted a bit, mostly with the translator, and walked a little way down the rock pier. Then he walked me home. And suddenly we were best friends.

(One of our many Acai dates)

The next day, I borrowed Lili's bike and Mauri and I biked around the entire town. To the beach, park, airport, and down a beautifully rustic dirt road around the back of town. The day after that, we impulsively took off for a waterfall. We swam and explored and crawled over rocks and hiked through the woods upriver, away from all the tourists sliding down the natural water slide.

The next few days were filled with rock jumping and more and more waterfalls. Every falls we went to, I didn't think they coukd get more amazing, but they did. Pools to swim, rocks to climb up and under, lots of fishes.

(One of the coolest waterfalls was over a rock where you could slide down under the waterfall into the unknown - the unknown turning out to be a little cave under the rock.)

One of my favorites was our all day adventure on Christmas day. We packed a lunch of rice and chicken and some snacks and jumped on the 7 am bus for a 40 minute ride to a small town which was the entry way to a mostly untouched natural land.

We started hiking a trail, and the little jungle man took off running. My kind of trail friend. We ran most of the trail, through the woods, across beaches, crawling over rocks and roots and stopping to admire pretty animals and flowers and weird nature.

It was definitely the most rain forest, jungle type hike I've ever done. I would not have wanted to get lost off that trail. 

And a necessary juice break at one of the little beach shops.

Lunch on a rock when we finally reached the waterfall.

Thanks to Mauri, I am now definitely an intermediate level in Portuguese. We slowly used less and less translator. He taught me all the jirias and correct way to say things, always patient with my Portuñol..

Thanks to Paraty, i've collected a lot of beautiful travel memories...A pull up contest with a almost 60 year old (I did as many as he did.)

Lots of colorful birds, and a street that isn't driven on by cars, but inhabited by countless fiddler crabs.

The boats..

Acai after a good workout and everyone sitting around enjoying together...

Driving around the countryside, and the super pretty trees and breathtaking landscapes...

The weird monkeys that look like what horror movies are made out of...

And one of the funniest memories, the fact that nobody told me that on New Year's Eve everyone wears white, so there I was, wearing red, in a white world...

After an incredible month in Paraty, it rained the last few days, a clear reflection of how I was feeling, yet still somehow beautiful. 

Mauri and I ran through the rain for one last order of Acai before hopping into a rideshare to get to Sao Paulo to catch a flight.

And that's the story. At least, the longest short summary I could muster. <3

Oh Paraty, i'll be back someday.

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