Feriado na Paranaguá baia

The 7th September is a National holiday in Brazil. The 8th September is a state holiday in Paraná. Taking the Friday in the lot and counting the weekend, suddenly you have five days off! The plan was to visit Rio de Janeiro but since I was not aware of this holiday in advance, the last minut planning revealed to become a bit expensive. Some trainee colleagues from the office offered me to join them to Superagui. And in the dynamic, Louise was with us on the trip!

To situate you on the Paranese coast...

But isn't it a world wide law that it should rain on National holiday? Well, muito chuva indeed! When we arrived at Paranaguá, we were told that the boats to Superagui had to go by the river instead of taking the sea road, which made the trip long - plus, the infrastructures on the island being very basic, we weren't sure of what kind of adventures would be waiting for us. The plan is thus to drive to Pontal do Paraná stay over in a summer house on Praia do Leste until the weather shows a better side.

The summer house is in a condomium - a ghost city as Pedro, my colleague (many Pedros over here!) describes it. Huge houses, no unity, no harmony. Just constructions behind walls and fences and those for some, when others are satisfied with the biking security guard keeping an eye on the houses, which sidewalk is marked by a yellow line: they pay for the extra security watch. The condominum offers a safe frame for summer holidays - yes, Pedro tells me that people only use their houses during summer, meaning that this neighbourhood is mainly empty three quarters of the year. Still we see some people, elder couple or young teenagers hanging out around, on the beach, in an abandonned house or close to the neighbourhood's fast food. Some kids on bikes passes by from time to time. But it is a quite and sleeping artificial city that we meet when we arrive - well, one could argue that all cities are artificial, since built by man but this city is a true artifact, not bound to its context in any way, it could almost be called a virtual city, which receives only three months of reality per year.

Thus, the day goes with a walk along the beach in a rainy weather, Pedro showing us the few interesting houses that catch our architectural diformed minds, some cooking and quite some eating, playing games, going to the coffee shop (more eating involved - yes, Brasilian people eat a lot, all the time)... More people come over - it is a chill atmosphere.

Nothing's like a lit fire place on a rainy day

Next day Louise and I wake up to a quite house. We decide to go walking on the beach - Praia do Leste is a long beach laying just in front of the condominium - which is not closed with walls as any other condominium would be, because legislations do not allow to close of areas next to a beach. The waves are massive - it is the Atlantic ocean. Maybe it isn't the reason, but the thought of it does have some effect on me :-) The brake of the waves is grand, a paradise for surfers. A pieces of land, with grass and various vegetation, separates the beach and the houses; here lay what I would consider as fishers'boat, colourful and waiting for their owner, in need of a layer of paint. The landscape is splendid. The used look of it has something of a patina that speaks to the eye, while the reality of it isn't as attractive - besides those huge houses, it is a rather humble and poor locality. It is a fishers' harbour and land. It is my first time out of the city, and the impressions are multiple - I won't dig into those thoughts here though.

Praia do Leste - grey and rainy, but beautiful!

Sprinter-birds, or that is how I named them because I have no clue of the Brasilian fauna - definately need to get myself a book about their fauna and flora! - Those birds were running in and out with the flow of the waves. Although they could fly to escape the water they would sprint, like if running a marathon, in a marvellous dance with the water! Fascinating...

The weather is grey but warm and dry. Maybe today we go to Superagui. But the others are clearly oversleeping, so we decide to find a bus to the harbour of Pontal and get a boat to Ilha do Mel - an island closer to the coast and wee more touristic, known for its beautiful beaches and nature preservation. So off we are...

Pontal do Paraná - sailing out to Ilha do Mel

Ilha do Mel







Boat - trip and colours

Within two hours we have reached our destination and sit on the terrasse of a little restauration establishment of Nova Brasília (one of the main settlements of the island), eating seafood - camarão, feijão and rice, you don't get it more local and more Brasilian!

View from our lunch spot - great, eh?

The plan is to reach Encantadas, the other bigger settlement and take the boat back from there - this trek will take us through the local rain forest, Praia Grande, Morro do Meio, Praia do Miguel, Morro do Sabão, Mar de Fora and through Encantadas, down to the harbour. Louise and I start walking throught the forest, amazed at every fifth step by the beauty and rich nature, the light piercing through the thick canopy and illuminating some parts like a spotlight on a masterpiece, the twisted and inextricable branches, the many parasite plants growing on bigger trunks...

Forms and colours of the flora

We reach Praia Grande and its pousadas - rudimentary houses where you rent a room to stay. Going on we reach Morro do Meio, a group of rocks to climb in order to reach Praia do Miguel. The start is easy enough but close to reaching the other side, the way reveals some diffcult passages and the strength of the water makes us considering walking back, when we are passed by a local (well, we found out about that later - must have been a local to just do what he did) who jumps one rock, two rocks, down in the water and up again on the other side: easy peasy! Two tourists follow, thus so do we, with less agility than our local 'jumping-feet'. the four of us end at some point trippig down in the water. Louise and I manage though to only get wet up till the waiste... what an adventure! We reach out of the water, giggling at the look of ourselves: everything is wet! The path goes on, crossing Praia do Miguel and to Morro do Sabão: Louise stops "No, this means Soap Mountain in Portuguese! It means it is muddy and slippery, and after all the rain of yesterday, it will be very muddy and slippery!" Indeed, at the top we have now sand, salt and mud everywhere. The way was adventurous, but what a splendid landscape to discover. Louise knew Ilha do Mel from previous trips but just loves it and still gets surprised by its beauty - perfectly understandable! Along the way, not only the landscape takes your breath but details touch the eye and soul: enormous birds hovering and circling up in the sky; palm trees and other plants which I would not even know the name of climbing up the slopes of the mounts, covering every inch of them with an intense and dense green coat; flowers with special forms and virulent colours; the thought of doing all this in your havaianas... Incredible Brazil!

Surfer board planted in the sand on Praia Grande



Morro do Meio rock adventure

View of Morro do Meio from Morro do Sabão


(1) Havaianas hiking...? (2) Going down Morro do Sabão

Reaching Encantadas, it is a 'dude-surfer' atmosphere we meet - chill music, colourful pousadas and people. Small paths zigzagging down to the sea, children running, people hanging out or passing by, some campers, music is playing somewhere behind the trees. This place is apart in time and space - just wonderful. We head back to Pontal, right before dawn.

Encantadas - pousadas and harbour

Back at the house, it is a well diserved shower and dry clothes that awaits us! A little trip to the coffe shop where the others are sitting: cup cake and capuccino with cinnamon - hmmm! No need to mention that the version of cup cakes is here deliciously creamy, sweet and flavoured, true to the previously described Brasilian cuisine.

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Next day, same story - the house is quiet. Louise and I escape again for a day-trip. Actually we would have tried another island but the boats only go to Ilha do Mel, so here we are again. This time we pick another lunch spot in a little restaurant with blue and yellow shutters and a very fisherman-like character. It seems that the cool and well-looking surfer guys come here as well - bonus ;-) Same menu.

The mysterious moutains in the distant mist - on our way to Brasília on the second day

Magic and peaceful light scenery when arriving in Nova Brasília

Lunch place on the second day

Peixe (fish), camarão (shrimps), feijão (beans) and rice - Guarana drink

Today we'll aim for Fortaleza, where the fort Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres guards the Eastern coastline. It is a 4km walk on the beach, where you can: let your mind follow the flow of the waves; aerate you brains with the wind; stimulate your imagination with the many sea-formed and polished wood pieces, as well as the formation of flora next to the beach; and just enjoy the company and discussion. Lovely! And this landscape... always surrounded by rocks and islands in the sea, and some misterious mountains in the background, just emerging from the fog.

Scenery on the way to Fortaleza

The fort is a typical Portuguese/Brasilian fort, first built to ensure the protection of Paranaguá bay against pirates and the French fleet in the 17th century. It has only been used a few times through history. We agree that it must have been the vacation of the Brasilian army, back then - with few things to do here, they must have been bathing all day long. The view from the fort and from the mirador is again fantastic: the sea, the bay and the preservation area.

Emblem at Fortaleza - Portuguese caravel ships, the sun and the sea, the moutainous island



Fortaleza fort - wall and main building


Fortaleza fort - reminiscence of Portuguese architecture


View point at the Mirador - a defense maze!


The fort seen from above

At the viewpoint with Louise

When we reach back to Brasília, it starts raining - perfect timing. We reach the house where more people have joined our friends and hosts. We leave for Curitiba. This is it for this time: we have walked every path on Ilha do Mel, and must come back to experience the wonders of Superagui!