We departed Ilha Grande, but not before one more stop to the Acai store. I should explain that Acai is a fruit grown in the Amazon, popularly consumed in Brazil as a frozen Ice cream like substance. It is amazing, and yes I intend to import in bulk to the UK. The ferry ride was longer this time as we were heading further down the coast, but again it was equally scenic. You know the description of the coast by now so I will spare you the repetition. We arrived at a small town, had some lunch and boarded a local bus. The journey to Paraty took a few more hours and we arrived in the afternoon. Paraty was a key Portuguese settlement in Colonial times, but as its key industries declined and the Portuguese influence faded it too faded quietly into the background. The historic centre of the town remained and its cobbled streets and quaint architecture draw a large number of tourists both national and international. We spent that afternoon aimlessly wondering the streets and exploring the alleyways that make the place so pleasant. The town is built in a horseshoeshape inside a bay which houses a number of colourful sailing and fishing boats. That evening, we found a fantastic sushi and japanese restaurant and celebrated our find by gorging ourself on nigiri.

The next day we took a local bus 45 minutes down the coast to a beach (or rather a collection of beaches) called Tinidade. The three main beaches are situated on a peninsula, and are all walkable from one another. They house the kind of wide sweeping sandy beaches that you dream of in the UK, but seem so common after some time in brazil. After some sunbathing, swimming, beachfootball and lunch, we hiked a 20minute trail through some rainforest, along another stretch of deserted beach back through some more rain forest and into a natural swimming pool. A formation of huge rocks jut out into the turbulent ocean, encasing some beautifully calm and clear water on the other side. We spent some time hear, and as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, we boarded a water taxi back to the beah where we started and caugh the bus back.

That night we went to a Capoeira show. Capoeira is a form of brazilian martial arts that developed into a dance amongst African slaves when fighting was banned by colonial masters. I will upload some amazing videos and pictures which will wow you. All I am saying is the speed and dexterity of the masters that put on the show, was at times otherworldly. I would highly recommend watching the knife fight when I upload it!

The next day we began our epic journey to Foz de Iguazu