After 5 days of enjoying Rio, Jodene and I took our adventure on the road. We went out the airport and rented a car (a manual--which I did not know how to drive). We pulled away from the airport with smiles on our faces. Jodene behind the wheel; Nick in the navigator's seat. As we started driving away from the airport, I realized our map covered only the city of Rio and we were heading to Parati. After realizing we were going in the wrong direction, we stopped at a local gas station. I got out and tried to communicate to the non-english speaking attendant to get directions and a map.

After successfully understanding the directions through an elaborate game of charades, we jumped in the car to head to Parati. Unfortunately, Jodene could not put the car in reverse and I had no clue. We sat there laughing uncontrollably until Jodene says, "You have get out and push me back." After some debate, I got out and pushed the car back. I performed this feat in front of a gas station full of people (including two police officers parked behind us) staring the the stupid gringos who could not put the car in reverse. Upon quickly returning to my navigator's seat, the kind non-english speaking attendant ran to our assistance and motioned how to shift to reverse. (If ever in Brazil and find yourself in a similar position lift the gear shift before moving it into reverse).

Several hours later (yes, we got lost a couple more times), we found our way to the freeway to Parati. After driving for several hours, Jodene decided it was time I learned how to drive a stick shift. Of course, what better place to learn to drive--in a foreign country, traveling along a winding, mountain coastal road. After a slow start, I finally got the hang of driving the car. Several hours later we arrive to our destination, Parati. Since we had passed the little town (if you blink you basically pass it), I had to perform a U-turn in the middle of the highway. Confident in my stick shifting ability at this time, I slow down and put the car in first gear. After getting turned in a perpendicular position to the freeway the car stalls. Panic sets in. Jodene begins screaming, "Get out, let me drive." To which I reply "THERE IS NO TIME," as I am staring down two large trucks racing toward our little compact vehicle stradling the highway.

Needless to say, I managed to start the car, put it in reverse and drive off blaring in first gear...just avoiding being smashed by the trucks.

Parati

With the adrenaline rush from the near death experience on the highway still pumping us into a frenzy, Jodene and I rolled into Parati. The tiny town of Parati remains in the state it was in the 1500s (although beautifully restored). This includes using medium sized stones for the streets (no not flat cobble stones, just round stones). As our car bounced uncontrollably down the street, a mob of young Brazilians surrounded our bouncing car waving flyers. If they only knew that I really had little control of the car at this point, I don't think they would have been so aggressive. Finally the car stalled and I ended my driving for the trip.


This picture is a glimpse of the town in which we were staying. Parati is a sixteenth century town that has kept its facade, but has completely restored and renovated the buildings for comforts of the new millennium. I thought this picture of the donkey pulling the cart quite captured the true feeling of the town.

Upon arrival, having not eaten since 7:00 that morning, Jodene and I were a little on edge since it was now going on 6:00 at night and we had to find a hotel yet. Fortunately, with our Frommers guide in hand we somehow navigated the unmarked streets to find the only 4 star hotel in town (boasting such guests as Mick Jaeger and Tom Cruise). We checked in and immediately found the nearest restaurant--that served drinks!

And drink we did. After leaving the restaurant, Jodene thought it would be a good idea to buy a disposable camera. So we bought a camera and started documenting the evening. Yes, the evening needed documenting. Fortunately, we ran out of film before initiating my brilliant idea of taking nude photos down at the beach (mind you this plan only came to fruition after countless cocktails and a couple bottles of wine).



Restaurant in center of town (outside of the "old town" and in the "local" part of town.

Partying in the streets (literally)

Throughout the night, we closed 4 bars including two in the "local" part of town. To end the evening, which is around 5 o'clock in the morning, in my hazy state (Jodene called it the James Dean), I convinced myself we were in the middle of a drug deal--gone bad. With my drink held up to my mouth (attempting to hide that I was saying anything), I instructed, "Finish your drink, we need to leave right now. I will explain later."



Jodene slurred back, "But its way to strong."

So we got up from the table, said good bye to our waiter from that first restaurant who had found us at the "only bar still open" according to him, and started to walk back to our hotel. Waking up the next morning, Jodene and I realized that we were not in a drug deal gone bad, just in a state of complete intoxication!

The next day we woke out of our drunken sleep too late to catch the 11:30 boating tour around to all the beaches. As an alternative, we asked the hotel clerk where to go. She directed us to a beach about 5 miles away. Once we had managed to understand the directions (yes, she did not speak English, nor did we speak Portuguese) we drove down from the highway into this tiny town. We followed the one winding street to its end where we found an outdoor shower, but no beach. Just off the shower was a path that led into the forest. Guessing that was the path to the beach, we embarked on the path through the trees up a large incline and then down a very steep cliff like decent to the beach.

This isolated beach centered on a large cove. A small fishing boat was tied up near the shore and what looked like a resort sat on the clearing of the trees. When we arrived, only three other people sat on the beach. The warm calm ocean felt great. Jodene and I just played in the water, laid on the beach and took in the warm sun. Later in the day several school children about 10-12 years old entertained us by playing on the beach, diving off of the large rock shore and running around with expressions of complete joy on their faces. It was truly a grand experience.

After another relaxing day at the beach, we returned to Parati. Again we set out on the town. At dinner, we had just received our menus at a very cute italian restaurant. Jodene ordered her usual bottle of wine, I ordered the cassassimi (I can't remember the spelling of the name) a traditional brazilian drink made with Cassacha (again my spelling). Minutes later, the electricity in the entire town went out. The hundreds of people wandering the streets were all reveling in the darkness. Apparently this must happen quite often. The waiter simply brought out a lantern and hung it in the middle of the restaurant and continued business as normal until the lights went back on about 20 minutes later.


See the lantern behind me...that's all the light that we had in the restaurant.

Jodene and I continued our night stopping at several bars until we ran into two french men and Maurice from Singapore traveling the world. They invited us to a local party on a boat in the harbor. The time being only 2:30 in the morning, we said "sure why not." The party on the boat buzzed with dancing, drinking and pure enjoyment. The people were so much fun. However, the site of Jodene sitting on this high box-like table on the second floor of the boat drinking her wine directly out of the bottle with 10-15 brazilian men fawning over her burned the clearest memory of the night into my head.

Maurice and the French guys on the party boat.

The next day we set off in our little car towards Sao Paulo with the goal of finding a beach in a little town to hang out in for that night and the next day. After going back and forth between several little towns trying to find a hotel, we settled in Ubatuba. Of course we found the only 4 star hotel appropriately named Ubatuba Palace. The hotel definitely saw its finest days in the mid-1960s, not that it was unclean or in disrepair it had just not been updated since then. It was very charming.

Jodene and I went out that night. Like the hotel, the town's activity also reminded me of the mid-1960s, well at least of American Graffiti. Between the beach and the store and restaurant fronts sat the main drag and a fair grounds of sorts. Cars cruised up and down the strip with the music pumping while on-lookers lined the street 3 or 4 people deep drinking beer, chatting and listening to their competing car stereo.

We planned on spending the next day on the beach. Mother nature, however, had different plans. When we woke up, it was raining. Typically, I would think this fact would prevent people from going to the beach, but not in Ubatuba on a Saturday. When we drove to Pria Grande (the largest beach), people filled the beach, ignoring the fact that it was raining. Determined to enjoy the beach, Jodene and I joined the crowd, for about 10 minutes. We soon realized that we could not enjoy the beach in the rain...so we headed on to Sao Paulo.

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