Pretty Little Paraty

Before leaving São Paulo I had one very special delivery - my mother! She arrived the morning of her birthday so I made my way to the airport armed with balloons, banners and a big bundle of presents (though having not seen her for seven months, I probably could have just tied a ribbon around my head.) I'd genuinely never been happier to see her though and whilst the journey to Paraty was long and windy, it was a great opportunity to catch up on everything we've missed.

Once we finally arrived it felt like my birthday as my mum unpacked a whole load of goodies from home, including Candy King, Hobnobs, Nutella, Galaxy, and some sorely missed Peanut Butter especially for Han. Sadly though, it seemed that's not all she brought with her as we were met by some suspiciously British-like weather in Paraty. 

Luckily, even the gloomy grey skies couldn't mask the charm of this gorgeous little port town with its historic square full of white buildings with brightly coloured finishing. The cobbled paths were challenging to walk on, giving us the perfect excuse to meander along slowly and take it all in.

For a birthday lunch, we found a wonderful little restaurant which was decorated with Latin American art and had a pianist playing live music throughout. Paraty is well known as a hub for the creative arts and our visit coincided with the annual Jazz Festival. 

In the evening, the square was buzzing with street performers lapping up the attention of the fun-loving crowds. We made the mistake of assuming that the best act would be on the main stage so we found ourselves stuck for at least half an hour watching a strange little man who looked identical to Santa Claus but in summer dress. Even after two piña coladas and a super strong caiproska, we failed to be impressed by his attempts to sing or his playing of the teapot. On our way home, however, we passed plenty of buskers and though some were arguably just as bizarre, others truly deserved a place in the spotlight. We'd have liked to have stayed and explored for a little longer but we had a date with a bottle of wine and a birthday cake back at the pousada. 

The following morning it was drizzling with rain so we decided the most sensible thing to do would be to go and get more wet at the Paraty waterfalls. They're rather unique in the way that they haven't fully eroded the earth beneath them and so rather than crashing down a vertical drop, they run down the smooth surface of slanted rock. This not only makes for an interesting waterfall but also creates the most amazing natural water slide! The pool at the end was absolutely freezing but we couldn't resist the temptation of shooting down. Despite the water running slowly, it felt as though we were moving at a hundred miles an hour and though a tad frightening, it was so much fun. Later, we were put to shame by a couple of local kids who launched themselves down performing tricks along the way, from skips, to somersaults, to jumping over one another's heads. Having just struggled with the concept of keeping upright on our bottoms, we were completely astounded as to how they were staying on their feet. It had Brazil's Got Talent written all over it. 

On our final day, we were graced with some sunshine so we made the most of it by having lunch at the beach and wandering through the square to catch our last glimpse of this culturally rich town. However, we had to be careful which route to take as the rain had caused flooding in some areas, creating a little Venice with canals through the streets. 

The small town of Paraty has so much to offer and though we passed down the same roads multiple times, I felt as though each time I did, I noticed something new. People often say that it's full of character and it was one that I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know.