lets have "a little holiday"

26th Junio

After running around Rio like a maniac, I was a bit knackered.

...I decided that I should go to the seaside and have "have a little holiday".

Got my "my first bus" (insert crayon caligraphy here) and found myself in the costal fishing village of Paraty (Pronounced Parra che).
Beaded here for 4 nights (2 of which, it lashed it down with rain). On the 3rd (the Sunny day) I went on the famed island hoping tour

...It was nice.

(here's me wearing a pair of very skimpy shorts)


Ate some (delicious) fresh fish

(the fish)



After exhasting the villages only rainy day option (the newly installed cultural center) and frequenting a particularly bad bar, I decided that Paraty had given me most of what it had to offer.

A short Bus/Ferry combo brought me to island of Ilha Grande, where, on the beach I was greeted by a particularly loud overweight maid of the hostel which I intended to stay at.
Throughout my stay at Aquario hostel I established that "shouty maid lady" might have some relation to the particularly laid back (lazy) owner.

...I was prepared to overlook the noise (from "shouty maid lady") and the unhelpful nature of the owner for the scenic view of the beach from my dorm.

I was glad I detoured "my little holiday"... the Grande, and (it turns out) its nice beaches were right up my street.

Of course simply laying around on the pretty beach (on my doorstep) was "too easy"...especially considering I had been told that marginally nicer beaches were few hours hike away.

Navigating my way through the steep forests for hours on end I found a new respect for the tradition of hiking (and coincidently after feeling particularly "challenged" one afternoon, a small girl (no older than 5)...taking it all in her stride).

That said...The "marginally" nicer beaches were, actually (despite the handful of other beach goers)...a small piece of your own paradise. (and the concept of, somehow.... "earning" your beach time, appealed to me).

After 2 days hiking solo (a lot which was spent "reflecting" on lifes questions), I yearned some sillyness, and I threw myself back into hostel life by signing up for Aquarios "famed" boat party.

...It was like Kos 2003 all over again and we all got a bit silly on the endless supply of caipirinha's (...which made the "famed" boat party so famous).

One of my fellow dormies (and "friend for the day") may or may not have an illigitimate child in 9 months time...

... I suppose he or I will never find out

(more photos

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=189538&id=637432796&l=7618388986

)