Ubatumirim – Paraty – 49 km
Paraty turned out a lovely surprise after nearly missing the turnoff. The town was
blessed by a beautiful beach and a historic old town, still revealing cobblestone
roads so rough I had to walk the bike. The local campground was across the street
from the beach. Food and drink carts were right on the water’s edge, making it a
perfect place to watch the calm, warm water of the Atlantic.
Paraty was picture pretty and a great place to spend an additional day doing
laundry and lounging about. So pleasant was it, I could easily have stayed one
more day.
Paraty – Tarituba – 37 km
We waited until our clothes had dried before heading out. Scarcely on our way, an
interesting-looking turn-off lured me off our route. The detour revealed an idyllic
beach and a cottage in a jungle setting on the water’s edge.
We offloaded the bikes and sat on the beach eating our “pastel” (a fried pastry
with a filling). I thought it was one of the most idyllic settings in Brazil. By
evening, a sweet aroma filled the air, crickets chirped, and the moon shone
brightly. Sadly, mosquitos came out, and one had to retreat indoors.
This was what cycle touring was all about. Regrettably, my cycling partner
preferred to do distance, primarily by following the highway - a dreadfully
monotonous task. Each tour in their own way and I liked discovering new things
without a destination in mind. Ernest was out to “cycle around the world” and
wasn’t interested in exploring. Our different views of cycle touring, and life in
general, didn’t make for harmonious cycling, and I thought it best to go my own
way.