Paraty, Brazil

This wonderful colonial town looks like you should almost pronounce it Party! However, it is pronounced "Parachi" in portuguese and was more of a relaxing getaway for us than a party. We stayed right in the heart of the historic downtown overlooking palms and cobblestone streets. The town was so quaint, the people were so friendly and the vibe was extremely laid back. We took a local bus to a nearby beach called Paraty Mirim. As we went deeper into the jungle via dirt roads we noticed more and more kids getting on. Apparently we were on their "school bus" which was also public transportation. Our 45 minute journey was filled with children's laughter and songs as we bumped along through twisting roads to this beautiful tiny beach town. The Brazilian kids all filed off, some barefoot, some in flip flops to attend school. We had the entire beach to ourselves minus one dog and a couple with a little boy splashing in the water naked. The vistas of small islands and mountains off the shore was a welcome sight from the beautiful sand we lounged in. It was great to be in Brazil enjoying some beach time after many months of hiking in the mountains and traversing the cities. Ah, the beach or "la playa" in Spanish or "praia" in Portuguese!