The beach is the word.

well we've left Rio and we`ve been in Paraty for three nights. Tomorrow it`s on to Sao Paulo. But lets back up for a minute. Rio was great but I think we`re both good if we don´t see it again soon. Friday morning we hiked up to the tram that takes you to the Christ statue on the mountain that overlooks Rio. One of the landmark Rio sights. After we`d hiked about 400 vertical meters a car stopped on the road beside us and a gentleman said he`d give us a ride to the base as it wasn`t safe to walk in this area....well thanks but we`re really not into getting into a car with someone we don`t know. Before he pulled into his drive he said don`t walk any further up the mountain into the shanty town, only walk down. While we we´re talking with him a SUV had stopped and as we walked further the woman driving asked if we were going to the tram and also offered us a drive. Figuring it was a little safer with her (and odd that 2 people seemed concerned) we got in and she said the area is fine but she offered to drive us as it was a long way. We were happy to receive the ride because by the time we had taken the tram to the top there was about 20 minutes before the afternoon clouds moved in.

From there we went on to ride another tram that went down into the centre of town and were told by another woman to watch our backs. This was communicated to us by her pointing to her eye, then her back and then us. All was fine but the tram only ran at rush hour and we ended up taking the bus down. Think we climbed about 2 vertical km that day.

Dinner in the heart of the city and the centre of the night life in Rio. Then it was a hour and half bus ride back to the hotel. Got on the bus going the wrong way but saw a lot of the city.

The bus trip out to Paraty was about 4 hours and 3 of that was along the coast weaving in and out of inlets and up and down lush green covered mountains. Paraty has consisted of beach and hiking the Gold Trail today. Think we`ve been to the beach three or four times and we both can`t stop commenting to each other how ridicuosly warm the ocean water is.
And a quart of beer is a dollar fifty Canadian. Things are tough but we`re managing.

We took the local bus to the head of the Gold Trail and that was an adventure in and of itself. First we found out that they had come off day light savings down here about two days ago but the funny thing is it hasn`t made a difference at all. The trail took about a hour to hike one-way and the 45 minutes to come down. Huge lizards sunning themselves as we walked though. Down off the mountain and back to the beach before dinner. We`ve arranged to have dinner cooked at the inn we`re staying at and they`re going to do local fish for us. Going to set us back five dollars Canadian each. The night before last we had a local dish which consisted of shrimp and a local cheese cooked and served in a pumpkin. We`ll be looking for Dave to recreate this when we get back.

OK we should be off for dinner as we`ve already gained our hour today.

Take care all.