Ilha Grande

So after Charles left we decided to head for the last bit of beach before I'd fly out. We picked Ilha Grande, an island off the mainland with more than 100 secluded beaches on it- most only reachable by boat or hiking trail.

So we got on the insanely expensive bus to the town of Angra dos Reis, where we searched for a hidden ferry in the pouring rain. We finally found it with the help of a hot dog salesman, and with Philip and Susanna- two people we'd met on the bus- we set off for the island.

I hate rain when I'm travelling. With rain, you're screwed. Especially at the beach. We wanted to camp, but decided to go for a hostel seeing the flooded campsite next door. The next morning it was still raining a bit, but we went on a walk through the rainforest to a black sand beach, where I became black for old time sake, then we swam in a questionable smelling river, passed the old prisons and aqueduct, and ended up swimming some more in a stream-waterfall-rock pool thing.

That afternoon the retraced our steps with the two others in search of a waterfall that we never reached. But we didn't care, cuz we saw cool looking bamboo on the way. Back in town we ate amazing street cake and I can't remember what else we did that day.



The next day, and our last on the island, was, luckily, all sun. We went to the best beach on the island- and some say the most beautiful in Brazil- on foot, hiking through the thick forest and passing by 3 great beaches on the way. Our destination- Lopes Mendes beach was breathtaking- it was probly what Rio was like before the people arrived. It was almost the perfect beach. First of all, the sand squeaked. Already that gives it, like, 3,000 points.

Then the beach ran for at least a few kilometers, and was nice and thick too. It had big waves, but far enough so that you can ride them and they don't kill you. It has a beautiful backdrop of pristine Atlantic forest with hills jutting out of the water. It has no, I repeat, No human settlement. Not even a restaurant. It has hardly any tourists... it was great. The whole island is really well managed, with a good trail system and planned perfectly for sustainable tourism. We played in the waves, made sandcastles, relaxed on the sand, and I took a walk discovering an old blue and white Jesuit church and brightly colored jellyfish washed onto the shore.

We rushed back at 5:30 cuz it was a 3 hour hike back to our village and it was getting dark soon, but we made it with enough time to spare, stopping by at a little beach on the way to take a dip.