Days 18-19: Paraty, Brazil

We departed Ilha Grande early Monday morning and set off for a Brazilian beach town called Paraty. The transportation was swift and efficient so we made it to our destination by early afternoon. Upon entering our pousada, we learned that the entire town was out of power. Apparently, a mild storm from the night before was enough to knock out everyone's electricity. Incapable of changing our fate, we crossed our fingers for its return and headed out. While out, we walked through the historic quarters of Paraty. There, we learned that the town was initially colonized by the Portuguese in the late 17th century and grew rapidly once it became an export center for gold. Now, the historic district boasts cute shops, nice restaurants, and car-free cobblestone roads. 

After seeing the old town, we ventured to an oceanfront cafe that was surprisingly still open for lunch (despite the power being out). They somehow managed to cook us our meals, although our food did take forever to arrive. Having lost so much time while waiting for our lunch, we decided to stay put at the beach for the rest of the afternoon. 

Later that day, while we were on our way back to the pousada, all of the shops suddenly filled with light. The power had returned at the perfect time!

Dan and I spent both of our days in Paraty in a similar fashion: slow start, a bit of walking around, beach time, more walking around, group dinner. The dinners were probably the best part of our time in this beach town. The food was delicious and the conversation flowed well. On our second night out, we gained solace in knowing we had a laid back group as we watched another bunch from the same tour company make a scene in the pousada, and then in the restaurant. They presented a stereotypically bad face for foreigners, as they spoke too loudly, and at one point even got in a heated argument. We did our best to ignore them and carried on quietly with our conversations.

After a tasty Thai dinner on the second night, Dan and I drifted together back to the pousada. We were relieved that it was our last trip across the cobble-paved roads, which had rapidly gone from idyllic to hazardous. They were so uneven that it became unsafe to look anywhere but down while walking. Luckily, we made it back intact, and just minutes before I was due to start my first ever fantasy football draft! I was a rookie in every sense, and used Dan's seasoned experience to guide my picks. Although, there was one point when Dan abandoned me to take a shower (the next day our group member laughingly commented on having heard me yelling for his help during this stressful time). I was feeling good about my picks, but decided to resort to autodraft after two and a half hours of slow-moving rounds. Regardless, I was quite pleased with my final team. Now, Dan and I are both praying for reliable internet and access to American TV channels so we can successfully manage our teams while abroad.