of bugs and marmosets

Day two in Paraty has us going on a jeep tour! Yay! Exploring!

Cachaça is an alcohol made from distilled sugar cane juice. It tastes like gasoline white death maybe rum? I'm not sure. I didn't really care for it. It is the alcohol component of caipirinha, Brazil's national drink (more on those to come).

I should point out that it has been overcast and a bit drizzly for a couple of days, but today seems not too bad. It was about 27 degrees, so it was warm and a bit muggy. As we were wandering in the rain forest, this meant bugs. We were eaten alive by what we initially believed to be mosquitoes but soon found out were not. They bites were quickly red and sore and prone to bleeding and itching. They weren't dangerous, we were told. Just annoying. Oh. Okay then.

 Marmoset! There were many playing in the trees.

I really had no idea bananas grow like this.

We visited two cachaça distilleries and learned about the area.

The Portuguese used Paraty as a port town to export gold and later coffee. The farmers in the area grew sugar cane and as boredom set in figured out that they can turn it in to alcohol.

They started off farming the sugar cane higher up (as the Portuguese were better at taxing and coercion than they were at actual work and higher = harder to get) and as the land became over farmed, it left great green patches all over. The hills in the Paraty area are covered in a bright green patchwork and it is really pretty to see.

 The sugar cane is harvested, juiced and then the juice is distilled. This is a pretty quick process, as the juice goes rancid fast.

 Once distilled, the juice is aged in barrels for different amounts of time. As with rum, the different woods affect the flavour. The alcohol is anywhere between 38% and 48% so it will knock you on your ass fast.

Distilleries have learned to diversify their products so they don't go bankrupt. They sell many other items, such as sweets made from the sugar cane and syrups. Some of these are pretty good.

The area around Paraty is very lush. We are treated to a couple of waterfalls, though if I'm being honest they pale in comparison to Iguassu.

This is not only a waterfall, it is apparently quite fun. Had I a change of clothes, I would have partaken in the following:

There was a line up at the top of the rock to do this! Next time.

And then the bridge.

It is well known I am less than keen on bridges. 

Especially when they look like this:

It can be made out of Brazilian hardwood all it wants, that doesn't make me like it!

This thing rocked and swayed with every step. It was also slippery on account of the rain. I took a good five minutes to cross it. Not exactly fun.

Moremosets!

You're welcome.