My Birthday Present.....Trancoso, Bahia

Trancoso is a beautiful place in the north of Brazil where the water is clear, the first church is located, and the fresh fish is incredible.  Fred and I went for five days and loved it.  We stayed at an adorable Pousada called Capim Santos.  We had amazing meals and we relaxed on the beautiful beaches

Paraty, RJ....definitely one of my favorite places yet

Fred and I decided to venture to a new destination this past weekend.  We traveled 3.5 hours by car to Rio de Janeiro, the state, where we found the small historical city of Paraty.  It lies right on the coastline, and it is nothing short of amazing.  All cobblestone streets, full of lively restaurants and bars with Bossa Nova oozing out....

A little history....
After the discovery of the world's richest gold mines in 1696 in the mountains of Minas Gerais, Paraty became an export port for gold to Rio de Janeiro and from there on to Portugal. The ensuing gold rush led to the construction of the "Caminho do Ouro" or "Gold Trail", a 1200 kilometer road, paved in steep areas with large stones, which connected Paraty to Diamantina via Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. Not only was it used to transport gold to Paraty, but it was also used to convey supplies, miners and African slaves by mule train over the mountains to and from the gold mining areas. 

It's a truly special place...the coastal city is surrounded by outer islands and crystal clear blue water.  We stayed at a Pousada, which is something very common in Brazil.  It's most like a little inn/B&B...you have your own room, just like a hotel, but breakfast is usually included, and there is usually only 7 or 8 rooms.  We stayed in Pousada Bamboo Bambu.  

The first day, Fred and I rented a boat with a driver who knew all the cool places to go, and then we had a wonderful dinner at Margarida Cafe.... The next day we went to the beach, relaxed and visited the famous fort there which overlooks all of Paraty, and we finished Sunday with a spectacular world-renowned restaurant, Restaurante Porto, recognized by Conde Nast as being one of the top 100 restaurants.....to die for!!!

Now all my pictures:))