Food, and plenty of it, at a traditional Barreado restaurant.
A Train, Barreado, and a tropical downpour
The morning arrived complete with a hot sun, the first time in many weeks that I had actually felt warm at all. The train for Morretes would leave at around 9 a.m., so I took the early morning opportunity of exploring an interesting little park not too far from the home of my hosts. It is an eco-research facility, complete with all manner of measuring equipment for air and water quality. A series of wooden office structures are built in a spiral rising above the canopy, providing a very comfortable natural atmosphere for employees. I surveyed the park and walked its paths before returning to the entrance to meet up with my friends who would drive me to the train station.
The train journey from Curitiba to Morretes is one of those journeys not to be missed. Within a short distance from the city the train enters a forested area as it slowly climbs its way along the Marumbi Mountain range. Serra do Mar is the largest protected Atlantic rain forest area in Brazil and is home to a huge diversity of flora and fauna. The 110km journey takes about 3 hours, and the train passes through 14 tunnels and crosses 30 bridges, the longest of which is the Sao Joao Bridge at 113 metres in length. The most dazzling viaduct is the Viaduct Carvalho; this viaduct which hugs the mountain side is 86 metres in length and is supported by 6 stone pillars. It is not possible to see the tracks underneath the train, and one has the feeling that the train is actually flying. The scenery is spectacular along the route, and for those who can manage to be away from their modern devices for more than 5 seconds, this really is a magnificent trip.
A journey by train – Curitiba to Morretes, Brazil
A feast that made the table groan
Once in Morretes, there are plenty of options for visitors, from taking a stroll through the quiet sleepy town’s ‘shopping street’, to enjoying a delicious ice cream at river’s edge. Of course the best thing about visiting the town is the chance to taste a true Parana lunch known as ‘barreado’. The lunch consists of a thick beef stew served with rice, cassava flour, bananas, prawns, fish, salad and more. As a matter of fact, there is so much food on the table that one person cannot finish it all, so it’s best to go with a group to share the delicious tastes of true local cooking.
Along the tracks, Curitiba to Morretes
I had been given the name of a particular restaurant as being the absolute best in the town, a place often visited by my hosts and their families years earlier and fondly remembered. I had jotted down the name, and found the restaurant along the river’s bank with a beautiful view of the river in both directions. As I was crossing the steel bridge to reach the restaurant, a number of children were calling for my attention – as everywhere else in the world, where there are bridges crossing rivers in towns, there are always a few daredevils who will dare each other to jump from various points of the bridge. As I approached some of the younger ones would jump off the low railing, plunging nearly 20 feet into the pool below. With a yell an older expert drew the attention of the younger kids and other passers-by and jumped from the top strut of the bridge, cleaving the surface of the water well over 30 feet below feet first. I heard the enthusiastic shouts of the younger members who were now egging each other on to climb higher. I shook my head and turned away; just looking over the edge of the bridge to the water below made me dizzy, I didn’t want to see any other jumps; besides, I was famished, so to speak, and hurried on my way to the restaurant. I ordered the scrumptious meal, and was only informed half-way through that it was all you can eat, hence the reason some dishes were replenished as soon as I had finished them. Had I know, I would have paced myself better and waited for the main elements of the meal, but as it was, I could not do true justice to the quantity of food served, and unfortunately I was not allowed to take any of it home.
A few works of art dotting the town, small discoveries that brighten the day
A missed bus, and the storm of the decade
With lunch finished, I was not really in any shape to walk very far, so I sat quietly enjoying a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop, taking in the river and town view. Sufficiently rested and digestion properly started, I set off to explore the rest of the town. I wandered around and browsed through several shops, snapped a few pictures of some local sites and art works made of metal, sat back and relaxed a bit more, then made my way to the bus station on the opposite side of the town to buy a ticket for the return trip to Curitiba – I should have gone there the first thing after arriving by train four hours earlier, as the bus departing in another 20 minutes was fully booked, and I wouldn’t be able to catch another bus until nearly 7pm. I forked over the money, as I certainly didn’t want to miss the 7pm bus, then went in search of another quiet place to spend the next 2 hours waiting. Eventually the bus did arrive, and the passengers clambered on; it was a full bus, and just as we pulled out of the bus station, a slight drizzle started. Two hours later, I was back at the bus station in Curitiba. I had been offered a ride back by my hosts, all I had to do was send them a message that I had arrived. Unfortunately, the drizzle that had started 2 hours earlier had turned into a torrential rainstorm, and it was nearly impossible to make my way out of the bus station. I had planned to call from a nearby hotel, as it would have been easier to pick me up there, but the rain came down so hard, I had to quickly run back to the nearest shelter I could find – a toll booth at the gate to the parking area somewhere south of the bus station. I sent several text messages, and finally after 45 minutes of trying to avoid a complete soaking, my angels arrived to pick me up. They were as surprised by the storm as I had been; apparently it was the biggest downpour experienced in years.
