Katie & James in Latin America: Curitiba & Ilha do Mel (Brazil)

24th to 29th March

One of deciding factors in coming to Curitiba instead of Santa Caterina in the south was the railway from Curitiba, high on a inland plateau, down to the port of Paranaguá, where we would catch a boat out to Ilha do Mel. The railway runs a 110km passing through dense jungle and clinging periously to the hillside in places. The railway was opened in 1885 to export the southern states crops by ship to Europe. More than 9000 immigrants were hired to build the railway, but apparently more than 50% of these workers died due to the precarious safety conditions. James as you could imagine was over-excited with the 14 tunnels and 30 bridges.

The scenery was amazing and the little village that the train finished at, Morretes, was very pretty and we had a food moment (surprise!). Their speciality is barreado, a spiced meat stew that is cooked in a clay pot for 24 hours. It was apparently invented so that it could be left to cook and the women could party at carnival! It was delicious and the setting was perfect:

From Morretes, we took two buses to Pontal del Sur and then the boat to Ilha do Mel, just as the sun was setting:

This island is absolutely beautiful. There is not a single motor vehicle there so the peace and quiet is amazing. On our first day we walked up to the lighthouse, lounged on deserted beaches with the whitest, finest sand we've ever seen and swam in the crystal clear sea, bliss.