Paraty
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| These are some of our favorites photographs of Paraty,
that little gem of a colonial town on Brazil's Green Coast. We also have a superb Thumbnail Gallery. Paraty gets its name from a small fish abundant in swampy areas (it's a Tupi word). The town is a National Monument and a UNESCO Monument, and is located in the largest area of primary AtlΓntica Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, 252 kms south of the city of Rio de Janeiro. The Villa de Nossa Senhora dos RemΘdios de Paraty was the second largest Brazilian port until the mid-1700's, thanks to gold exports from Minas Gerais. It was also such a large producer and exporter of Brazilian sugarcane liquor, that "parati" became synonymous with cachaτa (check out the song Camisa Listrada). The town has a population of 23,000 - which swells considerably during the summer months, carnaval and the Festival of the Holy Ghost, celebrated 50 days after Easter. Only special delivery vehicles are allowed in the historic center of town. Wear comfortable walking shoes, because the large, irregular cobblestones can be a killer...How some locals are able to ride bicycles on those streets beats me! Paraty has several first-class inns (called "pousadas" in Portuguese) and you can take boat trips to its countless islands and coves, or go explore restored sugarcane plantations, bathe in waterfalls or walk in the forest...(actually you can spot monkeys hanging from phone lines right in town...) From nearby Angra dos Reis, a small train will take you on an unforgettable trip through the surrounding primary AtlΓntica Forest. The small church of Santa Rita dos Homens Pardos is an extraordinarily beautiful example of 18th century architecture. It has one central altar and two side altars housed in balconies high above. It's home to Paraty's Museu de Arte Sacra, where you can see a superb 18th-century terracotta pietα. This image was stolen from the Nossa Senhora do Rosßrio church several years ago and later recovered from a junk shop in Rio. The shop owner had no idea of the origin and value of the image, and the person who found it, completely by accident, is a Paraty resident! I tried to obtain permission to take photographs inside the church and museum, but was unable to get in touch with the right guy. Oh well, next time... The city of Paraty has its own Web site. There's a wealth of information out there. |
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