The virginal sandy beaches, turquoise-coloured sea and the luscious foliage of the rainforests continue to fascinate countless tourists from around the world, as they did Vespucci in 1501. The colonial-style town of Paraty, with its captivating architectural harmony and romantic atmosphere of bygone days, is set in idyllic surroundings where the once famous Gold Trail ends.
"Vamo cavalo!", shouts Joao, the lean dark-skinned coachman as he cracks his reins against the back of a small stooping horse. In an instant the animal jerks, after which the horses trot along the cobblestone streets. Sitting comfortably in the back seat of the coach, I persistently wave my fan made of tropical seabird feathers in an effort to alleviate the heat of Brazil’s powerful midday sun. We pass Baroque-style churches and palaces whose hidden courtyards conceal exotic plants and long rows of white buildings with brightly-coloured doors and windows. Joao ceaselessly points to the old houses and speaks about the famous people and wealthy merchants who used to live in them. Occasionally, a cyclist passes transporting baskets full of fresh fish, crabs and seashells. Leaving behind a series of narrow alleys, we reach the seashore that offers a fabulous view of town. A painter with an easel patiently tries to immortalise the boats rocking gently on the calm sea. At the neighboring beach, three bare-footed boys fly a kite that soars about an endlessly blue sky. I feel as though I am living in some other age, and the asphalt jungle of Sao Paolo I left last night seems like a bad dream.
Thus began my encounter with Paraty, one of the most charming little towns on the 7,500-km coastline of Brazil.
Officially, the town was founded by Portuguese colonizers in 1667, but its history stretches back a century before that, abounding in mysterious stories about gold, pirates, masons and slaves. Prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, this thin piece of land cramped between the mountain range of Serra do Mar and the Ilha Grande Bay was inhabited by the Guaianas tribe. They named this entire region Paraty, meaning River of Fish in their Tupi language. Even today, the Brazilian Mullet (Mugil brasiliensis) still comes back to spawn in the rivers that spill into the Bay of Paraty.
It is said of Paraty that this is where land and sea routes intersect. Paraty is located at the start of the Trail that was first cleared by tapirs some ten thousand years ago, and then for centuries was used by indigenous tribesmen to cross the virtually insurmountable wall of coastal mountains that are overgrown by impenetrable forests. The Trail played a key role in the town’s development, as it became a departure point for the colonization of Brazilian territory and conquering its interior.
Following the discovery of what were then the world’s richest gold mines (in 1696) in the mountains of the neighboring state of Minas Gerais, the town gained significance, growing from a small trading post to Brazil’s second largest port. Many galleys laden with gold and precious stones departed from here bound for Rio de Janeiro and Portugal. They passed ships full of African slaves who were transported to work the mines or on sugar cane plantations. Vast riches found their way here after a relatively short time, as evidenced by the numerous Baroque-style churches as well as merchants and seafarers’ palaces. The wealth of Paraty may be illustrated by the fact that in 1711, Captain Francisco do Amaral Gurgel sailed with a load of 1,000 crates of sugar, 200 head of cattle, and 610,000 golden coins to save Rio de Janeiro from a threatened French siege.
The golden age of Paraty, however, was not destined to last. Due to frequent pirate attacks, the Portuguese began building a safer land route to Rio de Janeiro. In 1711, a new trail – the so-called Caminho Novo– was finally completed and became the main trade artery supplying the mines in the state of Minas. Thus ended the days of economic prosperity of Paraty. The old trail remained in use for some time, but it was only used to transport slaves and foodstuffs. Finally, in the latter half of the 18th century, with the golden age coming to an end, Paraty’s prosperity slowly faded into oblivion. What was indeed tragic for the economy in the past times, however, turned out to be an asset for development in the late 1980s. By then, the nearly forgotten and abandoned town had inadvertently managed to preserve its original appearance, which had the blessing of making it one of the most interesting tourist destinations in Brazil.
The historical town centre has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site for its harmonious colonial-style architecture. That is not surprising given that the streets were all planned and have an east-west and north-south direction. All development was strictly regulated, and whoever disregarded the law was heavily fined or even sentenced to prison. Freemasons exerted a great influence on the town’s architecture and urban planning. They were also its greatest sponsors. Freemasonry symbols, numerals and colours determined the town’s proportions and outward appearance to a large degree, as well as the structure and network of its streets and quarters. However, by far the most interesting architectural feature of Paraty is its relationship to nature. This can best be seen on nights with a full moon when high tide seawater floods virtually all its streets.
Today, Paraty is fully immersed in the tourist industry. Old villas have been turned into exclusive hotels and restaurants that feel like living history. Although they are relatively expensive, as prices go in Brazil anyway, they are always packed with tourists and reservations need to be made, sometimes up to months in advance.
Paraty is also a famous meeting place for painters and poets from around the world. Art galleries and souvenir shops that cater to the tastes and pocketbooks of everyone are scattered everywhere. Their works range from wooden figurines of animals made by the indigenous population to jewelry with superbly designed, and therefore quite expensive, precious stones. The town is also popular among filmmakers who have discovered in it an excellent site for filming, given the exotic surroundings.
One of the latest tourist attractions of Paraty is the old Gold Trail that was recently re-discovered’. Abandoned in the late 18th century, this 1,200-km trail quickly became totally overgrown in a land where you can practically see the foliage growing before your eyes. To date, only a portion of the trail has now been cleared and accessible to visitors.
Nature has been very generous here and has endowed Paraty with 65 tropical islands and more than 100 beautiful beaches with crystal clear water. Having discovered the Ilha Grande Bay on his long journey around South America, Amerigo Vespucci was thrilled when he penned the following words: "Oh God, if there were a paradise on earth, it wouldn´t be far from here!" I boarded one of the schooners determined to share the enthusiasm of the original explorers and sailors when they first encountered this magnificent landscape. They were right! The turquoise-coloured seawater, intact sandy beaches surrounded by luscious vegetation and many beautiful tropical birds offer the most breathtaking vision of paradise one can imagine. But, it does not end there! The depths of the ocean offer yet another treasure, and naturally Paraty is also a prime destination for divers.
It was already dark when I returned from this outing. The streets, lit with merely a gas lamp or two, were deserted. Soft bossa nova music and laughter reached me from afar. I passed a young couple kissing passionately in the shadow of an ancient entranceway. The sea was advancing through the streets and town canals. It was a hot tropical summer night. A night of the full moon over Paraty...
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