9 tips for a great holiday

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They had to get used to Brazil for a while, but as soon as Hillie (34), Michiel and daughter Robin (then 2) left busy São Paulo, they had a great time.

“When we traveled to Brazil, I was sixteen weeks pregnant. Everyone in the Netherlands warned me about Zika, a virus that spreads through mosquitoes and that can have serious consequences for unborn children. I had inquired beforehand with my sister-in-law who we would visit in Brazil: how bad is it, how dangerous?

She emphasized to me that the virus is not in areas where we would go. I trusted that, and just to be safe I bought a mosquito net and anti-mosquito clothes for an insane amount of money – they didn’t look good, but I had to do something. And while I wasn’t worried during the trip, I had an ultrasound done right after I got home. Nothing wrong of course, but still.

Brazil

Our first encounter with the country was not so rosy. After arriving in São Paulo we had a typical jet lagged day, and in the taxi to our Airbnb I mainly hoped that I wouldn’t throw up. When we arrived, our place to sleep was also disappointing. In the pictures it was a nice spot, but now we were walking around in an apartment with a courtyard where large dogs had left large piles of poop. Robin, of course, woke up super early the next morning, and so before dawn we were somewhere in a strange playground. So here we are, we thought.

Sao Bento do Sapucaí

Actually, we hadn’t landed yet. That only came when we arrived in São Bento do Sapucaí where Jeroen, Michiel’s brother, had taken over a B&B a few months earlier. So nice to arrive from the crowds in a beautiful quiet village in the mountains; it’s not for nothing that the residents of São Paulo flee the city to take a break. There was a park, and a village square with a greengrocer, a shop with junk you always want to look at, an ice cream shop – and everyone there was super friendly. And, also very nice: the hotel was lovely, not a pooping dog to be seen.

Only then did we manage to really be in Brazil and enjoy ourselves a bit. After a while Robin had completely mastered it here: the tap where she washed her feet, her sandbox, the greengrocer where she always sank her teeth into an apple when I wasn’t paying attention. It really felt like home to her here.

“Robin had completely mastered it, it felt like home to her”

The surroundings of São Bento do Sapucaí are very beautiful. We walked a lot with Robin in the back carrier. It was super green everywhere, and we walked between the meadows, past a waterfall, between three mountain peaks that are very well known in that area. Nearby there was also a village of Gonçalves with a nice organic farmers market with tasty products. In any case, the food in Brazil was so much tastier than we are used to. The coffee, the fruit juices… even the bananas have more flavour.

Paraty-Mirim

From São Bento we took a rental car to Paraty-Mirim, where we had booked another Airbnb. An exciting ride: on the way we came across a road, part of which had been washed away. So turn around, and then drive the wrong way, all very uncomfortable. But suddenly we came to a small street with greenery growing over it, and another bend further on we stood in front of a lawn with all kinds of beautiful houses around it. I spotted a peacock on a car, a beautiful water ran through it, everything was tastefully decorated. And that turned out to be our apartment complex.

It was exactly what we needed. A hammock in front of the door, an outdoor shower with a view of the sea. We got to know Brazilians who wanted to share a boat with us with which we could discover the coast with a guide. That turned out to be a good idea. We sailed from a beach to a waterfall, past coves and rocks that jutted out of the sea. On the way we got hungry, after which the guide took us to a restaurant where we ate delicious fish, with the most delicious caipirinha de maracujá, or caipirinha with passion fruit.

Rio de Janeiro

Our next stop was Rio de Janeiro. Since we didn’t like São Paulo so much, we decided to stay only a few days. We soon came back to that: Rio turned out to be a wonderful city. You often hear about dangerous neighborhoods, but we haven’t been there; anyway we didn’t go out at night when Robin was asleep.

Our first hotel was in the Santa Teresa district, a bit in the mountains, between streets with nice shops, beautiful views, restaurants, all very pleasant and cozy. As we walked further through the city, we saw one beautiful view after another: over the city, or the coast, the beautiful architecture. Even dilapidated buildings were beautifully decorated with imposing murals.

“There was a relaxed atmosphere, I didn’t feel rushed anywhere”

We alternated a day in the city and museum with the beach, such as the well-known Copacabana. There you rented a bed and an umbrella and people constantly came by and offered you coconut water, samosas or other tasty things. It really felt like a holiday here. But also the culture of the city, the liveliness in combination with the relaxed atmosphere; I never felt rushed anywhere. I would like to live here, I sometimes thought. Or at least go there again – that’s for sure.”

To do

gem

Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro has a beautiful museum and a beautiful garden with a pleasant bar. An oasis in the middle of the city.

gov.br/jbrj/pt-br

sailing a boat

From Paraty Beach you can take a boat trip with a guide. Ideal way to explore the area from the water.

oceanvibetour.com.br

Relaxed atmosphere

Avenida Paulista is a highway across São Paulo that is closed to traffic on Sundays.

View

From São Bento do Sapucaí you can reach the mountains Pedra Ana Chata and Bauzinho on foot, where you have a great view of the area.

To sleep

jovial

My brother-in-law Jeroen’s hotel has a friendly atmosphere, you often eat together by the fireplace and there is a nice garden. They also organize pizza evenings and are very conscious of the environment and sustainability.

oquintalsemfim.com.br

into the tree

At Paraty Paradiso you can sleep in an apartment, but there is also a tree house. We also slept there one night. There you have a beautiful view of the sea and, with good weather, you can sleep in the open air.

paratyparadiso.com.br

To eat

Fair price

In Brazil you have many buffet restaurants where you pay by weight. A cozy atmosphere, similar to an eatery.

Own ice cream

Amama in Gonçalves has the best ice cream in the region. The ingredients come from the market and from the cows in the area.

business.google.com/website/amama

fat vegan

Siesta34 is a coffee shop in São Bento, with coffee from home-roasted beans. It is in an old building and has a large garden where several artists have their studios, a bakery with delicious sourdough bread and La Gorda Vegana, a vegan eatery where they sell delicious cakes.

Instagram: @lasiesta34_cafesespeciais, @lagordavegana

This article can be found in Kek Mama 05-2022.

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