Beached on the Shores of Ilha Grande with Half of Sweden

Today is my second day on Ilha Grande, which is just south of Rio and full or forest, beaches, and a bit of snorkling. My journy was planned for Tuesday but I only made it halfway to Rio’s bus station and then lost the rest of the day to violent motion sickness. I Rio’s buses have terrible shocks; I looked at the road and it wasn’t even half as bumpy as the ride. Poor Bruno had to collect me from the local bus station and the group of terrifed employees who didn’t understand what was wrong with me. Unfortunately charades is much more difficult when ill.

Sometimes the most interesting things come at the least expected times and places. When the ferry left the dock yesterday, there was a group of fisherman bringing in the morning catch, a catch of stingrays. I’m not sure fishing stingrays is legal but I didn’t have much of a way to ask. They cleaned and slaughtered the beautiful creatures on their boat then displayed them to me but at the critical moment when the ferry pulled away from the dock, a moment which I had been waiting for as it set up a triad of fisherman, jeering onlookers, and boat for a perfect picture- “memory card is full”.

The plan for today was to dive but a sheet of rain has covered the island for the day so all pousada residents have stuck around amusing themselves with each other. It’s fun to watch Australians to make a party wherever they go and Brits to find a party wherever they go. There are TONS of Swedish people on the island and yesterday I was the only non Swede on the beach. I have also began asking around and People say few Americans come. Some speculate that Americans prefer the big cities for shopping but many travelers note how little vacation Americans get and how they transition directly from university to work. No one seems aware of the fear of South American violence that is rampant in the States. I have yet to meet another American on the island and have seen maybe a handfull during my entire stay in Brazil. Canadians are also notably sparse. Today has washed out but yesterday we got to snorkle on a small beach. It was mediocre but that can make it more fun cause any find becomes a conquest in itself. I did also see a pufferfish, pipefish, and sea turtle. Maybe the snorkling wasn’t so bad.

My plans to return to the mainland and hunt down surfing lessons are quickly melting into the palm trees, rain patters on the roof, and velvety sand of Ilha Grande. The island is very touristy and comercial in the village but my pousda is quite and there are over 100 beaches on the island and at least 15 marked trails so.....