Búzios after and before the crowds

by Antonella Kann

Yes, I know, shame on me for not feeding you guys with new stuff regarding Brazil. I haven´t been around much myself, although crossing borders to neighborhoods like Bolivia and Chile might sound familiar. Though picturesque landscapes appeal to me, there´s nothing like going to places off-season, so I take the advantage to escape the crowds whenever - and wherever - there´s an opportunity. So before I begin thinking about the suggestions for you to spend New Year´s Eve in crowded places of Brazil, let me give you a short hint on where to go this winter.

Affordable-chic Búzios is a must-go destination between June and November - but bear in mind to skip the public holidays ( 23rd of June, 7th of September, 12th of October, 2nd and 15th of November) when the crowds do appear out of the blue. Other than those crucial dates, this seaside resort is a magical place, an Aladdin´s cave of quiet - almost deserted - beaches, secret coves and a handful of blissfully unpeopled restaurants to choose from. The location is fabulous, only a couple of hours from Rio, and the road is well maintained.

Pocket-sized enough for you to stroll around biking, hiking or even horseriding, there are some other relaxing ways to enjoy Búzios off-season: plenty of sunshine so you can guarantee a perfect suntan in just a weekend; low rainfall and enviable climate even if elsewhere the sun is not shining...Combine intimacy with grandeur, choosing one of the seaside boutique hotels which have mushroomed during the last few years. And act as a discerning traveller, spending time in a beautiful environment - which is a vital part of any holiday.

Quads in the Pantanal

by Antonella Kann

I am an adventure buff. Anything that´s off the beaten track appeals to me. But it doesn´t mean that I ´m involving myself in a risky trip. On the contrary. It´s just that as an outdoor enthusiast I believe there are many un-googleable ways to travel.


When my friend Dedeco, who owns a company called Trip Tur, based in southern state of Santa Catarina, told me that he was organizing a quad expedition to the Pantanal ( Brazil´s wet lands located in the middle of the country ) it was like ringing a bell: with the quads, he intends to deposit you in areas which you´d never have access otherwise or by other means of transportation.

Although it´s not exactly a laidback sort of trip – you drive a powerful machine which demands a bit of energy and good physical condition - there´s no reason to groan about it: it allows you to explore the incredibly beautiful terrain of the Pantanal, which harbors eye-filling views and specially wild animals in their habitat.

Think monkeys, blue macaws, deers, birds of all species and crocodiles in their environement…of knee-trembling beauty. The region is blissfully unpeopled, and you´ll be hipnotized by natural gems.

But let´s talk quad: a 4x4 vehicle which can be driven by anyone over 16 years old. It´s so easy to operate that within 15 minutes Dedeco will teach you the basics. Then, follow the guide! It´s more a toy than a vehicle, believe me. I also am positive that it´s the most enchanting way to have the Pantanal revealed to you. And I have been there a couple of times.

There will be a few expeditions from the end of June to beginning of August. As they´ve not done this itinerary before, I can´t provide you with local pictures. But, I can assure you that although the Pantanal is not devoid of tourist gloss, the path taken by quads will certainly be a wander through virgin spots.

The trip includes accomodation, food and guide. And all the guidance that you´ll need. I recommend browsing their site http://www.triptur.com.br/ to get more details and the precise dates of departure. Groups are small – max of 10 participants – and fun is guaranteed! I am looking forward for my turn to come - in the beginning of August.

Goiás Velho, beautifully restored colonial town in Goiás

by Antonella Kann





Did I ever mention that the state of Goiás is one of my favorites but overall also one of the least mentioned. Places like Goiás Velho, a historic town which is an unusual tourist-brochure destination, deserves much more than just the simple tag as a preserved colonial town.






It´s not too far away from capital Goiania, so you can drive safely and easily from the airport right into town in well preserved roads. Then, just park your vehicle and start walking. There´s the usual main praça (place), typical to any old configuration of city planning. Around, there´s some commerce but locals tend to stroll around this strategic location at sunset and on Sundays too, after mass.

Goiás Velho is a laid-back sort of place and the main attraction is the traditional hospitality: as a gesture of welcome, and quoting words from famous local poet Cora Coralina “ Every door remains open, as a habit,” she used to say. And it´s true. Nowadays, this kind of gesture is not only rare but something to be proud of. And heartwarming….

While strolling along cobbled streets, colored façades and old sobrados , charming right to its pavements, I realize that this town is an ideal year-round destination. And you won´t bump into tourist-trap restaurants nor be stalked by wish-to-be-guides or even fooled to pay more for a piece of artcraft in one of the souvenir shops.

But do not miss the opportunity to hire a horse-driven carriage to explore every corner of Goiás Velho, which hide a dashing assemblage of 18th century colonial houses, churches and architecture gems. It´s great for capturing pictures of the inhabitants who usually sit in front of their homes, watching the world go by – with their door wide open, naturally.

Eventually you´ll feel hungry and should try the regional specialty called empadão goiano, which is a pie filled with all sorts of meat, from pork to chicken, as well as sausages and other invigorating seasonal produces. Look for menus featuring this dish – quite easy to bump into.

Local artcrafts featuring religious characters are sold widely around town. These dolls are known as the fogaréus

Also, don´t miss a visit to the Casa de Cora Coralina, across a beautiful bridge. It used to be the poet´s home and is now a museum. To spend the night, although there´s no stylish or boutique hotel around town, try the Pousada do Ipê (http://www.pousadadoipego.com.br/) , well located in the center of town. Rustic and simple, it even has a swimming pool and it´s mentioned in the Guide du Routard, so you can trust it´s worthy.

Maison d´Hôtes, blissfully unpeopled, as if you were in your own house.

by Antonella Kann

You really don´t have to stay in one of the expensive or tourist-trap hotels in Rio on your next visit. You may not have considered, but there are several other options off-the-beaten track which come in handy when you have no desire to melt your credit card: guest houses and hostels have been popping all over the scenery, offering cozy, intimate and luxurious accomodation within range of the city´s interesting places.

Although this alternative doesn´t come out cheap, it´s still a good choice. Because instead of being a tourist, you might prefer to feel like a local. And in your own house.

Last month I visited the Maison d´Hôtes ( Estrada das Canoas 2600 http://www.tuakasa.com.br/) in the neighborhood of São Conrado – very close to where I lived for most of my life, actually. The location, blissfully unpeopled, seems to be in the middle of nowhere, but even if you are an urbanite, the exciting sites are only ten minutes away by car. By coincidence, this exceptionally charming guesthouse belongs to a friend of mine.

It was starting to pour heavily when I arrived at this spectacular house partly designed by well known brazilian architect Zanine. When Claudio Chagas Freitas met me at the gate, he was as surprised to see me as I was to meet again after more than three decades. Rio is a small town, we cariocas use to say. When you least expect, you bump into someone you´ve known as a teenager!

Well, Claudio used to live in this beautiful three story house with his son Matteo. A few years ago, Matteo came back from Switzerland with a hotelier degree from one of the most prestigious schools. Of course, he had an idea in mind: to transform their home into a guest house.

Needless to say that it took quite a lot of persistence and work to neatly refurbish what is now one of the most stylish hub for a tourist to entice his holiday in Rio.

It´s intimacy in a luxurious setting is combined with incredibly comfortable suites . The hospitality, as if you were staying with pals, is provided by both father and son.

But nothing can prepare you for the awesome views from the terrace over the Pedra da Gávea…It´s even more impressive during a thunderstorm…

Having fun with quads in Urubici, Brazil´s coldest region.

by Antonella Kann

You´ve probably thought that I´ve lost my compass in Santa Catarina and am still enjoying the blissful Ponta dos Ganchos´resort. Oh, well, I wish! But, although it´s not my purpose to let this blog go blank for so long, I´ve had internet problems which didn´t allow me to connect and post anything for you.

So, here I am, but not far from Florianópolis, Santa Catarina´s capital. Actually, from the sea we continued our trip towards the mountain range of Boqueirão, 174 km southwards. The roads were good, and gradually we felt that the temperature was getting lower by the minute.

Landscapes renowned as “european regions” are common along the way, as German, Swiss and eastern European immigrants came by the thousands before, during and after WW2. They chose the highest peaks of the Serra do Mar to install their homes and business, where the cooler climate and the vegetation reminded them of their hometown. Local gastronomy and architecture are by far the most characteristic of these foreign cultures.

When we reached our destiny, Urubici - where temperatures are known to dive down to minus 17 in winter time- our coats were already out of the suitcase.

We had an adventurous weekend to look forward to, which was driving quads all around the countryside, which is dotted by pine trees, green meadows, scenic canyons, waterfalls and rivers. Remote farmhouses don´t get more rural than those through which we drove past. The most astonishing views were, unfortunately, covered by fog and heavy clouds.

As I said, we were driving 4x4 quads, which can climb or slide down, well, whatever crosses your mind. In fact, we were on a off-road adventure, but nothing to be fearful about: anyone with a bit of common sense and ability can drive those powerful machines.I tried not be haunted by the memory of incidents and took it quite naturally that we were just soaked to the bone when it started to rain seriously. It didn´t spoil our day, but surely spoiled my pictures. So, I won´t have so many to post, but I can guarantee that next quad trip will be during a dry period.

My friends, the owners of quad tour operator Trip Tur ( www.triptur.com.br) are planning great expeditions, day trips and adventures for 2011, so if you are keen to face some challenge, and experience new sensations, you should check what´s the best option for you. No experience needed, only a way to manage a few drops of adrenaline in your mind.

Ponta dos Ganchos : a treat in heaven

by Antonella Kann

You would need to split your day hourly in 24 and keep a watch on time if you´d have to linger over every little bit of Ponta dos Ganchos. And I am serious: this hotel, tucked high up at the far end of a fisherman village called Ganchos, less than an hour from Florianópolis´airport, is a tiny sample of what paradise should look like. Even more: it´s how you´d probably expect to be treated once in heaven.

Besides being a rich relaxation experience, you´ll feel impossibly pampered from the moment you set foot in this gorgeous setting, surrounded by private luxurious suites which feature… – don´t try to guess, as I´ll tell you soon enough. With a tag of Relais & Chateaux, and a Virtuoso label, nothing is best than the best for the guest.

So, the Ponta dos Ganchos was the place I elected as the best to celebrate, erh, our 32 years of togetherness. It really deserved to be special. But nothing could prepare us for being treated like celebrities in this stylish environment .

The place is, you´ve guessed right, an exclusive retreat, with a dashing assemblage of scenic views – our suite had the most amazing one cascading into the sea, dotted with colored fishermen´s personal nets – high end gastronomy – Chef Laurent Suadeau is one of the consultants - and the best equipped accommodations ever.

We had, in approximately 230sq meters, nothing less than a king size bed, a private sauna, a Jacuzzi, two showers, two bathrooms with l´Occitanne amenities, a terrace with a couch, a small infinite pool (heated, if you´d just turn on the button) and lounging chairs. We were surrounded by dozens of towels, robes, a nespresso machine, a mini bar free of charge for non-alcoholic beverages plus snacks, a fireplace (the State of Santa Catarina can easily offer alpine temperatures in winter months) a comfy couch to watch movies or tv on a 50” flat screen… everything spread around strategically, not to mention the bottle of Imperial Brut in a bucket full of ice, offered on our arrival.

To stroll around the resort, we either walked the pathways or called the golf cart to pick us up. It happened twice as summer storms caught us by surprise right after lunch on one day and right before the siesta on the small private beach, the next afternoon. Yet barely a stone´s throw from our bungalow, someone quickly appeared to rescue us back to number 23 of the new wing of luxurious accommodations.

We sure missed a couple of sunset, unfortunately. Dark clouds didn´t seem to leave the area, and although we had a glimpse of white sand while chasing some beams of sun on the following morning, the weather wasn´t terrific. But, as you may conclude, the Ponta dos Ganchos isn´t the sort of hotel where you get bored if you are “ stuck” in your room. And also, there´s a Dior Spa to invigorate your spirit on a rainy afternoon. Massages, treatments…Oh, well, I know, tell me, it´s tiring to live like royalty.

But I could easily get used - or should I say addicted? - to it. Needless to say that we did manage to combine several activities with this romantic escapade. A nice guided walk to a nearby deserted beach, a boat ride on an authentic fisherman´s boat to explore the region and observe the oysters and clam´s local breeding, as well as kayaking, all organized within the premises.

Check this out: miniature benedict egg for breakfast, followed, combined or along with a choice of nine other little dishes among bread, hot and cold sandwiches, yogurts...Sophistication and presentation are present in every meal, besides surprising guests by "engraving" their names with chocolate on the coffee. Causing emotion is a key factor in the immaculate service.

Maybe in the near future the Ponta dos Ganchos will be the destination on everybody´s lips – though I would prefer to keep this gem to myself – but right now it´s an ideal and year-round serene destination, a stylish paradise with perfect service, known to those people who have the talent to concoct all these ingredients of hospitality with the art of choosing well.

Ponta dos Ganchos
http://www.pontadosganchos.com.br/
tel. 48 3262 5000