The dragonfly took the lead, then trailed, but often was content in hovering within the confines of the speeding boat.   This exhilarating one hour speed boat journey through the Baia Paranagua into the mouth of the Nhundiaquara River was the final thrill of a 5 day adventure into the last remaining stretch of Atlantic Rainforest (Mata Atlântica) left on this planet.  As my gaze shifted from the agile dragonfly to the healthy mangroves that framed this journey, I caught glimpses of the faces of my companions who had shared this journey with me.  Their expressions were triumphant but in reserved contemplation, much like the faces you see on a metro on a Monday morning after a fabulous weekend.   More than likely all, as myself, were still in awe of this magical corner of Brazil.

The invitation from ABETA (Brazilian Eco-tourism and Adventure Travel Trade Association) offered a familiarization trip to one of the most unexplored regions in Brazil, and one of the places on my travel wish list.  Our small group included travel industry influencers from the USA, Germany, New Zealand, UK and the Netherlands.   We all went with great expectations and came away very pleased.

The journey started in Curitiba, the capital of the Parana State in the south of Brazil.  The advanced urban development that has shaped this city in the last 25 years has been  a model used by many of the world’s largest cities, such as  New York City and Mexico City to name a few. Curitiba was awarded the Globe Sustainable City Award in 2010 and is regarded as the best place to live in Brazil.   One of the city’s peculiar but admirable traits revealed itself in my photographs when I returned home.  Most all of the pictures of the many parks, monuments and green

spaces that this city is known for had Public Works cleaning crews collecting garbage, gardening, or cleaning in the background and oddly, they all seemed in place.

After a night in Curitiba, we headed to the train station to embark on one of the most thrilling train rides in the world.  The Serra Verde Express starts in the high foothills and descends the Serra do Mar mountain range into the Atlantic coastal towns.  The Curitiba-Paranaguá railway’s history dates back to the late 1800’s and has many interesting stories of romance, triumphs and tragedy. The latter can be summed up in the somber fact that of the 9,000 workers that were hired to build the railway, 50% lost their lives. The views as the train descends are simply breathtaking as it traverses valleys, bridges and tunnels.   After 2 ½ hours the train slowed and our host and guide for the journey, Tatiana, rushed down the aisle yelling, “get ready we are about to get off!”  Tatiana was full-of-life, smart and passionate about sustainable tourism and making sure this part of the world was experienced in the right way.  From the start she reminded of me of the many guides that we have in South Florida.

From this disembarking point a 2 hour hike would take us to the outskirts of Morretes.  We started deep in the Mata Atlântica and were humbled by it.  As it is more ancient than the Amazon I could not believe it once covered 1.3 million square kilometers, but today only a mere ten percent of the original forest remains.    As we passed large Araucária trees, pines, oaks, streams, scurrying wildlife, colorful plants and flowers, I could not think of another more pristine area that I had ever visited.  I have travelled to the Amazon, and this was distinctly different. It had a sense of aristocracy, an air of assuredness. Tatiana’s tell-tale smirk and smartly reserved commentary as she guided us down the trail told me she knew that this place would provide the right sentiment for our surprises yet to come.

Discovering the village of Morretes was a true feast for the senses.  The Portuguese colonial influence is ever present with the predominately blue and white painted buildings whose traditional 18^th century architecture is still preserved.  Today the city is a much sought out weekend getaway for the Curitiba and Sao Paulo locals.  Most come to feast on the Barreado, the local dish made of beef stew mixed with flour and plantains.  The evening was quite a spectacle at our posada, aptly named Hakuna Matata, as we danced and were given salsa and samba lessons from a local dance club that coincidentally held these events there.

The next morning we boarded a 27 passenger “flexy boat” whose two 300hp engines assured us an exciting and fast journey to Ilha do Mel.   The wind glasses and heavy windbreakers the boat operator provided offered another clue or two.  The boat transfer provided a myriad of experiences.  Initially the cruise was an easy ride down the mouth of the Nhundiaquara River past fishermen and large fincas.  I felt that I was back at home when the mangroves that lined the coast which marked the beginning of the Paranagua Bay revealed themselves.  My focus on the mangroves was pleasantly interrupted by the Guiana dolphins who decided to lead the way for most our journey.

Ilha do Mel was within our reach and my explorer sense kicked in with a rush of anticipation.   Google maps does not have any of its villages, roads (if you can call them that, as there are no cars), and attractions listed.   Although many websites with pictures and articles exist, this island, while a tourist haven, has remained a tranquil, hard-to-get-to corner of the earth.  As we disembarked our boat I saw fishermen returning from morning catches, local children invoking their inner-Pele in a passionate beach soccer game, and a meandering sand path through quaint posadas, humble homes, and small stores and cafes.  As soon as I took that path I knew this place was magical…