Letter From Brazil - Into the Mountains

Imagine some gauchos, nuns, a lawyer and bubbling baths – no joke.

The lawyer started Saturday with a wake up call to prepare for the day’s adventures. The initial invitation made him nervous – We want to invite you to take a Bath at the natural hot springs in the mountains – in Brazil called the Interior.

What came to his mind was a shared bathing environment in some locale that was unfamiliar. Anyway, earlier plans to buy some “board” shorts fell through.

As the ride came, he gathered his only pair of travelling Bermudas. They were headed to the 150 year old Caldas da Imperatriz to experience the “Aguas Termais” or thermal waters. This resort began as the first law by Portugal’s King John VI to create a hospital/spa in Brazil.

Upon arrival, the nervous traveler was relieved to learn that there were individual rooms with options of a Jacuzzi, tub or shower. This joint was the max. These waters, besides having the historical and medicinal benefits, simply made a person feel better.

After cleansing and substantive relaxation therapy, it was lunch time. The resort within walking distance serves as the easy choice. Nestled in a forest with steep inclines and a stream, the hotel restaurant was cozy and laden with dark wood. For an extraordinary $7.50 US (!), you can eat at your heart’s content as a babbling brook breaks the silence with accompaniment by green birds, and blue (underscore BLUE) birds, yellow birds and black birds with a golden crown right outside the numerous windows.

After climbing some incredible mountains and forests, by car, the group of three attended a cloud shrouded gaucho hoop-to-do, located in a mountaintop enclave called Rancho Queimado, in the southern state of Santa Catarina.

In the southern interior of Brazil, the border comes very close to Argentina and Uruguay. Known for their cattle, this area also sports a great population of “cowboys” or more appropriately here called gauchos.

Like out of the movies, these guys are not wearing ponchos and sombrero-like top covers for style. It’s the way it is. Picture Clint EastwoodClint EastwoodClint Eastwood.

On this occasion, the clouds shrouded the arena activity. Unlike rodeos in the EUA (Estados Unidos de America), the casualness of this event made for overwhelming neck turning. There are wonderful concoctions of spiced wine called Quentao, some beer and exotic items offered. One is where you break the shell with your teeth before sucking out the inside. An indigenous nut is curious but nice. It is called a Pinao (pronounced pin-yan}.

All sorts of trinkets, clothing and riding gear occupied the few vendors sprinkled about. For instance, there were some handmade lambskin gloves for $22 US.

These gauchos knew what the hell they were doing. The competition entailed a bull out of the chute with the guy trailing on horseback in hopes of lassoing the escaped bovine before an end line. Many were caught – many were naught.

After a couple of hours, we threesome headed down into a nearby valley to a small religious community called Angelina. This small town has a historical presence via the establishment of a convent – right out of Germany called Blumengarten Haus. Built in the middle 1800s, this monstrosity was as well manicured as the actress with a similar name.

A huge complex run by the Franciscan Nuns that features a retreat-style hotel and provides a lunch offering that is famous. Covering some 40 acres this roadside compound is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Scissored between competing mountain ranges, not many places exist like this. The hotel, the gardens, the vineyards and the apparent peace belied the grand architecture. The atmosphere begs for a peaceful walk of the grounds. Still runs and partially occupied by the nuns, you can visit and cleanse your soul.

Travel here is easy and awe inspiring. A southern route out of the continent side of Florianopolis takes approximately one hour by car to Caldas da Imperatriz. The trip westward and up to Rancho Queimado took about 45 minutes. The trip down to the valley to experience Angelina was about 20 minutes.

On this excursion nobody got sued, a soul was saved and some cows got roped.