Thursday 24.11.2016: Campos de Jordão - Ilhabela (alt 0 m):  195 km - 25ºC cloudy/sunny

Drive to Ilhabela with a stop in Caraguatatuba for a light lunch with camarão frito and our first casquinha de siri at the Quiosque da Alegria (R$ 76). Balsa over to Ilhabela (R$ 17,80 on weekdays oneway). Drive 10 km to our Pousada do Alemão (nice setting but basic rooms, no hair dryer, but we were very close to my cousin's house). After setting down we drove to Praia Grande and had Ceviche and Casquinha de siri with caipirinha at Praia Grande at the Bar Velas where the owner promised us a free caipirinha for the next day...

Friday 25.11.2016: Ilhabela: 23ºC cloudy/sunny, windy

In the morning we went to Danny's house to wish him happy Birthday then Volker did the Bonete trail to a "sliding" Cachoeira while Julia got a massage by Ines, a German lady (+55(12)98272-7478, R$ 120 for 1 hour in the room). Then I, Julia, drove to the vila (old town) where I did some little shopping and in the evening we met at the Pizzeria O Caminho da Pizza.

Saturday 26.11.2016: Ilhabela: 30ºC sunny and windy

Meeting with Brigitte, Sylvain at their friends' place (Ana and Carlão Rosenthal), very nice. In the afternoon Birthday Party. Great food, fantastic atmosphere.

Sunday 27.11.2016: Ilhabela: 27ºC sunny and windy

We spent the whole day at Danny's wonderful place. A relaxing day talking to the family. Danny talk us to a wonderful boat ride and after that we ate the delicious leftovers from the day before.

Monday 28.11.2016: Ilhabela - Visconde de Mauá - Maromba (alt 1345 m): 325 km, rainy and thunderstorms, 23ºC

At 10 am we were on the ferry to cross from Ilhabela to São Sebastião. Great was our surprise to meet Brigitte and Sylvain. Then we saw them again on the Dutra road in direction to São Paulo and via Whatsapp we managed to have lunch together at the Recanto Santa Bárbara! Drive to our Pousada Moriá where we booked the Chalet Manacás with a fireplace and a private whirpool! 22.330329,-44.614068

Tuesday 29.11.2016: 14,5 km, Maromba - Maringá: sunny in the morning, 19º C heavy rains and thunderstorm in the afternoon

Cachoeira do Escorrega and do Macaco, then we went to the villages of Maromba and Maringá, parked the car on the Minas Gerais side where the restaurants along the Alameda Gastronômica where mainly closed, walked over the pedestrian bridge to the Rio de Janeiro state side and had picanha (not better than at Olivera in Loulé) at Encanto do Rio (R$ 84). Then we walked through the little town, bought some cheese and crisps to have in the evening with the Chilean wine in our chalet and drove home. Made a fire, had a whirlpool session, watched Avatar, great evening with the rain outside.

Wednesday 30.11.2016: Maromba - Excursion to various waterfalls: 17,2 km, rainy, 18ºC

Today, Julia decided to drive. She bragged about her knowledge of driving on bad roads and then after 1 km got stuck in a ditch where we had to get 4 men and a woman to help us lift the car to get out... We then drove to various "cachoeiras" (waterfalls): Véu da Noiva, Santa Clara and Toca da Raposa. Lunch à kilo at Trem de Minas in Maromba because Volker wanted to eat a feijoada and this was the closest we could get and quite nice and varied (R$ 80). Before heading home Volker went to a local barbeiro and had a hair cut with Noeme for R$ 20 (nonoalbu29@gmail.com, tel. +55 (24) 99311 38665). Back home we lit a fire and enjoyed a whirlpool bath again.

Thursday 01.11.2016: Maromba - Vila Visconde de Mauá - Pedra Selada (1755 m) - Maromba: 49,5 km - sunny/cloudy 18ºc

Today we got our laundry done by Nivalda here at the Pousada, great! We drove to the Vila of Visconde de Mauá where we talked to a ranger of the park administration. He recommended us to walk the Trilha do Bosque de Visconde (1 km, 1/2 hour) which was a nice in the Mata Atlântica, i.e. in the typical jungle of this region. We then continued our way to the east then north to Pedra Selada where Volker walked up to the peak (2,45 hours, 700 m ascent), the way goes through some waterfalls and nice jungle, Julia did just half of the way ;). On our way back we stopped at a simple restaurant in Visconde de Mauá and had a trout with capers (R$ 80). We were really lucky that we had no rain throughout the whole day, but when we were back at our pousada they told us it rained the whole day.

Friday 02.12.2016: Maromba - Petrópolis (alt 820 m): 230 km, 24º C cloudy

Drive to Petrópolis through almost Rio de Janeiro. On our way we stopped for a côco gelado. From 15ºC to 30ºC to 24ºC. Casablanca Center Hotel, Rua General Osório, 28 - Petrópolis, CEP 25620-160 - Tel: +55 24 2242 2612,  022° 30.724, W 43° 10.732, hotel nice, modern but although our room was to the back still too loud. Drive took about 3,5 hours. We went to the excellent Churrascaria Majorica (Rua do Imperador, 754, tel +55 2242-2498) then walked the Koeler Street with all the old palaces up to the Praça da Liberdade.

Saturday 03.12.2016: Petrópolis

Sightseeing: 1) the Museu imperial (R$ 10 pax) which really impressed me! Felt slippers provided at the entrance help protect the fine wood floors. Displayes include the almost 2kg imperial crown with its 639 diamonds and the ruby-encrusted feather-shaped gold pen used to sign the Lei Aurea which freed Brazil's remaining slaves in 1888. 2) Catedral São Pedro de Alcântara. 3) Palácio Cristal 3) Cervejaria Bohemia (R$ 30 pax) with a very interesting exhibition incl. 3 samples. Then we took a taxi (R$ 65) to Restaurante Alcobaça (+55 24 2221-1240) where we finally had our first feijoada (R$ 264). The setting of this restaurant -that is also a Pousada- is gorgeous on verdant, flowery grounds next to where we were 2,5 years before. We walked around and were lucky to see a monkey. Back with the same taxi for the same amount.

30/11/2016: R$ 10 = EUR 2,90