Curitiba, Parana Province, Brazil
The Atlantic Rainforest was almost completely cut down to plant sugarcane and coffee. Eventually the younger generation tried saving as much as possible; they have managed to create a small series of national and state parks. Today we traveled by bus to the mountain city of Curitiba, then took the Sierra Verde Express Railroad (Green Sierra) deeper into the mountain forest – this large area was not originally damaged due to its inaccessibility. The train ride was in a first class wagon, very quiet and comfortable, with good explanations in English by a railroad guide. Great numbers of airplants and orchids were seen on very large trees.
We traversed tunnels and bridges built in the 1880’s and eventually arrived in the delightful town of Morretes. We walked along the historical part of town to a restaurant where we had the famous “barreado” – a local dish made of beef in liquid, boiled for hours, to which we added cassava flour & shrimp or delicious wild bananas. After visiting the varied local handicraft stores, we boarded our buses to be taken back to the port of Paranagua, where our ship lay at dock.
The Atlantic Rainforest was almost completely cut down to plant sugarcane and coffee. Eventually the younger generation tried saving as much as possible; they have managed to create a small series of national and state parks. Today we traveled by bus to the mountain city of Curitiba, then took the Sierra Verde Express Railroad (Green Sierra) deeper into the mountain forest – this large area was not originally damaged due to its inaccessibility. The train ride was in a first class wagon, very quiet and comfortable, with good explanations in English by a railroad guide. Great numbers of airplants and orchids were seen on very large trees.
We traversed tunnels and bridges built in the 1880’s and eventually arrived in the delightful town of Morretes. We walked along the historical part of town to a restaurant where we had the famous “barreado” – a local dish made of beef in liquid, boiled for hours, to which we added cassava flour & shrimp or delicious wild bananas. After visiting the varied local handicraft stores, we boarded our buses to be taken back to the port of Paranagua, where our ship lay at dock.
