Introduction: Ilha do Cardoso day 3
Beginning of January, 3rd days on the island, 2 nights after we arrived, we finally had a sunny morning and a day ahead without rain. After cooking breakfast (Granola, bread and cabbage rice mixed salad) and having a good doze of black Brazilian coffee and French tea our friends headed out to the information center and booked 4 spots for the waterfall hike that depart at 11h. They also called the guys from the speedboat that brought us to the island and organised a trip to see the Guara bird nest in the afternoon at 16h30.
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Waterfall of Ilha do Cardoso day 3
At 11am, we went to the information office that registered for the tour to the waterfall that last about 2h and cost 30 BRL per person. Then we followed the guide to the peer to take the boat. We were about 20 or 25 people shared in 4 or 5 speedboats.
PS: On our way to the information office, we met with a woodpecker that was pecking trees on the side of the road.
After 20min of ride of the river, we arrived at the entrance of the trail that leads to the waterfall. There are 2 guides that went along with us, one would open the trail and one close it. After hearing the safety instruction, we followed the trail for 40min or so till we found the waterfall. The trail was within a jungle and therefor it was necessary to be careful where you step. Also, the floor was wet and muddy, and we had to have real shoes on, flipflop wouldn’t do. As such, it became necessary to also see where we would put our hand and what we would hold along the way
At the end of the trail we found a small but nice waterfall with a pool in front of it. At this point, we all removed our clothes and jump inside the pool to refresh ourselves after that little hike. The water was cold, but it was fine and refreshed us.
We stayed for 30min or so, before heading back following the guide. After 5min on the trail, we stopped, and the guide was trying to remove a huge spider from the road. As I was right behind her I was obsessed by this spider. I never saw a spider like this, thin and long legs, as long as 10 to 15cm on a fine 10cm body.
I was that obsessed that when we started again, I didn’t pay attention at my feet and slipped on the rock I was and fell on my back. Hahaha luckily, I only injured a bit my elbow (my landing point) and my right tight. That could have been really worst. The pain last for a days after that.
Finally, we walked back to the beginning of the trail and went back using speedboat.
Ararapira
We then cooked our lunch and joined the peer for 4:30pm where the speedboat was waiting us to bring us to another part of the island.
After 10min we arrived at Ararapira, an old and abandoned village that was once a main trading area for this area. Unfortunately, with time, the river claimed a part of it and the resident had to lived. Now only a few people (less than 5) still live in the town to keep it alive and tell its story to the tourist visiting it. The guy there brough us around the village till the cemetery, passing by its home and the freshwater river.
The view from the village was just amazing, and when we arrived the guy was listening some good old Bob Marley.
Bird Nest near Ilha do Cardoso day 3
Later, we took back the boat to reach the Guara or Scarlet ibis’ nest. The Guara is a local bird that has a red color. It takes it color from the red crabs that it eats. It is a thin bird with a long noise to break the crab shell.
On the way to the end of the island, we saw that at some place the sea joined the river and that the trees and fauna of the island were dying. It happened that another river was rerouted toward here and a part of island got submerged. The open sea then met with the land killing the fauna due to the mineral in its water.
When we arrived at their nest, we landed on the beach and just waited to see many groups of them coming to land in the forest in front of us. We couldn’t get close to the nest, but it was beautiful seeing them flying around. It may even be better to see them at sunrise when hundreds of them take off from the trees.
To continue, we strolled around walking along the beach and as it was low tide, we reached a point where we were walking between rivers and open sea. At this point, both would normally connect but at this time we could walked across seas.
Sunset came quickly and was gorgeous at this point of the island.
After enjoying all of this, we took back the boat and headed for town.
Evening Samba at Ilha do Cardoso day 3
After a good homemade dinner, it was time to discover the local Samba. For this the island has a little bar where people can come and play instruments. Quickly many people grab instruments and started playing altogether. We don’t know how they managed to play correctly together but it wasn’t bad at all for non-professional people and a non-band group playing.
When we headed back to our accommodation that was really closed, we could still hear them playing till late night (over 2am, we remember the time because it was then that we were fighting a big cockroach in our bedroom).
“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley
