Saturday, 1 March 2014

Tonight is my last night on board the ms Maasdam as she sails northward to Rio de Janeiro.  I shall use my few remaining paid minutes to catch up on the day's highlights.  We are sailing northward because today's port of call, Ilhabella, is actually south of Rio, off the coast of Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo.  Yesterday and last night we sailed on the final leg of the Maasdam's southward journey, and at about midnight passed Rio (although we are too far away to see anything)--the length of the entire 23-day cruise is 5,804 nautical mailes.  Although I am debarking tomorrow, most of the ship's 1,150 passengers are continuing on the second half of the cruise:  after three days in Rio, the Maasdam head north up the coast of Brazil and into the hinterlands of the Amazon Basin before returning to Fort Lauderdale.

Ilhabela is a popular vacation destination for the wealthy of Sao Paulo.  Although there are only a few hotels and guest houses there are many rental properties and some beautiful large estates in the hills that cover the island.  A 20-minute ferry ride will take you from the island to the mainland, but most people come here to get away from the urban congestion.  A pleasant walk along the beach to watch the multitude of fishing boats (in many different states of repair) as well as the small village with a vibrantly colored blue and white church and bright yellow civic center are the highlights for the short-time visitor.  I tender in with new friends David and Patrick and we share a walk until I decide to stay on level ground and they head for the hills.  The town also has a few shops (with surprisingly high prices) and many pizza restaurants.

I spend the afternoon packing, since I have to leave my luggage outside my suite door by midnight.  I have hired a private car to pick me up at the pier at 10:15am to drive me to the hotel in Ipanema, which is a world away from where we dock, both in physical distance and cultural sensibility.  The forecast predicts thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday (the last days of Carnival), but better weather, in the 80s, on Tuesday through Thursday, when I do most of my touring.  There are many stories circulating about the level of crime in Rio, so I have purchased a $10 watch on board ship and plan to use only my small, less expensive camera when I am out on my own.  Fortunately, my hotel is in an excellent location for both transportation and security--but I will give you all a later report.

Now it's time to settle in for my last night lulled to sleep by the soft waves of the South Atlantic, with plans to rise early so I can watch as we sail into the bay and harbor of this spectacular city.