Petropolis

If ever there were a desire to escape or recover from the craze of Rio’s Carnaval, this quiet imperial city in the mountains would do the trick. The air is finer, the people less abundant, and you are required to wear little slippers inside of the Imperial Museum which will soar you smoothly across the wooden floors.

I met up with a friend of a friend, otherwise known as a veritable stranger, named Aline. She had spent most of her 22 years living in Petropolis, and she showed me some very nice places. My favorite spot was a restaurant at the top of one mountain, aptly named Nas Nuvens (In The Clouds). A bat flew over our dinner tables, but everyone just ducked and laughed.

The longer that I am in Brazil, the more I see that there is to learn about the places and people.