Lo, We Came Upon São Paulo

PARATAY, BRAZIL -- Then drove right through it, right through one of the biggest, most violent cities around, right through the dank underbelly of Brazil's teeming megapolis. It couldn't have been smoother either. Right in the midst of a raggedy seven-laner, we ask Scooter Guy (grizzled stranger; age, name and whereabouts all unknown) where São Paulo keeps its swiftest escape. This time, we want nothing doing with his town. He plotted the route out with more courtesy and hand gestures than steering a scooter along a raggedy seven-lane highway suggests. And as a clincher, he silently wove well ahead. Peculiar. We come upon the proper exit only to find he had stopped inside the striped triangle between the exit ramp and thruway, just to check that we got it right. Who thinks to do that? He nodded his approval and remerged into traffic. That gesture speaks volumes to Brazil. These small courtesies have checkered everyday life. The nefarious violence and danger seems to set root within the major cities; in the rural between, nothing but placid. After pushing hard to put São in the rearview, we could see the sallow doggedness in each others faces. Too much. Much too much. Yet worthwhile. Pushing hard yesterday means today mingles with leaning back in the chair to prop up the feet in the deep repose of relaxation. So since blowing through São so fast the signs spun (zooooom ... fweee), we've slowed our clip considerably, taking time to stop, wander down virulent jungle paths into the very antithesis of wheelchair accessible. In doing so, we have stumbled upon another gem, right into an absolute masterpiece adorned with the breed of friendship that's saddening to leave. All of today was spent hopping off tall cliffs, hollering off mossy ropeswings, all into clear indescribable rivers. Indeed, worthwhile. Movies and pictures to come. Promise.