"Well, the past is gone, I know that. The future isn't here yet, whatever it's going to be. So, all there is, is this. The present. That's it."
Broken Flowers - 2005



Continuing my writtings about my stay at Paradise, the day after Sertão Zen we went to the National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros and did the first trail (there are two), which goes to the Canyons and to the Cariocas falls. This trail was particularly easy and for some reason it did not attract me much. We went with a very nice couple, introduced to us by our guide. This one was about 10km, but my father still wanted to go to take another trail. This time to a place called Vale da Lua (Moon Valley), which was fantastic. Although my father did know how to bore me by shooting pictures all the fuckin time, it was nice.



Above and below: Canyon



Below: Cariocas



Now let me talk a little about the Moon Valley. What a weird, strangely beautiful place. Imense rock formations similar to the Moon's geography in the middle of a vast, very green forest (cerrado).



Rodrigo and Patricia, our fellow trekkers, had a very good time by visiting these places also. The Moon Valley is something totally out of convenient, and I strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking for different and worthy touristic spots.



On the following day it rained a lot - more than it was already raining. And it was cold. Still, my dad wanted to go trekking. I wasn't in the mood for that, actually I was totally out of the mood for that. But I followed him... and we tried to arrive to Anjos e Arcanjos falls (Angels & Archangels), but it was really raining heavy and his car wasn't able to go down the hill properly.

So we just stayed at our hostel and drank wine, waiting for Adriana, his girlfriend, who would be arriving that day. As she arrived, my father transferred all the attention he would give me to her. He is a very complicated kind, jeez.

Next, we took the second trail of the Park, the trail of the "Saltos". Beautifully crafted by nature, the Saltos are huge 120 meters and 80 meters freefalls. The first Salto has 120 meters, and you can see it below:



The second Salto has 80 meters, and this is the only one we are allowed to swim. I didn't, though, it was fuckin freezing.



On the same day we went to some termal waters, although it was kind of gross. And our new year's eve party. But I will leave that to tomorrow.

Last night I watched Vera Drake. I wasn't touched by it as I thought I would be but I have to admit that Imelda Staunton's playing a magnificent role. It is impossible not to like Vera. And Mike Leigh's direction is pretty good.

And as I mentioned last night, I have incoming changes for the journal, but for now I am going to finish my series about The High Paradise. I believe there are three more parts to go: one part about new year's eve, one part about the flowers of the cerrado and one part about the urban life and society of paradise.

TO BE CONTINUED...