Costs pp: bus from Foz do Iguacu 91rs 9 hours.
In Ponta Grossa we had wanted to go visit the local national parks but were unable to for 2 reasons: the cost to enter is 25rs pp; and there is a lot of walking to do and Kent ended up with a blister so is on the crutches.
We couchsurfed with Jasmine who is a professor at the local university. Her interest is geo-tourism and while we were there she received in the post a booklet on the area of Noronha that had been created from material in her thesis. Noronha is an island off the coast of Brasil which is very rich in biodiversity. The booklet was one of the most informative and yet practical tourist aids we have ever read.
We arrived far too early at 7am so waited a while before heading just a block away to our 'couch'. Jasmine welcomed and settled us then after a bit of getting to know each other we all headed off with her in her car to the university where we met the other teachers with whom she works. From there it was off into town with a local map to guide us and the sun shining. We walked all over the central city getting the feel of the place and stopped for lunch at a restaurant recommended by Jasmine. The restaurant is one of a particular kind that is popular in Brasil and sells its plates of food by the kilo. That is, you take a plate to the buffet and fill it up with whatever you want to eat then take it to the counter where it is put on the scales. This restaurant is 10rs per kilo and our places came to just under 5rs each, while we were walking we saw similar restaurants for double that price and more. The food was good and a good selection and included steak and chicken choices too.
The day was fine but this is the rainy season here in Brasil and in the afternoons it usually rains, here the rain came in the night along with the usual thunder and lightning.
