It was the final day of Carnival when we arrived at Alto Paraiso, a small, dusty town four hours by bus from Brasila. Once a gold mining center, then a source of quartz crystals, Alto Paraiso is a jumping off point for trips to Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park. It was 'discovered' by hippies in the 60s and the laid-back, alternative lifestyle continues with ecotourism and spa retreats. We were rushed into an exit plan when we applied for our visa back in Iguassu Falls and, truth be known, we over-estimated how much time we would want to spend in Brazil. So now we are coasting - basically hanging out, doing some birding and catching some serious hammock time.
Squirrel cuckoo, not a new species but I like the photo
Pousada Veadeiros is conveniently located and reasonably priced, not far from the bus station. The rooms are simple and there are only three channels on the TV. A cool breeze blows through the guava trees and birds congregate to eat the fruit. It's a short walk to some pretty good birding areas where we added several new speicies and I got some pretty good photos. Connie cracked the 3,000 barrier with curl-crested jay, not a particularly spectacular bird, but hey....
