I took my trusty Nikonos III with us, and some old rolls of film. Just having two rolls of film to capture everything makes you slow down and really focus on what you want to capture and which moments you want to remember.
At Picinguaba the Atlantic rainforest, or Mata Atlantica, comes right down to the beach and that part of the coast is one of the largest pieces of protected forest of this type. All of it part of the vast natural park Serra do Mar, making Picinguaba and the surrounding area a biodiversity hotspot. Every morning we watched the many colorful birds from our balcony at the Pousada Picinguaba. The Pousada was the perfect place to slow down and experience the essence of the place. A large colonial style home converted into a boutique hotel it is surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and trees and situated atop a steep hill holding a commanding view of the bay below. Furthermore, there are many great beaches nearby and the colonial town of Paraty just a short drive up the coast into Rio de Janiero state. We really enjoyed the peaceful vibe and we hope to make it up there again at least a few more times to enjoy the beaches and explore the forest a bit further.
