We drive from Cachoeira west towards the town of Palmeiras, along a surprisingly good stretch of road. We do, however, get lost repeatedly, as signposting is often an afterthought, and more often entirely absent. Nevertheless, we do finally arrive in Palmeiras, traversing long stretches of empty land, which grow gradually mountainous, with sharp rocky buttes lining portions of the horizon. That’s when the dirt road of another 20+ km starts, til our final destination—the tiny village of Vale do Capao. It’s dark by the time we arrive, and despite the rollercoaster road which is marked with potholes and deep rainwater grooves, we arrive in one piece, and settle into our pousada(small inn). We’re fortunate to find some food there as well, and the next morning, after a solid breakfast, head off to begin looking for the hiking trails that the area is known for.
Our pousada is about 3 km outside the village, and as we head in to “town” in the morning, it’s clear that Capao is living up to its name as a gathering place for all things “alternative”. The small road is littered with small houses that offer everything from accommodation to massage, crystal readings, yoga classes, and there is even a small circus that offers different workshops and classes. Everywhere trash is sorted, and there are signs for natural foods. At the center of the village is a small square, where locals meet up, market day is held, and where the paths of residents from far-flung areas of the valley cross. The main street is no more than a couple of blocks in length, and offers a few family run food establishments, a fruit and vegetable market, an internet café, a butcher(who advertises the ice cream next to his list of meats), and a handful of more tourist directed eateries. All ages mix on the streets and the palette of skin colors is nothing short of amazing. A local artist has painted murals all over town, depicting everything from mining days to nearby coffee cultivation. Early in the morning, there is some shopping and local transportation activity, but by mid-morning many shops are tightly shut, and remain so until late afternoon. By evening, the glaring sun has been replaced with more agreeable temperatures and often, a pleasant and refreshing breeze. Children are out on the street, dogs scout for attention and food, more shops open, and life falls into a brief upswing. With the exception of the two main drinking holes in town—one with its group of regular pool players, much of the town begins shutting down again by 9. Days fall into an easy rhythm that is apparently only interrupted with the onslaught of the heavy tourist times—new year’s, carnaval, Easter week, and spots during the summer months. We’re here during a lull, and the tranquility is intoxicating after the chaos of Sao Paulo’s 20 million plus inhabitants and all that comes with such uncontrolled urbanism.
After a couple of days in our “out of town” pousada, we move into town to the a pousada called Pe no Mato(foot in the jungle, or the wilds), run by the delightfully energetic and enterprising Silvia. She gives us a room with views to two sides of the valley and to her gorgeous circular garden, and regales us with stories of her life and times both in the US(where she lived for 10 years as a young woman) and the back in the wilds of Bahia. Check out her site: http://www.penomato.com.br/ She is a wealth of information about the valley and her company just makes our stay that much better. Obrigadao, Silvia!
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