Isla do Mel and a visit from the Aunties

I am so far behind on posting, and about to be away from the internet again.  I know there are people anxious to see pictures, so I'm going to load some up.  It will be light on text, though.

Yeah!  We had a great Thanksgiving week.  My sisters and a friend came down to visit.  We started the week by driving around Curitiba on the big green tourist bus.

One stop was at the Opera do Arame (Wire Opera house)
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Here's Mac giving a lesson on scale insects.

Next we took a trip to Isla do Mel (Isle of Honey).  It started on the Serra Verde Express, a train ride up on over the Serra do Mar mountain range from just down the street from our apartment to the town of Morretes.  Even though it was overcast and gray, we saw some amazing views and a lot of Atlantic rain forest.

 

 From Morretes we took a bus to the coastal port of Paranagua.

Then a ferry from Paranagua to the Isla do Mel.

 Walking to lunch in the "town" of Nova Brasilia.  There are no motorized vehicles and no roads on the Isla. 

 The view from my hammock.

 Walking to the forteleza, built by the Portuguese to keep the Spanish out of Brazil.

 Thanksgiving pizza dinner in our inn.

 Then it was time to head back to Curitiba.

 A family pic from the ferry ride home.

 The aunties.

Everyone.

Once we got back we walked around Curitiba some more, including the Sunday handicraft market.

All of the girls.