April 12 – Drive to Tiradentes

Off on another drive today…five+ hour drive to the town of Tiradentes.  The countryside is lovely…very mountainous, lush and green.  

We had a stop mid-way through the drive for lunch at a buffet restaurant.  Lots of good food. 

At one point Harold, our driver/guide, pulled over and pointed out a very old style canvas airplane.  The plane had been designed, built and flew by Alberto Santos Dumont with his first flight in 1906.  Depending on the criteria for establishing the first flights some credit Santos Dumont with the first flight...not the Wright Brothers.  

Our destination, Tiradentes, is one of the old historical cities that were founded in the mid-1800’s when gold and other valuable minerals were discovered in the area.  Tiradentes is the most successful historical city in adapting to the non-mining times.  Many buildings have been converted to small hotels, pousadas, and there are a lot of restaurants and small craft shops.  It is very much a tourist destination. 

We are staying at the Pousada Solar da Ponte.  It has a huge, lush, green courtyard, lots of sitting rooms and we have a lovely room overlooking the gardens.  

The Pousada had been founded by a English couple so we were told that they served afternoon tea.  That could be interesting. 

After settling into our room we took a walk.  There is a small river right across from our hotel...

with a stone bridge with two arches that leads to the central, main square…very close.  

We wandered a bit, mainly around the square.  There was a pretty church at one corner...

and a small chapel.  When we had driven through the area earlier, Harold said that there were a number of these small chapels around the town, one for each Station of the Cross.

There were a number of horse drawn carriages that one could hire for a ride around town...

and we saw another horse drawn cart being used to deliver goods to the shops.

And the square and the streets running off of it were lined with quaint, old buildings.

We had decided not to go to tea but would go to the square to find dinner.  However, right about the time tea started the heavens opened up and it rained very hard.  

So, we decided to settle with whatever they have for tea as our dinner.  It was mainly a selection of cakes and sweets.  And, they have hot chocolate, which we both prefer to tea.  The food was tasty and filling but not particularly satisfying (no fruits veggies or protein), but it would do for one night. 

The rain eventually stopped but we didn’t head out.  But the room is comfortable and we are content.