Sunday, 7 March 2010

Mountain Monastery and Manning Wolves

The end bit of the mountain adventure in Minas Gerais turned out to be in Parque Natural do Caraca, a wonderful place recommended by three crazy Dutch. It's a large national park surrounded by mountains, the only buliding being a monastery and attached lodging that once upon a time was a public school that apparently educated a good number of Brazilian Presidents. Now-a-days, and for the last 15 years or so, the monks still in residence realized that tourism was a better stream of income to kids and opened it up to visitors. Further to that they have started to court the wildlife, culminating in attracting the rare Manning Wolf to the steps of the Santario, using left overs from the massive spreads they lay on each night. And there were some more massive hills to ramble up.

That there shifty looking man is the head man at the monastery.


First humming bird I've ever seen, not the last though, there are loads.

Food hall

Great food, as much as you can eat.

Some proper religious iconography.


Rain on the way!
The wolf!
and the tourists taking the pictures...


KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE (2)!!!


Ominous!

Closer!
ZOOOOOOOOOOM!


Closer!
More religion - in a cave this time...

but closer...



Getting hard...
and closer...
Then it went bat shit mental....
Sorry about the breathing but be thankful it's not the 2 hour version...

The PRIZE! (bit rubbish really - no Hindu temple)

The view wasn't rubbish though...

The only buildings for about 20miles.

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