August 26,

We both awoke at around 0400. It’s a travel day! Jeff opened the retractable roof, but closed it immediately due to misty conditions and total cloud cover. We both tried to nap, finally getting up by 0730. We readied and had our Javas with breakfast – the last of cheese balls for me; Jeff had some orange chocolate-chip bread. Then we set about packing and cleaning up. We were out by 0930, letting the host know.

We head back up north on the BR-354. In short order though, we changed to the BR-267. Then onto MG-167. At the town of Tres Coracoes, we took a turn that we weren’t supposed to, and took a more scenic way through town. But this worked, because we discovered that this was Pele’s (a famous soccer player) home town. We saw a stadium named after him and ended up on a street, Rei Pele. Then we took a toll road, 381, out of town. The first toll was 3.70 BRL (72 cents), and Jeff used a credit card! We crossed a wide span of Rio Grande, not the same as the one in Texas. We snacked on hazelnuts and peanuts, paid another 3.70 BRL toll – then turned off the toll road, onto BR-494. We pulled off for a second gas fill up. Our car uses ethanol, and the price has been quite varied. This time it was 3.99 BRL/liter, which is $2.93/gallon. We have paid 4.29 BRL/liter, or $3.14. Moving on, we came upon a truck. Jeff was getting ready to pass it – just as one of its tires blew!!! 🤯 OH MY! Jeff and the truck driver both handled the situation well. I freaked out though. I thought it was a gunshot, until I saw the rubber flying. I was suddenly wide awake!! Wow wow wow!!

We arrived at the town of Divinopolis, which is west of Belo Horizonte, and our place for tonight around 1430. The lady, Graciele, met us. She must have karma, because we hadn’t told her of our arrival time. Anyway, she and her husband, Paulo, introduced themselves and showed us the place. We then unloaded. We will be here tonight only. I laid down to stretch and ice my knee. Jeff went to the grocery store to fetch us grub. We made salami, cheese, cucumber sandwiches and wine. We ended by connecting with Jeff’s sister staying up until 2300.

     August 27,

I didn’t get up until 0800. It rained some last night and this morning. But we have been blessed with the weather in Brazil in general. Jeff did have to turn on his windshield wipers three times yesterday but only to clear the spots of mist. Anyway we fixed some last “ofs”: oatmeal with PB and Muesli with milk and yogurt. I also had the last of my old coffee. I can’t wait for tomorrow and have my new Tiger coffee. Jeff had his new hot chocolate mix, which he said was unfortunately sweeter than the last. At 0930 we checked out. Today we finish our two day travel up to the northern part of the Estrada Real circuit. It’s another 5.5 hr driving day.

We started out on BR-494, to MG- 423, and changed to BR-352, which was newly asphalted! Lots and lots of trucks on this road. Jeff speculated that Brazil must have an abundance of truck drivers. True that! Then we lost the new pavement and the road was bad! Unfortunately, Google maps doesn’t have the condition of the roads. Anyway, the countryside seems more rugged – maybe, less manicured or farmed, with more ranches and cattle. At the small town of Martinho Campos, we turned onto road MG-164. We’ve seen tall planted trees for harvesting purposes – like an elongated toothpick! So tall and skinny. We crossed the Rio Para one last time, it’s a fairly decent-sized river. We are heading some east in a northerly direction. In Pompeu, the road changed to MG-420 and seemed to be an improvement. Then we did a little crossover on road BR-040 to BR-135. At this interchange a truck was jack-knifed, and the oncoming traffic was using our lane! That was scary! This road was divided into two lanes each way, very nice compared to some we had been on…must be a toll road(?). We’ll find out! We pulled off for gas – only 3.77 BRL/liter. Then very shortly…a toll booth. It was a toll road. We paid 10.70 BRL or $2.07. We each snacked a cookie, and I had some peanuts also. Quickly, we came to the town of Curvelo, we changed to BR-259. The scenery is decidedly more rugged with shorter, natural, twisty trunked trees that reminded me of Mesquite. We came to a pass – 4,221 ft per our altimeter app. Then the landscape became more rocky hills and mountains. Which is fitting as we came to our destination of Diamantina – the end of the Estrada Real circuit – and once the diamond mining area of Brazil. We went over more passes, the highest one being 4, 726 ft before descending a bit into town.

We arrived at our new home, for four nights, around 1430. Our place is on the second floor. It’s a larger two bedroom jobber. Jeff brought in our stuff, as I checked out the place. We settled in, and started a much needed load of laundry. Then we went out for food. Jeff had found Restaurante Fino Trato. It’s 1600 so the place was nearly empty. We ordered Lasagna Bolognese for two, which came with fries and rice…because more carbs were needed. The lasagna platter looked huge (but it was less layered, I reasoned). We also had wine grown near Diamantina, Vin de Minas- a Syrah. We ate all the lasagna -shouldn’t have. The bill was 259 BRL, which was $50.11. We went back rolling into our place, hung up our laundry and relaxed.