Don't Ever Change

The tiny colonial seaside port town of Paraty (say: pah-rah-CHEE) has seen many incarnations since it was first settled in the 1500's.  Since then, this modest town has played part in the import of miners and export of gold from the adjacent state of Minas Gerais and then for coffee after that.  Each industry eventually ended their mutual relationship with the port after the development of roads from other coastal locales such as Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo, which proved to be time-saving in terms of travel.

Consisting mostly of one or two-story white-washed colonial-era buildings with brightly colored doors and windows, Paraty is an easy place to get lost in.  Not physically, since it spans only a handful of blocks in any given direction, but mentally, as any visitor is easily transported to a simpler time.  It is not difficult to imagine horses clomping down the cobble-stoned streets, now off-limits to cars.  (And these cobble-stones are not small; it behooves pedestrians to keep one eye on their next step at all times.)

For a small town, it is strange to find so many churches scattered throughout its historic center.  Though small, and all Catholic, it turns out each was intended for different congregants: one for wealthy whites (built in 1800), one for slaves (1725), and another (1722) for mulattos - children of mixed race, but not necessarily slaves.

Before numeric addresses, most postage was directed to a street name and
door color, making it preferable to not have repeated colors on the same block.

The bay of Paraty is dotted with many small islands leading out to the open Atlantic Ocean.  We boarded a schooner for an afternoon of island hopping and enjoying the unique and majestic views of this region's coastline, known as the Mata Atlantica, a geographic and ecologic region with characteristics unique only to here (which I've had the pleasure to visit twice before whilst in Ubatuba and Ilha Grande).

Afternoon on the schooner Moana, touring the Bay of Paraty.

The beaches in Paraty are nothing to write home about, however, those of the islands in the bay, as well as several a short drive to the south are among the best in Brazil.  We ventured to the community of Trinidade, an old fishing village now filled with pousadas, restaurants, and hostels, to settle on Praia Meio for an afternoon.

Excuse the duck-face and douche-y peace sign - too much sun and
beautiful scenery make me a wannabe a surfer-bro.

It was a great decision that Brazil made Paraty a National Historic Site back in the 1960's, thus preserving its character for that niche group of tourists who want some sun and sand with a lot of timeless charm.

Taking the Long Way

After nearly seven years living abroad and countless other flights here and there, it was bound to happen.  My luggage failed to complete the trip with me.  I was overdue, really.  With the way the journey went, however, I would have been impressed had the baggage appeared on the luggage claim belt.

Here're the highlights:

DAY 1 - Sunday, Jan 5

Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

• Check my two bags through to Brazil.  Last time I have seen them.
• Intended flight plan: ORD - DFW - GIG - VCP (First two on American, last one on TAM.)
• Board plane in ORD half-hour late.  Still fine for connection.
• Sit on runway for almost an hour more because "there is no crew."  Also, "sorry, we shouldn't have boarded you."
• Eventually find a crew and arrive in DFW too late to make connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro (GIG).

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

• Speak with a gate agent who rebooks me the next day via Miami (MIA) on American and on to São Paulo (GRU) via TAM and gives me a partial hotel voucher.
• Agent informs me that I can not get my bags, but they will be reticketed and rerouted to match my final destination.  Agent also says that I may inquire about the status of my bags the next day.
• I go to the lovely Grand Praire Hyatt and pass out.

DAY 2 - Monday, Jan 6

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)

• Check in for rerouted flight to MIA.
• Ask gate agent about bags and am told they do not have access to that information, however, bags "are not allowed to leave the country without the travelers on board the plane or already in the destination country."  I can check with gate agents in MIA.
• Fly to MIA without incident and only a minor delay out of DFW.

Miami (MIA)

• Actually run from Terminal D to Terminal J (Where?!?  I know, right?!?)
• Arrive pink and sweaty to find plane about to board (of course Brazilians line up before first class is even called, but still).  
• Must present documents to TAM gate agent who informs me "no deliveries from American" have gone down.  Also, "American has been having a difficult time today."  (Hmm...today???)
• Board plane.

DAY 3 - Tuesday, Jan 7

São Paulo (GRU)

• Land at GRU at around 5:45 am, go through customs, stand at baggage claim.
• Leave baggage claim empty-handed.  Not surprised.
• Luggage agent speaks English.  We work to get a search and rescue mission going on my luggage.  
• Take bus back to Campinas and proceed to pass out for a glorious nap.  Also, showered.

DAY 4 - Wednesday, Jan 8

Campinas (my apartment)

• Attempt to call phone numbers for the TAM Lost Luggage line.  Neither exist.  
• Use online resources to find my claim, make adjustments to address and add phone numbers in the US, just in case.
• Call American Airlines (also, just in case) via Skype and have an eventually successful conversation with a fantastic woman* who helped me "out of courtesy."  Find out the bags went to GIG the previous night, though through MIA; so, not following my original flight plan.  The problem is that the MIA - GIG flight was through TAM, therefore American no longer has responsibility/jurisdiction.
• Try TAM phone numbers again.  "Não existe." Try them with a São Paulo area code.  No dice. 
• Send message through TAM online claim website informing them off what American told me: bags are in (still?) Rio.
• In the evening I log onto the TAM online claim website and receive an alert that TAM cannot find my bags and to fill out a claims form.  This takes several tries as my session keeps timing out and there are lots of things they would like to know.  I am also able to provide more helpful information that the luggage agent did not ask of me.
• Despite help from a friend, I cannot seem to get the given phone numbers to result in an existing phone number.
• On a whim I try calling the TAM help line in the US via Skype, wait on hold for nearly 30 minutes, talk to a woman who informs me she doesn't handle lost luggage...BUT gives me the direct line of a man in Miami who does, extension included.  Problem: he has office hours and I must wait until 9am EST to call.

DAY 5 - Thursday, Jan 9

Campinas (my apartment)

Is it weird that this is what I was
most sad about losing?

• Call TAM Miami number and speak with a woman who informs me that the bags were sent to GRU today.  I ask her where they left from and she tells me GIG.  American was right.  She also gives me another number to try in GRU for luggage as the other two still do not seem to function for me.
• Call new number.  Não existe.
• Look up local Campinas TAM offices to harass tomorrow, should it come to that.
• Around 6pm receive a call from TAM at VCP letting me know they have my bags and will I be home if they deliver them.  Por fim!!!
• Around 8pm bags are delivered to me door, all items intact, including 5-6 month supply of Trader Joe's Almond Butter.  

*Though I do not know her name, the American Airlines woman was amazingly helpful and at one point "got chewed out" for helping me because she technically wasn't supposed to being I never filed a claim with American, despite asking every single gate agent along the way and, basically, getting pushed along to the next one."  Thank you, Ms. AA!