An intercontinental side-trip

Brazil is a big player in South America. By both size and population it accounts for about half of the continent (and by caloric intake, I suspect much more than that, thanks to its obsession with buffets and sugar). This, of course, means that it is a country of great diversity - jungles and wetlands and mountains and beaches and cities and villages and everything in-between. It also means a surprising multiculturalism that sets it even further apart amongst South American countries, at least of those I've so far seen. All of this suggested an opportunity for a change of pace with a roadtrip to explore some pockets of Brazil well and truly off the usual tourist trail (and, in some instances, where it felt quite possible no Australian or even native English speaker had ever been, given the looks we were getting!). It was an interlude mainly designed as an excuse to indulge in some European food, wine, art and architecture. And why seek this out in Brazil, you ask? Because in addition to the Portugese, who ruled here from 1500 to 1815 (and are responsible for the nightmarish language), Brazil is home to millions of descendants of German and Italian migrants who had fled Europe after the world wars of the twentieth century (though best not to delve too deeply as to why they were fleeing...). We went seeking out their little European enclaves in the hills, and boy, did we find them! And so much more. So what were the highlights of a week in rural Brazil?

Beers and bratwurst in Blumenau

Once a year, the German enclave of Blumenau south of Sao Paulo hosts the world's second largest Oktoberfest celebration. And, while it may not be as large as the original in Munich, it certainly was just as wild, with an added Brazilian flair that marked it as its own unique celebration and not simply a cheap copy. We had two days eating sausages and drinking local craft beers (the festival originally being designed as a celebration of local brewers after all) and singing and dancing to oompah band cover versions of such classics as Sweet Child O' Mine and Country Roads. The highlight was an insane parade of twirling and whirling and swinging and singing floats that stopped the city completely in its tracks. It was an absolute blast.

Pinot and polenta in Venda Nova

Further north, and not to be outdone, the descendants of Brazil's Italian migrants celebrate, appropriately, with a festival centred on food. And specifically polenta. The annual Festival de Polenta in Venda Nova is run by an army of volunteers who man stalls making pasta, biscuits, stews, and Nonno's peanut brittle. But the star of the show is the one tonne cauldron of polenta that boils over flames at the centre of the festival hall until it is perfectly smooth and ready to be served. At this time, the cauldron is hoisted up by chains onto a steel frame from where it can be toppled into an awaiting stainless steel vat and whisked away to the kitchen to be dished out to the hungry masses in huge helpings lathered in a delicious bolognese ragu. All the while, Italian folk bands, opera singers and rock stars took turns on the stage and the negroni and chianti kept flowing. Where else but Brazil?

Steep streets and cheap eats in Ouro Preto

Brazil's mining heartland north of Rio De Janeiro was originally settled by the Portugese who discovered gold there in 1693. When the gold veins dried up, the miners left behind a series of quaint little towns built high up on the hills (with streets so steep, at one point our poor little Fiat could not make it up and had to roll back down). We hiked up these nightmarish cobblestone streets, admiring elaborate churches and gorgeous plazas and feasted on endless pão de queijo - a type of cheese bread for which the area is famous (and for added calories, you can have your cheese bread stuffed with dulce de leche!). Nearby, the enormous open-air Inhotim Museum afforded a spectacular day walking through luscious parklands to marvel at surprising works of modern art. My favourite interactive artwork was titled Piscina - a stunning pool for us participatory artistes to relax and cool off in.

The thrills and spills along the way

As if driving in Brazil wasn't heart-stopping enough, we added some extra adrenaline on the road with stops to take in some of the local attractions. These included several bushwalks to gorgeous waterfalls and swimming holes, very reminiscent of walks we'd find back home. And a crazy day on the rides at South America's largest theme park, Beto Carrero World - like a mock Disneyland, complete with a mock It's A Small World ride that, not knowing what we were in for, we queued over an hour to "enjoy". Fortunately, the lines were much shorter at some of the more thrilling rides!