After missing out on tasting the sugarcane wine yesterday, we decide that today will be a great day to visit the Taboa Cachaca Sugar Cane factory.

Our Guest House

©Exploramum and Explorason – our Guesthouse has a massive breakfast

Starting our day, we have another fabulous and HUGE breakfast at Catarino’s Guest House. The reason many travelers stay at this Guest House is just for the breakfast and guests have been known to graze for 4 hours at the table.

So Far …

Yesterday we had so much fun with tubing in a river and down waterfalls and also swimming with the fish.  We’ve explored the town and it is nearly time to move on, but first, we want to taste the famous sugar cane wine. Well, my son doesn’t, but I do!

Dashing in the Rain

We then leave for a walking tour of Taboa and the Cachaca Sugar Cane factory. It is out of town and about 20 – 30 minutes walk there at most. Just when we start our walk, it also begins to rain very heavily and so we are forced to run and take cover on a house verandah.

I feel a bit embarrassed to be on private property so I change my mind and decide to dash for a tree in the street instead.

Oh, My Toe!

We clean the toe up and I stick the piece of the toe back on – why I have no idea! The kind folk in the house bandage it up.

Then they give me a ride in the rain to our appointed tour at Taboa. They are so kind and that is what has struck me about Brazil so far. That the people have kind hearts.

Sugar Cane Wine Tour – Cachaca Sugar Cane Tour

Tickets for the Cachaca Sugar Cane factory tour go for R$25,00 after 2:00 pm – including the tasting of many types of Cachaça.

We begin the sugar cane winemaking tour and as I do, I am slowly dripping blood through my bandage and I don’t know what to do. Yikes!

The lovely lady in the picture was all smiles as she explained the Taboa process. It is the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil and is made from sugar cane.

We joke as she can’t say “cinnamon” – but rather says “synamoon”.

Clay Creations

We then have a chance to do some clay work. We roll, cut and make souvenirs. Sadly we are unable to take them with us.

My son is pretty disappointed as he had made me a Mother’s Day present. He didn’t want to leave it behind.

To this day, I am annoyed that I did not go back to the Cachaca Sugar Cane factory for it. He did a really good job and that would have been a precious memory for me.  We will be celebrating Mother’s Day housesitting in Brazil and it is so sweet that he is preparing for the day.

Cachaça Tasting Time

©Exploramum and Explorason – the tasting bar

We move on to the tasting room for the Cachaça sampling – for adults only, of course.

My son is able to taste various teas – none of which he likes, but at least he tried them.

I tried about four sips of the samples, but I was in too much pain with the toe injury I’d sustained and really wanted to leave. I also didn’t want to turn up at a doctor drunk.

This ‘stuff’ is 48% alcohol!

So we purchased a bottle because I like the way it is packaged and we leave.

Hindsight

©Exploramum and Explorason – the sugar cane grows behind us

In hindsight, I should have had a lot more than 4 sips – it would have numbed the pain. I was sober by the time my toe needed attending to!

Hospital

We then catch a taxi to the hospital. It is about 10 minutes out of town, and there is no one waiting at the Emergency area.

I didn’t like the fact that I was made to wait half an hour while they demanded money up front. Later we find out this is a con and we should not have had to pay the money at all!

However, the staff required information about where I was staying, and they refused to treat me. In my pain, I could not think how to spell the Guest House and as I don’t speak Portuguese this went of for ten minutes and I became panicky.

Fortunately, I had been to the bank earlier that day so I had money but it was a huge amount for a public hospital.

I paid the 200 Reais and then received instant treatment. Next, I was X-rayed, inspected by a specialist, had the toe cleaned up, and then the top of the toe glued back on!

I did not like having a needle through some tube.  To which I to this day have no idea what the needle was. I kept asking what it was and they failed to explain. I was given a script for antibiotics and a receipt.

Bandaged up, I could no longer walk so I had to hop out of the hospital and again wait to find a taxi. Now I did need that drink!

We Can’t Leave Bonito

©Exploramum and Explorason – Explorason enjoys some travel-free days

We were meant to be leaving for Campe Grande but as I could no longer walk, let alone pack our luggage, and then drag our soft cases to the bus station, or go to the bus terminal and get the tickets. Therefore, we opted that we had no choice but to stay longer.

So two extra nights later I was able to walk on my heel; also had received enough rest; caught up on Facebook; reported the accident to our Travel Insurance, and sent out many emails.

Oh! And we had enjoyed a LOT of rain. As it had been so wet we realized it was a good idea that we did not travel too, as it was quite a torrential downpour.

©Exploramum and Explorason – Bonito city has so many huge fish

Taboa Address:

Comments And Questions:

• Have you ever injured yourself when traveling?
• What happened and what did you have to do?
• Have you ever done a Cachaca Sugar Cane tour?
• Did you stay longer or keep traveling?
• Tell us in the comments below – we would love to know!