Jaime A. L
Florianópolis, SC
Vale do Pati: where time rests
It was the right call to escape the carnival noise and look for a deep immersion in the heart of Chapada Diamantina: the Vale do Pati. I realised this sanctuary takes us away not only from the noise of the cities, but from a civilisation that so often distances us from ourselves. There, shared quiet is what allows us to meet our own essence again, carried by the sounds of nature and its monumental beauty.
I lived the experience as a balance between the constant challenge of rocky climbs and descents and the delight of discovering magical places. The cliffs reminded me that the line between existing and ending is thin: one wrong step can interrupt the journey, while so many firm steps fill us with life. The forces of nature, showing themselves in the power of the waterfalls and the storms, reveal how small we are. Watching lightning fall nearby is witnessing the world in its purest, rawest state.
I feel it was a trip to our ancestry, a routine with fewer comforts but more presence. Meeting nature slows the pace down; time passes more slowly, because it respects natural cycles. For me, in Pati, time rests. Standing before a landscape that reveals millions and millions of years of history offers a profound perspective: on such a vast timeline, we are nothing and everything at once.
The difference between life with and without digital connection is striking. It is ironic how the lack of signal connects us far more to the people around us and to ourselves. What is left is meeting yourself and gathering with others to share stories and look at the sky. And what a sky! The absence of light pollution reveals the spectacle of our galaxy, the Milky Way, reminding us that we are dust, not only in our galaxy but among the roughly two trillion of them. And the fireflies, so beautiful, stitching the night with light, complete a scene that feels like a dream.
I leave this collective experience understanding how we can live with less. I saw the simplicity of a singular joy in those who face greater hardship with a smile on their face. It is symbolic to live only with the weight you carry on your back and to rediscover the value of a snack shared beside a waterfall, or of a meal cooked on a wood stove, food that warms the soul because it carries the seasoning of the care of the patizeiros.
I believe each human being is a universe in themselves. None of this would have the same meaning without the company of the friends the expedition gave me, and without the attentive care of the guides from the Vale do Capão Guides Association (ACV-VC) and Ana Carms Expeditions. Discovering the story, the sensitivity and the humanity each of them carries is what truly gave colour to the days in Pati. Watching the essence of each person reveal itself kilometre after kilometre is wonderful and, on its own, makes every effort of the trip worthwhile.
There are lessons that will take time to process. For now, all that remains is the quiet of a strong thank you to those who made the Vale do Pati expedition justify its existence.
