Londrina - Igapó Lake

It is always a wonderful thing when a city takes care of a nearby body of water. Whether it is a lake, an ocean or a river, taking care of it makes the difference between an inviting attraction and an embarrassing eyesore.

I’ve always loved gazing at water. It can be waves crashing, the reflection high-rises on a calm surface or the gentle trickle over flat stones. I find it all peaceful and relaxing.

The third of my posts about Londrina is about Lago Igapó (Igapó Lake). I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much. Maringá has a large lake inside the Parque do Inga. It is a nice sight; however, its shores aren’t very inviting. It is almost too remote, tucked inside the large zoo and gardens.

I was pleasantly surprised with Igapó. It far exceeded my somewhat negative expectations. You could see the lake expand out beyond both sides of the road where we stopped to take in the view.

On one side the locals gathered to fish with corn as their bait and very basic fishing rods without reels. In the distance was the sign for the Londrina Yacht Club. People speckled the bright green shores on the other side of the lake and several jet skis could be seen on the water.

On the opposite side, residents were taking advantage of the gravel walking trail which looped around the lake. It was beautiful, lined with trees, and even had lights along the trail for evening activity.

Several high rise apartment buildings towered over the water. A wonderful view, no doubt. We also saw some very protected (think German Shepherd snarling at you from under the gate) houses along the waters edge. Prime real estate I am sure.

This was a definite highlight to the trip. I just wasn’t expecting something so manicured and maintained around a lake, considering what I’ve seen so far in other cities here. We are already making plans to go back and work in some exercise, walking around the lake, on our next trip.