Gauchos
Rio Grande do Sul is the land of the Gauchos, the South American 'cowboys' and even today they are very much in evidence. It was quite a sight to see a group of them cantering down the main street of Canela in the early morning, with their ponchos flying and their wide brimmed leather hats.

As an aside, good quality leather is very easy to buy in Rio Grande do Sul and there are many leather shops.

The photo shows a 'Gaucha' in traditional costume. Her black 'pants' are in fact one piece of cloth wrapped round her legs. I thought she looked so stunning that I asked her for a photo and she was happy to oblige.