1. The train from São João del Rei

Believe it or not, on this day I drove my rental car 370km from Belo Horizonte to São João del Rei and back, just to take a 12km train ride! As you may imagine, it was a special train ride, on board a century-old "Bitolinha" narrow-gauge Baldwin steam locomotive from an era gone by. There's nothing like an old steamer, hearing the sounds of its simmering boiler, my spirits were lifted by the chiming bells and the loud whistle, as the train creaked forward from the grand station.

2. There's something magical about train stations

With today's rising insurance and operation costs, running a steam locomotive is a losing proposition, and in the past year alone more trains have been retired. It's indeed a treat to see one being actively maintained here in Brazil. The train operates two roundtrip schedules from Friday to Sunday (plus certain holidays) between São João del Rei and Tiradentes. The roundtrip fare was R $16.00, about US $5.00.

3. The train museum and station

Once part of a huge rail system owned by Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas (EFOM) rail company, a 12km section between the two towns has been preserved, and many of EFOM's original trains have been restored to impeccable conditions by the museum. Nicknamed "Maria Fumaça" (smoking Mary,) the trains are a nostalgic sight to behold.