Brazil is a giant that’s too often reduced to its wild samba, its magical football, and its endless beaches. But behind this fantasy lurks an economic colossus and agricultural titan, a force of the future that is already playing a major role in this burgeoning 21st century. To get a better look at this country, we are traveling the routes taken by the original colonists, from the Atlantic coast deep into the Amazonian forest. We want to understand how today’s Brazil was fashioned by the way it was exploited in the past, and we are keen to meet those who live off its natural resources and protect its patrimony. About Mythical Roads: Whether they be remote or packed with tourists, recent or old, famous or forgotten, certain routes are paved with legends. This series explores itineraries that have made history across five continents—some roads and rivers that separate countries, and …