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| Last Stop Brazil |
Tue 27/05/03 |
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After a swift cab ride to the airport caught the 7:30 plane to Sao Paulo where on I arrival I found out which bus to take to Jardim where Patricia had made a reservation for me at the "Paulista Garden Hotel" (The "garden" part certainly had nothing to do with abundant plant life in or around the hotel).
As I really had nothing smart to wear, the world traveller's clothes dilemma, I decided to follow the advice of Kevin a fellow traveller I had met in Santiago and went up and down Oscar Freire Street, which is one of the hotspots for buy fashionable and relatively expensive clothes.
The best deal I thought to be Ellus, a local Brazilian designer store, where I got a new pair of Jeans and a matching shirt, after which I sadly didn't succeed in finding anything I liked at "Richard's" so headed back towards VR (the second best) and finished my wardrobe shopping with a pullover I had previously identified there. (Another good store btw seemed to be Siberia)
Having failed to find any shoes my size to go with the outfit I tried my luck at locating an internet cafe which turned out to be far more complicated than I had anticipated and when I had finally found the one "close" to the hotel, a mere 7 blocks or 15 minute walk away, it had already closed.
Shortly after returning to the hotel met up with Patricia (whom I had met with her boyfriend in New Zealand) and her friend Jaina. Got to try out my new clothes at a place called "Gracie a Dio" a pretty cool bar with excellent ambiente, food (particularly liked the chicken with soy sauce dip) and live music (Tuesday - Cuban Sounds / Thursday - Jazz *best day).
Also hate to admit to the fact that I am not convinced about the Caipirinhas in Brazil being better than in the "Wax Lounge" in Nuremberg, or the "Los Perros" in Cusco for instance (well they certainly are cheaper - cheers).
| Sao Paulo Trip |
Wed 28/05/03 |
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Felt like I hadn't slept more than 2 hours when the noise level of the main Road "Brigaderos" just outside my window started to pick up. It seemed to reach unbearable levels at around 7:30 am so I decided to get up pretty soon after that and wandered around town looking for shoes in my size (UK 13). Along the way visited some more clothes stores to find out just how expensive the shops on Oscar Freire are in relative terms! Whatever, I'm not here to think in f___ing relative terms, I can practice that skill outside of Sao Paulo.
After obtaining some maps and extensive advice from the incredibly friendly tourist information outside of the Iguatemi shopping mall, walked around Jardim Europa, Itaim Bibi all the way to Moema which took almost 1.5 hours and gave me a better idea of the city and "normal" life and people there. Whilst exploring stumbled across a pretty little restaurant called Philo, which is tucked away on Rua Coronel Artur de Paula Ferreira, 127 in Vila Nova Conceicao. Shortly after I finally reached "Eurico's" (Av. Jandira 49, Ph: (11) 5055 8277) the oversized shoe store in Sao Paulo and actually found a nice pair of shoes in my size!
Headed into the centre of town after that, a somewhat unexciting experience - apart from the bus trip there which almost resembled some sort of roller coaster ride. Didn't bother to spend much time around Placa Se and the cathedral so took the metro, which indeed lives up to it's great reputation, out to the museo MASP, another rather anti-climatic experience. Apart from the actual structure which is quite extraordinary I would recommend to not bother with its contents.
Apparently there is an excellent exhibition on China in the Parque Ibirapuera at the moment, which I sadly failed to visit.
Spent the early evening at the Hotel Unique, where marveled at the incredible architecture of the building (designed by the Japanese architect Ruy Ohtake), the lobby and the bar (some of the interor design for the hotel was handled by the famous Brazilian Campana Brothers). Also managed to get several drinks and permission from the management to take photos inside the lobby and the Skye bar.
Later on met up with a Eline - a travel friend from Chile who had just finished travelling throughout Brasil and together with another Dutch girl and Stella with whom they were staying in Sao Paulo we headed back to Skye bar, for a few more nightly drinks. From there we were allowed to set foot in one of Sao Paulo's most elitist clubs called "Disco", which was practically empty so we quickly headed to "Mood" - much more my type of place - where we danced to French techno till being kicked out at around 5. Mind you the whole evening there only cost 74 Rais which would have been the cover for "Disco" (that admittedly has a kickass interior design).
Stella also let me stay at her place and not far from complete happiness got to spend the night in a deck chair next to the pool on the large rooftop terrace of Stella's quite amazing apartment. :-)
Well all in all Sao Paulo turned out all right. The intimidating size is something that I am sure becomes more manageable with time, and the possibilities there are incredible. If I had had a steady income I would have undoubtedly spent the 200 EUR to stay one night at the Hotel Unique, which I would strongly recommend to anyone going there as it is absolutely amazing.
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Paulista Garden Hotel
Al. Lorena 21 - Ph:(11)3885-1362
57.6 R$/Single /w Breakfast |
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| Richard's - Oscar Freire |
Hotel Unique - Outside |
Pano Lobby - Hotel Unique |
Pano Lobby Centre - Hotel Unique |
Bar in Lobby - Hotel Unique |
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| Bar in Lobby - Hotel Unique |
Looking up to Skye Bar- Hotel Unique |
Outside - Skye Bar |
Pano Lazer Pool - Skye Bar |
Panorama Outside - Skye Bar |
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| Panorama - Sao Paulo & Skye Bar |
QTVR - Lobby |
QTVR - Skye Bar |
Underground Map of Sao Paulo |
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| Bahia here I come |
Thu 29/05/03 |
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When I woke up still feeling the effect of all those Caipirinhas I blessed the little remaining intellect which made me drink lots of water in between those evil drinks. So after peeling myself of the deck chair I walked to collect my stuff form the Paulista Hotel and walked back to Stella's apartment to share a taxi with the two girls to the Airport, which cost almost the same as the Bus (70R$ Taxi / 21R$ Bus).
After the great evening got hauled back into the "real world" with some absolutely awful McDonalds fries and a terrible Cheddar Burger. The desired effect of the food dampening the headache also didn't really take hold so couldn't do much but wait for the plane to Salvador, where I finally arrived at around 7pm.
The bus trip into town was good value for money at 3.7 R$, so stepped off the bus in Barra to find the Lonely Planet recommended Posada Azul. Wandered to a nearby restaurant where I got a huge portion of chicken before heading back for an early night at my Posada, which did turn out very friendly, clean and quiet.
| Salvador - a Day of Rain |
Fri 30/05/03 |
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Didn't venture out of the Posada until midday and whilst trying to avoid the frequent and heavy rainfalls wandered around the old part of Salvador's centre called Pelourinho. The small streets and the rotting buildings interspersed with renovated facades and many churches make up this UNESCO world heritage site.
That's by far not all though, it is buzzing with nightlife and bars or restaurants line practically every street. Found a couple of nice hostels and in the end chose the Albergue das Laranjeiras (R. Inacia acciolli 13 - Ph: (71) 321-1366) which I was planning to move to for the following night.
After a long wait for the bus found a couple of people at the Posada Azul which were getting ready to go out to the Aero Club, a shopping mall some 15km up the coast. So after having avoided shopping mall discos throughout South Africa I now finally got to experience one in Salvador (mind you I could have probably done without this experience). So spent most of the evening in the Cancun Cafe which was ok but I wasn't very impressed with the music, bar clueless staff or women.
| Salvador - Pelourinho |
Sat 31/05/03 |
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The poor weather and heavy showers seemed to be around for the day so after a great breakfast made my way to the Albergue das Laranjeiras during a short period of no rain and after having ditched my pack wandered off to the lower city and out towards Bomfin.
Luckily the weather improved as I wandered around the Mercado Modelo below the Placa Se, with the coolest stalls outside making clothing, purses and other interesting stuff from all sorts of recycled materials such as the little pull up lids on cans. Then caught a bus towards Riberia but didn't get off at the right stop to visit the famous church at Bomfin so ended up visiting the church and hospice of Nossa Senhora da Boa Viagem built in 1712 before continuing towards the Fort of Nossa Senhora de Mont Serrat. On the way back stopped to watch a couple of old Brazilians playing a game I already knew but mainly associated with skiing holidays - "Stickenraten" (tr: Stickguessing). They let me join and in the end paid for 6 beers mainly because I lost the last round which also happened to be the most expensive. Still a very entertaining afternoon, only regret that my Portuguese is so poor.
Went out in Pelourinho in the evening to see one of the live bands and ended up trying semi-successfully to dance Merengue in a little corner bar with bright neon lights and loud music.
Salvador just isn't getting off to a good start with me, the central district is full of incredibly persistent beggars and street vendors, which I was getting annoyed with pretty quickly. Everyone talking to you wants to sell you something and there is hardly any chance of meeting any genuine Brazilians. The poor weather surely didn't help improve my overall mood either.
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Pousada Azul
Rua Praguer Froes 102, Barra / Salvador
Ph: (71) 264 9798 - 35 R$ Dorm /w B |
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| Plane to Salvador |
Iglesia San Franciso |
Placa Rio Branco |
Escultura Ciudad Alta |
Lacerda Elevator |
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| Pano - Parca Cayru |
Stall outside of Mercado Modelo |
Iglesia de Senhora de Boa Viagem |
Iglesia de Senhora de Boa Viagem |
Football Field and Fort de Mont Serrat |
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| Fort de Senhora de Mont Serrat |
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| Trip to Barra Grande |
Sun 01/06/03 |
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Woke up undecided about what to do on this Sunday and with a sore throat. At midday made up my mind to not go to Lencois that night and rather stay somewhere warm until the cold that was coming on had passed, so hopped on a bus to the ferry terminal and took the boat across the All Saints Bay to Bon Despacio (3.75R$) and from there caught a bus to Camamu where I had just missed the last ferry to Barra Grande which leaves at around 5pm. After having fought off a ferocious pack of kids using money and other tricks, ended up paying 30R$ for a speedboat ride out to the ferry which I boarded about half way to it's destination, finally arriving in Barra Grande at around 6:40 pm. After some looking found a terrific Posada for 25R$ (plus 10 for breakfast) and after having finally set down my stuff wandered back to the beach in one of the short breaks without rain to a small restaurant where I had a delicious and huge local fish dish.
| Rain and Workday |
Mon 02/05/03 |
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BORING. Didn't do anything apart from sitting in my little Posada room working on the computer, venturing out only occasionally to buy some food and do some exercise.
Not surprising as it practically rained on and off ALL DAY! Still have a cold and running nose.
| More Rain and a Little Sun |
Tue 03/05/03 |
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BORING. Decided to not leave this morning and give Barra Grande another chance which sort of paid off as I got to wander on the beach for about 1.5 hours before the rain returned. Managed to take one photo of the beach without rain and spent the rest of the afternoon working on other computer stuff. Met up with Elias, an Argentinian whom I had met the first night and got some more tips of another Argentinian couple for the North of Brazil who I bumped into a little later. (A place called Jericocoara about 320km from Fortaleza)
Early night after a beer and Filet Burger at McDidi's Campervan next to the Church which as on the previous night was very tasty.
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forgot to get name, but it is the first one
to the left of the church
35 Single w/ Breakfast |
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| Boat to Barra Grande |
Room in Posada |
Beach at Barra Grande |
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| Morro Sao Paulo |
Wed 04/06/03 |
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With only 64R$ left I was going to head back to Salvador via Morro Sao Paulo to replenish my cash supplies and head on to Lencois the same night. But after having wandered around Morro Sao Paulo and discovered that I could practically pay for everything with VISA card I decided to stay one night in Morro before taking the fast boat to the Mercado Modelo in Salvador at 1pm the next day.
So with some sunshine in the afternoon, managed to relax on the beach for a little while and then walked around the very pretty little village. As I am there during the absolute base season most of the restaurants and posadas are cheap and empty but the sheer number of them indicates just how busy this village must get during high season - I am glad to be here now although the constant rain is slowly getting to me.
Had a great red fish at a local restaurant before wandering over to some of the beach bars on the 2nd beach which were absolutely deserted. So after a decent Caipirinha decided to head back and start the nightly fight with the mosquitos.
| Beach Paradise to Lencois |
Wed 04/06/03 |
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The Brazilian really make great breakfasts (Cafe de Manaha), everywhere outside of Sao Paulo I have had terrific and plentiful breakfasts, quite the opposite to what one would consider a Breakfast in Spain, which makes me wonder if Portugal is also different in that matter.
So after this culinary delight caught a fast boat to Salvador (50R$) where I arrived at around 3:15, and after a short look around for diving gear left my backpack at the hostel for the day to wander around the Museum of Modern art and some other places to the North of the centre where I had not been. The Museum was more exciting than the subsequent walk, as it housed an exhibition on innovations taken from the streets. These would usually include little coffee trucks with music equipped to perfection with all kinds of gadgets or a little plane made from old cans etc.
After this little excursion, during which the weather was actually really nice, I retreated to the hostel to recover my backpack and headed out to the bus station to catch the 23:30 bus to Lencois.
As I arrived almost 3 hours early, decided to go to the cinema in the nearby Iguatemi mall, where I looked at the pictures of the latest Hector Babenco film Carandiru dealing with the individual stories of prisoners inside this infamous former Sao Paulo prison, held together by the prison doctor Drauzio Varella (also Hector Babenco's doctor in real life) who wrote a book about his experiences during the time he worked in Carandiru.
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Posada Brisa Mar
Rua da Prainha, Morro Sao Paulo
Ph: (75)483-1063 - R$35 Single /w CM |
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| Beach Morro Sao Paulo |
Terreiero de Jesus |
Cidade Baixa |
Museo Arte Moderna Salvador |
Museo Arte Moderna Salvador |
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| Museo Arte Moderna Salvador |
Museo Arte Moderna Salvador |
Staircase in Museum |
Exposition - Innovation |
Exposition - Innovation / Chapete |
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| Exposition - Innovation |
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Read on about the Trip to Lencois, the Foz de Iguacu and the Pantanal
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