You can´t win them all

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Well, as you all probably expected knowing my internet addiction, here I am again on the internet because I´m bored. It´s not my fault . . . sort of.

I decided to take a detour from my plans and jumped on a bus to Porto Seguro, about 300 km south my intended target of Salvador. Porto Seguro is the landing point of the very first Europeans here in 1500, by the Portuguese captain Cabral, and although they didn´t stay here very long, it later became an important port for them as they tried to defend themselves against other European attacks by sea and indian attacks by land. It also is supposed to have ´great tropical beaches and a happening nightlife´(or whatever my Lonely Planet book said).

Well, first of all, the bus ride that was supposed to take 18 hours instead lasted a full 24 hours because around midnight we came to a complete stop on Brazil´s main north-south highway (consisting of 3 lanes) because there was a apparently some sort of accident. We sat there for 5 and a half hours in the dark and discovered as we passed our roadblock that it appeared that two semis had plowed into one another and then a bus (identical to ours) slammed right through the entire mess. It was bad.

But on to Bahia and beautiful, flat, lush, tropical farmland for miles, accented in the distance by oddly-shaped mountains of exposed rock jutting up out of the landscape. I started to get excited thinking that I was going to see some beautiful beaches and stuff.

Not so. At the moment it´s overcast and drizzling. There´s not even anyone in my pousada that I can tell, so I don´t have anyone to hang out with. The beaches would be pretty nice if the weather was better, but there´s really nothing else to the town. To make matters worse, all the bus tickets out of town for today were sold out, so I have to spend another pointless day here. I think I was unfortunately naïve in thinking that my Ouro Prêto experience was typical. Ying and yang, right?

Anyway, I´ve made a list of advice that I´ve learned over the last 24 hours:
- Always add at least 20% of the estimated time for a bus ride to get a more accurate time (sometimes way more).
- Always remember to ask the taxi driver the cost to your destination before you get in the cab.
- Allow a miminum of 30 hours for you clothes to dry.
- If you´re running down the beach and are about to turn around but then see a point that looks really cool not too far ahead on the coast , don´t run there because a) it´s not that cool, it´s the same as where you are right now, and b) it doesn´t look like it but it´s probably about 8 km away you moron.

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As an update to this update, I tried to publish this entry yesterday with pictures, but for some reason, Brazilian computers are giving my camera fits. So, here I am, bored again. At least the weather has drastically improved (in time for me to leave) and I´ve had a chance to see the historic sites of the city. Also, I´ve met a few nice travelers in my pousada, with whom I spent the a very late night pontificating until sunrise about various complexities of our international world. One highlight was the Hollander talking about how he couldn´t talk to Brazilian girls because he doesn´t speak Portuguese. Brazilian girl chimes in, ´But you can speak the universal language´(miming amorous body language). French girl: ´English?´

Despite the new positive developments, I´m very excited to get back on the bus and make it to Lençóis. Lots of hiking ahead of me! Lots of natural beauty! Can´t wait!

(Sidenote: Jack Kerouac will do crazy things to you if read while traveling.)

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Photos

The beach
I´m in Braaaziiiilllll

Bahian countryside
The beautiful, lush land of Bahia as it passing my bus window

Pousada view
The view from the top of Pousada do Francês. I discovered this morning that the room next to mine was much nicer and had a ladder that lead up to the roof. Shafted.

Pousada do Francês
Once I wandered farther back into the pousada I realized how cool it is . . . and how much I got shafted in my boring little room.

Brazilian convenience store
These carts are everywhere, selling Coke, beer, water, and coconuts, cut open for the milk. Jealous?

Igreja da Nossa Senhora da Pena
A very old church set atop the Cidade Alta where the Portuguese first establish a fort to guard their new territory.

Contemporary imperialism
The flag of Bahia, the flag of Brazil, and the flag of the United States

Comments

[REBECCA]

being bored in brazil is completely unacceptable. but i got my cd. THANK YOU!

[KellyfromCadiz]

voce tem sorte
Try learning kiswahili and driving on the other side of the road. And having to eat meat after being a vegantarian for six years.

[zach]

porto seguro
andy, i was in porto seguro for Carnaval, which was awesome and i recognize all of the places in the pictures. i suggest that you go back to porto seguro for Carnaval. buses are rarely on time unless you take the executivo and even those run 15 minutes late or so. did you see the gigantic cross on the beach in porto seguro?? let me know where you're headed next and i'll see if i can get in touch with some of my friends to show you the good places to go. sorry that you didn't have a good experience in porto seguro like i did. pois e algumas vezes e assim ne. abraco

[Carly]

That beach is gorgeous! Also glad to hear that the weather and circumstances improved!

[Rachel]

Yay!
you're pictures are amazing! i'm so jealous of all the things you're getting to see. live it up! i'm so happy for you! oh- and be expecting an e-mail from me soon detailing "life" (or lack thereof) at portfolio school.

[Arizona Dave]

I can't believe I am actually taking the time to read this shit
Jack Kerouac....there's no k at the end of it

[Mav]

imperialism indeed
that's hilarious! can you name any of the countries in the world that DON'T have a mcdonald's? there are more than you might think... glad to hear it sounds like you're doin well so far buddy--keep on rockin :P