The Brazilian holidays

I never thought I would be so excited about landing in an airport. Rio is the first place I´ve been in a while, where I didn't have to follow the normal route (cash machine, tourist office, transit sort, accommodation sort, food needs...) as I was met by my Aunt Jojo and Uncle Peter. We were accompanied by my newly adopted gran Pene, who sensibly left the grey skies of England for the joys of Brazil. We were then whisked a couple of hours north of Rio to Buzios and met up with my cousins Ross and Blaise. It´s a holiday for all of us, as life in New Jersey for the boys and Jojo is quite a contrast to Brazil. So the holiday from travelling begins...


The first stop was to the house of Hilary, a long term friend of Jojo´s. WOW, the house was a dream! The pool, the design, everything was a joy to be in. We then cruised over to our hotel and my ascent to heaven continued. I certainly wasn´t going to be roughing it as in some of the hostels I´ve been in over the last few months! The beach, the perfect sunset, the pool, and the best part of course, my family! I struck a crazy pose with Ross and Blaise on the beach and we then follwed the rest of the gang into town. Buzios came to the attention of the rest of the world when Bridget Bardot decided to make it her holiday hotspot. I wonder how she feels about it´s growth since. Fishing is still a major staple in the local economy, although I think it has lost the fishing ´village´ title. As we stepped through the streets en route to a special pancake dinner, the number of shops accentuating their goods with sparkles and high price tags blew me away. Without a doubt there is a demand for all the classy wares on display, as streams of customers meander off the cruise ships in the harbour.


My intentions of getting up early the next morning and swimming or cruising along the beach were slightly unrealistic. Never forget the benefits of a comfortable bed!! When I did surface it was only to roll onto the lounger with my book. The rays of sun were burning hot, as those without sunscreen soon discovered. After the intense morning activities, we strolled along the beach with Hilary and his wife Fernanda to the best fish restaurant in town. So this is what it´s all about. Bed, beach, food and a few drinks. I continued this pattern for the next few days, only popping into town for the internet and shops. We would return to the house to catch up with Pene (Hil´s mom), Tony and Ana (Hil´s kids) and were often bowled over by an extremely excited dog, Juba. The atmosphere was so agreeable; games of Yahtzee and Scrabble, floating in the pool, catching up with the latest gossip and basically being lulled by the sounds of everyone else. This really is the perfect Christmas. Of course, there were some people always on their toes preparing meals and filling glasses, and I thank you and apologize for my sheer laziness.


We did manage to tour the area a wee bit. Geographically Buzios is shaped like a fist which results in several different styles of beaches to visit. We had hoped to rent a dune buggy for a few days, but their insured driving area was too small so we opted out. I think it was an omen in not needing to venture too far off anyways!!


The Christmas dinner that we had, has certainly made my top 3 over the years. It´s always interesting to learn the specialty dishes of a different family and country. Unquestionably, I will remember the turkey that broke the plate (30 lbs. of golden succulence!) but I also cannot forget ´manioc´. It´s a starch made from the cassava root and when mixed with some banana and beside some turkey and gravy, it´s bliss for the tastebuds. I hope I´ve remembered the name properly!


All too soon it was time to return to Rio and become tourists over New Years. I hit the jackpot for accommodation as I became Pene´s flatmate for a few days. (I hope I didn´t snore too loudly...not that I snore in the first place!!) We were all staying in the Ipanema area of Rio, which meant we only had a few steps to the beach. And what a beach! I thought I had seen the prime bronzed bodies in Buzios, but Rio´s reputation as the city & beach capital of the world is certainly with good reason. After collecting an umbrella and chairs we would skirt across the hot sands to get as close to the water as possible. This is the kind of beach that you really need to claim your space and respect your neigbours. It is the longer holiday period for Brazilians so we were not surrounded by too many whiteys like ourselves. And what a haven for people watching! Ogling the different shapes and sizes was mesmerizing! When it was time to cool off in the water we learned it was important to prep yourself. The undertow from the waves was intense and threw many unstable bodies into the circling water although Ross and Blaise enjoyed the force with their boogieboard.


There are a certain amount of ´must see´s in Rio, so we started of with the hunchback mountain called Corcovado. Taking the cable car through the green jungles and hoping to see a monkey (no such luck) we finally reached the top where the heavens opened, in two ways really. Christ stood open armed looking over us all, and then the clouds rolled over- luckily not carrying any drops of moisture. The view was superb as we we identified the football stadium and nearby beaches. I didn´t notice the winds although they whisked the clouds by very quickly. One moment we saw everything, and the next there was nothing. There was a group of nuns having their photos taken by a professional, until they realized that every tourist was secretly standing beside them and smiling for their mates cameras as well. Of course, I was one of them as well.



Between the beach time and the tourist track we enjoyed a few meat loving meals. Stuffing ourselves with such gourmet food required a visit to the beauty salon for Jo and I. Pampered feet, massaged backs and grasping beauty as some of the Brazilians do. The boys took a trip up to the favellas to grasp a different life. The houses staggered up the cliff edges and the drug lords peered through tinted car windows. Apart from that, it apparently looked like normal life for everybody although they´ve adapted to smaller incomes then the rest of Rio. It was for this reason that I decided not to join them.


When New Years Eve finally rolled around, there was no question about where we would be joining in the festivities. Copacabana Beach drew a crowd wearing all white for 15 minutes of colourful explosions in the sky. Ross, Blaise, Pete and I followed the crowds on the streets and managed to secure some comfy chairs in the sand awaiting the countdown. A few beers and many laughs and the night was made! It took us considerably longer to make our way back to Ipanema due to the crowds, but the people watching was irreplaceable. I felt pretty on top of things when I clocked a guy trying to squeeze his fingers into my hidden money pocket. It was with such joy to be able to point the crook and his teamates out to Ross and Blaise. In hindsight, perhaps I shouldn´t have felt so confident having conquered the swindlers. Later on that night as I was a few steps away from the security guard and gates of the flat I was staying at, I was jumped by two guys. Luckily they didn´t flash any weapons, just held my arms down and emptied my pockets. The money was equivalent to 10 US dollars, but the cheaky buggers got my camera. Why oh why did I take it? Well, too late now for that! I´m safe and sound and was able to share the photos that Jojo had taken of our time together. So I may be missing a few photos, but I´ve come out stronger for the experience and once the insurance goes through I´ll be able to learn the tricks of a new camera.


One of the last treats on our Rio tourist track, was a visit to Sugar Loaf. I had heard of this place before and expected it to be a sweet trip to the bakery. When I got off of the bus with the gang, I was pleased to be climbing into one of two cable cars in order to crest the ´loaf´of a mountain formation and look over the rest of Rio. The views were stunning, and a different angle than that at Christos.


Our final adventure turned out to be more of an adventure on a bus than any of us had expected, but we always need to make the best of it right? After a few too many hours on the road, we arrived in front of a boat that would be taking us over to ¨Isle Grande¨. Just our luck that this day ended up being one of the days not bursting with rays of hot sunshine, but dumping with buckets of rain. We boarded the boat anyways and dozed with our books in hand under the tarps. We spent a bit of time jumping off the starboard and paddling over to a pristine beach, despite the pounding raindrops all around us. After lunch we had a few moments to swim amongst the fish with our snorkels and explore an old church on land. Our day touring around Isle Grande hardly touched the surface of such a beauty spot, so it will remain on the list of areas to explore.


After the farewells, I boarded a 25 hour bus heading towards my next airport departure point of Salvador. The sights through my window made me wince at all of Brazil that I didn´t have time to explore. Bamboo seemed to reach the third and fourth stories before it began cascading to the surrounding greens below. And then the bus ride itself couldn´t have been more accommodating to the weary traveller. Nowhere, on any of my travels, has the bus stopped for a 45 minute shower break in the morning! The beautiful Brazilians certainly maintain themselves at every opportunity. Despite the time for refreshing myself, I was antsy to arrive in Salvador. I was now experiencing Brazil on my own again, after the joys of being looked after by my family. The memory of the mugging was playing at the back of my mind, so the 3 hour lateness of the bus was slightly annoying. Regardless, I was able to find some fab accommodation and quickly began exploring the streets of the most African- influenced area of Brazil. Yes, I was in heaven. Drums pounded in parade fashion along the cobblestone alleys, and the people were celebrating life with bellies of laughter. Such a shame that I had to leave so early in the morning. It would be a long day of travel to my next country of Peru, as my flight isn´t quite direct.


My time in Brazil was unlike any other country that I have visited on this world tour. This is mostly because I was rewarded with a people presence that couldn´t be more appreciated during the holidays, but also because I have seen for myself the value this culture has for family, natural beauty and an all around zest for life. Why anybody would allow themselves to be discouraged from travelling this country for safety reasons is beyond me. Be sensible as you would anywhere, and Brazil will surely leave you inspired for more.


And on to Peru...

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