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Published: June 15th 2008
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The beginning
Me at the bus stop in Worsthorne. My first blog entry since leaving the UK. It´s taken so long because most places don´t have the hardware/software to download photos so we keep putting it off till now.
So, where to begin......................
Tues 3rd June 0600 Touch down at Sao Paulo airport. Cried all the way here after watching
"P.S. I Love You" and of course the fact I was going to miss all my wonderful family and friends. So, a little groggy to say the least!! We hung around Sao Paulo airport for a while then made our way to our hostel. The description Lonely Planet gives for the area that our hostel was in is as follows, "The area surrounding is rife with crime, prostitution, and extremely cheap hostels. If you stay here use extreme caution and don´t walk around at night." Nice!!
Also, it was full of people lying asleep in the middle of the street (literally) covered with cardborad boxes. Others just lay motionless. It would have been more of a shock if I hadn´t been on a night out in Burnley before - but they actually did this in the
day in Sao Paulo. It was a little sad at first
The beginning
Steve at the bus stop in Worsthorne. but then you just get used to it!
Steve nearly joined them in their cardboard boxes as he worked out the exchange rate wrong for a gorgeous leather jacket. He thought it was £50 but then corrected himself, and brought me tumbling down from shopping heaven with a more accurate calculation of £1500 (but he got the calculation for Vodka right. 1 litre for only £1.30 and 20p fpr a can of beer. Funny how he never gets alcohoil wrong!!)
So, we decided to visit the city of Sao Paulo. First we went up Edificio Italia, which is a 46 storey building with a coffee shop on top. We went up cos it was free and we got some fab views of the city, and some builders got a fab view of my arse as a ra-ra skirt and high winds on top of a skyscraper don´t mix - Bridget Jones eat your heart out! (Why is it always the pants that you have to cover your own eyes so as not to offend them when things like this happen?) Anyway, thats all we had time for as we were advised to be back at the hostel before
Edificio Itatia
46 storeys high with viewing platform on level 41. dark (approx. 6pm).
Our second day - well, where do I start with this little gem?
We picked at a few places to visit so we left by 10am heading for "Liberdade" which is a Chinese area though to be honest, it had a few paper lanterns, but apart from that we only saw 2 Chinese looking people, so we headed for "Bella Vista" which is the Italian area. We had a dodgy looking map with two parts, and the streets didn´t quite fit together. So, two hours later my efforts to encourage a man (my boyfriend) to ask for directions ended up with the usual bickering where I was referred to as a typical woman who goes on about men who hate to ask for directions (did I mention he is the map master?) where I then keep quiet, but couldn´t help myself after yet another blister, a couple of mirages, and God only knows how many miles later, I pointed out the worst thing you could possibly point out - that maybe he got the map wrong and we´re lost! He admitted defeat and dragged his bottom lip to a petrol station to ask for directions. This
Edificio Italia
Me and the view - 41 storeys up! was greeted by the question, "What, you want to walk?" then laughter and the shaking of heads, but we got pointed in the right direction. One hour later and my laughing and teasing has subsided and we´re now cleaning the streets of Sao Paulo with our bottom lips and shuffling feet.
We finally made it back on to the map a whole 5 hours after we left it and there was no donkey or sombrero waiting for us in Bella Vista. We could have made it to the real Italy in that time!
So, Sao Paulo was a BIG city with a few things to do but not a lot!
Off to Rio de Janeiro!! Six hours on a bus - can´t wait - Copacabana Beach here we come. Comfy buses, lay back seats, and foot rests. Oh, at only R$67 each it was a bargain!!
Copacabana beach was gorgeous. Some days the waves were huge. Steve loved them. Unfortunately the waves also liked my bikini and kept trying to steal it, so ladies swimsuits or secure tops and shorts would be my advice. Ladies wear thong bikinis too but don´t go topless - nobody does
Me and Steve
You have to take one of yourselves don´t you? so I´ve got some car head-lights at the mo (not impressed)!!
We also walked to Ipanema Beach a few times. This, in the guide book is split into two sections, one of which is the gay section (and trust me, I´ve seen more fags in a tobacconists) and the "take your breath away" beautiful people´s section. Well, they must have been having a day off whilst we were there as most of the men were in love with their six-packs...................of beer that is! Most of the women looked like they would have given a cheese-wired cauliflower a run for its money in the thongs they chose to wear! It was just like any other beach so don´t be puit off by it!
We ventured up to "Christ the Redeemer" on the train for R$36 but you could also take a taxi. The train was a little different, though avoid weekends, and we missed the busy time by going at 3pm as the morning is busy and the 4pm train is packed as people watch the sunset (apparently worth seeing but it was cloudy on the day we wnet so we didn´t bother with that)!
We also did
Funky Shot
Sao Paulo form up above! "Lagoa Rodrigo de Frietas," a saltwater lagoon in Ipanema. You can walk round it or rent a bike. It´s nothing amazing as a lot of it is walking next to a main road and the health clubs obstruct the path, but something different if you fancy a walk - 7.5km, it´s a good two hour stroll.
The best night we had was the street party in Lapa. It´s a must-do. We went with around 20 people from our Hostel so it was a real cool night and you felt safe in such a large group as it´s so busy and you do have to be extra careful. We were advised not to take any valuables and definately no camera (anywhere in Sao Paulo or Rio if you can avoid it). There were street vendors selling snacks and alco-pops and the bars played loud music so it was a real street party.
We stayed at "Rio Backpackers." It´s a great place to stay. It has a kitchen and a chill-out area to meet new friends. We had a BBQ and movie nights. Pretty chilled really!
We´re off to Iguaçu oin Friday. 22 hours on a bus. Not looking
Me on a bus
Check out these seats! forward to that, but can´t wait to go to Iguaçu Falls.
Be back soon!
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Jane Fowler de Carmona
non-member comment
Sao Paolo/Rio
Hi Aimee, Oh my god! You write in as much detail as me!!! Don't let anyone stop you...some less literary people may take the mickey but I am LOVING IT! You take me right back there! I did my first long trip with my then boyfriend, and South America solo (met my husband in 11th month in Venezuela!) I wish I had done something like this with him, but then again we still can I guess, when we retire (ha,ha,ha!) Seriously, I have been fortunate enough so have travel loads and for now I am happy to have hung up my backpack, but I am loving re-living it all through you, so keep it coming! First comment...so impressed with your packing! I can never keep my hand luggage quite so small!!! Second...thanks for convincing me that SP was worth missing, as I took the flight straight through to Rio, and third...SO glad that you made Lapa at night - how cool is that! Still probably remains one of my best memories of Brazil (and I was there for carnival!) Take care, look after each other, abd enjoy Iguacu!