São Paulo - Chapada Diamantinas

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Having spent about 5 weeks in Rio learning Portuguese, it was time to see a little more of Brazil.

First stop was São Paulo, where I met Marina (a friend from Buenos Aires). The size of this city is impressive (third largest in the world) and the cultural and nightlife offering abundant.

From there I went on to Parque Nacional Chapada de Diamantinas (Diamond Canyon) in the North of Brazil. There I first did a one-day trip together with a group of Brazilians from Sao Paulo. We visited a huge cave (100km long) as well as the Canyon. For half an hour per day, the water at the cave exits shines blue - an astonishing sight.

After that I went with another Brazilian tourist and a guide for a three-day hike into the Canyon and through the rainforest. The panoramic views were facinating, even though it ment sleeping on stones next to the river for two days.

The highlight was the 400m tall "Waterfall of Steam" (Cachoeira da Fumaça). It is so high, that the water turns into steam before reaching the ground.

Next stations are Salvador and some gold mining towns in the interior...

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