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Published: July 17th 2006
After the tears of my leaving party I headed to Minas Gerais on the overnight bus. Another joyous trip sitting beside some bloke that encroached on my space and snored in my ear the entire 7 hour trip. To add to the ambience I was sitting opposite the toilet which was being frequented by numerous people with travel sickness!!
Arrived into Ouro Preto and 6.10am - a little tired. Kate and I found the bakery and had some breakfast then started our sightseeing at 7.30am as recommended by the guidebook. We did have 23 churches to visit after all!
It's a really pretty place. Cobbled streets and nice buildings but a lot of hills. By the time we were ready to get the bus I don't think there was a hill we hadn't been up and down at least twice!!
Having spent the day here we were heading to Belo Horizonte for some nightlife - it was Friday night after all! After yet another bus journey (only 2 hours this time though) we arrived. Our night out consisted of a reggae gig by some famous Brazilian band.
Belo is a sprawling place with not a lot to
Capela do Padre Faria
The oldest chapel in Ouro Preto and the richest in terms of gold and artwork - pity it wasn't open when we got there!!see. After a day of walking around we were struggling to find anything of any interest - although the Cow Parade was there. Most people we spoke to asked us why we were there. However, the sunset made up for it and I guess it lives up to it's name.
Back to the guide book which suggested the train trip from Belo - Vitoria on the coast. The train left at 7.30am and arrived into Vitoria at 8.10pm - or at least that's what was supposed to happen! The seats were comfy, the waitress service was very good and the scenery was very picturesque - the delay, which meant the train was 3 1/2 hours late, was not the best.
We arrived at the station and the train company had put on buses to transfer us. I found my bus, sat down and must have fallen asleep as the driver was shouting at me wanting to know where I was going as there were only 2 people left on the bus in addition to me. When I told him the bus station he laughed and told me that we'd passed the bus station a long time ago and
that I would have to get a taxi back as he had finished for the night. At this point we were in the middle of nowhere - although he did boot me off the bus at a taxi rank - very considerate.
Spent the next morning walking around Vitoria - not much to see there apart from the beach so got the lunchtime bus, instead of the overnight bus, back to Rio. Scenery on the bus ourney was better than the train and the sunset was pretty impressive. I even managed to arrive back in Rio in time for a night out - after another 9 hours on a bus I needed a beer!
Got up early on my last day (after about 4 hours sleep) and went hang-gliding. It was brilliant. Not a bad way to spend my last day and, of course, there was time for one last night out before heading home.
The 10 hour flight and the 9 hour stopover in Paris just about finished me off but I made it home in one piece.
I've had a brilliant time, met lots of new friends and can't wait to go back!
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