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Published: July 15th 2009
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That is how LP describes this cool city, capital of Parana state. Heard so much about the transport system here being a sucess story and model to other cities, my first impression of the city was not good as I arrived on a rainy night. Arriving in Porto Alegre I only have 30 minutes to meet up with by good friend Pedro from my travels in Central America, my socialist friend looks so different, so clean and relaxed, that's not the Pedro I know! Of that little time we had we catch up on things his studies and my travels, we agreed to meet up in Asia! Farewell again and off my bus to Curitiba. raining most of the 12 hour journey, like i said arrived in the city raining i went to the internet place in the bus terminal and called Roma Hostel to make sure they reserved a room for me as Pedro called earlier and was told fully booked. Daniel the reception guy answered, sorry fully booked, F--K!Then I tried the "but I have a booking trick"(actually I have but Pedro said only if people check out by 12pm) gave him my name and he responded with yes
you have a room! sweet! Then i don't have to look for a hostel in the rain. he gave me instructions how to walk my way to the hostel from the station. as it was dark and rainy I thought i got lost but several inquiries from passersby later I found the hostel just across a big mall.
$14 a night he gave me the key and to my surprise I have a room to myself in the attic, away from the noise of young people all Brazilians perhaps on holiday in this university town, toilet is just next door, it's a big room with a dresser, a chair and table and a window! Rather stale and bland like a monk's quarters but other than that a bargain!! Set up my laptop right away and got in touch with Andre, the dude we hang out with in Floripa, he was still at work at 11pm on a Saturday! Midnight I called him again and asked me if I want to go out but I was really tired after the 24 hour bus journey where I got a stiff neck from falling asleep in the uncomfortable seats. I begged off
and agreed to meet u the next morning. It's a cold night and i tried to be comfortable in the cold room, there is a blanket and a comforter, made use of them. Got up early, had my breakfast, tried to call Andre but no response i bet he is still asleep so left a message on FB then decided to walk around the city, I asked Daniel about the Feria da Lago da ordem, a Sunday market thing, he told me to walk 7 blocks from the hostel then turn left, wrong!! I spent half hour trying to find the damn place, exhausted and almost giving up i found an all you can eat sushi buffet place, score!! was the only person at the time I arrived moments later people came, by then i almost decimated the sushi bar selection, heavy with food i struggled to get a cup of tea which was crap, tastes like bad breath! It's a tea made from roasted rice I gathered. Maybe to keep people from eating some more like me.
The kind lady owner gave me directions hopefully the right way to the Sunday market, and 30 minutes later and asking
a few people i found it, nice cobble stoned streets with beautiful well restored old buildings, some were already packing their stuff but still quite lively, i enjoyed my walk here, pleasant and chill place, it seems very orderly and clean, well not no litter at all clean, but pleasing to the eye. it looks as if the city is planned on a grid system, so organized. I saw some tourist buses, tomorrow that is what I am going to do. My friend Andre I was finally able to get hold off, he picked me up and went for a ride in the city, we got lost a number of times as he is relatively new here as well but we had fun trying to find places basically winging it driving around an occasionally asking at gas stations how to get back to the center. We met up with his friends at a nice bar playing hip hop music, but since Andre has to work that night we only had a few drinks and left around 1am leaving the girls to enjoy the party!
The next day had a difficult time getting in touch with Andre, he asked me
CURITIBA
ESTACCION MALL to call him noontime, but i think he fell asleep again so 4 hours later he showed up in the hostel door and we went to the Jardim Botanico, Wire Opera House and some park, then had a great dinner at Madalosso in the Italian quarter, apparently the 2nd biggest restaurant in the world! The he dropped me off and we planned to go out that night, 1030pm I called him, no response, half hour later he picked up the phone laughing, he overslept again, but he wanted to go out so he picked me up and went to an Irish bar called Sheridan where there is a band playing live U2 songs, a cover band. They were good and the chopps are good but ohh so expensive. We had great fun though, big crowd on a Monday night. Had a quick midnight snack, Andre a big fan of McDonalds resisted going there for my sake! Anyway the night ended well, the hostel was locked so Andre waited for someone to open the doors for me before leaving.
Today I have to sort out lots of things, I am off to Brasilia tomorrow to pick up the Suriname visa,
had trouble finding accomodations in Brasilia so i may just take the night bus out of there after I get the visa. Same as in Fortaleza my next destination, no available rooms, what is going on?? Kids are on vacation so hostels are fully booked until Saturday I was told. Ran around town sorting out bus schedules, sorting out accomodations, etc. by noontime I was done so took the tourist bus to enjoy my last days in Curitiba, cold and foggy was the forecast for tonight, if my flight gets delayed or cancelled all my planning will be a waste, cross fingers..
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