Advertisement
Published: February 23rd 2006
Edit Blog Post
http://www.travelblog.org/gmaps/map_s8.html
See first 5 photos in reference to last blog entry:
(and it looks like my helicopter shots of the Christ of Rio are still on Ted´s computer... next time)
After Salvador:
Weird but luxurious
Driven by timing of kilometres or bad weather, we stop in unexpected places sometimes ; like this ghost town of Conceica de Barro, which must have been deserted of tourists maybe 10 years ago after a cyclone ripped some of its malecon (promenade). Not to worry, we stayed on the other side protected from the wind (fishermen side) and had the best feed in this lonely restaurant above the water by ourselves: crab with spicy vinaigrette as an entry and a delicious speciality Moqueca (fish stew). By that stage I was asking for my 3rd serve of ice to water down my -only- caparinhia. By ourselves in this big motel. we had ample opportunity to let our socks dry on our balconies facing the estuary from where the fishermen leave and somehow manage the wave break at the pass (...?)
Next night was a surprise again as we landed in a fairly new hotel avoiding the rain this time. This
town still look deserted but the new constructions were showing sign of pre-boom. Never mind again, I just stuck to the hammam (wet sauna) (yes it was a bit of a luxury).
And the luxury got better. In this exclusive private condominium (I mean P r i v a t e = not on maps, 30 guards at one time at least, helicopter landing pad, etc), we stayed in a beautifully decorated place with 3 beaches to choose from (and a swimming pool at the club of course)! Grant mentioned that bankers and other ´important´ people (only because they´re rich... and can change a nation´s destiny) are owners here. hummm It certainly felt safe but a bit extreme protectionism for us Australians as Bill nearly got book by one of the constant vigile for leaving his push bike on the beach during a swim!. And there was no-one there during mid-week. Ok, can I stay for a year?
My memory is fogging. It´s been more than a week since our passing through Sao Paulo and I am still not taking any notes :-( I do recall a full day of rain which amazingly (when done in time)
is warded off by our efficient German BMW extra bike liners (and no, I don´t have a sponsorship from them as we paid for my riding gear, but efficient all the same). Avoiding the big city for a little longer, we stayed in Guaruja stll following the coastline. There we had a wonderful welcome by a friend of Grant from Rip Curl.
Sorry, indulge me, I have to mention the food (again): There I finally had the oysters I have been craving for (blame Bill for mentioning them all the time), wonderful japonses food -for 15A$ all you can(n´t) eat and sake served in a square cup-, and the best fish I have ever had called Mecca (tastes softer than lobster!). We were priviledged again to experienced another version of Moqueca (fish stew of Bahia) cooked by Grant´s friends. But I didn´t just eat there (you must think I have put on weight and you´d be right), I also laid down at their resort swimming pool (before the sauna of course), taning more than possible and looking down on the poors constrained to the beach (kidding).
Want more weird stuff? : Guaruja´s high rises are virtually empty, with city dwellers
of Sao Paulo making their way to the beach only on sunny week ends.
While Ted made his way to Hawaii for some work, Sao Paulo had a similar warm welcome by the Rip Curl manager and I got to met the family who owns the wonderful beach very private house at their other wonderful city house (with inside pool)... Made me crave for a little (ok, bigger) house myself! ... which I got once in Buenos Aires (but latter on that). So Sao Paulo is big (Australia´s population !!! 20 mill.) but we stayed in the cosy rich neighbourhood and after checking out the expensive shops... windows, I was on a plane to Argentina within a day -and 2 nights-. No shopping for this girl... (pssst, there´s even a shoe shop with 13 alcoves filled with rows of shoes... heaven in other words).
PS I have put heaps of photos cause they´re worth a thousand words each! Let me know if this is cheating to much.
Cheers.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.126s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 8; qc: 58; dbt: 0.0757s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
ray
non-member comment
Are you kidding ?
Hello Sandy. Merci pour toutes les photos et recit de ton voyage . Raymond.