THE UPS AND DOWNS OF BRAZIL

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So, this is actually quite a tardy entry as I have been out of the country that I am writing about for a good 9 days now and information isn´t as fresh in my mind as it should be. But I will try and paint a picture as graphically as I can but please take into consideration my old brain´s capacity for recall isn´t what it used to be.

Getting to Brazil was a bit of a challenge in itself and I found myself travelling for a good 44 hours before I managed to get myself to Fortaleza and the rendezvous point with my new travel partner Louise. She was to accompany me on the Brazilian and Argentinian leg of my travel adventures and after 4 flights, a delay of 7 hours in Buenos Aires airport and then a further 10 hour delay in Sao Paolo airport, we were united in Fortaleza and ready to start our adventure in earnest.

First stop was Jericoacoara, a beach town that had not only been eulogized by the Lonely Planet but pretty much anyone who had been there. After a bus ride and a rickety van crossing bumpy sand dunes we arrived in Jeri and it didn´t fail to disappoint. The village was tranquil and chilled, the sun was beaming down and the landscape looked like it had been painted on. It is, without hyperbole, one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited in my whole life and I wish I could just scoop it up and take it along with me. Sadly, my photos and memories will have to suffice. Louise and I stayed here for a 4 days, during which we stayed in a fantastic hostel for very little money (my traveller's thriftiness was well nourished here), went on an awesome dune buggy ride and made ourselves very brown. Sadly I also succumbed to food poisoning which meant that my penultimate day was punctuated with trips to the toilet where I expelled whatever was in my stomach out of both available orifices. I guess, the only positive from such an experience that can be gleaned is that I least I am not getting fat.

Next, our intention was to travel to Olinda, a beautiful colonial town that had been recommended to me but sadly, two days on the trot we found ourselves missing buses for a variety of different reasons and stranded in Fortaleza where there was literally nothing to do. As the egg timer of our travels was running down fast, and we didn´t want to while away a third night in a hostel in Fortaleza doing nothing, we bit the financial bullet and decided to fly to Salvador. Expensive, yes, but necessary. Arriving in Salvador the brilliant sun of Jeri had been exchanged for good old fashioned rain, a reminder of London if you will. However Salvador is full to the brim of character, atmosphere and a little bit of danger and thankfully when we decided to investigate the city the next day - we were greeted by sunshine and clear skies. We managed to pack in a quite a few things in our 3 days in Salvador - markets, drinking, eating, an African dance show which was mesmerizing and also managed to highlight my failings of not having any discernible dancing talent in the process. We also spent our time with 2 American girls called Sam and Nadia, both whom I am utterly in love with and for 21 years of age have the wisdom and confidence of women 10 years their senior.

We then spent a couple of days in a sweet little mining town called Lencois where we wore our cameras out with pictures of mountains, hills, caves etc... Although I have to say I really do find caves boring - wow a drop of water had dripped down to make a rock that hangs from the ceiling and we call it a stalactite, whoopee fucking doo, lets crawl around in the dark and applaud this miracle of nature. Anyway, I digress. After our short little stint in Lencois and one more day in Salvador to enjoy the Tuesday street party where one of the most beautiful women I have met on this trip deigned to dance in our little group (naturally ignoring me), Lou and I travelled to the "Marvellous City" - Rio. Unfortunately Rio wasn´t so marvellous when we got there as on our induction to this city, it had decided it would be the perfect time to rain it's arse off. For 5 days solid. Couple this with the fact that Lou had contracted a virus and I had to take her to hospital for fear of her dying on me, we didn´t have the greatest introduction. However, during this time, I did go to party in a favela and had the pleasure of dirty dancing with a gorgeous American lady, of which the memory will forever be recalled on my lonely nights at home. But, as I say we didn´t start our Rio adventure in earnest until the rains had subsided and the city truly showed us why it is so lauded by residents and travellers alike.

As typical tourists we did all the usual sightseeing tours - Pedra Bonita (a mountain from where you can get a beautiful panoramic view of Rio), Christ Reedemer, the Lapa steps, where some crazy Chilean artist has taken some humble run down steps and covered them with tiles with imagery from around the world, and of course Sugarloaf, a little rock jutting out from the coast of Rio, where Lou and I bared witness to possibly the most amazing sunset that I have ever seen. The city has everything - mountains, sunshine, greenery, rivers - if you were to construct the perfect city in your mind, Rio would probably be the result of your thoughts. However in the rain, London would beat it's little behind to a pulp. For the rest of the time Lou and I satisfied ourselves with a bit of sunbathing, shopping, a football match, samba dancing and other things that the Caiprinhi´s have led me to forget. Finally, after 10 days of fun, frolics, rain, shine, illness, tanning, ups, downs, goods and bads - we departed Rio for Foz de Igaucu where the Igaucu Falls were waiting for us. There are two sides to the Igaucu Falls, one being the Argentian side, which I will touch on in my next blog but the Brazilian side seems to epotimise Brazil itself - big, grand, dangerous, spectacular, inspiring, and leaves you wanting more.

I have to say that unlike Colombia, which I could wax lyrical about till the end of time, there are some things that I didn´t like about Brazil and it certainly hasn´t taken a place in my heart like the former has. But like it´s residents and national drink Caiprinhi, it's sheer passion, strength and vivaciousness, Brazil can´t never really leave your head. Especially the morning after!

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Comments

[Sue and Don]

Hello Sir Larry
Missing you very much. You seemed to be Skypeing so tried to call you four or so times then typed on Skype in case you weren't getting pictures.... NO reply so I gave up and realised it must be your mum or dad or sister who didn't know who I was! Ben sent this in the night so am thrilled to be in touch and hear of your adventures. You seem to be meeting nice people and seeing a lot which is terrific. We have spoken about taking a gap year ourselves! We are well and happy. The wedding was good. Details of Ben’s wedding are on www.blackpoolweddings.co.uk Sarah and Ben 01-05-10 and www.flowerdesigns.co.uk> visit our > blog … Venue Gibbon Bridge (Tues May 4th 2010) if you get chance to look on th'internet. Glad to be in touch!!! Much love, mum2

[samantinha]

u rock!
mannn i love u soo much simon! i miss u in my life!!! come to LA sooonnn!!!!!