Brazil

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Ola! The last two weeks have been amazing and I am madly in love with Brazil.

Brazil is everything I imagined it to be with added passion. I spent my first couple of days in the chic designer beach district of rio called Ipanema. Day one in Rio I was offered a free ticket to watch a semi-final match at the maracana stadium between two rio teams - Flamengo and Vasco. I ummed and urred about going until everyone said I'd be mad to miss a football match in Rio. How right they were! This was not football as I know it, this was one big crazy, loud passionate party. Singing, jumping, drums, firecrackers, the actual game on the pitch seemed almost irrelevent!

For a few days I went over to Ilha grande with some girls I'd met at my hostel. This island is so beautiful and such a calm haven comapred to the madness of rio. There are no cars on the island, other than one rubbish truck. Even the police have these cool little beach buggies! The island has over 100 beaches, only accessible by trekking over the island or by boat. We took a boat out to Lopes Mendes, which the island boasts to be one if its most beautiful. It really was and was completely untouched, no vendors, no bars, just over a mile of bright white sand backed by forest.

Back to Rio and my highlights were visiting Pao de Azucar, sugar loaf mountain. Such spectactular views over the whole of Rio. Christ the redeemer unfortunately is being spruced up ready for Rio's olympic bid so is surrounded by scaffolding. From the town it just looks like a bit of a blob on a hill, not the imposing idol looming over the city that i expected. I had a fantastic night at one of the favelas (the shanty towns on the outskirts of rio) at a funk dancehall. The music was awesome and the dancing was filthy! The guys dancing were literally vibrating and the girls could shake their asses like I've never seen before. We escaped the quick hands of the men and danced in a crowd of gay guys and trannies who were so much fun, great night.

Next stop, Paraty a pretty colonial town south of Rio. Quaint white buildings on cobbled streets with brightly painted door and window frames, very portuguese looking. Onto Sao Paulo, which was one big fat city. The population rivals that of the whole country of Australia! Went to Museu de arte de Sau paulo where I saw an intersting Max Ernst exhibition and they had a really good Romanticism collection. Was odd to be in Brazil looking at a painting of cows hanging out besides Salisbury cathedral, could not be an image more far removed than the town I was in.

Now I'm in Curitiba, a university city, quite european looking. Not much to do here as all the museums are shut on Mondays, hence the time to do this blog. Tonight we catch the night bus to Foz de Iguazu which I am really excited about seeing. After all the rains that they had here before I arrived the waterfall is meant to be at its most powerful.

I can't write about Rio and not mention the food and drink! Brazil has a pallete after my own heart, everything is so sweet. Cake for breakfast, churros filled with dolce de leche for tea, Caipirinhas for evening thirst quenching. The obsession with meat is lost on me, but for all my meat loving friends back home you would be in flesh paradise - there is a churrascaria on every street serving you as much meat as you can eat at your table for not very many reais. Brazilians seem to think that vegetarians eat meat as long as it is white, interesting.

All in all I am having an amazing time and am loving being on the road. Have met so many interesting people, travellers and locals alike. Brazilians are so friendly and immensely helpful. If you get a map out there is no doubt someone will stop and ask if you need any help. Hard to believe I am only two weeks in, feel like I may go into sensory overload if this pace keeps up!
Hope all is well back in blighty. Much love to you all, Liz xxx

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Photos

Tree hugger
This one is for Siobhan x

Comments

[anonymous]

I love the tree!!! It looks like it is dancing. And who knew you knew how to take photo's-lovely Lizzie.

[Avie]

wow
Sounds like you're having a ball Liz. Kept checking this page over the last couple of weeks to see what's what and I realised - too much fun!!! And the beaches look fabulous - just like my chill-out fantasy. Wembley was good - obviously not quite as good as macarana - no helicopters with armed police, but we did get a tightrope walker across the top of the stadium and lots of entertainment! Carry on the good work, take care, have fun and look forward to the next report! xx