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Published: June 24th 2008
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The Casaclub Hostel Bar
Our first home in Vila Madelena, Sao Paulo. Despite our initial post long haul flight reaction, it turned out to be a fun and well located base. This is the first entry on our blog and the first time using a blog at all. PS, David is doing the first one.
We are in Brazil!! What an amazing country so far (read on). We arrived in Sao Paulo on Thursday 5th June (and yes I survived cattle class!) and after about two hours in rush hour traffic we arrived at the "Casaclub Hostel Bar". I have to be honest and say that after enjoying more 'upmarket' accommodation options over the past couple of years (thanks Unilever), the Casaclub Hostel Bar was a bit like stepping into an ice cold shower (which we ended up doing on Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning!).
What follows is hopefully a brief (and balanced) description: four of us (Liesel, myself, my cousin Andy and his fiance Lisa) in a 3x2m room (box or cell would be a more accurate description) with bunk beds, a shower in a cupboard and a tiny toilet. Very good beers (Skol) available in 600ml bottles and a variety of local food favourites consisting mainly of fried pies (pastels), fried potato balls (one of many porcoes or 'portions'), fried chips (fritatas) and the occasional salad.
While
Grumpy First Night
I know my Mom will laugh at this one! in Sao Paulo we were based in a fantastic suburb called Vila Madelena, essentially an upmarket (safe, clean etc) but vibey area with a large variety of amazing restaurants, bars, cafes, arts & craft shops, furniture shops etc. Highlights of our stay in SP included a visit to the city market ('down town') packed full of the most delicious fruit, veggies, fish and ready to eat meals, exploring the streets and plazas of the city, and not to mention regular stop-offs for ice cold beers at a variety of local watering holes. In summary, Sao Paulo (including our hostel with 20 year old poms crawling in from their clubbing at 4am) surprised and delighted us. It is colourful, clean, vibrant and friendly.
On Thursday 8th June we left Sao Paulo for Paraty (once a thriving and mainstream trading port roughly half way between SP and Rio and now a quaint and colourful tourist town with a cobble street 'Historic Centre' and in close proximity to some of the most stunning beaches we have seen). We checked into the 'Historic Centre Hostel' (we really are doing this budget style) and met our host John, an Englishman with a great sense
Sunset in Paraty
Our first evening in the Historic Centre of Paraty. of humour who looks like he's done some hard living but who proved to be a great host who certainly added some much appreciated character to our stay.
The 9th of June was Liesel's birthday and we ended enjoying an amazing day. As the Birthday girl Liesel opted for a day out on the ocean on board one of many tourist schooners (or whatever the correct nautical term is!). Our host was a Brazilian named Junior (I guess he was the first born) and despite our mutual language challenges (by this stage I could still only manage "Uno cerveca porfavor" in a bad accent) we somehow always knew where we were heading/had arrived, how long we were mooring for, what we were having for lunch and how to ask for another ice-cold Skol(lie). The day was amazing and all four of us lapped up sitting on the boat feeling the warm winter sun and cool breeze on our skin, swimming in the spotless, clear-green sea, and disembarking and swimming to amazing 'brown sugar' beaches (or Praia). Our boat was the only one with a slide attached to the side and although I was really worried that my cousin Andy
Slide Pro
David showing how to handle a slide in style (the Speedo is the secret weapon). (who's quite a beefy guy) would break it or get stuck, we took full advantage and soon we were like a bunch of ten year olds basically having a whole lot of fun. The feeling heading back to the port after a long day of good old fun and relaxation is probably best described in an Afrikaans saying from my good mate Scooter which unfortunately my wife has censored but it starts like this "Ek is so rustig my ..." (remind me to complete it when I next see you).
Later that evening we headed off to the "Traveller's Tavern" (owned by John - our Keith Richards-looking host, his somewhat sombre son who we called John Junior because non of us could remember his name, and Luana a local with a heart of gold - whenever we rocked up it was Happy Hour). The four of us quickly settled down for a night of good food, many beers and a lot of laughs (with the South African boys setting a new record for the number of 660ml Skollies consumed in one sitting), rounding off Liesel's birthday 'in style'.
On the 10th of June we awoke with slight hangovers
Overlooking Praia De Sono
After a hot and sweaty trek our reward awaits us. (although bearable - our only challenge was which beach to go to) and after enjoying one of John's great hostel style brekkies (fresh rolls, cheese, some of the best watermelon ever and great Brazilian coffee) we all decided to head off to Praia De Sono. To access Praia De Sono we hopped on a local bus (complete with school kids) and after about a thirty minute drive we disembarked at a local village, purchased bottles of water through some local's bedroom window and then headed off on a one and a half hour hike through cool and lush coastal forest. Our hangovers soon dissipated as we trekked through the well worn trail, a canopy of green punctuated by sunlight above us, some challenging hills and declines ahead of us and thick green forest all around us. Having worked up a good sweat we could hear the distinct sound of waves breaking and when at last we were able to see Praia De Sono in its full glory, the sight was exhilarating and just plain beautiful.
Praia De Sono is a roughly two kilometre stretch of slightly curved beach with trade mark brown sugar sand and spotless green ocean, and
Praia De Sono
One of the most beautiful beaches we have seen. surrounded by mountains covered in coastal forest. It is largely unspoilt with only a handful of local surfer/hippie families and some rustic beach bars.
That evening we headed back to the Travellers Tavern (which we pretty much ran by this stage) for R$20 pp all you can eat Barbecue and Caparinhas (needless to say Andy thought he was back at the Wanderers cricket stadium with a cooler box full of goodies packed by my aunt Sandy). We slept well that evening.
OK, enough from me. Liesel will shortly complete our Brazilian adventures and bring you up to speed on our first week in Costa Rica. I can't promise you the same rich detail but maybe that's a good thing.
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Debbie Harrison
non-member comment
dying to hear the rest of the saying.......have a feeling I know what is it and glad your wife censored it.........."Ek is so rustig my ..." So envious of the travels - in typical style, you guys are making the most of it!!! Enjoy!! xx