Spanish in Sucre, Bolivia

The last week has been a rush of countryside and sleepless nights on buses and trains.  In seven days I have done the following:

• Rio de Janeiro -> Foz do Iguacu = 1,500km, 25 hours on a bus.
• Two nights in a hostel.
• Foz do Iguacu -> Campo Grande = 730 km, 16 hours on a bus.
• Campo Grande -> Corumba = 530 km, 8 hours on a bus.
• One night in a hostel.
• Corumba (Brazil) -> Santa Cruz (Bolivia) = 650km, 13 hours on a train.
• Santa Cruz -> Sucre = 580km, 14 hours on a bus.

I arrived, bleary eyed and sore-necked after a horrible bus ride, in sunny but cold Sucre, a small town in Bolivia at 2750m above sea level. The change in countryside has been impressive, bringing to mind the scenery I was expecting when I pictured South America before leaving home. Arid, mountainous vistas, and stark white houses with terracotta roofs. Nights will be getting cold now due to the elevation, a tough pill to swallow after the pleasant barmy evenings in south-west Brazil.

Tired and embarrassed of saying "No hablo castelleno" I have enrolled in a 60 hour Spanish language course, before continuing my travels. I like what I have seen of Bolivia so far, Sucre should be the perfect place to relax, learn and plan the next stage of my trip.

Photos of Sucre to come in the following weeks.

Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

I awoke before dawn (been a while since that has occurred) and crossed the border into Argentina. While the Brazilian side gives you an overview of the falls, the Argentinian side allows you to get much closer.

I arrived to the park and made my way straight out to ´The Devils Throat´. It involved catching a small train to a steel walkway that ran a couple of hundred metres out over the swollen river, until it finished at a small platform looking straight down into the abyss.

If I was blown away yesterday then I don´t know the words to describe the feeling of being out there, so close to the thunder of the falls. It is staggering....

After returning to the main park I walked the upper and lower trails, winding my way along the falls, in awe of the amount of water that flows through the Iguazu river.

I missed the last train out to ´The Devils Throat´ so I missed the sunset on the Argentinian side. Not a problem, I was well and truly satisfied spending the day at such an amazing place.

Definitely a world wonder, not to be missed....

More photos here

Foz do Iguacu, Brazil

I survived the 25 hour bus journey from Rio de Janeiro and made it to Foz do Iguacu at midday. I checked into my hostel and lost no time heading to the world famous Iguacu Falls. I stepped off the bus and came out onto the first lookout point.

The first thought in my head was..... Is that it? It was big, but I was expecting more.

I continued around to the next vantage point and.... I was stunned!

The forest at the first viewpoint obscured the majority of the falls, now, seeing the rest stretch out around me I was taken aback! Just incredible! The further around the track I walked the more impressive it became, succeeding my expectations every step of the way. It truly is an absolutely incredible sight.

Taking the steel walkway out towards ´The Devils Throat´, feeling the spray and hearing the thunderous roar of the falls is a feeling I won´t forget. In the few hours I was there I walked the tracks several times and watched the sun set over what is definitely a trip highlight. It was a tiring day but worth every minute.

Spectacular.

Tomorrow I venture to the Argentinian side.

More photos here

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

It was a beautiful sunny day when I arrived in Rio de Janeiro, but it didn´t stay that way for long. The first morning I spent on the beach at Copacabana, but after lunch the skies clouded and the heavens opened up. I stayed for a total of 9 days and probably had 12 hours of sunshine the whole time. When the sun was out it was gorgeous, but the weather didn´t want to co-operate. Between watching the Euro 2012 matches, brief stops at the beaches, visiting museums-art galleries, cathedrals and the occasional beer / street party I was kept occupied for most of my time, but I extended my stay on the chance of visiting Sugarloaf and the Redeemer during a sunny day. It wasn´t to be.

After taking a gamble that the sun would stay out (I had high hopes when I woke up on my last full day in Rio as it was bright and sunny outside) I took the bus and train to the imposing Redeemer, but when I arrived to the top the statue was shrouded in fog. Occasionally a gust of wind would reveal a slight glimpse of the amazing panorama, but even that abated as the fog fully set in. By the time I left you could not see the arms of the statue, and I walked down the stairs back to the train in a mist.

Disappointing, but I really enjoyed my time in Rio, I met some great people and definitely want to return in the future...

More photos here

Paraty, Brazil

Along the coast of Brazil, between Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro, the town of Paraty can be found. The old historic aspect of the town has been well preserved, the uneven cobblestones and low-set white buildings mark the ancient centre. It was on a rainy overcast afternoon that I walked along the streets and noticed something I hadn´t seen since Brisbane, January 2011. The incoming tide breaching the bay walls, and salt water starting to creep into the city centre. Soon the nearby roads were under a foot of water, I had to make my way along the raised sections and across makeshift ramps to navigate the area closest to the bay.

In the days before sanitation the town planners had thought that a great way to clean the city twice a day. Later, the tide receded taking it all the oil and grime from the streets. I´m glad I put off swimming in the nearby beach until after I saw that, pretty disgusting!

Only a small town, the rest of my days were spent exploring the nearby beaches and waterfalls. After a poor start the weather came good, bright sunny days to finish my time there. After a very sweaty bike ride it was amazing to swim in the frigid waterfalls and streams. The nearby beaches were nice, although they had nothing on Florianopolis it was great after the heat of Sao Paulo.

More photos here

Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pt 2

It seems like you can´t walk more than a couple of blocks in Sao Paulo before stumbling across another museum or art exhibition, no complaints here! Lots of amazing churches and architecture too, parts of the city are stunning when the sun begins to set.

My last few days were spent taking in culture, and drinking the admittedly bland but cheap Brazilian beer. The weather has been amazing, all days over 20 degrees, and sunny clear blue skies.

You would need months to see all the Sao Paulo has to offer, but I feel the urge to leave the largest city in the southern hemisphere to go somewhere smaller and closer to the beach...

More photos here

Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pt 1

Sao Paulo.... Many people I have met on my travels advised me to skip the city, saying it was nothing more than a sprawling concrete jungle. But I met enough people who said it was worth the stop, and as it is also described as the food and culture capital of Brazil I figured I needed to see for myself... And I´m very glad I did.

It is always nice to get off a long bus ride and know exactly how to get where you are going. Sampa has a subway metro right in the bus station, after a quick chat with the information office I was on my way. As with most of the hostels I have stayed at recently the rest of the occupants were sitting on their laptops, I picked the wrong hostel to meet people...

Luckily there is a staggering amount of stuff to see and do, first thing the next morning I set off to visit the $16,000,000 Brazilian football museum. Situated in the Estádio do Pacaembu, this massive museum is basically a shrine to Brazilian football and the evolution of the game, extremely impressive. After that I saw the Museu de Arte Brasileira and the Museu de Arte de São Paulo. After a heavy shower during the early morning of arrival it was clear skies and sunshine for the rest of my time here.

The next day I walked to Ibirapuera Park, 2sqm of grass, lakes, bikepaths right in the middle of the city, also housing several museums and the planetarium. A beautiful day to be walking around, it seemed like much of the city joined me, there was a constant stream of cyclists, rollerbladers and skateboarders, not to mention families strolling through the park. Not what I had expected when I came to Sao Paulo.

Another thing I didn´t expect in Sao Paulo? To be roped into playing a game of cricket on a Sunday afternoon. Daniel (who I met in Montevideo), myself and some others formed team "Rest of the World" battle it out against team "India and Pakistan". Twenty-five overs an innings and I was 8th down the line to come into bat. It was a hot day, but I was sweating more than usual.....

My first innings scorecard?

Balls faced           Runs Scored           Out
       2                           0                    Stumped (after a huge airswing)

A duck! Not surprising, my time at the crease barely lasted a minute. It was a long, shameful walk back to the pavilion. With only 104 runs to our scorecard, we were quickly bested by the opposition who hit a 6 at least once an over. I dropped a hard catch, but saved a few boundaries. We still had some time left before dark so we played another quick 10 over innings.

My second innings scorecard?

Balls faced           Runs Scored           Out
       2                           1                    Caught (sending the ball up and behind after a miss-hit)

My bowling was slightly better. After sending the first two balls wide I managed to get the next six right down off-side, at a decent pace given my lack of practice and ability, for one run.
Again we lost to the much better team, but I drowned my sorrows in cheap Brazilian beer, and semi-officially retired with a batter average of 0.5.

More photos here

Curitiba, Brazil

From Florianopolis I took a bus north and stopped in the city of Curitiba. I took a train ride through the mountain ranges down to the small historic city of Morettes, wandered the Curitiba city streets, and visited the amazing Oscar Niemeyer art exhibition / museum. A pretty relaxed few days, preparing for the trip to the monstrous city of Sao Paolo...

More photos here

Florianopolis, Brazil

So far, so good Brazil...

After a great sleep I awoke to gorgeous sunny blue skies a made my way up to the deck for breakfast. I was greeted with a fresh omelet, a massive thermos of sweet hot coffee and a huge platter of fresh fruit - apples, bananas, mandarins, oranges, kaki - all fresh and delicious! Being the only person at the hostel has its advantages, and I made short work of the meal.

On Saturday I was treated to a traditional Brazilian meal called Feijoada, prepared by the wife (an amazing cook who prepared breakfast every day) of the caretaker. I was full after my first plate, but surrendered to seconds and thirds due to the constant cries of ´como mas´ (Eat more!). They speak no English, and I no Portuguese so most of my conversations consist of smiling and ´Si!´, we make do.

Although I had spent a few days at the beach in northern Uruguay, it had nothing on where I am staying The hostel overlooks a (crystal clear) canal , and is only a short walk over the bridge to a long stretch of deserted beach. A short bus ride away are more great beaches, some picking up pretty sizable swells.

Again, it is low season and it would be a completely different experience during summer, but I am really enjoying the relaxed, beach-town atmosphere of the place.

Local fisherman spend their mornings playing dominoes on the tables the line the canal, and spend their evenings cast-netting and fishing on the rock walls and beaches. Not a bad life....

The days are amazing when the sun is out, but when the weather turns for the worse it quickly becomes clear that there is little to do otherwise, even less when you are travelling by yourself... Time to head north again.

More photos here

Getting to Brazil

My intention was to catch a bus from Punta del Diablo (Uruguay) to Florianopolis (Brazil). As part of my Brazil visa requirement this ticket was purchased in Montevideo the week before. Due to the fact that Punta del Diablo is a small coastal town, the bus does not make the detour into the town so I was to wait by the highway to be picked up.

Already long past dusk I took a taxi out to the highway and proceeded to wait by the side of the road for the 7:30 PM bus. 

Finally, at 8:00 PM I saw my bus approach. Relieved to be getting out of the cold wind and to be continuing my travel north, I stepped out onto the outer lane with arm and ticket raised to flag it down.....and it kept on going.....

In disbelief I ran out on the road behind it, frantically yelling and waving, but to no avail. As it vanished around the curve of the road I stood stunned by the side of the road, contemplating my next move.

I waited for another 30 minutes on the slight chance I was mistaken and another bus would be along. I soon gave up on this fantasy, remembering when I bought the ticket I was told that particular bas company only made the trip once a week...

Dejected and angry I made the 10km walk back to the township, failing to flag down the small number of cars that passed in an attempt to hitchhike back. It was a long, dark and dusty walk back to the hostel I had left two and a half hours ago...

Back at the hostel I hastily made a plan to keep me going. There was a bus to Chui (a very small town on the border of Uruguay) in 5 minutes, after quickly buying some US dollars from the hostel owner (I had spent all my Uruguayan money in the belief I would not be back) and made it to the bus with minutes to spare. 

I arrived to Chui at 10:30 PM, and wandered the dark and empty streets until I found the seemingly abandoned bus station. After 10 minutes a light came on and an employee appeared, I was told a bus into Porto Alegre, Brazil, would arrive in 10 minutes. They would not accept payment in US dollars, and had no EFTPOS / credit card facilities so I hurriedly rushed to get my cash changed. This was done by a dodgy looking guy loitering on the street outside the local casino, but it was done without any problems.

I made it back to the bus station without any knives being pulled on me, and with relief I boarded the bus. After the hassle I had of getting my Brazil visa, the border crossing went without a hitch. After a mostly sleepless bus ride I arrived to  Porto Alegre  at 7:00 AM, and bought the onward ticket to Florianopolis.

I tried without success to get my original ticket refunded, but if my Spanish was very poor my Portuguese was beyond abysmal!

At 9:30 AM I boarded the bus to Florianopolis, glad that I had not lost too much time but annoyed at the needless waste of money... The bus ride was long but uneventful, and I finally arrived in Florianopolis at 8:00 PM. Not the best time to be hunting down a hostel (which I had booked but the address was vague), I caught two more local buses and finally arrived in Ilha de Santa Catarina....

Brazil, you better be worth it!