Brazil, Brasil

I got back last week from two weeks in Brazil. It's somewhere I've always wanted to go. Though all my Brazilian dreams did not come true, it was still a great trip! I went by myself, which was good and bad. I put together my own custom itinerary and had freedom and flexibility to do whatever I wanted and nothing I didn't want to do, but on the other hand, I didn't meet as many cool people in the hostels as I had hoped and no locals, so I was alone for a lot of the trip and only went out two nights. After spending so much time with me, I was so sick of spending time with me!


I got to spend 24 hours on a bus from Buenos Aires to Foz do Iguacu. It was supposed to only be an 18 hour bus trip but there was a huge wreck on a bridge on a 2 lane highway so we sat there idling for 3 hours! Good thing I had my Spanish to study. I studied more on my trip than I have in the past 3 months! So I started my trip in Foz do Iguacu- this is on the Brazilian side of the massive Iguazu falls. The falls are one of the most amazing and beautiful things I've ever seen in my life. In total, there are 275 falls... it takes all day to see them on the Argentine side. It only takes about 2 hours to see them on the Brazilian side, but the views are better -more panoramic. Then there is this bird park on the Brazilian side that is awesome! You can go inside of the large atriums and get up close and personal with many species including peacocks, tucans and others. They also had the most beautiful Macaws there (bigger than parrots but look like parrots). I got to hold a Macaw for a picture... fun, but I was a little scared. Those claws, that big beak.



So I got a small taste of Brazil for the first time staying in Foz do Iguacu... there was this awesome churrascuria that was all you can eat- the kind where they bring the meat around on metal rods and slice off pieces for y0u- for only $6!! It was a great deal and I def ate a lot in Brazil overall. They are all about their buffets and it's obvious they like to eat. The people are bigger, yet they are also obsessed with working out, so they are generally very fit. Unlike the skinny Argentines, they eat!! I like big men so I was thinking that I'd meet some hot Brazilian dude while I was there, but no... unfortunately, no. I guess the one I have in BA would be enough (NOT!), but that's another posting a comin'....



From Iguacu, I took a 26 hour bus to Rio... I'd read up and seen pictures so I was really excited about Rio. Rio is an amazing city- surrounded by water, nice beaches! and lots of them! surrounded by mountains and hills. It's gorgeous!! It also has a great nightlife which unfortunately I didn't get to experience to the fullest. I stayed at a hostel really close to the beach in Ipanema, but it wasn't all that nice. I wanted to leave the Che Legarto and move to a cozier, more quaint hostel that my acquaintance Eder was staying at, but there was no availability. I was looking forward to air conditioning and cable TV at the hostel since I don't have it at home, but it seemed like everything was broken - the TV, the elevator, one of the computers, etc. It wasn't my best stay that's for sure, but the girls that worked at the hostel were really good about getting the groups together to go out at night. My room was full of British guys that were partying like rock stars- out til 5am or later every night. The room was sweaty and stinky like the boys. Yuck.



So back to Rio. It's great- almost the perfect city. If only they spoke Spanish! Sure, I can get around with Spanish there, but Portuguese is a different language and I felt like it was like when I first got to Buenos Aires. I couldn't understand people- nobody speaks English and you just feel isolated and like you can't really communicate with anyone. However, of course all the people in the hostel speak English- they were mostly Brits, Irish and Australians. But here's a question...Where are the Americans???? Oh that's right... we don't travel like the rest of the western world. We don't do that extended travel thing after college, we only get 2-3 weeks vacation a year. All these people are traveling for 4, 6 or more months. Crazy... It's not for me. I was ready to come home after 2 weeks! But I also have Lola and I was alone... though I've met solo travelers traveling for long periods of time too.



But back to Rio... it has these amazing views from the Statue of Christ- on the Corcavado mountain top- you can see it from almost anywhere in the city. So Christ really is watching over you at all times there in Rio. I was a little scared before I went because I've heard the crime is worse in Rio than BA- like purse snatching and mugging. But Ipanema is sooo nice! nicer than Recoleta in BA in my opinion. Again, the streets are cleaner and no dog poop! Ipanema the surrounding rich neighborhoods like Leblon and Lagao are like the 5th Avenue of Rio. So nice... Of course, there is the really poor side of Rio but I didn't really have any interest to see it. They actually have tours of the favelas- the shanty towns nestled into the hillside. Would be interesting maybe but they were charging $30 to tour it, so I decided it wasn't worth it. I spent a lot in Rio as it was... the hostel offers all the activities, but of course they all cost you a pretty penny.



So I did manage to make it out two nights in Rio - on the weekend- the first night I went to Lapa - which is close to the center of town -farther from Ipanema. I only went there because that's where the hostel people were going and I didn't really have any much choice. My cell phone did not work in Brazil so it made communication with my contacts there difficult. And I wasn't about to go out alone-- too scary. So we arrive in Lapa and there are people everywhere! It's like 6th street or Burbon street- you can merely hang out in the street with drinks and food and have yo-self a good ol time! but that's also where you will find some low class people. It was pretty bad- in some parts the streets smelled horribly of piss and it was very dirty. We did go into one club and it was very different and interesting. It was a mixed crowd- as a lot of Brazil is- of black and latin. The music was what they call funk, and what I call Brazilian rap. It was good, but I felt very uncomfortable being white there. I was a little scared in Lapa overall based on the quality of people we were dealing with and I told my group- please do not lose me!



On Sat night, I got suckered into this "motel" party, which I thought would be something much different. Turned out to just be the people from our hostel, and it was a sex motel! Granted, it was the executive suite and had a pool, jacuzzi, it was big and a nice accomodation- but I just couldn't get past the fact that we were having a party in a sex motel! I was also very tired and couldn't make it past 3:45am, so I called it an early night. I was feeling over going out at this point. It feels empty and sometimes I just don't care to meet people out and about. I've been going out for so many years... it gets old.

So one thing I noticed in Rio is that everyone seems to be very fit... and when you spend so much time on the beach in a bikini with a thong cut, I don't blame them. The weather is fairly moderate- hot but with a nice ocean breeze it's manageable, so it also makes for a nice workout outdoors. Plus you've got all the ocean and water sports, rock climbing, hiking etc. Rio is really an outdoor lover's paradise as well as a beach lover's paradise. For me, it's the perfect mix of a big city, with beautiful beaches and with a nice climate. I'd be up for living there in a heartbeat- if only they spoke Spanish!!

One thing I really really like in Rio were all the fruit juices and fresh fruits available everywhere! They have just about every fruit you can think of for a smoothie... they are awesome! So refreshing in the heat too. And I didn't discover Acai until almost the end. Thank you to the British dude (actually the one who threw the sex motel party) who introduced me to Acai! It's a berry from a palm tree found mainly in Brazil and it's super healthy and delicious!! I heart acai!!! I didn't get to have enough of them while I was there.

So to sum up Rio, the things I liked the best were: the amazingly beautiful city with many great beaches! the beautiful people with really nice bodies- though I didn't get to meet any of them-boo =( ... the fresh fruit juices! and ACAI!!!

My last stop was Florianopolis- it's this beautiful, hilly city set between the mainland and an island. I was so excited when I first got there- it's gorgeous and I stayed in a very quiant, relaxed surfer/fishing village called Barra Lagao. But that was the only day it was sunny. Unfortunately the weather was terrible and it rained pretty much the rest of the time I was there. I liked my cozy hostel and I had a view of the ocean from my bed- that was nice. I did make it out surfing once and I stood up 3 times- so I'm getting better. Surfing is sooo cool- I wish I'd started earlier! It IS possible to surf in Galveston and I've been missing out all these years! I love the way it feels when the wave picks you up and moves you forward. It feels like you are walking on top of the water.... so cool!

I really, really liked Brazil... I would love to go back and explore more and definitely with some friends or someone to accompany me! It's a massive country just like the US- it's very difficult to see a whole lot in just two weeks and to get from one place to another. The flights were too expensive so I had to suck it up and do all those 20-26 hour bus rides- but they weren't so bad- they were comfortable and mainly go overnight so you can sleep away a lot of hours and I had loads of time to study.

Ok Chau for now...