Salvador/Morro De Sao Paulo
25th February 2007
OK, well I write this update from the island of Morro De Sao Paulo. Much like when I visited Zanzibar in 2004 this place is an idealic paradise only 28km off the coast of Salvador. I am only here for 2 days but expect that most of the time I will be taking it easy on the beach. It is lovely here and some serious R&R is still being appreciated by my body after the carnage of Carnival in Rio!
Salvador was pretty cool. We stayed in the cute old town and pretty much just wandered the streets taking in the sights. Low key really. We did manage Saturday night to head out on a tour of a Condomble. Basically it is an Afro-Brazilian cult where people get possessed by the gods after chanting for long periods of time. It sounded fascinating so we had to give it a whirl but to be honest it was very underwhelming. We were driven off into the middle of no-where. It felt like being in the middle of another favela (shanty town) so we didn´t feel as safe as we could have. Anyway, we were safe and there was no problem but the ceremoy itself was crap. There were 30 tourists watching and only about 5 participants. Felt more like performance art than a serious look at their cult.
We did still manage to enjoy ourselves though. We drank beer with the locals and the other people on the tour group. Met 3 Italians who I could practice my Italian with so that was cool. All in all a 2 hour experience ended up being 5 hours as it started late and finished late. In fact we didn´t even wait for it to finish before we left - we were over it!
This morning we made our way from Salvador to Morro De Sao Paulo by boat which was a bit of chaos as Jen´s cab got lost so she missed the boat (so to speak!). Anyway, all is well. She made it here safe and there are now 7 of us just kicking back and taking it easy here. It´s ashame I am only here 2 days as it is so lovely 4-5 days would be better but that is fine. Seeing Coldplay in Sao Paulo this Wednesday night so can´t complain really.....
There is a dance party on the beach tonight from 10pm so we are all going to give that a whirl and who knows where the night will lead us.....not too far anyway as we are stuck on this island....
:-)
Rio Wins.....
23rd February 2007
OK, so we have left the mayhem of Rio and now find ourselves in Salvador appreciating some more quiet times....we certainly need it as by the time we all left pretty much most of us were destroyed physically....it takes a lot of stamina to keep up the pace in Rio for a week!
Have to say, we did it well in Rio, mixing it with the locals, dancing to the samba beats, watching the Carnival parade Sunday and then finding oursleves in the middle of the Sambodromo participating in the Carnival parade on Monday. On Tuesday we again found ourselves on TV as we went along a 300 metre red carpet runway to enter the Gay Scala Ball which was fantastic. Whilst some stones have been left unturned in terms of visiting tourist attractions we didn´t leave many unturned when it comes to getting down with the locals.
We only left Rio yesterday and I have to say I felt very sad to go. It was amazing. Santa Teresa was a great place to stay. It was high in the hills, away from the beaches but closer to the local action so all in all it was a great experience. All ready thinking about when it is that I can get back there....there is a lot to go back for and do all over again. Of course I have taken loads of photos which I will some how need to condense to post here but believe me when I say that there were so many sights to see that it was important that I catch them all on film ;-) ...from the 12 year old boys selling beers between the cars at traffic lights, the street parties (Blocos), the Soccer at Maracana, the favelas, the carnival parade itself (watching and participating), the Carnival Ball and of course the tourist attractions......you get the drift....we did loads and therefore that means there are lots and lots of photos!
So, Salvador. We are here for 3 days and chilling out basically. Carnival here was meant to be huge as well but it is over now and life seems to be as normal as it can possibly be for the chaos loving Brazilians. There are 7 of us together now staying here and then Sunday we head to the island of Morro De Sao Paulo for some serious R&R on the beach. Lots of good food and taking it easy at the moment. We are staying in the old town of Salvador which is a fantastic cobble stoned mix of old buildings that are all painted in bright pastel colours giving the town some real life. Of course the banks are a major pain in the arse and don´t seem to like my cards but I am managing. The locals that hassle the tourists are still all out and about but for the main life is normal here now and a dramatic step down from the bedlam of Rio......nice to take in another side of the culture of Brazil to be honest.
So with 28 days to go on this fabulous holiday it is hard to believe there is still so much to see and do before coming home. Coldplay in Sao Paulo in a week, Vegas the week after and Pebble Beach after that......many more fantastic times ahead yet it feels like I have done so much all ready....
Hope all is well with everyone......
Dave
x
23rd February 2007
OK, so we have left the mayhem of Rio and now find ourselves in Salvador appreciating some more quiet times....we certainly need it as by the time we all left pretty much most of us were destroyed physically....it takes a lot of stamina to keep up the pace in Rio for a week!
Have to say, we did it well in Rio, mixing it with the locals, dancing to the samba beats, watching the Carnival parade Sunday and then finding oursleves in the middle of the Sambodromo participating in the Carnival parade on Monday. On Tuesday we again found ourselves on TV as we went along a 300 metre red carpet runway to enter the Gay Scala Ball which was fantastic. Whilst some stones have been left unturned in terms of visiting tourist attractions we didn´t leave many unturned when it comes to getting down with the locals.
We only left Rio yesterday and I have to say I felt very sad to go. It was amazing. Santa Teresa was a great place to stay. It was high in the hills, away from the beaches but closer to the local action so all in all it was a great experience. All ready thinking about when it is that I can get back there....there is a lot to go back for and do all over again. Of course I have taken loads of photos which I will some how need to condense to post here but believe me when I say that there were so many sights to see that it was important that I catch them all on film ;-) ...from the 12 year old boys selling beers between the cars at traffic lights, the street parties (Blocos), the Soccer at Maracana, the favelas, the carnival parade itself (watching and participating), the Carnival Ball and of course the tourist attractions......you get the drift....we did loads and therefore that means there are lots and lots of photos!
So, Salvador. We are here for 3 days and chilling out basically. Carnival here was meant to be huge as well but it is over now and life seems to be as normal as it can possibly be for the chaos loving Brazilians. There are 7 of us together now staying here and then Sunday we head to the island of Morro De Sao Paulo for some serious R&R on the beach. Lots of good food and taking it easy at the moment. We are staying in the old town of Salvador which is a fantastic cobble stoned mix of old buildings that are all painted in bright pastel colours giving the town some real life. Of course the banks are a major pain in the arse and don´t seem to like my cards but I am managing. The locals that hassle the tourists are still all out and about but for the main life is normal here now and a dramatic step down from the bedlam of Rio......nice to take in another side of the culture of Brazil to be honest.
So with 28 days to go on this fabulous holiday it is hard to believe there is still so much to see and do before coming home. Coldplay in Sao Paulo in a week, Vegas the week after and Pebble Beach after that......many more fantastic times ahead yet it feels like I have done so much all ready....
Hope all is well with everyone......
Dave
x
Rio Carnival 2007
19th February 2007
So what do 20million people do when the city shuts down for a week????? They PARTY!
I have never seen anything like this place. The beauty in all forms is just amazing. The layout of the city with its beautiful harbour, Crist the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, amazing beaches and the beautiful people really does make this place a City of God! The Favelas (shanty towns) are everywhere and leave you a little unnerved about safety but somehow the city co-exists in a way that is just hard to describe.
Having been here 5 days now we are all a little more comfortable with our surrounds but when we arrived at the airport and got picked up by our van to be driven to the hotel we were a little less comfortable when we discovered we were getting driven to the hotel via the middle of a favela....with all our belongings we didn´t feel quite so comfortable at that point...
Anyway, we got in safely to our 5 star boutique hotel to be greeted by the owner of our hotel, Jean-Michel Ruis and we checked into our fabulous hotel. The mayor of Rio used to live in the place we are staying so it is fortress like and just amazing. Check out the photos for that.
It has been non stop since getting here though. Day 1 was shopping and the beach, we have done a tour of a favela with a great group called be-a-local (see www.bealocal.com) who basically pay off the drug lords to bring you right into the heart of the favela. We went to one that houses 200,000 people and it was just something else. Again, check out the photos. Our action packed day on Friday did not end there though as in Santa Teresa there was a Bloc Party on so we all decided to check that out as it was literally a two minute walk from our hotel. That is where I got pick pocketed and had my wallet stolen but thankfully it was only cash. My spirits were dampened for a while but then I got on with it and we ended up out at another bloc party in Lapa until 4am.....you just have to see it to believe it though. Basically people just party in the street, drink beer, dance and sing and be merry....it is out of control but somehow it works....
Saturday we went to Maracana to watch a football match and we were basically in the middle of the local fans who were dancing and singing for the entirety of the match. It was a 4 all draw in the end but the experience was amazing.....post football we ended up at a dance party in an old warehouse in Lapa and again, I have never seen anything like it. Around 5000 people but every single one of them was beautiful.....being foreigners we certainly stood out.....having said that I have managed to speak Italian-Portuguse (Portalian) and somehow manage to communicate and meet some of the locals..... ;-)
Yesterday we headed to Ipanema beach where it was so busy you could not even see the sand and then we found ourselves in the middle of another street party....they are just everywhere and when everything apart from hospitality services are shut you can understand how everyone just gets out to party....last night was the Rio Carnival in the Sambodromo......oh my God...it is a production. The choreography was amazing, the costumes or lack of costumes sometimes were other wordly and the floats were just mental. There was this one float that was a giant chess board with around 1000 people on it with their drums and musical instruments all dancing and singing perfectly in time....that was just one...there were so many and it just blew us away.....every other parade just fades into insignificance....
I am scared but excited about participating tonight. It has been 40 degrees or so and very humid for the past few days so I know we are going to melt in our costumes as we shimmy up the sambodromo for 90 minutes tonight but it is going to be amazing.....no doubt we will find ourselves out with the locals afterwards in our costumes but we will make the most of this experience....it will be crazy...
Anyway, as I write this in a cute little cyber cafe in Santa Teresa there is a bloc party going on right outside the door of the coffee shop so it is only appropriate that I finish up now and go and meet more of the locals.....more to come....somehow I feel the photos and verbally recounted stories are going to surpass anything I can possibly write on a blog....
19th February 2007
So what do 20million people do when the city shuts down for a week????? They PARTY!
I have never seen anything like this place. The beauty in all forms is just amazing. The layout of the city with its beautiful harbour, Crist the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, amazing beaches and the beautiful people really does make this place a City of God! The Favelas (shanty towns) are everywhere and leave you a little unnerved about safety but somehow the city co-exists in a way that is just hard to describe.
Having been here 5 days now we are all a little more comfortable with our surrounds but when we arrived at the airport and got picked up by our van to be driven to the hotel we were a little less comfortable when we discovered we were getting driven to the hotel via the middle of a favela....with all our belongings we didn´t feel quite so comfortable at that point...
Anyway, we got in safely to our 5 star boutique hotel to be greeted by the owner of our hotel, Jean-Michel Ruis and we checked into our fabulous hotel. The mayor of Rio used to live in the place we are staying so it is fortress like and just amazing. Check out the photos for that.
It has been non stop since getting here though. Day 1 was shopping and the beach, we have done a tour of a favela with a great group called be-a-local (see www.bealocal.com) who basically pay off the drug lords to bring you right into the heart of the favela. We went to one that houses 200,000 people and it was just something else. Again, check out the photos. Our action packed day on Friday did not end there though as in Santa Teresa there was a Bloc Party on so we all decided to check that out as it was literally a two minute walk from our hotel. That is where I got pick pocketed and had my wallet stolen but thankfully it was only cash. My spirits were dampened for a while but then I got on with it and we ended up out at another bloc party in Lapa until 4am.....you just have to see it to believe it though. Basically people just party in the street, drink beer, dance and sing and be merry....it is out of control but somehow it works....
Saturday we went to Maracana to watch a football match and we were basically in the middle of the local fans who were dancing and singing for the entirety of the match. It was a 4 all draw in the end but the experience was amazing.....post football we ended up at a dance party in an old warehouse in Lapa and again, I have never seen anything like it. Around 5000 people but every single one of them was beautiful.....being foreigners we certainly stood out.....having said that I have managed to speak Italian-Portuguse (Portalian) and somehow manage to communicate and meet some of the locals..... ;-)
Yesterday we headed to Ipanema beach where it was so busy you could not even see the sand and then we found ourselves in the middle of another street party....they are just everywhere and when everything apart from hospitality services are shut you can understand how everyone just gets out to party....last night was the Rio Carnival in the Sambodromo......oh my God...it is a production. The choreography was amazing, the costumes or lack of costumes sometimes were other wordly and the floats were just mental. There was this one float that was a giant chess board with around 1000 people on it with their drums and musical instruments all dancing and singing perfectly in time....that was just one...there were so many and it just blew us away.....every other parade just fades into insignificance....
I am scared but excited about participating tonight. It has been 40 degrees or so and very humid for the past few days so I know we are going to melt in our costumes as we shimmy up the sambodromo for 90 minutes tonight but it is going to be amazing.....no doubt we will find ourselves out with the locals afterwards in our costumes but we will make the most of this experience....it will be crazy...
Anyway, as I write this in a cute little cyber cafe in Santa Teresa there is a bloc party going on right outside the door of the coffee shop so it is only appropriate that I finish up now and go and meet more of the locals.....more to come....somehow I feel the photos and verbally recounted stories are going to surpass anything I can possibly write on a blog....
Close Encounters of the Argentinian Kind....
15th February 2007
OK, so from Key West Florida to Buneos Aires and Iguazzu Falls Argentina....the contrast could not have been bigger...we left the shores of the USA to arrive in a wonderland of beauty, bargains and BIG nights!
Not sure how to sum up the Buneos Aires experiences really. Lots of eating fantastic food at restuarants that never seemed to shut.....street wandering that never seemed to end and stories that will have to be told....we never ate dinner before 11pm almost every night and that was just the done thing....beautiful people do not eat before then and you know what they say, when in Rome...... :-)
Sightseeing in Buneos Aires was kept to everything Eva Peron and historical landmarks....much more to be seen on a subsequent visit which there will have to be.....
Of course we hit the clubs as well and they did not seem to get going before 3am....no idea when these people find time to sleep for work but somehow it all comes together. Of course big nights equals lots of alcohol and whilst I did not have any hangovers of Miami proportions the same cannot be said for some of the others. Brad had a drunken stuper moment that can only be retold in the flesh....I had an adventurous night out at a disco and Jen & Gav spent time in a field with a duck! All ridiculous but hence the title, close encounters....
After 4 days of Buneos Aires fabulousness we headed to Iguazzu Falls....of course in South America something has to go wrong and just before take off to Iguazzu Falls the captain announces we have to turn back to the terminal....all this was in spanish you understand so our comprehension was limited but for the Germans on board a crazy blond woman (named Helga no less) wearing prison orange got up to tell her tour group....all very funny......5 hours later we get going and arrive well after our scheduled time....
So, once in Iguazzu Falls we spent 2 days wondering the parks on the Argentinian side and Brazilian side gawking at the beauty of the falls and getting very, very wet. We looked at the falls from the lower circuit, the upper circuit and from a boat that went right underneath the falls as well....fantastic! Pretty awesome actually. In the falls themselves I kept on freaking out as there were bees everywhere (that didn´t sting apparently) but nonetheless I didn´t like it.
Anyway, Wednesday afternoon we got going and headed to Rio.....oh my God!
15th February 2007
OK, so from Key West Florida to Buneos Aires and Iguazzu Falls Argentina....the contrast could not have been bigger...we left the shores of the USA to arrive in a wonderland of beauty, bargains and BIG nights!
Not sure how to sum up the Buneos Aires experiences really. Lots of eating fantastic food at restuarants that never seemed to shut.....street wandering that never seemed to end and stories that will have to be told....we never ate dinner before 11pm almost every night and that was just the done thing....beautiful people do not eat before then and you know what they say, when in Rome...... :-)
Sightseeing in Buneos Aires was kept to everything Eva Peron and historical landmarks....much more to be seen on a subsequent visit which there will have to be.....
Of course we hit the clubs as well and they did not seem to get going before 3am....no idea when these people find time to sleep for work but somehow it all comes together. Of course big nights equals lots of alcohol and whilst I did not have any hangovers of Miami proportions the same cannot be said for some of the others. Brad had a drunken stuper moment that can only be retold in the flesh....I had an adventurous night out at a disco and Jen & Gav spent time in a field with a duck! All ridiculous but hence the title, close encounters....
After 4 days of Buneos Aires fabulousness we headed to Iguazzu Falls....of course in South America something has to go wrong and just before take off to Iguazzu Falls the captain announces we have to turn back to the terminal....all this was in spanish you understand so our comprehension was limited but for the Germans on board a crazy blond woman (named Helga no less) wearing prison orange got up to tell her tour group....all very funny......5 hours later we get going and arrive well after our scheduled time....
So, once in Iguazzu Falls we spent 2 days wondering the parks on the Argentinian side and Brazilian side gawking at the beauty of the falls and getting very, very wet. We looked at the falls from the lower circuit, the upper circuit and from a boat that went right underneath the falls as well....fantastic! Pretty awesome actually. In the falls themselves I kept on freaking out as there were bees everywhere (that didn´t sting apparently) but nonetheless I didn´t like it.
Anyway, Wednesday afternoon we got going and headed to Rio.....oh my God!
USA Football Frenzy
5th February 2007
Ok, well I write this from the southern most point of Continental USA - Key West. It's very relaxed here albeit a bit grey and windy which is a bit of ashame. Making the most of it though and have done a whole bunch of touristy things whilst here - not much else to do to be honest as usually the done thing is to chill out by the pool and relax! Not today though. Too grey and windy.
So far the trip has been pretty good. Arrived in LA last Thursday and had a great day with my sister and the family. Sue took the day off which was great and we hung out in LA. Went to see all the touristy sights there as it was Brad's first visit to LA so the whole list of must do's were done! Hollywood sign, Chinese Theatre, Kodak theatre (where the academy awards are held) and lots of Celebrity homes. You get the drift. LA and showbusiness means lots of tacky sights to see!
Left LA Friday and got to Miami at around 9pm and everything went wrong. With the Superbowl on Miami accomodation was a pain to organise from Australia and then when we arrived we couldn't even find the rental apartment we were meant to stay in. The website we booked through gave us an incorrect address and we didn't have an after hours phone number so basically we were left stranded. Not happy Jan! Ended up at a dodgy hostel which was overpriced given its level of basic amenities but I didn't care as at least I had a roof over my head! Needless to say I went out Friday night and drank the accomodation frustrations away!
On Saturday with full hangover in play we received an email from the rental accomodation with the correct address so we went there hoping it would all be ok. Of course, it was too good to be true and the bastards had double booked their apartment so we were forced to head back to the hostel. It wasn't all bad though. The reservations clerk there was this really friendly Brazilian woman who I got talking to about Rio and South America - not that she gave me many tips for the trip but she was very friendly and interesting.
Managed to get to the beach and check out Ocean drive taking in the many thousands of NFL loving Americans who had jetted in for the Superbowl. Was quite amusing actually as there was lots of Hummers, Convertible Cars and show ponies driving up and down the Miami streets with their hip-hop music coming out loud and clear and just showing off. Was quite amusing watching all the 'boys in the hood!'. Had another night out Saturday night but was a bit more restrained on my alcohol as I knew I had to drive to Key West the next day. Of course that does not mean I didn't have any fun.....
So, Sunday and Key West. Got the Budget rent a car convertible and had to leave the roof on. :-( Rained almost the entire way from Miami to Key West but my spirits have not been dampened! Listened to my ipod the entire way, sang to myself and enjoyed the drive. Brad got to sleep most of the way nursing his hangover as he took over Saturday from where I left off Friday! Actually, the drive would be spectacular on a beautiful sunny day as you basically drive through the Ocean on very long freeways connecting the different Islands of the Florida Keys. I hope it is sunny for the drive back tomorrow. Checked out the town last night before watching the Superbowl with all the others at the hotel around the TV enjoying Happy Hour! Was quite fun actually. Met a couple lovely older ladies from New York and Iowa and of course they loved me!!! :-)
Hit the bars last night after the Superbowl and watched some very dodgy drag shows. It is well documented that Key West has some of the worst drag queens around and I didn't see anything to dispell that legend!
So that gets me to where I am now. Feeling relaxed and pretty chilled out. I'm only 90 miles from Cuba and 160 Miles from mainland USA at the moment but unfortunately Cuba is not an option. You cannot go there from the USA. Have to go via Mexico or central America. Next time maybe?
Anyway, South America around the corner and that is where the real fun is going to begin....language barriers coming up but somehow I think I will be fine....
Cya.
5th February 2007
Ok, well I write this from the southern most point of Continental USA - Key West. It's very relaxed here albeit a bit grey and windy which is a bit of ashame. Making the most of it though and have done a whole bunch of touristy things whilst here - not much else to do to be honest as usually the done thing is to chill out by the pool and relax! Not today though. Too grey and windy.
So far the trip has been pretty good. Arrived in LA last Thursday and had a great day with my sister and the family. Sue took the day off which was great and we hung out in LA. Went to see all the touristy sights there as it was Brad's first visit to LA so the whole list of must do's were done! Hollywood sign, Chinese Theatre, Kodak theatre (where the academy awards are held) and lots of Celebrity homes. You get the drift. LA and showbusiness means lots of tacky sights to see!
Left LA Friday and got to Miami at around 9pm and everything went wrong. With the Superbowl on Miami accomodation was a pain to organise from Australia and then when we arrived we couldn't even find the rental apartment we were meant to stay in. The website we booked through gave us an incorrect address and we didn't have an after hours phone number so basically we were left stranded. Not happy Jan! Ended up at a dodgy hostel which was overpriced given its level of basic amenities but I didn't care as at least I had a roof over my head! Needless to say I went out Friday night and drank the accomodation frustrations away!
On Saturday with full hangover in play we received an email from the rental accomodation with the correct address so we went there hoping it would all be ok. Of course, it was too good to be true and the bastards had double booked their apartment so we were forced to head back to the hostel. It wasn't all bad though. The reservations clerk there was this really friendly Brazilian woman who I got talking to about Rio and South America - not that she gave me many tips for the trip but she was very friendly and interesting.
Managed to get to the beach and check out Ocean drive taking in the many thousands of NFL loving Americans who had jetted in for the Superbowl. Was quite amusing actually as there was lots of Hummers, Convertible Cars and show ponies driving up and down the Miami streets with their hip-hop music coming out loud and clear and just showing off. Was quite amusing watching all the 'boys in the hood!'. Had another night out Saturday night but was a bit more restrained on my alcohol as I knew I had to drive to Key West the next day. Of course that does not mean I didn't have any fun.....
So, Sunday and Key West. Got the Budget rent a car convertible and had to leave the roof on. :-( Rained almost the entire way from Miami to Key West but my spirits have not been dampened! Listened to my ipod the entire way, sang to myself and enjoyed the drive. Brad got to sleep most of the way nursing his hangover as he took over Saturday from where I left off Friday! Actually, the drive would be spectacular on a beautiful sunny day as you basically drive through the Ocean on very long freeways connecting the different Islands of the Florida Keys. I hope it is sunny for the drive back tomorrow. Checked out the town last night before watching the Superbowl with all the others at the hotel around the TV enjoying Happy Hour! Was quite fun actually. Met a couple lovely older ladies from New York and Iowa and of course they loved me!!! :-)
Hit the bars last night after the Superbowl and watched some very dodgy drag shows. It is well documented that Key West has some of the worst drag queens around and I didn't see anything to dispell that legend!
So that gets me to where I am now. Feeling relaxed and pretty chilled out. I'm only 90 miles from Cuba and 160 Miles from mainland USA at the moment but unfortunately Cuba is not an option. You cannot go there from the USA. Have to go via Mexico or central America. Next time maybe?
Anyway, South America around the corner and that is where the real fun is going to begin....language barriers coming up but somehow I think I will be fine....
Cya.
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