Brazil 15th April-14th May 2009

One month in Brazil
does not scratch the surface.
We surf round the edges, skipped all the islands
and missed out the real towns of Manaus, Belem
and nuevo Capital and the Pantanal.
Not to mention the wonders of the Amazon!
The bedlam of traffic in Sao Paulo,
the samba city of Rio
and de Bahia, we could not get plus nord de Salvador.
So we take a rain cheque
for this checker coloured grand county,
where the lovers beat Paris
and Jamaica shores in 3D.

Paranapiacaba

We take a car
follow our friend`s Lada
out of Sao Paulo for a day
way pass the traffic jams going to the beach
a SP secret hidden in the mountains
Can you hear the stream?
We discover guava and cheese,
pan de queijo.
Nature takes concrete piles
and puts architects in their place.
We did the whole day of some picnic,
Some walk! Some mountains! Some falls!
Frogs in the piscine naturelle
A swell Saturday.

Paraty

Pretty Colonial town with its clowns and artists
like Montmartre and Coven Garden
But a slave in chains, a real statue got me thinking...
We take the bus to Trinidade instead, to spend the day.
What wonderful waves, what blue sky, what a rush as we play.
Grilled fish by the beach, what a day!..
before we head back to Sao Paulo
and stick our heads in the washing machine.

Rio de Janeiro

Everybody knows Brazil
Carnival in Rio and Jesus on a hill
Enervant les helicopters disturbing
Corcovado Experience.
drink coconut water on Cococobanana beach
“I want the jelly!”
Copacabana, Ipanema fine sandy beach.
Arlequine, quinze de novembro Paco Imperial.
We spend two nights at the Mango tree hostel
4 out of ten, four for location
and the Brazilian lady on reception
Happy city, no danger but yourself.
Taking the tram to Santa Theresa
a fantastic treat.
Two days in Rio we missed the sugar loaf
and don't tour a favela!
Would you make one of the citė du neuf trois?

Lençois, Chapada Diamantina park

To get away from the coast, we go to Lençois
in seach of silver and we strike gold.
Arriving from a night bus from Salvador,
a taxi waiting for us took us gratuit to our door
where a 4 poster bed awaited.
We slept from 6 – 8 then breakfast
laid out and we couldn't wait to go out
on our horse riding promenade with Pedro into the mountains.
The next day trek through hills and grottoes,
swim under fresh waterfalls and top a mountain
what a heaven we are in, though we couldn't snorkel.
We had booked for two nights and for 3 full days
our Villa Serrena was out of this world of kind & accommodating,
good food, fairytale bed & bathroom a wonderful place to stay.
Chris arranged our tours and we were smiles.
Hi Villa Serrena & Chapada Tours!
A stunning town
And our last supper at pousada Grisante in the Praça, Aipim, wow.
You will fall in love with Lençois.

Praia do Forte

Take a bus 60 km north and here is a fishing town
that has tourist wrapped around their fingers.
Sea turtles in a paddle pool zoo by the beach, so near...
4 days we stayed in Casa de Praia,
succulent snapper from another runaway Ukien in love with a Brazilian
who bbqs fish to perfection.
My birthday, us love birds walk the 9km white sandy beach and pass only a hand full of people from Imbassai to Praia do Forte.
Acapuera for the crowds, from 5 year olds to carré de chocolat packing gymnasts.
every night the local kids playing catch.
A sieved Salvador.

Salvador de Bahia

London's contender
though the write up was good, we were washed out...
and begging for a place to stay. Our hostel Anglais let us down
we drowned our sorrows in a 4 stars hotel,
went to the old town to boire un verre caipi bien sur,
where the youngest business man juggles coconuts for peanuts
already handling life's heavy load.
They glorify the slave days here in the square.
We didn't see the best of this beautiful city.
My painting of sea,a coconut tree mountains, TLC.

Puerto do Iguazú

Argentina side of the magnificent Falls
Gave us butterflies of every color
they follow you as you follow the routes around the foliage.
Our first glimps of petit singe and train 5 Km/H.
Our companion from Hostel Inn, top inn, despite Leona and Britney.
We met Danny from Quebec and we frolic around one of the greatest sites on earth, magnificent and the plat de resistance, the train to the Devil's Throat, Oh my God!
Showers from the falls and the locals animated.
And the beef in Argentina Caro?... Fantastico.

Foz do Iguaçu

Rain does not stop play.
landscape vast
sounds of crashing waters surround you
astounding place.
Little raccoon-like creatures scrounging for food.
What a view.
The clouds cry on the river
washing all your thoughts away.

Curitiba

Every immigrant
Lebanese, Polish, Ukranian, German
gets a monument.
The cleanest city?
Beautiful glass Opera de Arame
and eye catching art museum Oscar Niemeyer
the teenagers like it here.
Parks and parks and the tourist
bus full of natives going home
and the best alternative hamburger I've ever had
kind waitresses in the rodovaria
they deserve a monument
One day here on our way to Foz do Iguassu
well worth the visit

they all have their pillow for the journey ahead

São Paulo

Skyscraper jungle
haven for graffiti
super clean metro
Liberdade.
The rich with rat dogs,
the poor on the floor
Mercado Municipal
Communistas in República
everything but indigene
Parks and sweets
Corinthians tambien
Tudo bem
Delph bought out havaianas
lanchonettes are cool
23rd floor in Sumare