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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Feb 11, 2009 07:00 PM Only 3 deg. south of equator
It is hot and humid in Sao Luis - I am only 3 deg south of the equator and on the level of the sea!
I decided to take self-organized day tour to Alcantara. It is on the other side of the Bay of Sao Marcos. To get there you have a choice of the catamaran (10 reais OW but no shelter onboard in case of the rain) or Diamantina motorboat (12 reais each way). It took me 1,5 hour on Diamantina to cross the bumpy waters of the bay.
Alcantara in the 17th century was the hub off the cotton and sugar producing region. Now it is seepy colonial village with plenty of picturesque riuns, churches, colonial houses. No bank, no noise, no supermarket...
On the main square there is high fronton of former Matriz church and Brazil´s most well-preserved pelourinho - whipping post - like a pole where slaves were punished...
I was walking few hours in the heat taking pictures - also of the friendly local people - before I took return boat at 4 pm.
Great day!
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Feb 10, 2009 07:00 PM Sao Luis - from UNESCO list...
What brought me here? Around one million people live now in Sao Luis located on the sea coast. River separates the new and the old part of the city. I live in the old one.
Some people call Sao Luis Brazil´s last charming capital. The cobbled streets of the Old Town are lined with colorful colonial mansions noted for their Portuguese tile facades. Many of them, overgrown by tropical plants still need restoration but yes - the old city has a charm and it is worth to be placed on UNESCO World Heritage List. There are plenty of souvenir shops, free museums and bars (a large bottle of ice-cold Sol beer costs 2,50 reais).
You will find also internet cafes (2,50 reais per hour) and tour agencies dedicated mostly to the Brazilians (-Senhor fala Portugues? - is the first question). People are polite and I think that regarding safety Sao Luis is better then Salvadaor. I was teaching the manager of my hotel what the word -laundry- means... I took a lot of pictures. Tomorrow I plan to cross the bay by boat to the old Alcantara.
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Feb 09, 2009 07:00 PM Brazil B...
Yes, now I know that there is Bazil A (the educated and developed south) and Brazil B - in the north of the country...
It was evening when I landed in Sao Louis - the capital of Maranhao State. They have tourist info desk in the airport but they do not know a single word of English. They are nice people anyway - they started to look English-speaking person in the airport and after 15 minutes they found somebody, who understood what is going on...
-The last bus to the city departs at 9 pm - in 5 minutes! I started to run to the bus stop and I got it! They charge 1.70 - but again they do not understand where I want to disembark - I landed on Praca de Deodoro... -Pousada Vittoria, rua Alfonso Pena! - I was repeating to the people on the street. They do not know... At least somebody show me the direction. Empty streets... Looks dangerous. I found the policeman. Can you imagine: He does know where is the street (some of them have double names).
It was 10 pm when I - sweaty and tired - found the pousada (pension). *Vittoria* was full. But next door there were a room in the upmarket Pousada-Hotel Colonial. We comunicated writing digits on the piece of paper... Nobody speak English...
82 reais for the a/c room with full breakfast. Lucky me!
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Feb 08, 2009 07:00 PM Sun, sea and the beaches... Brazil...
Can you imagine that in the cold Europe? Yesterday at sunset time it was 31 deg. Celsius here!
I have 150 m walk from my Pousada Acacia to the Barra Beach. You will see there a lot of pretty local ladies. Oh, la la.... I was already swiming there and it was great despite of quite high waves... But this is just little, crowded city beach...
For those who want to escape from the crowd to ilyllic tropical location there are nice beaches out of Salvador. If you want to stay for a long time in the picturesque slepy village take a daily catamaran to Morro Sao Paulo. It cost 70 reais each way from Baixa Maritime Terminal so this is worth to go there if you plan to stay longer (there is youth hostel).
To have just a short marine excursion across All Saints Bay and enjoy the skyline of Salvador from the sea you can take a public ferry (40 min, 3-4 reais each way to the island of Itaparica). That´s what I did yesterday...
Today in the evening I´ll fly further north - to Sao Luis...
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Feb 07, 2009 07:00 PM The charm of Salvador -Bahia
Do you remember my adventures in San Salvador? Now I am in the other Salvador - Brazilian city located in the Nordeste, in The Bay of All Saints.
As a tourist destination Salvador with its colonial past, the afro-brazilian culture and its monuments can compete with Rio. The old part of the city called Pelourinho - the real gem - is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO...
Salvador - Bahia is located on the hills. I was walking whole day the stone cobbled streets visiting old churches (San Francisco is the most ornate and impressive - they charge 3 reais entry fee) taking pictures in the strong sun and enjoying the scenery. There are plenty of art galleries, souvenir shops and colour street stalls. Undoubtly you will find famous drummers in the streets - they are preparing for the carnival - it starts on 19th Feb this year.
But this gem has also a shaded side: poverty generates the crime. I saw many poor people sleeping just on the sidewalk. In the main streets there is plenty of discret Policia Militar and you feel safe. (It is still less of them here then in Kinshasa). But it is not advisable to go out of the main trails. I know the traveller who lost the camera in the middle of the day only a block away from the main square...
I survived... It is still the great place to be...
Boa noite! I am going to enjoy the sunset with my camera!
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Feb 06, 2009 07:00 PM Brazil, Brazil...
Brazil is a wide country. Once (years ago) I spent hours and hours on the roads, crossing country mostly by bus. But now I had no time to spend...
Did you hear about Brazil Air Pass? TAM airline (recently Star Alliance member) offers to the foreigners 4-segments ticket for their domestic network. The trick is to find the way fly as far as possible for the money you pay. They have many hopper flights: the plane starts eg in Iguazu, fly to Rio, onward to Salvador and then to Recife. As long as the number of the flight is not changed they treat it as one segment.
That´s what I do. I took a flight Iguazu-Salvador. Is is worth to know that they incuded all taxes (nightmare of the travellers) in the price of the ticket - on depature you pay nothing extra.
Service is good - they serve hot sandwiches and even free beer on domestic routes!
I landed in Salvador-Bahia at 8 pm. There is tourist info in the nice, modern terminal - The bus to the city has a stop just out of the arrival hall! - they said. I was waiting for this bus 1,5 hours. Sorry... It costs only 4 reais (taxi drivers wanted 80)...
It was not easy to find Pousada Acacia (Former Pousada Milagres) in Barra quarter. I landed there at 11 pm, it was still 24 deg Celsius. The place is worth to recommend - it is quite, clean, old villa. For 80 reais You will get queen size bed and king size breakfast with fruits, ham, cheese, eggs, unlimited home-made juices and cakes. Oh, mom! The only disadvantage is that nobody here speaks English - bring your phrasebook with you!
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Feb 05, 2009 07:00 PM Iguazu - the Magnificent
In the Paudimar Hostel they have junk bus with hard park-like benches inside to take you for the day tour to the Argentinian side of the falls. This costs (transport only) 25 reais.
It is definitely worth. They will arrange border formalities, and wait for you till 5 pm for to return.
Entry to the Argentinian park costs 20 USD, but you have included free ride on the mini-train and free sail to the island.
There are two trails to walk with amazing views (lower and upper) from Cataractas Train Station, but the main attraction is a close view of the main fall (84 m high - they say) Garganta del Diablo. From Brazilian side you can see it only from the distance. Here you are just by - sprayed with the clouds of water and happy to see such a wonder of the nature... Poor cameras - I protected them with plastic bag.
But hurry - if you want to see all- including great San Martin Fall - from the island you have to walk onward - I did cover all trails till 5 pm, but this was very busy (and tiring in the hot sun) day. Yes, I saw Angel-the highest, Victoria, Niagara, Calandula and the others, but Iguazu - the Magnificent - will be always no. 1 on my list!
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Feb 04, 2009 07:00 PM To the amazing Iguazu!
I know well this money changers from the airports around the world! They usually give lowest exchange rates in the town. In Brazil they will charge enormous commision. Try to bring reaais from abroad or change just little amount for the initial expenses. The rate on the free market is 2.3 reais for one USD.
I arrived to Iguazu Falls. Do not be confused - I declared I am going to unknown to me North Brazil but I just turned south! Well, you know that I am great fan of waterfalls. I always say Iguazu is the nicest waterfall in the world. I saw him more then 20 years ago, the walkways on the Argentinian side were destroyed by flood. How can I miss the opportunity to see my favourite again?
Paudimar Youth Hostel lies between the town and the waterfall. It is nice place, worth to recommed. I pay 66 reais for twin room with good breakfast. They have even irregular complimentary bus from the main town-fall road, but I was walkink these 2 km on foot... City bus to the junction will cost you 2,10 reais. Entry to the Bazilian park is like 10 USD...
Of course in the afternoon I went to the fall - Brazilian side - to enjoy the beauty of Iguazu. It is still amazing, powerful and exciting! I can´t see any changes - only the color of the water is different - white and silver this summer (it was like a cocoa years ago)... I stayes there till the evening enjoying the beauty of nature...
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Feb 02, 2009 07:00 PM Across the South Atlantic
Very few airlines fly this route. One of them is South African Airlines. A340 in not my favourite long distance plane - I prefere more cozy 767, but they serve on board SAA Amarula drinks... Hope you also like them... The flight to Sao Paulo, Brazil was 2 hours delayed and it toook me almost 10 hours... No much space to stretch the legs... But I earn 4500 miles for frequent flyer program...
In Sao Paulo I decided to spend the night close to the airport. I know this huge, crowded city from my previous visit - not much to see there!.
Apartament for the price of youth hostel? Yes, it is possible if you will find a partner to your twin room and if you will find well ahead an intertesting internet sale deal. I did! An apartment in Mercure Accor hotel close to the Sao airport cost 92 reais. They provide free transfer from the airport but they will charge you 5 reais pp for the way back to the airport. After 10 hours on the plane I had really good rest. Recommended! Welcome to the South America!
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Feb 01, 2009 07:00 PM Bye Congo!
How many controls can be in the airport? On the departure I went though 13 of them, I believe. Many officials expect a bribe. Some of them keeping your passport in their hand ask openly for money (-Do you have anything for me?) Only few of them speak English so I used the method "Sorry, I do not understand" - it works! They were searching 3 times my camera bag.
South African flight was on time - in the evening I landed in Johannesburg, RSA. Happy to see the fascinating Congo and happy to leave it...
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