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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Mar 29, 2025 12:00 AM Black and hot: Salvador Bahia!
After yesterday's relaxing day at sea we are today in Salvador. It is my 5th visit to this attractive city placed on UNESCO wolrd heritage list. I like it's Afro-Brazilian folklore. It is nice to see how they year by year restore coloniall buildings and to walk well known route on the cobbled streets. Already at the pier the local drummers are waiting and playing to welgome visitors. But sorry - no city maps in the terminal (but wifi works!). One more exciting day! I met on the ship 4 people from Poland - it will be nice to spend some time together!
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Mar 27, 2025 12:00 AM Boarding Costa Pacifica
I pack my backpack again - I believe that my ship Is waiting for me somewhere in the huge Port of Santos. I know this ship - I was cruising on it in the past. As usual I paid only for the last expensive inside cabin - no window there but there is a TV monitor allowing to see what is going in front and in the back of the ship. I didn't buy the internet package (it costs a lot) so I don't know how often I will publish my further messages. In the ports I will try to find wifi ashore, but at sea days... Tomorrow we will be in Rio de Janeiro. What I need is nice wether there. It is cloudy today in Santos. Let's hope! Ahoy!
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Mar 27, 2025 12:00 AM Rio de Janeiro once again!
At sunrise I have been already on the upper deck, to see the rocky islets at the entrance to Rio Bay. Then the ship was sailing along Ipanema, Sugar Loaf to the dock. But Corcovado is in the clouds today. I disembarked at 9.30. Wow! The wifi in the terminal hall is now much better! Private company offers a tour to Corcovado (or Sugar Loaf) for 45 Dollars plus 16 USD entry!
I decided to make exciting excursion on my own. I have been 6 or 7 times in Rio, but I didn't see the easternmost beach - Sao Conrado. I went to nearest subway station (Uruguayana about 1 km walk. Sombody helped me to buy the ticket for 7,50 reais. I was then traveling by line 1 and 4 to Sao Conrado station. Than it is half km to the fantastic and empty beach. Bingo! But the waves were too high to swim. Then I took subway back to N Seniora Ipanema station to see first the Lagoa Freitas and then to look for the girls from Ipanema. There were few - like in the famous song. I was walking west along Ipanema beach - till the statue of Carlos Jobin - the guy who is the author of "Girl from Ipanema" song. Picture please! I returned also by subway - just to buy in my favorite bottle shop at Uruguayana y Floriano the big bottle of Brazilian rum (not cachaca!) What a day and what a tour for just 4 USD!
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Mar 25, 2025 12:00 AM Return from Ubatuba
I spent a night in very clean Mare Azurro hostel... With some mosquitoes... Never mind... The day was sunny and hot since morning.. Just 200 m from the hostel is a little pier for the boats offering 6- hours excursions to the islands in the bay. They charge 120 reais per person. But sorry, my return bus is departing at 2 am... So I was forced to visit nice and populated Praia Grande in the next bay and be ready for departure...
I had a connection in Caraguatatuba to appreciate their beach (poor in comparison to Ubatuba) Ten it was more than 5 hours in the comfortable, byt freezing bus. On the way I saw my ship anchoring at Ilhabella. I reached my room in Embare after dark. But it was worth - I like adventures!
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Mar 24, 2025 12:00 AM 6 hours by bus to Ubatuba
I like this funny geo names like Bora Bora, Langa Langa, Tumbarumba... Today I spent 6 hours travelling by bus to Ubatuba - nice tourist resort town on Brazilian coast. The coastal road offers great views of the beaches. It is climbing up the green hills and switchbacking down. The ticket from Santos to Caraguatatuba (will you remember?) cost 106 reais (internet agencies charge more!) and then in Cara.... you gave yo change to the local bus paying 12 reais.
Ubatuba is located in the beautiful bay with many rocky islands (they offer boat tours to the beaches on secluded islands). But for me (I am a Capricorn) it was nesessary to find on the promenade the Tropic of Capricorn marker. In the past I took the pictures near such a markers in Africa, Australia and other countries of South America. Now I have one more. I love Ubatuba! Cheers!
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Mar 23, 2025 12:00 AM Guarujá Island
Big and important port of Santos lies in the narrow and long estuary. On the other side of estiaru there lias the island of Guarujá, famous of its beautiful beaches. To go there I was walking 3 kms to the ferry terminal to cross the estuary for free on the little junk motor boat dedicated for walkers (next to it there are bigger ferries for bikers and for cars) on the other side there is ferry/bus integrated terminal. Buses (5 reais fee) are taking locals and tourists to the beaches. My first choice was Praia Guaiba, located between two rocky hills. Beautiful spot with white, powder-like sand. It was full. Then walking around Morro do Pinto Hill I passed fort occupied by army and entered beautifull Tombo Beach. Surfers use it. White sand again, hot and humid but no sun. I walked to the other end and started to climb the road to Galhetas view point on the rock separating Tombo Beach and next Asturias Beach. At the bottom they charge money from drivers but walkers go free. View from the top is worth the effort (see Tombo on the picture) maybe the best on Guarujá. But opposite side (Asturias Bay) shows how peope can destroy the nature: along this beach there is thick wall of the high apartment buildings... Shame!
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Mar 22, 2025 12:00 AM Santos - the city of the coffee
Hot day since the morning. City and suburban buses cost here 5,25 reais - about 1 USD. You pay to the driver as you enter the bus, than you have to squize to go through the metal turnstile. It could be a problem if you have a big luggage! The bus station in Santos is located in the old part of the city. You have to walk only half kilometer to find the imposing building of the former Coffee Exchange. The building has a tower like a church and solid columns at the entrance. Huge and ornate bidding hall is the main attraction of the building. Auctions were held here until 1950. Enormous stained glass os in the celling and huge painting showing the fundation of the Santos - on the wall. In the side rooms there is exhibition "History of the coffee in Brazil". Today - on Saturday the entry was free! I was walking later to the cathedral, passing many homeless people sleeping on the street. In Brazil you still can see many contrasts...
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Mar 21, 2025 12:00 AM Embare - Brazil
The day was hot, but cloudy. I took a long walk along the wide beach, heading to Sao Vincente. On the coastal street between the high apartment buildings I found nice Santo Antonio church. It has great interior and the figure of the saint in the main altar. It is hard to believe that in Embare it is hard to find money rxchange facility. I was asking in the receptions of three hotels. Finally in Balneario hotel the send me to the shopping mall nearby where on the second floor they changed my dollars paying 5,25 reais for a dollar.. Balneario is locared close to the beach in Anna Costa Avenue - probably the most elegant avenue in Embare. Poor people sleep in front of the fancy shops... Brazil... At the beginning of the street, on the beach side there is a nice fountain, surrounded by flags of the all Brazilian states...
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Mar 20, 2025 12:00 AM My Brazilian friend!
It is good to have friends. I met Roberto yeat ago on the cruise ship. Today he was waiting for me in the Sao Paulo airport offering me lift to the Atlantic coast. Reliable man! I know GRU airport, but I was tired after night flight. Thank you Roberto and welcome to Poland! We were driving green hills by the nice but toll highway. At 10 am we entered Santos... Half an hour later I was already in my room on 11th floor. Nice city view from the window (ocean view rooms are more expensive) No A/C, fan only! I need a shower and good rest...
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Mar 19, 2025 12:00 AM 3 flights one by one
New voyage started with the low-cost flight to Alicante, Spain. I had here only one hour waiting in the huge departure hall before boarding Air Europa flight to Madrid. One hour flight, the plane was half- empty and they did not serve even the water...
We landed in Madrid at 10 pm. From Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 there is a long walkway. It took me about half an hour to reach gate B21. I am waiting for my flight to Sao Paulo... It will be Air Europa again. I believe there will be a meal! :)
Yes, but it was rather weak! After 10-hours flight (nice Dreamliner, but they charge 3 euro if you want the headphones) we landed in Sao Paulo at sunrise!
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