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First of all apologies for no recent updates. I did write something in Sao Paolo bus station but the computer timed me out before I could post on the web :-(

 

Sorry i should start from the beginning like any good story.  We left for Rio last Friday evening so have been in Brazil for just over a week now.  So what did we get up to?

 

First experience on arrival was trying to get hold of some Reias, no mean feat in Rio airport, no ATMs we could see, only one currency exchange before Customs and in the arrivals hall nothing.  Eventually we were guided by a helpful tout to his friend the porter who was able to exchange dollars at a preferential rate to him in a shady deal in a darkened corner of the airport, our currency woes did not end there but more of that later!  A taxi got us relatively cheaply to Ipanema beach our base for the next three days.

 

Next lesson learnt, economy in Brazilian hotels means exactly that!  Our room was the size of a shoe box with the shower over the toilet!  Still at leadst it had air con.  The first day we spent relaxing on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, the weather was perfect, nol uck with currency exchange though a guy we met in a restaurant promised a more favourable rate than the porter but subsequently pulled out of the deal, still no sign of any official currency exchanges. A chance meeting with local fixer Tony allowed me to find out about the forthcoming Rio derby at the Marcarana stadium the following afternoon. Tony organises everything for a small mark up!

 

The morning of Sunday we went to see Christ the Redeemer in glorious sunshine.

 

 In the afternoon it was off to the football with Tony.  Flamengo plaed Botofog in the first final of the Rio State championship (it seems like it is much bigger than the Senior Cups in the UK).  The game finished 2-2 we three sendings off.  Monday we had our third experience of currency exchange.  Using the logic that banks must have money we visited a branch of a well known UK high street retail bank, after lengthy discussions with bank officials we discovered that banks in Brazil don´t do currency exchange but we were pointed in the direction of an official place finally!! In the evening we went to Sugar Loaf mountain to view io by night (Gosia´s photos to follow due to my battery running out at the worst possible moment).

 

After three days in Rio it was on the road again and off to Ihla Grande a tropical island to the south of Rio.  Three days of lazing around on the beach was the perfect way to relax.  Fortunately we chose the first day of rain to move on and took the boat and bus to Paraty.

 

Next lesson learnt a place advertised at the bus station as ´best place, best price´ is not necessarily either.  Paraty is a beautiful little colonial town with the habit of flooding making its streets more like Venice.  We had an afternoon wandering around the streets taking pictures (more to follow.. no cable to upload here!) Paraty also turned out to be a party town in-spote of its apperance, the band across the street finished at about 4am and these colonial buildings certainly don´t come with double glazing.

 

Without any particular plan in mind next it was off to Sao Paulo, another lesson learnt, don´t take the seats next to the toilet on long distance buses.  It stands to reason at least one of the passengers will have shifting bowels! I also renewed my love of rubbish movies shown on buses.  First up the Hollowman which allowed to learn also sorts of useful Portugese swear words on the subtitles.  Next movie didn´t have a name but wasn´t much better.  Still better than Greyhound in Australia though.

 

We made it to Sao Paulo and fortunately found that there was a bus leaving in the next couple of hours to Foz do Igacu our next destination.  A sixteen hour bus journey ahead of us we wisely reserved seats further away from the toilet!  The bus was more like a moving bedroom with super plush seats, complimentary food adrink and a blanket and pillow.  It cost a fair bit but that did´t stop there being a man on board with shifting bowels.  Needless to say the toilet got locked down by the driver in the end or it may have been environmental health.  Unfortunately the smell didn´t.

 

And so here we are now in Foz do Igacu, just about to leave to Argentina.  Not sure where yet, that will depend on where the bus takes us.  PArt of the fun I guess.  Yesterday was glorious when we visited the Igassu falls.  At 2.7km wide they really are a sight to behold.  All that flowing water makes you need the toilet though!

 

So not sure when the next update will be or if there will eb any pictures until when we get back so Adios ..... and see you soon.