29/01/2006
The boat leaving the island was at 9.30. Here we would travel back to Angra Dos Reis and then get a coach to Sao Paulo. The coach took 7 hours which was a bit longer than we had first expected. However they did have a TV and the driver put The Goonies on so it wasn´t all bad. Arrived in Sao Paulo at about 21.00. We got a tube to a Hostal Will and Ian had reserved for us, Hostel Pousada dos Franceses.By the time we had checked in at the hostel and sorted a few things out it was 22.30. So when we decided to get something to eat the only place open late on a sunday night in Sao Paulo was good old Maccy D´s.
31/01/2006
Diaster struck Tom and i both had, how shall i put it, well we had a good relationship with the toilet seat. We were not sure if it was the Fish we had eaten in Ilha Grande, The Israeli girl being sick on he bus or the Maccy D´s. We decided it was latter and made a pack not to have one ever again.
We went to MASP for lunch with Will and Ian but Tom and i weren't really in the mood for eating, we chilled out playing cards in one of the cities parks and then headed over to the Pacaembu to watch my first game of Brazilian football. The Pacaembu is home to Corinthians and today they were hosting Sau Bento. Tickets for the match were 15 reals about 4 pound and that is to watch a top brazilian club.
We arrived there early to guarantee a seat. To kill time we performed amazing tricks with a tennis ball. Infact we struggled to keep the ball up more than five times.
We entere the stadium about hour before kick off and we slowly watched the stadium fill, the atmosphere was electric, we thought we had chosen the quietiest part of the rowdy stand but we were wrong.
The brazilians love football and there fans must be up with some of the loudest and madest fans ive seen. At one point everyone in a row linked arms (Arms over shoulder) and with the band playinf music that went kinda like
BAR BUB BUB BUR BAR BAR BAR BAR BAR BUM
We jumped from side to side, with one row going in one direction and the next row going the other.
The game kicked off and within the first few minutes if was obvious that the ref wearing a Corinthians top under his blck top.
Corinthians went on to win 5 nil. With Carlos Tevez (Named Paulista by the Brazilians) scoring a hat trick.
02/02/2006
SANTOS
This morning we got a coach from Sao Paulo and headed east to Santos. The trip to Santos was only to be a quick one as it wasn´t in our original plan. Found out that Santos (The Home of Pele) were playing that day and couldn´t resist. After a 4 hour trip we arrived in Santos, we put our bags in a locker and headed straight for the beach. We spent a couple of hours at the beach then made our way to the Vila Belmiro Football Stadium.
We we watched Santos win 3 nil against Santo Andre. We then got a cab to the bus station and we then went straight on a coach to Curitiba.
3/2/2006
CURITIBA
Travelled through the night and arrived in Curitiba at about 7am. Curitiba is the capital of Parana and has a population of 1.6 million. Due to arriving early we were unsure of being able to find a hostel that wouldn´t charge us for a half day. Lucky we came across the Hostel Roma more by luck than judgement. Hostal Roma is a HI hostel so the prices we only 18 Reals with a HI card instead of 28 a night including breakfast BARGIN. Not only was the room only 18 Reals it was also a room with only two beds, so Tom and i had the luxury of chilling out in peace. It also had a lovely balcony where we chilled out reading.
We met up with Will and Ian at 6pm after a fine siesta and headed to the 24 Horas Centre hear we had a great dinner. As we were walking through waitors from the different restuarants inside the centre tried to entise t dine at thiers. We eventually sat at a table and was treated to an amazing meal. I had chicken and chips with a salad.
3/3/2006
Today we decided to go on a highly recommended by the Lonely Planet, train journey to Paranagua.
PARANAGUA
Has a population of 122,000 and is one of Brazils major ports.
The train ride from Curitiba to Paranagugua apprantly the most exciting in brazil left at 8am and is suppose to take 3 1/2 hours there and back.
The first hour and a half we were treated to amazing scenic views as the train chugged throught the hill tops and over ravines after that it all went down hill literally 5 hours later at snails pace we arrived in Paranagua station. We got of the train not best pleased, we had a quick walk around the port and decided to catch a bus back to Curitiba, I think we may have stayed there a little bit longer had it not been for the disasterous train ride.
The bus took an hour and a half and to make the day even btter it was pouring down with rain. We decided to head back to the same restuarant as the previous night. |
Locations Visited: Sao Paulo, Santos, Curitiba, Paranagua, Curitiba
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