The over-indulgence fueled by World Cup fever was responsible for another rushed visit to one of Brazil’s cinematic colonial towns, Paraty. It was a desperately needed escape from big cities, hectic street parties and bustling crowds. The slow-paced, laid-back vibe of Paraty soothed me from the outset and left me wishing I could stay days or weeks longer!
Month: June 2014
The Highs and Lows of Rio
‘Cidade Maravilhosa’ (Marvellous City) is an accurate nickname for Rio de Janeiro, home to towering mountains, lush rainforest, sandy beaches and blue seas, as well as buzzing nightlife in its many lively neighbourhoods. I have had the fortune of living in the spectacular lakeside town of Queenstown, New Zealand, in the gorgeous harbour city of Sydney, Australia, and I am even fond of commuting to and from work back home in London, seeing Big Ben through the London Eye and glimpsing Tower Bridge beautifully lit up at night. Rio would be another city I would be grateful to call my home, but in just four and a half days I merely scratched the surface. I also came at a time when World Cup tourists created a different (yet still amazing) atmosphere, so Rio is firmly etched in my list of places I must visit again. I will take you through my journey of views from the tops of spectacular outlooks to lying face down on sandy beaches; identifying the highs of World Cup fever to the lows of harsh Rio hangovers!
A World Cup Tale
The atmosphere of the World Cup in Brazil was unbelievable and I really want to convey this by telling an uplifting story that was told by the two English guys I met in Ouro Preto. This capped off an inspiring day of so-called solo travelling, where I escaped the madness of the World Cup in the big cities of Brazil.
A Beautiful Detour to Ouro Preto
I managed to squeeze in a day-trip (well, a few hours between the packed World Cup schedule) to visit the beautiful Colonial town of Ouro Preto. Nestled in the green mountains of Minas Gerais, my visit was blessed with beautiful sunshine and a spectacular sunset. The town is home to a great concentration of Colonial churches housing many works of a Brazilian sculptor, Aleijadinho. Amazingly, the sculptor worked with a hammer and chisel strapped to his arms, having lost the use of his hands and legs at the age of 30. I will write only a short narrative of my day (sigh of relief) and let my photos show you all that I saw as I wandered the cobbled streets, inspected the crafts market and admired the architecture.
Belo Horizonte: Worth The Trip?
Hardly one of Brazil’s top tourist destinations, the country’s 3rd largest city found itself on many itineraries this month for hosting 6 World Cup matches in its 58,000 seater stadium, Brazil’s 2nd largest. For me and my 5 English companions, this included England’s pointless game against Costa Rica, where England were already eliminated and Costa Rica had already progressed to the 2nd Round. But was it worth the 2-day trip? Was there enough to keep me entertained? And ultimately would I recommend anyone to visit Belo Horizonte outside of the World Cup festivities?
World Cup with Wesley in Sampa
My first proper stay in Brazil was with my Brazilian friend, Wesley, who lives an hour’s drive outside the Megalopolis city of São Paulo. It truly is a giant with over 19 million inhabitants, making it the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere. The 9 days were almost entirely taken over by watching World Cup games from 1 til 9, guzzling Brazilian beer and meeting Wesley’s family and friends, plus of course a few Paulistas (São Paulo ladies)! I will try to fill in some of the gaps in between with a few stories and reflect on my observations of Brazilian and World Cup life!
2 Sides to Iguazu
Tucked against the north-eastern tip of Argentina, and breaching the borders of Brazil and Paraguay, lie the legendary Iguazu Falls. Stretching 2.7km /1.67 miles (that’s double the width of Niagara Falls) across 275 individual waterfalls that are mostly around 64m (210ft) in height but as high as 82m (269ft), Iguazu is generally regarded as the most impressive in the world. For more facts and some particularly beautiful photos, check out this brilliant summary. The falls are accessible from Puerto Iguazú on the Argentinian side or from Brazil’s Foz do Iguaçu and most sources rightfully advise travellers to visit both sides. It is generally agreed that Argentina offers the close-up experience while Brazil provides more of a panoramic view, but you will have fantastic views from the Argentinian side and you’ll get close enough to get drenched under the Brazilian falls. Let me tell you more about my comparisons…
Day-trip to Uruguay
On the fifth day of my time in South America (and Buenos Aires) we decided to tick off another country by taking a trip across the Rio de la Plata to Uruguay.
Buenos Aires Diaries
Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina, was my first stop in South America. Here I would kick-off my epic adventure. Flying on my own, I was shortly joined by two friends where we would see the sites, begin to soak up the World Cup fever, eat the best steak in the world and, of course, we were there to “enjoy” Argentina – by diving into B.A’s renowned nightlife! I have recounted all our endeavours over the 6 days.
A million ways not to prepare for a trip
If you’ve ever lived or travelled with me you will have discovered a few things about me. I was called a “faffer” on my last trip because packing was always an ordeal. On top of this I’m indecisive. This stems from a need to achieve perfection and make the best, most efficient or cost effective choice. These wouldn’t be such problems if they weren’t coupled with my prowess as a procrastinator. Sure, I can make a to-do list and identify all necessary steps I should take to prepare for an adventure to a foreign land. But this doesn’t stop me leaving everything til the very last minute.
Jack East Goes West 