Florianópolis - The Magic Island

Did you ever felt like you finally are home once you have just came to a place you have never been in your life? Where everything, dispite being new, looks familiar? Barra da Lagoa in Florianopolis is, for me, that place. From the first moment in here I feel more at home than in Portugal, as bad as that may sound. I have come to the point that I wish that my scholarship for the phD won't be approved, so that I can come back and stay here.
All my plan for this trip (that only included to stay here for 2 days), all the friends I've visited and the ones I will, all the places left to see are diluting... I just want to stay here.

Beautiful beaches, the landscape, a simple life, life quality above all superficial things. People that changed their lifestyle for a dream and built it with their own hands, and that really care about eachother. Love and a hut instead of an flat full of nothings in the big city.

When I arrived, I was the only guest in the hostel. Immediately they made me feel like part of the family, as the hostel had only me as a guest, but all 3 owners were there with some friends. One of them (that looks kind of like "Sawyer" from "Lost") took me for a walk and showed me the beach, the little beach (Prainha, on the 2nd photo) and the city, and also took me to a giant turtles reserve (Projeto Tamar).

The other days I just spent with the people from the hostel, having barbeques or just chillin in the beach. Reading a book in a net, playing snooker and eating sea-food in the beach. I also went to other parts in the island, only to find out that Barra da Lagoa is indeed my favorite.

There are dogs all over the beach. This two liked me (and I was sending them away, I dont even like dogs that much), so they became body-guards, following me and then sitting close to me and barking at everybody that was passing by.

Right now I am not in Floripa anymore, but I know I will come back. Not only because a friend sayed that once you come to Floripa, or you stay or you come back, but because I just know that no matter what (and still wishing for the scholarship thing to get screwed!!) I will be back really soon...

Curitiba

Between Curitiba and São Paulo, the 1st is way more pretty. But still, apart from the obvious turistic points (its good to go on the Turistic bus, in 1 afternoon everything is checked!!), doesn't have that much to see... It was really good for meeting with a friend I didn't see in a long time, but the weather was kind of shitty the whole time.

And on the road again

Sin tekoha no hay teko

Crossing the border from Brazil to Argentina is quite easy. However, the bus leaves all foreigners in Brazil's border and goes away, no explanations to anyone. For me there was no problem, just needed to ask, but for the other 2 guys that were with me in the bus (from South Africa and Spain), not so much... After the "exit stamp", we needed to wait for another bus to cross the "Ponte da Amizade", half brasilian half argentinian. This time the bus waited for everybody to stamp the passports and left us in the center of Puerto Iguazu.

Puerto Iguazu, the closest city to the Iguazu Falls from the Argentinian side, is the sweetest little town. This is the view from the Hostel Stop (really good and very cheap, about 5,50 euros/night). Its a very small town, but very colorfull and the people are really nice, the total opposite from Foz do Iguaçu, on the brasilian side.

The Falls are increadible, there's no way to describe them... the most beautiful place I have ever been to. All the suroundings, the colors, the air, butterflies and rainbows everywhere. Its paradise on earth. Kind of looks like a Disney movie scenario, a bit unreal, to perfect to be true, like between Pocahontas and Tarzan.

The "Great Adventure" is a bit expensive, but totally worth it. After a walk in the jungle, with a guide, we go in a boat trip that goes really under the falls.

One day was not enough, so I went a second day, this time with a girl from Israel that was sharing the Hostel's dorm with me. For her, this 2 and a half months trip is a small one, since she's travelling for 6 months, and the normal for Israeli people is 1 year long trips... I wish! We also had dinner together, and got to meet a spanish guy thats traveling for 2 years already, getting some short term jobs in hostels and restaurants now and then.

But the ultimate proof this is a small world was the italian guy from Perugia that I met in the Hostel as well. He's now going to the south of Argentina, maybe we'll meet again halfway.

Assis and Marilia, São Paulo

The bus trip from São Paulo to Assis, the trip was of about 5 hours. We fell asleep and ended up in a little village in the middle of nowhere (dont even remember the name...). So, instead of arriving in Assis at 5 am, we took 3 hours more. Assis is a small city, only with the University and little more, but its really nice. On the afternoon, it started to rain a looooooot, like tropical storm, the lights of half city did *kaput while we were far away from home - and having to walk all the way back -, so the day ended with a nice dinner in the candle light.

It kept raining almost all the days I spent there, but rain is good when its around 25 ºC. In Assis is also normal thing to have car trips around the city with no destination at all. Well, in Portugal we go for a coffee and stay there just talking for a couple of hours, in here they do car trips.

After Assis, we went to Marilia. The view in all the way to get there is really beautiful, with mounts and valleys with bright green vegetation and coffee plantations. Marilia is a pretty city, with a horseshoe shape around a big valley. Again, I had the sweetest reception from my friend's family, always making delicious special dishes and even with a surprise happy birthday cake. In the end, they took me to the bus station, a real family farewell.

As when I was in Istanbul, also in Marilia I had the chance to go to a class in the UNESP (University of São Paulo), this time of Law. I loved it, as in this class they discussed also about politics, and now with the elections day so close, it gets really interesting for me to get the perspective of brasilians on this subject, and not only of what I read from portuguese newspapers. After the class, we went to a kind of Students Association meeting that reminded me of ESN meetings... I miss it.

Oh, and also tried "taça de açaí" with pineapple and honey, way better than açaí juice!!

There are no photos, since my #$%&$ camera decided to delete them. I had to count till 100 not to throw it in the waterfalls.

And keep on going...

Sao Paulo

The 1st thing that I noticed in Sao Paulo was the Street Art, everywhere. (mas esqueci da foto da Vila Madalena!!) And when you take 2 hours to go wherever, there's plenty of time to enjoy it.

On the top of Torre do Banespa there is a really nice 360° view of the city, but you have to see it fast, because they only allow visitors to stay there for 5 minutes.

The Catedral Metropolitana is pretty, but nothing compared to the Mosteiro S. Bento. Of the museums, the ones worth to visit are the MASP, the Museu da Lingua Portuguesa and the Museu Padre Anchieta. There is also the Mercado Municipal, where its possible to find averything (but I still prefer the one in Barcelona). Other than that, the Avenida Paulista is ok, but thats pretty much it.

Dispite all those positive things, I just couldnt wait to go away. Hated it!! The city is really dirty, polution enough to make you sick... dont know, but it has a really bad vibe about it, the people individually are nice, but as population they're kind of agressive. And the smell of that river... jeeez! However, I always felt safe, as you see police every 50m, so it was ok to walk around taking photos of everything.

An evening at the fireplace

O que é, o que é?

Gonzaguinha

Eu fico
Com a pureza
Da resposta das crianças
É a vida, é bonita
E é bonita...

Viver!
E não ter a vergonha
De ser feliz
Cantar e cantar e cantar
A beleza de ser
Um eterno aprendiz...

Ah meu Deus!
Eu sei, eu sei
Que a vida devia ser
Bem melhor e será
Mas isso não impede
Que eu repita
É bonita, é bonita
E é bonita...

E a vida!
E a vida o que é?
Diga lá, meu irmão
Ela é a batida
De um coração
Ela é uma doce ilusão
Hê! Hô!...

E a vida
Ela é maravilha
Ou é sofrimento?
Ela é alegria
Ou lamento?
O que é? O que é?
Meu irmão...

Há quem fale
Que a vida da gente
É um nada no mundo
É uma gota, é um tempo
Que nem dá um segundo...

Há quem fale
Que é um divino
Mistério profundo
É o sopro do criador
Numa atitude repleta de amor...

Você diz que é luxo e prazer
Ele diz que a vida é viver
Ela diz que melhor é morrer
Pois amada não é
E o verbo é sofrer...

Eu só sei que confio na moça
E na moça eu ponho a força da fé
Somos nós que fazemos a vida
Como der, ou puder, ou quiser...

Sempre desejada
Por mais que esteja errada
Ninguém quer a morte
Só saúde e sorte...

E a pergunta roda
E a cabeça agita
Eu fico com a pureza
Da resposta das crianças
É a vida, é bonita
E é bonita...

Leme, Sao Paulo

First days of this trip were in Leme, in the state of Sao Paulo, with a friend. Leme is a small city, but trully adorable. Love everything about it, bright colors, nice people, being able to walk everywhere. Still, apears to be normal for people to go for a ride just to look arround, with no destination in particular.. just go arround in your car with some friends, 2, 3 times, passing by the same places. Its nice, though. And they have the alcohol instead of gas (that also makes the gas stations smell funny).

I stayed in the house of a friend, and immediately felt like part of the family. Mom did special typical food from Brazil's interior everyday, and also some dessert, all delicious. And dad, Sò Jorge, always telling stories, many really fantastical, mixing religion with fantasy and History. Some friends of the family took us to a restaurant in a village close to a waterfall (cachoeira) to have some river fish for lunch.

There is also an artificial lake, were they have the Santa's and Easter Bunny Home, that in Xmas time is decorated with artificial snow. Im dying to see the Xmas decorations in Rio, I've never been in a place where they have Xmas in the Summer.

The fresh fruit juices are incredible, as in all Brazil, I guess. And going to the market is a whole new experience on its own, so many fruits and vegetables I didnt know yet, only by name.. Also the coke they make in a factory here, Country Cola, is really way better than the one they are imitating.

Day 1: Lisboa - Sao Paulo - Leme

Objectives #1

"I also know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong. To measure yourself at least once. To find yourself at least once in the most ancient of human conditions. Facing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head."

Christopher McCandless, Into The Wild