Getting to paradise by bus

25 March 2010

We get up at 5.30h, pack up, breakfast at 6h, settling the hotel bill at 6.30h, and at 6.40h, we're in the taxi to the bus terminal. A bit nervous, we arrive at 6.55h: 5 minutes left to buy the tickets and catch the 7am bus - we make it!

The bus drives out of the station, makes one turn, slowly joins the traffic and then we hear a slight bump against the bus. The bus driver starts complaining and pulls over. It appears that no one other than a police car has hit the bus. The bus hardly has a scratch, the police car slightly more damaged. Luckily the matter is all cleared up with 30 min and we continue on our way.

At 11.40h, we arrive in Sao Sebastiao, where we have to change buses - the next one leaves at 12h. But we are out of cash (the cash machine at the bus terminal did not work for us that morning). Gaudi runs along the main street of the town, and tries one cash machine after an other - the fourth one works, unfortunately it is at the other end of town, and so he sprints back in the midday heat. With no time to spare, we make the second bus. This one is a municipal bus: few seats, lots of passengers standing, no A/C (it is 33 degrees), no luggage compartment. We spend an hour on this bus. Natasha trying to keep our luggage from toppling over in the isle, Gaudi fending off his sleeping neighbour who tends to lean on him. The scenery is stunning though: green forested hills, and a coastline with many little beaches.

At 13h, we arrive in Caragua. At 13.40h, we need to board our next municipal bus. In the meantime, Tash runs to the next shopping centre to get some more cash, we realised that one withdrawal will not be enough for the next few days. Luckily, the busride turns out a bit shorter than expected: 40 minutes instead of 90 minutes: we're getting off at the turnoff to our destination: Praia Fortaleza. The Praia is 7km from here, down a small road. There is a bus service, but we don't know when. After Tash walks into a near hotel and makes a call to our hotel we know: the next bus is at 16.15h (in two hours), there are no taxis, and our hotel can't pick us up either.

Without a plan really we start walking along this 7 km road with all our luggage, figuring we will hail down the bus if and when it passes. The road is very windy and goes up and down, with the heat and humidity we our soaked within minutes. After 2 km we decide it is best to just wait on that spot (with a great view over one of the lovely beaches). Pretty desperate, we try to hitch a ride. The first car gives us a strange look and drives on, the second car smiles put makes clear that they are full already. Then comes a third car, a small truck. We dont bother waving this time, but the friendly man stops for us, and drives us very close to our destination but the last kilometer we still have to walk. By now, very hot, very sweaty and very tired, we are starting to wonder about this hotel, what if it is a dump then we are in real trouble. . .

But finally more or less 12 hours after we woke up that morning, we arrive and . . . it is a little paradise!

Praya da Fortaleza Fotos

Held up in traffic

25 March 2010, Santos (Brazil)

Our bus leaves the station on schedule at 7am. Not even two blocks from the station we hear a slight bump: a car has hit the bus in the busy morning traffic. A sleepy driver must have driven out of a garage, straight into the side of our bus. As I look out of the window, I am impressed: the police has already shown up and is blocking one lane of the road - barely a minute after the accident. Certainly, they would quickly decide that it was the other drivers fault driving into the busy road without paying proper attention, and hopefully punish him for holding up public transport.

After a few minutes, we decide to get out of the bus, stretch our legs, and investigate the scene of the accident. It becomes clear that the accident happened right in front of a police station - that's why the police was here so quickly. We also see the badly dented car that was involved in the accident...Oh boy, it is a police car!

Now we understand why our driver looks a bit nervous, we don't think the police will take his side...
Fortunately, our bus was not damaged, and 30 minutes later, we are on our way, in the dense morning traffic once again.

From Iguazu to Santos

8 March to 25 March 2010

Leaving Iguazu, we drive through the agricultural lands of southern Brazil to Curitiba, a city of two million. Curitiba is considered a model city in terms of urban planning and transport. It is safe and clean, has a pretty pedestrianised center, many parks and a botanical garden. We spend a week in Curitiba, to get to know the city, shop, and plan our next destinations.

Curitiba Fotos

A gorgeous train ride takes us through the protected Atlantic rainforest, to the small colonial town of Morretes, where we spend two nights in a resort in the middle of the green vegetation.

Trem Fotos

From the historic city of Paranagua, on the coast, we take a small ferryboat to the Ilha do Mel - a little paradise. Most of the island is a nature reserve, only a small part is occupied by small wooden houses, tucked away in the forest. There are no cars or other vehicles on this island - the only traffic is on foot, and by bicycle. Most of the beautiful beaches are without buildings, completely natural. We take long walks along the beaches, especially in the mornings, when they are deserted and we can observe the many birds. We only venture once and for a short while into the dense forest - the mosquitos prove to us that their reputation for being especialy agressive is fully deserved.

Ilha do Mel Fotos

Santos: a busy harbour town, with seven kilometres of sandy beach. The biggest attractions of its historic centre are electric trams and the old coffee exchange - the source of the past riches of the town.

Santos Fotos

Olá Brasil

6 March 2010

The bridge over the river Parana leads us out of Argentina and into Brazil. And even though this is just a 15 minute bus ride across a bridge, it is like entering a different world. Take breakfast, for example: while we had minimalist breakfast in Argentina (coffee and hard bread), across the border awaits us a sumptuous buffet of fruit, cake, savoury and sweet pastry, eggs, everything we could wish for - oh, and great coffee. The food in general in Brazil is the best we have had in Latin America, much more flavour, much more variety.

Also the diversity in Brazil is striking compared to the rest of Latin America. In Foz do Iguaçu, there are large Chinese and Arabic communities, and many black people. The small city even has a Buddhist temple and a mosque (marked on the city map). Nowhere else in Latin America did we see such ethnic and religious diversity.

No leaving home without maté

5 March 2010

One of the most typical sights in Argentina is the maté culture: most people carry a special cup of the bitter-sweet herbal tea with the special silver drinking straw. Special leather bags exist to carry a thermos with hot water for a refill. Friends share maté in the evening sitting by the river, we see people driving cars, the wheel in one hand, the hot mate in the other, and of course the assistant of the bus driver has a very important additional task in Argentina - looking after the driver's maté. Maté seems to be a private affair - it is never offered in restaurants. This tradition appears to stop at the border though. Once we crossed the bridge into Brazil, not a single maté drinker in sight - and if there is one, it has to be an Argentinian tourist.

Iguazu

4 March 2010 Iguazu (Argentina)/ Iguaçu (Brazil)

The mighty waterfalls are set in huge national parks on either side of the international border, harbouring monkeys, exotic birds, coaties, and thousands of butterflies. Words are not enough to describe this magical place.

Iguazu Fotos