Pousada Casa Vila Bela Salvador

What an incredible place. I spent three days there, the latter two on a two-day trek to various waterfalls. It was perfect to recharge my batteries after the excesses of big cities. Highly, highly recommended.

Hint: The treks are a bit expensive. If you want to save some money, walk back to Lencois (if that's where you're based) instead of getting the 4x4

After weeks and months of planning and longing for the day to come, the 12 of August 2009 finally set in: The day of our departure! It was a little bit weird when we boarded for our flight to Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, as we didn't really know much about the country at that time. We literally had bought our guide – which become our bible – couple days before departure. Already our first steps in Brazil were very venturesome. The immigration officers at the ...

The last few weeks far exceeded all expectations for this trip...what I do with the next four, however, remains a bit of a mystery.
The weekend where things began to change was during the holliday known as Sao Joao, a part of a series of celebrations known as the Festas Juninas, the June Parties. To celebrate, the city hosted a 5 day, star-studded concert collage boasting some of Brazil´s biggest names (Gilberto Gil, Daniela Mercury, Claudia Leitte). The ...

... one of the most physically challenging and exhausting things we have ever done but thoroughly enjoyed it.

We were so glad to have made the detour to our original itinerary, and we have David and Jimena of Paraty way to thank for their suggestion. Chapada Diamantina National Park was most definitely one of the highlights of our tip so far!

... the biggest party on the planet. Someone told me today that well over 2.5 million people were on the streets of the city during each night of carnival week, crazy!! I've been feeling slightly under the weather today, maybe it's just tiredness after a hectic 10 days of carnival. I've heard lots of people have been going down with a viral illness in the hostel's, just hope I haven't got what they've got because I need to get out of Salvador tomorrow. I'm ready for a change of scenery now!

... titia come play in the water with me!... Cute! Anway Flaviano keeps ringing and I´ve told him straight that he´s been playing with two hearts for two long! That a friend doesn´t do what he did. Being left in a dangerous situation and then ****** off with his girlfriend who he said he broke up with!!!! Also, I don´t tolerate lies! Never! Anyway, going to spend the day today with Neidi and we´ve got tickets tomorrow for a concert and I´m selling off Flavianos. He ...

... not a ´sorry´amongst them. No group mind. If theýed just done two one way and two the next then not every second person would have had one wet shoe... I got a wet foot but wearing thongs meant a quick rince. Those guys in sneakers looked so funny with one dubiously wet foot... LOL I´m really glad Flaviano has been my guide as I would have been quite overwhelmed with last night.... I´ve seen the obvious female estrangerá (foreigner) be grabbed and her hand held till she has ...

... uma mula, batendo uma bóia fria enquanto cato carrapatos, do que nas grandes metrópoles, tendo regalias e confortos, comendo comidinha light e trabalhando 8h por dia.

Portanto, não se preocupem: estou muitíssimo bem!

Conclúo esta carta usando uma frase de uma música da Zélia Duncan que resume tudo o que acabo de escrever: "ser carioca e baiano: por que é que eu não pensei nisso antes!?"

Um abraço,

Thiago Roza

... large mesas ringing the surrounding plains. It is a sight of Brazil that I never expected. There are numerous waterfalls here. The most impressive is Fumaca falls, the tallest in Brazil at 420m, 1400ft. It is the highest waterfall I have ever seen. As the water reaches the bottom, it disappears into a fine mist. Just outside of town, there is another waterfall called Sussego. It is a journey to get there, first on a nice ...

Click the image to see a Youtube video I ...