TravelStream™ news feed for member alhadeff on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/alhadeff en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:52:29 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1216071000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1216071000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1216071000/tpod.html Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:52:29 -0500 360 in a life time

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Barra Grande, State of Bahia, Brazil

On a rainy Monday morning we hit the road again. From Trancoso to Barra Grande is a long journey especially in the last 80 km in a bad back road unpaved. It was a long day driving, it took us almost 8 hours to get to Barra Grande. Without a car the easiest way to reach Barra Grande is to fly or take a bus to Salvador from there take a bus to Camamu, and the last part you take a boat to Barra Grande.We stayed in a highly recommended hotel Pousada Ponta do Muta, beach front with only 10 rooms. The beaches in Barra Grande region are maybe one of the most beautiful in Bahia. Unfortunately in the Brazilian winter the sea get rough and it unable us to snorkeling in the reefs in Taipu de Fora beach. But winter in Bahia means 20 - 30ºC and some showers, but not enough to frustrate the trip.In one of the days we did a boat tour in the Barra Grande bay. And in the end we had lunch at island where we ate Lobster, Octopus and drinks paying 60 dollars for two. A great tip is to have lunch in Bar da Rosangela, a restaurant in the beach, really rustic, 20 minutes walking from Barra Grande, with great food. It was the best restaurant in the vacation, and we have lunch there twice! The sunset and the full moon rise was fantastic.After 15 days of traveling our vacation was over. Instead of driving back to Sao Paulo, we flew back and our car came by truck. We drove 2.400 km. We are already looking for the next vacations.... Maybe in the beginning of next year.Was this information helpful? Please leave a feedback posting a comment above!!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1161610380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1161610380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1161610380/tpod.html Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:55:12 -0400 360 in a life time

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Jaipur, India

Jaipur eh a capital do Rajastao, por sinal esse estado eh o que mais recebe turistas na India. Passamos 2,5 dias por la. Essa cidade eh a cidade rosa, mas nao achamos nenhum sao-paulino por la. Todo o centro velho da cidade eh pintado em rosa alaranjado.Como primeira impressao do Rajastao foi otima. Pois nao eh tao caotica como Delhi, e tem varios lugares bonitos. Um dos cartoes postais da India, o palacio dos ventos, todo em rosa esta la. Alem de ja sentir o clima do estado, onde ver um camelo puxando uma carroca eh tao comum quanto ver carroca com cavalos no Brasil.Na ultima noite na cidade fomos ver um filme Boliwoodiano. A capital do cinema indiano eh Mumbai, e essa industria aqui na India eh maior do que a americana, fazendo centenas, talvez milhares de filmes anualmente. O filme chamava-se Don, e ate que foi bom. Ficamos ate o fim, era um filme de aventura sobre um mafioso indiano. O cinema cabia 1.700 pessoas e estava lotado, e a meninava vibrava alto, e batia palma a cada cena de acao. Foi interessantissimo fazer esse programa.Depois desses dias maravilhosos pegamos um onibus para Pushkar, cidade de 1.500 pessoas. Acompanhem no outro link.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1158479520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1158479520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1158479520/tpod.html Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:54:24 -0400 360 in a life time

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Varanasi, India

Varanasi (india elevado a 5 potencia)
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Jodhpur, India

Visitar Jodhpur foi fascinante. Em 1 dia inteiro voce consegue visitar todos os pontos turisticos. Os mais legais sao o Forte e o Palacio Umaid. E pela primeira vez vimos algo realmente cuidado e restaurado para o turismo. O maraja de la morou nos EUA quando jovem e com isso, nos achamos, ele teve uma visao mais ampla sobre o turismo e potencial economico dessa atividade. O Forte de Jodhpur, com centenas de anos foi inteiro restaurado e ate audio guide eh fornecido. Ja o Palacio Umaid, hoje eh 2/3 hotel, e 1/3 moradia do maraja. Foi umas das construcoes mais bonitas que ja vimos na viagem. Ficar la deve ser o maximo, diarias a partir de USD 150, bem fora do nosso orcamento. Mas tomamos um vinho no restaurante de frente a um jardim com pavoes passeando calmamente.A cidade tem o apelido de cidade azul, pois o centro velho quase que todas as casas sao pintadas dessa cor. Pois a cor espanta mosquitos e a lenda diz que pessoas das castas mais altas pintavam dessa cor. A vista de cima do forte para a cidade azul eh maravilhosa.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1215201000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1215201000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1215201000/tpod.html Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:33:49 -0400 360 in a life time

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Caraiva, State of Bahia, Brazil

Finally, after almost one and a half year, we took real vacations travelling for two weeks. Nothing comparable our 8 months trip in 2006, but way longer than the last two trips to Amsterdam and Atacama.To save some money and to get back to one of the most relaxing places in Brasil we decided to go by car to the south of Bahia from Sao Paulo. In two days (we spent on night in Teixeira de Freitas at Pousada Lord) we drove 1.400 km and our first stop was Ponta do Corumbau. Because it was low season almost nothing was open. It was hard to find a place to stay, and no restaurants except the hotel restaurant were open. The beach was no so beautiful, so we decided to stay one night only and drive to Caraiva next day morning, a bigger place but still very small as it is only a village.So after three days we finally were able to unpack and relax for a few days. We stayed in Pousada Lagoa (VERY RECOMMENDED), one of the most traditional pousadas of Caraiva, in a small cottage in the middle of gorgeous garden. There is a river delta half a kilometer alway from the village and good beach bars to spend the days having good food and beers (Bar da Praia is very recommended too). Caraiva is very small with sand streets and without cars, now with electricity (arrived in july 07) but all wires are under the surface keeping the original appearance. We did the trek to Praia do Espelho, it is a two hour walking on the beach going north, to reach the beautiful Espelho beach. There you can have good food relax, and get back to Caraiva by bus taxi (very expensive with prior arrangement in Caraiva) or walkback. We chose a taxi! TIP: if you are backpacking in Bahia is VERY easy to get to Caraiva. Although some guides books or locals in Porto Seguro says that is a hard job to get there, it is very simple. Take a bus or airplane to Porto Seguro and from there take a taxi to the ferry to Arraial d'ajuda (crossing the river takes about 15 minutes), and from the other side of the river take a direct bus to Caraiva (with some stops during the way). When you arrive you have to cross a river to get in to the village, it costs 3 reais per person and takes 5 minutes.After four days in Caraiva we drive to Trancoso, another village but much bigger than Caraiva, with hundreds of hotels from 10 to 1.000 dollars a night. But this belongs to the next post.was this information helpful? please leave a feedback posting a coment above!!!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1149437640/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1149437640/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/alhadeff/volta_ao_mundo/1149437640/tpod.html Sat, 13 Sep 2008 21:12:59 -0400 360 in a life time

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Dahab, Egypt

Man, we did a lot of bus travelling around the World and Brasil. Some trips in northeast Brasil is not confortable, but the bus ride from Cairo to Dahab reached a level that I never imagine it could exist. We were on an East Delta bus. Around long 9 hours from Cairo to the Sinai peninsula. The distance from your bench to the front is very small. My height is 1,75m so, I am far from basketball player, but I couldn't streach my legs. Second a old egypcian movie very loud playng in a tv almost during the whole trip, I had to you my Ipod at maximum volume. Last, the bus stopped every hour or so for a security check. Police officers wearing civil clothes with a gun on his waist enter the bus and ask for an ID. Then they took out of the bus some suspects. So it was almost impossible to sleep all night long. Bad thoughts: What a f.... I am doing here?When we reached Dahab we were exausted. A jeep pick us up in the bus station and drove us to the hotel Seven Heaven. Man we stayed a lot in simples and cheaps hotel around the world and Brasil, but we folded! Impossible to stay there. The best room had a left over inside the toilet (if you know what I mean)!!!! URGH!!!! Stop loss! we walked alway and found a much better hotel paying 3 dollars a night more. Thank god, the first impression is not the one that we had in the following days. After a day resting from the bus trip, and the traumatic Seven Heaven, we start enjoyng the place. After all the diving was inforgettable, the people friendly, and the food and lodge very cheap. The desert reaching the sea is wonderful. And there is almost no life outside the water, but inside is marvelous. Every diving that we did we started from the shore, so after the first dive we get back to a Bedoin hut to rest and eat. We did your dives using the Emperor Diving, highly recommended. Camila was a bit afraid before the first dive, but enjoyed a lot. It was the first 6 dives of the trip, and what a beautiful dives!!!!!! Another good tip was the the vessel like building, we went there 4 times, before 7pm you eat two dishes paying for one! Last: we saw the first World Cup mach there.We spent 6 days in Dahab, and we didn't want to leave. But we had to. We took again the East Delta bus back to Cairo, but during the day, and went directly to the airport. Another tip: if you are going to Dahab by bus go in the day bus, to avoid the nightmare that we had in the overnight trip.
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Cairo, Egypt

I believe that it was a first glimpse of the chaotic Asia, but in north Africa. 3 days in Cairo were at least different from every other place we ever been. To begging with, the noise and the dust. The air is very dry and the proximity of the desert brings a lot of dust to the city turning everything in light brown. The traffic is heavy and the Egyptians use the horn as a way of communication, so a lot of noise every were. And while you are walking in the streets the taxis horn to you meaning "you want a ride?". Woman wearing burkhas, and tourist mini skirt! But the ancient culture is spread every where, from the old building in the old town around Khan el Kalili market, to bargaining for every taxi ride or souvenir.The first two days we hang around the city visiting the very interesting Khan El Kalili market, maybe one of the oldest market in the world, and the National Museum. A lot of security everywhere, to get into the museum you pass a security check similar to airports. You can see army and or police it is different to tell them apart. The last day the famous, and the last ancient world wonder, Pyramids. They are beautiful, but the toots around them break the magic. It is VERY annoying to deal with them. It is almost impossible to walk around by yourself. They will convince you to rent a camel or a horse to walk around the pyramids. OK we gave up and negotiate with one of them, price settle we took two horses. It worth-ed for us because in the time we were there the temperature reached 40 C, and the best view is from maybe too much far by walking under the strong sun. After finishing the ride, the guide asked for a tip, in addition to the price already agreed, I declined. I never listened so many offenses !!! I didn't give a dam###***t!!! And we walk alway laughing. TIP: when you are going to the pyramids ask for the taxi driver to left you in the main entrance near the Sphinx, you can have a better view of the whole complex, and can decide if you go by yourself or with a annoying toot.We stayed in a very value and recommended hotel named Long Champs, in one of the best neighbors in Cairo. Also in the last day we bought the bus ticket to Dahab in Red Sea, and the air tickets from Cairo to Istanbul (expensive!!!), but with Lebanon in war with Israel it is very dangerous to go by bus crossing this countries.Independent travel in Egypt is not so easy. Specially in Cairo. But the 3 days worth-ed, but it was enough. Better to go there in the winter.cheers!
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Lisbon, Portugal

On the way back to Lisbon we stopped in the medieval city Obidos. The city inside the walls was interesting, specially for someone like us that don't have this kind of cities in our country. In Lisbon we stayed again in Miguel's apartment. With him cooking very good stuff twice for us. Lisbon was a great surprise due its little cosmopolitan life. Great restaurants too (don't miss Restaurant Luca). And a unforgettable Aquarium.Another good thing about Lisbon is the day trips around the city. We love Sintra, an one hour trip by train. There you find the best candy in the world, Travesseiro da Periquita! And a lot of castles too.After about 11 days in Portugal we pack and went to airport to fly to Egypt. We will probably change 10 very comfortable days in European country to a first glimpse of Asia, although Egypt are in Africa! Let's get it on!!!!cheers
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Porto, Portugal

One thing changed a lot in the first 6 days in Portugal, the temperature. In the first day it reached 25ºC, which is perfect for traveling, in the first night in Douro it was bit cold. But in the days after it climbed to 35ºC, even for us Brazilians used to hot days, this temperature make the trip unpleasant. Bur apart from this the travel in the northern Portugal was delicious.After a quickly drive (2 hours) we reached Porto, from Vila Real. The plans is to stay only one night and visit the Porto Wine makers. It was a intensive classes about this theme Porto Wine. We didn't know anything about this and after an afternoon tasting different port wines we start to understand the difference between tawny, ruby, vintage, LBV etc. Another good sight is a park within the city that holds the Serraalves Museum projected by a famous architect named Alvaro Siza Vieira. Don't miss the Francesinha sandwich (translated as Little Frenchwoman). A sandwich with different meats, cheese and eggs... A full meal!We left Porto to Lisbon, because our friends had to get back to the work, and we will discover the capital of Portugal and its surroundings. 
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Douro, Portugal

After two days in Lisbon, we took Miguel's car and drove to Douro region. We stop during the driving to eat a pork in Meta dos Leitoes, very very good, and as the tradition asks we drunk red sparkling wine (not so good)!! The rang over started 30 minutes after we finish the meal!!!! Renata had to drive because Miguel and I drank 1 bottle of the wine.In Douro we stayed in a city named Vila Real and we stayed in a cozy Quinta named Levada. We had a lot of wines in this period, two were special, Vertentes 2001 and Tres Bagos Sauv. Blanc 2005. Also good food there, as the other places that we have been in Portugal. I had a very good octopus in restaurant named Barriguinha Cheia, translated to English as Fully Small Belly!!!Another interesting thing was visiting the wine makers. The last visit was in Quinta do Vallado, Miguel who is a gourmet, love the wines made there. As we got into the winery we discover that they do not have a tourist program. But we were very lucky, because one of the owners were there, and he was very polite to allow us making a quickly visit to their wine "factory", with him explaining the process. And in the end he gave us 4 bottle of his wines. Next stop: Porto
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