TravelStream™ news feed for member gareth.alanna on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/gareth.alanna en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:35:05 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1232744460/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1232744460/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1232744460/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 14:35:05 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Paraty, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Excitement starts bubbling up again as we're winding round the tropical hills gazing over the dazzling coastline below. Passing by so many beaches with great breaks and clear clean waters we can only hope that Paraty is as good. Surprisingly enough GT's back in high spirits as it feels as if we're traveling again, being back on the buses rather than dealing with the chaos and hassle of airports. Although, our adventures this time on the buses have been more interesting than usual. After arriving in Brasilia from Cuiaba we decided to gun it to the bus station to see if we could get an overnight bus to Rio. It was quite a surprise to find that only one bus company seemed to go to Rio with only two services daily, both of which we had missed. Fortunately there were alternatives to Sao Paolo and with a 7pm Leito bus (full sleeper) we were soon in our comfy beds and on our way. A 13hr journey, at 8am the following morning pulling into a bus station we naturally assumed we had arrived in Sao Paolo and grabbed our bags dashing off to find a connecting bus to Paraty. We started to become alarmed when we noticed in the ticketing area that most bus services offered Sao Paolo as a destination which seemed strange as weren't we in Sao Paolo??? After locating an information desk the harsh realization was upon us that we had disembarked our bus a little early.... Sao Paolo was still an hour away and we were in some place called Campina. A mad scramble back to see if our bus was still there with no such luck. So after purchasing new tickets to Sao Paolo we sat down to wait out the next hour before our next bus departed. A little before 7pm we finally had arrived in Paraty, hoping that the centre held the quaint charm and appeal as described not only in the book of lies but also by Elizabeth, the Brazilian lady we had met in the Amazon. Once away from the bus station we came across cobble stoned streets and stone washed houses pleasingly car-free that exuded warmth and character. With a warm welcome from the English owner and a much needed ice cold shower we finally were able to relax and enjoy our first beer/Caipirinha in Paraty. After one morning of sunshine we endured rain and sometimes torrential rain calf deep, for our three days in Paraty. I spent the time wandering all round the city and visiting every shop, so much so that I felt I was becoming a regular as I was being recognized on return visits. GT occupied himself with games, reading and hanging with the hostel crowd, in general just avoiding having to mooch round the shops with me. We meet some great people, girls from Norway, lads from ole Blighty, an Argentinean who had lived in NZ for a year and picked fruit in the Bay, amongst others. Our final night after mastering the game of 'asshole' with drinks flowing we finished up in a Samba bar, Paraty 33, and danced the morning in.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1200689880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1200689880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1200689880/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:54:48 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Cuiaba, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Words fail to describe our Pantanal experience. Definitely a highlight of not only our travels in Brazil but also South America. Although it got off to a rocky start as we had forgotten to send important details to Ailton our guide, such as our arrival date and flight details, we soon managed to get it all back on track. Our tour was over three nights and four days with only one other couple from Italy. We all cram packed ourselves into the small Fiat tight as sardines in a can with not an inch of space left including on the roof racks. As we had arrived the night prior, Ailton took GT and I on a tour of the Chapada area. This is known as the Savannah area where the forests and animals have adapted themselves to be fire-resistant after experiencing frequent fires over many centuries. Complete with amazingly picturesque and refreshing waterfalls as the temperature was sky rocketing to 35 degrees it was a short and welcomed reprieve from the heat. After collecting the Italians from the airport our journey began setting out on a straight road that seemed endless. After 2 hours of driving we stopped for lunch at a traditional Churrascaria (BBQ). Luckily no-one in our group was a vegetarian, it would have proved to be a challenging four days otherwise. Some of the tastiest meat we had was from the hump of the cow. Again fascinatingly these animals have adapted to the sweltering heat and all their fat is stored in this hump to help keep the rest of their bodies cool. Fueled and ready to carry on our adventures we soon hit the Transpantaneira, the infamous road which is only 160km long & mostly red gravel, as someone had the foresight to consider how wise building a road that was under water for most of the year actually would be. Thanks to this dirt trail given relatively easy access, it's dotted with Estancias and Posadas as the Pantanal is predominantly privately owned land. Our first night accommodation was on a rustic Estancia complete with it's own hoard of mossies. Not your typical mossies either, these were vicious and even had the ability to chew on you through your clothes. With the temperature reaching close to 40 degrees it left us feeling constantly dehydrated and dreaming of a large swimming pool filled with ice cold glacial water. There were moments of slight reprieve as we rowed along the river which caused a slight breeze and later in the form of ice cold beer and Caipirinhas made with lots of ice. Our guide Ailton is an extremely talented guy. Completely self taught not only in English, of which he's fluent as well as many other languages, he also knows the call of most birds and animals in the Pantanal and best of all is great on the guitar (also self taught). So our pre-meal time ritual would be Ailton on the guitar trying to coax the rest of us into singing along. On our first night after dinner we set out on a night walk and were lucky to come across a Crab Eating Fox, Capybaras, and to Gareth's delight a Tarantula. Complete with a star filled sky and the company of the resident cat named Jaguar, GT further enjoyed the night walk by tormenting me into thinking I had spiders crawling over me!Unlike our tour in the Amazon where there was a lot of hammock time, Ailton had our tour jam packed making the most of the weather while it lasted and trying to give us the best experience of the Pantanal possible. Most mornings our day began at 5am with bird watching from an elevated tower to taking a boat journey down the river, always being able to enjoy watching the sunrise. Following breakfast we would then either go out on a walk, take the boat or go horse riding. For us the horse riding was a highlight and I eventually got my horse Pampa into a gallop which was so much fun, although the butt felt it for a long time afterwards. I could tell GT was also enjoying himself on his horse, Shardon, as occasionally he would lean back in the saddle with one hand holding the rope in true cowboy style, whilst the other looked like he was pretending he had a lasso (later I learned he was also humming the song 'Home On The Range' to himself). The afternoons were a mix of boating or safari, completed with sunsets and night walks or spotlighting finishing up with music and dancing and on our final night sitting round an open fire. We saw a completely diverse range of animals and birds to that which we experienced in the Amazon. What was special for us were the Toucans, Hyacinth Macaws and Large River Otters just to name a few. We're both surprised at how our interest in birds has gone from zero to a complete new appreciation. We got the chance to go Piranha fishing again, (a different type to the ferocious red ones in the Amazon) and we almost ended up in the river after Patricia caught a Piranha and got a bit too close to it and then panicking caused the boat to rock wildly. Fishing score in the Pantanal: GT 3 Piranhas, Alanna 0. We fed the resident Caiman, Zico, who was found 12 years ago on the verge of death, so now he's given fish daily to ensure he's still ticking along. Zico was more like a dog than a Caiman, coming by calling his name and jumping for his fish but still we weren't game enough to pat him! Finishing our trip on a complete high, exhausted and with my legs covered in mossie bites looking more like welts, our unforgettably fantastic experience is thanks to Ailton. With his dream to own his own piece of paradise in the Pantanal I hope he achieves this. He is an incredible guide who has eye sight like a hawk and hearing like Superman and an incredible amount of knowledge, he truly made this tour special. We will return to the Pantanal in years to come to experience his Jaguar tour as the photos of the Jaguars he's seen in his years of a guide are magnificent. If you're going to the Pantanal then there's only one way I would recommend seeing it and that's with Ailton (website attached).http://www.wildbrazilpantanaltourguide.com/tour.php
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231793700/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231793700/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231793700/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:47:34 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Mamiraua Reserve, State of Amazonas, Brazil

A few thousand mossie bites and a close call with two Cobras and we came away unscathed from the Amazon having loved the experience. We met some great people, had luxury accommodation and ate like Amazonian gods all whilst enjoying the beautiful surroundings and seeing some interesting wildlife.Posada Uacari is a floating eco-lodge in the Mamiraua reserve in the Amazon. Reached by boat an hour and a half from the town of Tefe it's in a beautiful setting. On our arrival the trees were filled with Egrets and the waters teeming with Caimans. It wasn't the active adventure I had been anticipating so it took me a couple of days to relax and be able to enjoy all the hammock time. GT took to his hammock like a duck to water and had no problems with the laid back lifestyle we would enjoy over the following 7 days. Our daily routine consisted of a morning activity starting at 7am, usually a hike more accurately described as a confidence course. Due to the rains the water levels are rising and so the paths were muddy and in some parts were flooded so we were walking along fallen trees at points to avoid the mini lagoons. The mossies were fierce and as Finbar was a diabetic they loved everything about him which helped distract them from us. One of the mornings we visited a local community to learn about how they live in the Amazon and how the lodge helps to provide work and income as well as teaching them about preserving their land and using all the natural resources wisely (I.e. not eating all the monkeys, turtles and selling all the caimans skins). We then had around an hour to shower and relax before lunch, followed by a long siesta. During the heat of the day the animals all hibernate so there's no much happening till after 3.30pm. The afternoons we either enjoyed canoeing down the river which is so peaceful it's an ideal way to enjoy and spot wildlife - except when it's raining and it seemed to like down pouring a lot in the late afternoons. Otherwise we went out in the motor boat searching for wildlife or to visit the lake and return late spot lighting. The spotlighting was great fun. The Caimans eyes in the spot light were like city lights as there were so many in the water, all glowing a bright menacing orange. We also came so close to the Caimans that as they rolled away they set the boat rocking. That and with fish jumping in our boat it kept us all alert. We visited a couple of research stations; firstly the Boto research centre, the study of Pink Dolphins, which was a highlight. The Pink Dolphins are not like your usual marine dolphins as their nose is longer and their dorsal is almost flat. Their natural colour is gray but due to fighting their scars produce pink tissue giving them their pink colour (they fight a lot). It was amazing seeing them in the wild. The other research station we visited and got to see in action was for Ornamental fish, where we learnt how these are monitored and caught, to be sold mostly to the European markets for loads of cash. I also provided entertainment for the group whilst we were looking at an electric eel in one of the tanks. The eel seemed to suddenly light up and I made the comment 'wow it's flashing with electricity', when in reality someone had just taken a photo using their flash. I don't think there will be any job offers at the Ornamental fish station coming my way anytime soon!As Gareth and I were staying for 7 nights we had the additional option to stay in the tree house in the jungle. The lodge firstly gives guests the opportunity to see the tree house to see if it's something they actually want to experience. It's about a 10 minute walk into the jungle crossing the river by boat from the lodge. It's a wooden hut raised high above the ground on stilts where you sleep in hammocks, with only screens to keep the bugs out and the jungle noise to lull you to sleep. Up for a new experience we set out for a night in the jungle. After saying goodnight to our guide and settling in with candles my visions of our Tarzan and Jane evening in the jungle were quickly foiled as the guide started hooking up a hammock for himself. There would be no monkey business in the jungle tonight with our in house babysitter to keep a close watch on us. Falling swiftly asleep I awoke around midnight needing of course to pee. I'm sure if the tree house had had it's very own bathroom instead of a monkey tree then I wouldn't have needed to go! I finally worked up the courage to scramble down the tree house in the dark, braving spiders, caimans and goodness knows what else (the mossies got me on the bum), I made it back to my hammock safely. A few minutes later once I was safely back in my hammock, I noticed a snake. I woke GT up so we could watch this snake slither up our window screen, fortunately on the outside. The head looked tiny so we assumed it was a small harmless snake. It soon revealed itself in full with a thick long body and looked anything but harmless. I started to panic as it tried to squeeze itself in the door through a gape at the top and it was at this point that my fretting awoke our guide. I was now thankful that he was there as Tarzan wasn't looking like he was going to do much protecting. The guide looked as panicked as I felt and soon explained that it was a venomous Cobra. Well that put any hopes of sleep for me out the window, although I needn't of worried as the guide did half hourly spotlight checks of the entire tree house to make sure he knew where the snake and her hubby were at all times. Yes not only one snake but two, Mr. & Mrs. Cobra. Mr. Cobra was even larger but remained pretty inactive, coiled up in the roof rafters. I was happy to be rolling up our hammocks and heading for the lodge as the sun rose although slightly unnerved that both snakes had slithered away before the sun had risen. GT had a good nights sleep, while the guide looked as wrecked as I felt. Sleepless night aside and with enough adrenalin pumping through me to have run a marathon, it was an amazing experience. The jungle is so alive at night with the sounds of frogs, crickets, caimans splashing and other insects but the best were the fireflies who were beautiful and calming to watch. Plus the air seemed cooler, possibly partly due to the heavy rain that leaked through the roof, although only on the spot where I was sleeping directly onto my head.We had a great team of staff at the lodge, namely our English speaking guide George, who was as gay as Christmas and so much fun. I couldn't stop singing George, George George of the Jungle.... every time I heard his name and surprisingly he knew the words too so maybe I'm not the first slightly crazy guest to do this. Also the other guests at the lodge were superb. Finbar from Cork, Ireland, who seemingly has been there and done it all; from picking strawberries in Denmark, oranges in Seville, to working with Refugees in Rwanda and apparently came close to joining the circus in France, he was not only fascinating to listen to but a load of fun. Florence from Paris, whom has now given us more of an excuse to hop on the Eurostar to Paris to visit. John & Eric (USA) the two IT geeks (only professionally) who got on like a house on fire with everyone and are single and keen to visit NZ - we informed them about the man shortage ;-). Elizabeth and her daughter Isobel, from Rio, who not only set us straight about how to make a good Caipirinha with the right Cachaca (the local spirit made from sugar cane), but also told us about a slice of beach paradise, Paraty, which is now on our must visit while in Brazil. Our Piranha fishing buddies, Shayna and Jim, from the USA, where the girls kicked ass in the fishing competition, much to the boys disappointment. And finally Alfonzo (Spain) and Leade (Israel) who were apparently on their unofficial honeymoon with the wedding yet to happen - bizarre. Amazon Piranha fishing score: Alanna 5: GT 3
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231188780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231188780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1231188780/tpod.html Sat, 24 Jan 2009 06:36:11 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil

There's no evidence to be seen in Manaus of it's wealthy past. During the boom of the rubber trees Manaus was a wealthy city with glorious houses and lives steeped in absolute luxury, to the extent where not only did they import French food & furniture, they also sent their washing to be laundered in France deeming everything French as the best. Now the buildings are in a sorry state of neglect and disrepair and the main attraction is the Teatro Amazonia which still retains it's Italian grandeur as it was refurbished about ten years ago (although we never actually saw it for ourselves, we'll take the book of lies word on this one and other photos we've seen). With a far from friendly welcome at the hostel and a make your own bed, return the linen, towels and key to reception upon check-out, it's definitely 'you get what you pay for' and no service with no smile. An incredibly hot and humid oppressive heat keeps us close to the fan which sounds like it will take off any minute but provides some much needed air flow, that and it keeps the family of mossies moving. As it's Sunday and not even the locals can tell us what is open we managed to stumble across a family run burger bar followed by an ice-cream parlor where you pay by the kilo. We finished up with re-packing our bags to withstand lots of rain for the next 7 nights in the Amazon.After 7 nights in the Amazon we returned to Manaus needing to desperately get some washing done and plan the next phase in our adventures - where to after Brazil???? As we were heading out to the Pantanal the following day we spent the afternoon catching up with civilization before joining John & Eric, two Americans we met in the Amazon, for dinner at a local Churrascaria (bbq). A superb night with some great Caipirinha's (the cocktail of Brazil) and a roof terrace to relax it was a great note to end our stop-over in Manaus.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199479860/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199479860/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199479860/tpod.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:32:45 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil

Like me you could be forgiven for thinking Rio de Janeiro is Brazil's capital city but in fact it's Brasilia, a city only 48 years old and the achievement of the late president Kubitschek. Kubitschek wanted a capital city in a secure location free from easy invasion and as such it feels like it's in the middle of nowhere. It was built in the 60s which explains a lot when you look round at the interesting array of architecture and was constructed in an amazingly quick three years. The city is a dream for those of logical mind (it's harder for randoms like me) as everything is in zones - there's a hotel zone, commercial and residential plus it's laid out in the shape of an airplane so you can also refer to areas in terms of the wings, tail and cockpit. Buildings on the east side/wing are even numbered, odd numbered on the west. The residential apartments all look the same and all conform to the same building design so are completely void of personality; an ongoing theme throughout the city. It's basically a concrete mass of ugly buildings and some truly whacky ones too. One whacky example is the president's home which looks like something out of Thunderbirds. What you can't say about Brasilia's architecture is that it's churches are just another church. The Santuario Dom Bosco with it's walls of blue and red stained glass is just incredible, it's a spectacular sight and I especially loved the glass confessional booth - if the priest goes red it's a bad sign for all to see. The other unique church, Catedral Metropolitana, which when it rains it's stained glass roof leaks, is most impressive due to it's curved walls which carry sound around the church so clearly you only need to whisper to be heard by all. We covered most of the city on a city tour which worked out perfectly as halfway through the tour it poured. Thunder, lightening and torrential rain where even the van couldn't cope and leaked in places. The roads were awash with red running rivers as the red clay like soil was washed away. After Rio it all just seemed so dull and lackluster. The one thing Brasilia has to sparkle about is apparently it's restaurants. It's reputed to be a foodie heaven with some of Brazil's best restaurants here. We had planned on trying one but after a trip re-evaluation on our expenditure we no longer felt like going out for a pricey night (burning through cash faster than grass in an Aussie bushfire is an apt description for our bank manager). So instead we used the rest of our time to plan Cuba having a low key and cheap night in.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199322480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199322480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1199322480/tpod.html Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:27:19 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Coming in to land over Rio it was all pushing and shoving in the plane to catch our first glimpse of they city - the windows are just not big enough. When we thought we could just make out the statue of 'Christ the Redeemer' it got the adrenalin pumping. Driving into Rio, of course humming the tune of 'Girl from Ipanema', it looked like a well worn city that had seen better days and it was hard to tell where the Favela's started and ended. When we crossed through the tunnel into the Lagoa Rodriogo de Freitas area it was like stepping into an entirely different city. From then on in it was all shiny and happy with people jogging, walking and cycling round the saltwater lagoon. People out enjoying cafes and the buildings dramatically improved. It seems as if everything on the other side of the tunnel as been forgotten about and left to deteriorate quietly whilst from Lagoa onwards it's flourished. After settling into our apartment located only 3 blocks from Ipanema beach, we set out to feel the sand and test the water. In Ipanema beach if you're wearing more than a bikini the width of dental floss you are overdressed. So going for our first stroll to check it out along the golden hot sands dressed in shorts and a T we definitely stood out. The beach was jam packed with umbrellas and bronzed bodies everywhere where the eye candy was definitely in my favour as 6 packs are all the fashion along with cringe worthy white speedos that not even the hottest of men can pull off. With the two mountains rising at the western end of the beach it's a picture perfect paradise unless you don't feel up for fighting to claim your small piece of prime beach space ;-). What I found interesting about Ipanema beach is that it's divided into zones; there's the zone for families, the gay zone and then the zone for the young and beautiful so it's key to pick your spot wisely. No matter where you choose it's easy to get a drink as there are beer tents along the entire stretch of the beach and in fact the many touts selling everything from bbq'd food to sarongs and jewelry there's no reason to leave. With Christmas in only two days time we sorted out getting stocked up although not many of our usual treats were to be found so maybe Christmas will be cancelled for us this year. To be honest it doesn't really feel like Xmas in Rio, there's a serious lack of decorations and none of the usual Xmas songs being blared from every speaker available. Plus no-one was rushing round in a last minute shopping panic, everyone was just way too relaxed. The first year without a tree I did consider 'borrowing' the one from the lobby but GT wasn't playing ball and wouldn't black out the lobby's security camera so no tree for us.We took a stroll to check out Ipanema's neighbour Copacabana (if you're like me you'll break out into song just at the very mention) which can't actually be reached by strolling along the beach from Ipanema. You get to the Point and then the access round is fenced off so it was through the city streets we walked. We found the beach area much quieter and the water didn't look as clean. There were a lot more artists and people selling jewelry and clothing along the boardwalk. The hotels though have a prime location for the New Years celebrations as most of them have superb roof terraces so those lucky occupants will have great viewing over all the happenings on the beach. Only our second day here and it's feeling like ten days just won't be long enough!We were awoken on Christmas morning by my Mum &amp; Dad calling to wish us a Merry Christmas. A little after 7am and I guess it's pay-back for all those times when I was a kid when we would wake them up at 5am ;-) Great to hear from home and hear about their day. Looking out the window it wasn't the blue sky hot sunny day I'd hoped for but very overcast, I hoped it would clear. The next thing we noticed was that Santa hadn't visited us so I guess that meant we were on the naughty list this year. So sticking with Christmas tradition we enjoyed a festive lunch, well lunch, of Macaroni Cheese and watched some Xmas movies. Needing some fresh air, we thought we'd take a swim so we hit the beach only for it to start to rain. By the time we got back to the apartment we were soaking wet as it was bucketing down complete with thunder and lightening. So instead of Christmas day on the beach we continued with Christmas movies and reading some gossip magazines we had managed to find in English and enjoyed the rest of the evening.After another intrepid day of horridly boring rain we finally awoke to sunshine and did not muck about. It was up and in our swimsuits and down to the beach by 10am. Basking in the rays hoping to turn a toasty golden brown, GT enjoyed watching the girls go by and me the hot hunky fit men who wasted not a scrap of flesh run by! Oh yeah happiest day yet here in Rio, this is what I had envisioned (oops need to wipe off the dreamy look on my face and mop up the drawl from the corner of my lips). It was incredibly hot and the water incredibly cool that we were in and out of the water at least once an hour. I'm pretty sure on one of my dips I saw something floating obscenely close by that looked a lot like particles of No.2s, but hey I was too hot to care and just swam quickly out further with my mouth firmly shut!Getting back into Tourist mode or more accurately feeling like we should see something other than the beach, we set out to see the incredible views from Sugar Loaf mountain (in Portuguese, <i>Pão de Açúcar). After queuing for an hour and a half we finally boarded the teleferico and made it to the top - given that these glass carriages can fit up to 75 people you can appreciate how popular this is. On the way up we spotted the more athletic tourists climbing their way up, I really don't think we missed out on anything there. Once the clouds cleared the views were spectacular and really gave us a feel for Rio de Janeiro (we had been living in the bubble of Ipanema - it's a great bubble though). It's a beautiful city from above, so incredibly green but I guess this could be partly due to the fact that it was once a rainforest. Fair enough I'd want to bulldoze the land and build to hang out at their superb beaches too ;-) We could even see Christ the Redeemer as the clouds cleared which was an eerie sight. Once we had taken in all of the 360 degree views we made our way back to Ipanema and finished our day off in Barro at Latin America's largest mall. The shopping in Rio is amazing, so much so I want to come back with empty suitcases and go crazy. Keeping up with the whole cultural theme we set out on a Favela tour. I think I spent the entire 4 hours speechless. It's hard to put into words exactly what the Favela's are like although mostly they reminded us of parts of Central America. For a start these shanty towns are built on prime real estate affording the best views over Rio with the Rich living below - very ironic. Most have electricity even if in some cases it's illegally tapped, there is over crowding, sewerage problems and crime. They are also not recognized by the government and as such you'll not find them on any maps. The houses are built more sturdily than we have seen in other slums in the world due to the fact that with any heavy rains historically the former mud shacks have been completely washed away. They are excellent recyclers as there is money to be made in something as simple as collecting cans and as the saying goes one mans junk is another mans treasure (or something like that), they have got this down to a fine art. We visited one of the biggest Favela's and it was literally a city within a city. It was completely self sufficient for over 60,000 inhabitants, that's the official stat, unofficially it's said to be 200,000 people living here. This particular Favela only has one road in and out, unnamed streets that are more of a rabbit warren of hidden alleyways and a strong community feel. Each Favela is ruled by a gang and some have drug dealers and others are completely drug free. We then visited a contrasting Favela which was very small and completely free of drugs and with a tight friendly community. A school has been established which is 80% paid for by us tourists so it's good to see something positive going back into the community. A scary fact to learn was that in Brazil schooling is only compulsory from the age of 7 to 14 and they only attend school either in the morning or afternoon so there's a lot of free time on the kids hands. There's a whole political history behind the Favela's which is nothing new but there's no doubting that these shanty towns are part of Rio de Janeiro's identity whether they are recognized or not.New Years eve and we're in Rio de Janeiro, apparently the second best place to be in the world behind New York's Time Square. After a day on the beach where it was so crowded by late afternoon you almost had people clambering over you to get to the water, when the final straw was getting covered in sand, we hit Brasil 1800 one of the few waterfront bars. Obviously a few other people had the same idea as it was packed but they really knew a thing or two about turn over. No sooner had we ordered our drinks they had arrived and we sat enjoying an impressive acrobatic street performance over a Brahma and a Caprivodka. The New Years tradition here is to dress in white and offer flowers to the gods at sea. That explains why in the water today there was a lot of leafy debris. The New Year celebrations take place on Copacabana beach and it's out of this world as reputedly over 2 million party goers see the New Year in here. The beach was packed with families hanging out with a bbq, everyone dancing, people swimming - such a relaxed and happy atmosphere with not a hint of trouble brewing. People drinking responsibly on the beach - not a common sight in many countries - just everyone out to have a great time. It was superb. Topped off with fireworks it was a great way to see in the New Year and a truly memorable experience. Spending our remaining time between the beach and bars our time in Rio came to an end all too quickly. It's such an amazing place that we wanted to stay longer and lose ourselves here for months. Admittedly the only hard part is the Portuguese language, I never thought I would miss using Spanish. At least we know we're coming back here for a few more days and will have to cram in not only more beach time but some more tourist sights as well. At least it started to rain as we were leaving, that made us feel a bit better. 　　　
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1230080820/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1230080820/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1230080820/tpod.html Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:28:08 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Foz de Iguacu, State of Parana, Brazil

Leaving Argentina behind, it was an exceptionally smooth border crossing into Brazil and we found ourselves on Brazilian soil and at the hotel 40 minutes after leaving Argentina. More than the obvious signs of being in a new country; new passport stamp, new money and in this case a whole new foreign language it also felt very different; a lot rougher, not as manicured and with more obvious signs of people desperately down on their luck. Our first mission was to get to an ATM and procure some of the new money and this was harder than we thought. Firstly money machines are hard to find and if you're lucky enough to find them then the next trial will be finding one that works. After beating the sweltering pavements over a hot sweaty hour we finally found an oasis, HSBC, and fortunately after trying over half the machines one actually dispensed the treasure. It's so incredibly hot here, close to 40oC and with no breeze we fully appreciate the need for a hotel with a pool but more importantly the siesta. We wisely chose to spend the afternoon by the pool or more accurately in the pool and to save the falls for the next&nbsp;morning when it's cooler. One thing about Brazil that they have in common with their Argentinean neighbours is their love of meat. The hotel recommended a Churrascaria (bbq) restaurant, Bufalo Branco, where there is a buffet salad bar and the meat is in endless supply. The waiters walk constantly around the restaurant offering the hottest, tastiest meat available on big skewers where they carve off what you want onto your plate. There were even some strange things on offer such as chicken hearts that looked like they may still beat and bull testicles, but we left those for the more adventurous diners. It's true what they say, in that a trip to the Iguacu falls must be seen from both sides, Argentina and Brazil. The Brazilian side is more touristy. You take the bus in then follow a well marked and paved trail to view the falls. Tourist set up aside, it doesn't detract from how spectacular the falls are, the views&nbsp;are simply breathtaking. You get an entirely different perspective of the falls, fully appreciating their width (apparently the widest in the world) and their shear beauty and power. From the Brazilian side it looks more greener and lush. GT just mentioned that Christmas is in three days time, which is so hard to believe, so tomorrow Rio here we come.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229907780/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229907780/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229907780/tpod.html Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:27:42 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Iguazu Falls, Argentina

We traveled from Buenos Aires to Iguacu by bus and this time got to try out Super Cama. This is where there are only 6 seats downstairs and they all recline into full flat beds. With the red wine flowing and as comfortable as if you were lounging on your sofa at home the 18hour journey flew by. We arrived early afternoon feeling refreshed and ready to see the falls. What we weren't ready for was the intense searing heat as we stepped off the bus and it only intensified as the day wore on, reaching it's peak around six in the evening. If you can imagine all the hairdryers in the world on full force in your face or being trapped in a dryer then you'll grasp the energy sapping heat we were experiencing. Fortunately as there's a lot of water at the falls, approximately 1,500 sqm3, it was the best place to be. We started off our falls experience by safari through the lush rainforest and were lucky enough to see our first Toucan. With it's bright orange beak it stood out amongst all the greenery. Next we clambered into a jet boat to experience the rapids and the falls. It was exhilarating and so refreshing. The best part was our first sighting of the falls. We could hear the water before we saw it and rounding the corner unfolded such an impressive and spectacular sight. We left the boat completely soaked and feeling much happier for it. Following one of the many walking trails back we appreciated the view and getting up close to the Coatis, a raccoon like animal that are common in the park &amp; are not shy of humans. After a relaxed evening out we retired to the hostel where a swim is mandatory before bed if you want to get any sleep. As there is a lot to do on the Argentinean side of the park we went back the following morning and were still in awe of the beauty of these falls. The highlight of the day was going down the quiet side of the river by raft where we saw a Caiman and two Toucans, it was exactly what we had wanted to see. After finishing off the remaining walking trails we left the park, having loved the experience. So it's adios Argentina and what an unforgettable experience it has been. Especially our last night in a hostel where upon check-out you had to hand in your sheets! I'm not sure what kind of people their usual clientele are but seriously as if we'd want to pack their sheets, I mean we have enough to carry as it is! Some of the things that will always remind us of this great country are: - superb steak always cooked to perfection- Matte Tea, similar to a green tea but with a whole drinking and social ritual attached- money machines that only dispense 300 pesos at one time due to historical reasons- first class bus services that could teach airlines a trick or two- everything happens on Argentinean time so you need to have a lot of patience
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229648400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229648400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1229648400/tpod.html Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:45:27 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Punta del Este, Uruguay

Punta del Este, the Latin American version of St. Tropez. Easily accessed from Buenos Aires by ferry and then bus, it takes about 5 hours to get there. The easiest way to get around to see it all was by car so we rented a little VW to run around in. Punta with it's seemingly endless coastline of golden sandy beaches is a beach bunnies dream. There is a beach area to suit everyone's needs and with so many options you can always find a sheltered spot for when the wind picks up. This is where the glitzy, glamorous and minted come to vacation, predominantly for the first two weeks of January every year. Apparently during this time the population swells from a quiet 10,000 to 1 million so if anything it sounds like hell. Cars fight for parking spaces and ride bumper to bumper on the roads, we can only imagine that everyone flocks to key beach spots and they're packed on top of each other like any good beach in Europe on a hot day. We expected to see hot bikini clad and speedo adorned goddesses and gods toasting themselves golden by day and partying hard by night. The reality was very different. Most houses and apartments still looked closed up for the season, only a handful of beach bars were operating and the rest were still in the midst of remodeling which seemed to be the case for most of the town. So instead of the party haven we had been told of we spent our few days here cruising round checking out all the beach spots and catching some sun whilst taking it easy in the evenings enjoying stunning sunsets and fresh seafood. It was all very quiet and laid back, not unlike spending time at the batch at home. Sadly not enough sunscreen was applied and the white spots soon were replaced by a pinky tinge, forcing us to take a break from the sun-baking. As with a good vacation our three days felt more like a week. A nice reprieve from traveling but it's back to work again for us.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1228494840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1228494840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/gareth.alanna/1/1228494840/tpod.html Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:58:46 -0500 Taylor's on Tour - America's here we come

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Buenos Aires, Capital Federal District, Argentina

Arriving early on a Monday morning into Buenos Aires we were expecting the traffic to be chaotic, yet we found the streets completely void of traffic and people and arrived at our hostel in no time at all. Figuring that maybe as the Argentinean's in Buenos Aires are renowned for partying hard, they must all start their day later than by normal London standards so we thought little more of it. That was until heading out in the afternoon (after some much needed sleep, given that we had been awake all night for our 2am flight), we were surprised to find the streets still very quiet and the shops still very closed. We realize that siesta time is a key part of life here but seriously this seemed like a long one. Later we were informed by our hostel that it was a national holiday basically to celebrate pre-Xmas (in London known as a Xmas shopping day) this explained a lot. Setting out on foot we explored the San Telmo area and enjoyed lunch along the waterfront of Puerto Madero, unimaginative sushi but with a superb view. We spent the rest of our day, what was left of it, walking the streets seeing all that San Telmo has to offer.Over the next couple of days our focus was primarily on sorting out where to go for the Christmas and New Year period. It's a mission at the best of times but given that we have no current abode it was more of an issue than usual. Finding anywhere firstly with availability was hard in itself, secondly finding somewhere that hadn't sky rocketed it's rates by over 100% - impossible. In between our time surfing the net for a viable solution we explored the city by foot, a weary task as Buenos Aires is a never ending sprawling mass. We took a city tour that touched on the key areas of BA as well as visiting the renowned area of La Boca. Home to the Boca Juniors Football team it was an eclectic mix of art and poverty. As a tourist there are only a handful of streets that are safe to visit and in any case there's not much to see outside of these. The draw card to La Boca is not football (unless you're a football fanatic), but more for the Carminita street market, where the houses are painted in a rainbow of colours and talented artists crowd the street selling their paintings. You can watch live street shows of Tango whilst enjoying a drink or just peruse the shops with their colorful wares. No matter what you choose it's an interesting and memorable place to visit. No visit to BA would be complete without strolling along the shopping hub of Florida, the Oxford Street equivalent. Amidst all the sightseeing I managed to squeeze in some much needed maintenance time to shrug the 'manky' traveler feel I had acquired. Mucho depilacion, a Pedi and a hair-cut (well just a trim) I soon felt human again. With silky smooth locks and legs we set out for a tango show as a visit to Buenos Aires would not be complete without having seen the Tango. Astor Piazzolla was responsible for revolutionizing traditional tango into a new style. Piazzolla theatre was named in his honour and is an intimate beautiful theatre on the main pedestrian street of Florida. Packaged as a tango and dinner show, the dinner was excellent with superb staff, although one cow per person was OTT. When the show finally kicked off it was like watching a combination of ballet, acrobatics and dirty dancing, all fluidly combined into an elegant leggy dance. let's face it, this dance is all about the legs, they seem to be everywhere and if not controlled they could certainly limit a man's future potential at being a Dad. Their dancing is like liquid gold pouring through your fingers. It's so elegant and effortless like watching a leopard stalk her prey. Not enough praise can be sung for how talented these dancers truly are, and to think it used to be the dance of whores and laborers. Finishing our evening thinking of our good friend Carol, we sat at our table long after the show had finished, cleaning up the half finished bottles of red wine on the surrounding tables.....waste not, want not! That was until we were rounded up for our awaiting taxi home. What a superb evening!Half way through our stay in Buenos Aires we needed to change hostels and decided to get the full Buenos Aires experience and move into the Palermo district - it was like a home away from home. Vivian's is a boutique guesthouse decorated in French décor with original wooden floorboards, super comfy beds and attentive staff. The outdoor patio and garden area are a haven away from the manic streets and noise and a luxury to relax in. San Telmo was a fun area but after all the loud buses clambering to a shuddering halt outside our window regularly the sound of birds and the cool breeze were a welcome retreat. In Palermo the streets are wider, greener and the shops are more up-market - think Sloane square. Although on the fringes there are still your bargain stores which offer great value especially with the sales (alas no luck for me). This is where we found the dog walkers we had heard so much about trawling the streets in packs no less than 5 and very obviously forgetting to use the pooper scooper. Yet another day spent walking the streets and putting our feet to the test.After completing yet another postage mission (bit like living in Amsterdam where it was the three visit rule) we finally had shipped off all our cold weather gear as from here on it it's hot, hot and hotter. One of the things I had wanted to see in Buenos Aires was the grave of Eva Peron (Evita). Evita's final resting place is in the Recoleta Cemetery, home to some of Argentina's most important people from politicians, military men, poets, priests etc. We can honestly say we've never seen a cemetery like it. Set in over 54,000 square meters and with 4,800 vaults it's like a city within a city. It's simply incredible with amazing works of art and architectural magnificence. There were hundreds of tourists like us walking the cemetery's streets specifically interested in seeing Evita's vault. We continued wandering around the leafy suburbs of Recoleta enjoying the flea market and cooling our heels at an outdoor café with comfortable loungers. In Latin America the culture is to take a siesta, snack around 6pmish and then eat dinner around 10/11pm at night before carrying on out to party. Well we managed dinner at 11pm on Honduras street, one of the prominent areas for bars and restaurants and then finished the evening off checking out the local bars. Definitely a party town but we needed more lingo to truly get the full BA experience.Completing our Evita experience we visited the Evita Museum. It lacks atmosphere but it was interesting to learn what she achieved for Argentina in her very short life and to see some of her wardrobe. We then wandered round the more greener areas of Buenos Aires until GT's knee started playing up and we had to take it easy - so I took him shopping instead ;-) One pair of 4 inch heels (which after 8 months of flip-flops I'll be unlikely to be able to walk in) &amp; a party dress and the wardrobe had been upgraded enough to be able to party in Punta del Este, Rio and where-ever else the occasion may arise. Whilst we were in the area we went to check out Café Tortoni, Argentina's oldest coffee house, established in 1858. We were asked if we were here for the Tango show and soon found ourselves settled in the intimate theatre within the café. Never tiring of watching the Tango it was a superb evening and a completely different experience to Piazzolla. This show took you through the age of Tango with the music and dancing. Seating only about 50 people you really felt a part of it and the singer and musicians truly made it a memorable performance. The Argentinean's know how to shop. Our first priority of the day was to purchase yet another camera, our third one this trip. Needing a 'point &amp; shoot' that is water resistant for such places as the Amazon and Iguaçu we went to the Alto Palermo mall to buy this. The best thing about it is that we were well rewarded for shopping at this mall. When you spend over a certain value you get a free bottle of champagne so we happily walked away with 2 bottles - now this feels more like Christmas! Sunday is the day to visit the San Telmo antiquities market. All I can say is 'rent me a ship'. I could have made a lot of people very happy with my purchases. It's like stepping back in time where they have all the beautiful colored glasses, original kitchen scales in copper, timeless jewellery and my all time favourite, chandeliers. There's also the stunning artwork of the beautiful Parisian buildings that adorn the city of BA and of course Tango dancers. It wouldn't be complete without the talented street performers from Tango dancers, to musicians to puppeteers and of course the statues. With Gareth keeping me in check we managed to leave empty handed and finished a leisurely Sunday afternoon over an Argentinean lunch of meat in the Puerto Madero area. This area is reminiscent of the Docklands &amp; Butlers Wharf with refurbished brick warehouses set along the water-front. A perfect note to end our BA experience on. 　　　　　　　
]]>