Old friends...
Trip Start
Dec 23, 2008
1
4
12
Trip End
Jan 13, 2009
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Sao Paulo,
Brazil
Monday, December 29, 2008
Within 5 minutes of being in Brazil, I was mistaken for a Brasileira when a woman behind me asked which country the bags on the carousel where from and I turned around and told her Ámsterdam´ - fabulous! Then I managed to buy myself a bus ticket from the international airport to the regional one, all in Portuguese too. Well done me! My friend Fernando picked me up from the regional airport and drove me back to their place which is where I´d be staying a night.
I met Fernando & Thiago in Rio last year, and were brilliant friends there and we´ve kept in touch since. They were living there at the time, but have since moved back to Sao Paulo. Last time I was in Brazil, I didn´t come to SP - mainly because it´s a huge big city with no beach - unlike Rio! This time, as I was landing here and I knew people, I didn´t head straight out again!
After about 30 hours of travelling, Thiago had arranged for some of their friends to come round to meet me, and he got me on the caiparinhas (Brazilian cocktail) straight away! His friends were lovely, but what I found hilarious is that they had a preconceived idea that I would be stuck-up, because I´m from Europe! They told me this when they realised I wasn´t! Not sure who they´ve met in the past!
Later on, we went to the local garage to drink beer by the pumps - random, but true!
Today, Thiago took me out sightseeing in his car - to the main street in SP, where they´re getting ready for their New Year Party, and then onto a park he described as `The Central Park of Sao Paulo´ - it had a massive Christmas tree in it which was cool.
We were going to do it all again at night, as Fernando had to work today (you should have seen the size of the Christmas tree in his office - see the pic!) and was a teeny bit jealous that Thiago was doing all the fun stuff! Bless! It would be different at night, as everything would be lit up with the decorations etc. Anyway, we didn´t end up sightseeing at night, because I was getting the nightbus to Rio, and they were heading to the coast for New Year - the news reports were showing traffic chaos, and with SP being the massive city that it is, it would have been crazy to attempt - ah well.
Instead, we had to head off early to the bus station - Fernando took me there, as he had booked my ticket for me in advance, so didn´t want any problems - I didn´t have to book in advance last time, as it wasn´t peak season - or New Year! If you´re not Brazilian, you can´t book on-line, so Fernando had helped me out in advance, so that I could actually get to Rio!
Sao Paulo bus station is amazing - Fernando asked me if I was scared in it, and I confusedly said ´no?´ It is massive, but far more organised than Rio´s bus station! The place was heaving, but so organised - as soon as one bus left (the one of 50 spots - that I could see), another would pull in, and be gone within 15 minutes!
Left Sao Paulo just before midnight, and got to Rio about 7:30 - 2 hours late, but that suited me better, as it was already daylight on arrival....now to find Julia...
