An American, An Aussie and a Brit walk into a bar

Trip Start Apr 09, 2008

115

Trip End Apr 19, 2009

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Flag of Brazil Sao Paulo, Brazil
Saturday, April 19, 2008

Sao Paulo is completely different to Rio, it felt to me much more oppressive although I am told that Rio is the more dangerous. I felt quite safe in Rio the only annoyances were people asking for money or selling you stuff you would never want in Sao Paulo it seems that everyone is just watching you waiting for a sign of weakness... An example then, On arriving in Sao Paulo I took the metro near to my Hostel and sat on a bench to rest, the back pack is gets heavy after a while. Almost imediately I atracted attention the packback is basically a big sign saying Gringo here please take advantage! So this group of boys were trying to sell their bodies to me, I just laughed along and told them I needed to take my bag to my hotel and then rest a bit first. I wasn't really scared then they just wanted some money. So I set off towards my hostel with my bag thinking it was all ok but one of them ran after me saying he just needed 5 Real for the cinema. I just said no no no but he then started saying that if I didn't give him the money he would get the police, now to me that sounded like a great idea, the police here usually speak English at least a little

Cathedral

. So I said just go then but he just followed me instead, he was getting quite angry. But luckily I got t the hostel and he followed me in but security got him. I don't know how far he would have followed me but I just refuse to give money for nothing! Anyway that was exciting.

The city itself reminds me a little of London other people have said New York but you get the message, it is very metropolitan, full of theatres and art galleries, cinemas and museums although here the word museum seems to almost always mean art museum, not much interest in history here. So I have been to a couple of art galleries got myself some culture but couldn't really manage a theatre show in Portugese, but I feel like seeing one when I get home now. The city is huge you cannot imagine how big 5th biggest city in the world! A group of us went up one of the tallest buildings in the city and the horizon in almost every direction is high rises! I have pictures but you can't see them (may fix that when I get to the US). Oh and also went to a park for a break from tall buildings, have pictures of that too.

The hostel has a social area on the top floor and many people up there played cards or pool, there was also a bar which helped. I quickly made friends with the only English speaking (well almost) people there an Aussie (Stephen who claims the Australians invented pies!) and an American (Jackson who loves hippy hoppy, in joke), along with half a dozen Israelies (South America is full of them!) The three of us spent most of my few days there together and Jackson already new someone in the city so the evenings were rather good because of that. I went to a basketball tournament which was actually very good much better than the football. To a club which was awful but because you pay a fixed price on entry you feel obligated to drink lots, so I did, beers and Caprinia and then whiskey, I kissed one of the Isralie girls which can not have been pleasant for her because I was really drunk by then. I don't remember much but the time went really quickly and I had the worst hang over of my life on the day I was leaving so didn't get much sleep either.

Left Sao Paulo for Curitiba.