Let´s hit the beach.Brazil has good beaches,right?
Trip Start
Jan 03, 2007
1
2
30
Trip End
Apr 05, 2007
Paranagua,
Brazil
Saturday, January 6, 2007
Hola toda familia!
WE bumbled out of Curitaba early in the morning. Jules is the researcher ... knowing where we want to go ... Sarah is logisitics manager esepecially in terms of transport and I am meant to be the communicator!!! we look quite a sight laden with our back packs and travelling on the local transport - buses, metro etc. We are off the beaten track and people have been so friendly and helpful. There is no hassling and jumping on us to buy or bargaining .... which for the gals is a big difference from the far east. We left early in the morning and took a 6 and half hour bus ride to Curitiba through lush countryside .... in fact it reminded us of KZN ..... rolling hills - so much of the same sub tropical vegetation ... flamboyants, feather duster, duster trees. Jacarada;s .. acacia types, tibuchineas (sp???} even strelitzias!!. ... twas very beautiful!
Curitaba is famous for being a model local council with everything working well. We were impressed with the bus system. There was a high influx of European and Japanese residents. We came to the old part and found a cheap holtel on the plaza of the cathedral .... very stunning view from our room. we wndered around the old University part of the town which was full of students and drinking places on the cobbled streets and admist beautiful old architecture.
The big pity is that it is raining!! Bit of a damper! WE are off soon to the coast (1hr bus ride) wE were going to catch the train for a aoparently stunning ride ... but in this visibility we thought better of spending the extra bucks!
The port town is Paranagua and full of history ... from there we are going to the Ihla do Mel (honey isle) .... IF the weather improves. I am desperate for a few days to unwind and enjoy the sea before we say farewell to the coast and head for the mountains!
OK adios!
