CHAPADA DIAMANTINA!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Welcome to the Chapada Diamantina!!!!!!

This national park covers a space the size of New York State.  It is simply HUGE.  Mountains, waterfalls, caves, blue pools, it has it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have, over the last three days, been the star of my own Indiana Jones film.  Fantastic.  I have hiked to the point of total exhaustion, and loved it.  This is on par with the Grand Canyon, in terms of visual beauty, vastness, and the sheer wow factor.  I am in love with Brazil.  Eu amo Brasil!!!!  Take a look at these amazing shots (and the photos don´t do any of these sites justice).

Day 1 - Visitors of the Natural Treasures of Brazil

The Little Silver Pool

Check out the little fish around my feet!

                                        Underwater shot!  Yes, Bridget, the camera works!!!

                         Crushed shells give the water the blue appearance.  It is an illusion.  Beleeza!

Part Two - Gruta do Lapao

An amazing mile long cave exists with incredible features.  Inside it is enormous like 6 Astrodomes linked together, one after the other.  The pictures cannot pick up the vastness of the space.  We sat in the dark at one point with no lights on.  This was an altered states experience.  Are my eyes open or closed.  No light.

                                                                  To the Cave!

And they made it out!  I cannot capture anything near the experience of being in this grotto.  It was a dreamlike experience.

Part three - The Top of the World - Morro do Pai Inacio

Here it is, the Grand Canyon - Brazil!

                    First, a beautiful flower.  Amazing!!  That´s all I say, all day, everyday!!

                           It´s a gag.  I´m standing on a very secure and wide ledge.  Ha!!!!

                             At the end of the day, it´s back to the Pousada to chill.


                                             Join our hero next time for Day two. TCHAU!!!!!

Bom Dia Salvador!!

Salvador has great history.  It has a mostly black population, as it was a gateway port for the slavery that existed in Brazil´s history.  Lots of churches, museums, and much to see.  Take a look.

Clearly I am a tourist.  These ladies in traditional garb, ask for 10 bucks a piece for a picture, and there are a lot of tourists!  Val, you may want to relocate.

                                    This is a typical street view in the historic district, Cidade Alta.

Beautiful.  These are the streets on which Carnaval is celebrated in Salvador.  The street party, rather than the presentation at the Sambodromo, is the norm.  People pay admission to receive a t-shirt.  They wear the t-shirt as their ticket to the party.  I guess it keeps a certain element out.  You have to pay to be involved.

                             Here is one of the Igreja de Sao Francisco.  Take a look inside.

Below the Cidade Alta is the Cidade Baixa.  If I haven´t mentioned it, Salvador is hot.  Significantly hotter than Rio.  Cidade Baixa is hotter than Cidade Alta.  The lower city became the working area and the upper the living area.   See below.  This is the Lacerda elevator that connects the two.   Pretty cool.

                                                 Lacerda elevator.

                                                                    Cidade Baixa.

Carved panels by Carybe, Bahia ´s most famous artist.  These are the gods and goddesses of Candomble.

                                                             A fountain in Terreiro De Jesus

Got to go.  I think I need a swim.  Tommorow I head to Lencois, a 6 hour bus ride to the country.  Oh, here is the view from the front of my hostel in Salvador, Che Lagarto.  This is Barra Beach.

                                                                   Tchau for now!!

Travel Day

Hello all.  Well I finished up my week at the beach.   The mixed English and Brazilian group changed to an all Brazilian group and me, for one of those days at the beach.  I have never been so quiet.  The speed at which people, any people, speak in their own native tongue makes it difficult to pick up what is being said.  However, they made every attempt to bring me into conversation and keep me connected.  Truly great, caring people.  On my final day with this group, I was presented with a gift of Havianas (flip-flops) from Will, who knew mine were stolen and wanted me to leave with a way to remember them.  What a way to be nice to the Gringo!  Much appreciated.

Yesterday, I got the Brazilian equivalent of Montezuma´s revenge.  Lovely.  Today, I´m better.  I flew and slept and am now in Salvador.  I am looking out the front of my hostel at the Ocean.  Beautiful view.  Just spoke with one of the owners of the hostel.  He grew up in Philly, 21st and Spring Garden.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  This is good, because this hostel has very few English speakers.  Salvador is more of what some would call the Real Brasil.  I plan to explore some, but I leave in a couple of days for Lencois to explore the Chapada Diamantina.  Hiking, waterfalls, all that outdoorsy stuff.  I will take more pictures and post them.

Also, for those who were wondering, yes everything they say is true.  The Brazilians, men and women, are beautiful.  A day at the beach is like visiting some bizarre model and athlete convention.  Wow.

Lent Shment!

So, Carnaval, a period of recognized excess leads to Ash Wednesday and the stoppage of such excess.  Verdad?  Nao.  The new crew from the Ipanema Hostel went to the Bloco.  We were targeted for theft.  Three pairs of shoes were stolen and an I phone.  Part of the experience.  Unfortunately, the I phone was stolen from one of the girls from Sao Paulo.  The Gringos expect it, but not the Brazilians.  See what you get when you hang with gringos.  Still, we had a wonderful time.  Great music.  I can always buy new shoes.

 

 

Ipanema Hostel

Hello all.  I moved on the 13th to the Ipanema Hostel.  I was previously at the Santa Teresa Hostel.   During Carnaval, Santa is in the middle of all of the action.  After carnaval, the beach is the place to relax. Take a look at these photos of the beach this morning.

The Rio Triathlon is coming up.  These are swimmers practicing their ocean swim.  No.  I am not going to enter.

Muito Linda!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My current running American joke, that everyone is sick of, ``Will you please pass the Godam milk!``  It´s just hard to get through breakfast without saying it.   Ate logo.