Ilha Grande

Hello all!  Bridget and I took a ride from Rio to Ilha Grande.  This requires a minivan ride (2 hours) and then a boat ride (1 hour).  Ilha Grande does not allow for any motorized traffic.  No cars or motorcycles.  The main way around the island, which has some of the top rated beaches in the world, is by boat or by foot.  We took a hike to a waterfall our first day.  Check it out!

                                            Bridget on the boat ride to Ilha Grande, happy!

Jon, after a two hour ride in a van with no ac, now on the boat ride to Ilha Grande, happy?  You decide.

This is an aquaduct that is still in use.  Ilha Grande was a prison island for political prisoners until the 1960s.  Bridget used to live next to Eastern State.  She just loves old prisons.  The island is almost entirely undeveloped.

                                             The view along the trail to the waterfall.

                                                          Bridget in her hiking attire.

                                                                   More along the trail.

                           After a two hour hike (okay, we got lost for an hour), the waterfall.

                      Yes.  That´s me under the waterfall.  An excellent shower after a long hike!

                                                          A great time, well worth the hike!

Back in our room, actually it´s a two story condo, this is the view of the bay with a cruise ship anchored in the middle.  Terri, is that you?

Today, we took a boat ride to a snorkeling spot and a couple of beaches.  Unfortunately, we were not clear on the fact that they didn´t provide snokeling gear and the camera is a little busted.  So, no photos.  Don´t worry, I´ll work something out.  Tchau!

Bridget comes to Brazil!

Look who came to visit me!  I am a lucky man!  This is us at the top of Pao de Acucar.  Sorry, the lighting isn´t great.  We tried to make it up for sunset, but just missed it.  Here are some cool evening shots.

                                                   Check out the lightening strike on the left!

We spent the first day in Santa Teresa and went dancing in Lapa.  On this day we went to Ipanema Beach and then to Pao de Acucar.  Here are a couple of beach shots.  They don´t look all that different from any beach shot in Jersey, except for the mountains.

That´s it for today´s post.  Make sure to check next time, as Bridget and I explore one of the top resorts in Brazil, Ilha Grande!

                                                                             Tchau!

Salvador Sunsets

Olaaaaaaaa!  I made it back to Salvador from Lencois (7 1/2 hour bus ride, neat.)  The Hostel that I stayed at in Salvador was set up for amazing sunsets with a lighthouse included.  Very cool!  Check them out.

                                      Had to throw a rainbow in here too.  Just incredible shots.

The Pool at the Pousada

A 40 minute hike from the pousada takes one to what is considered the pool for the pousada.  Another gorgeous water hole.

This is Karen from Holland.  I met her in Rio and she just showed up at the water hole in Lencois today.        Everyone is running around Brazil seeing the big sites.  You run into people you met two weeks ago, hundreds of miles away.

Tudo Bem, tudo bom.

This is the natural rock slide.  I went down once.  Enough.  It´s a rock.  Not the best on the tailbone.  Some of the locals do amazing stunts on this slide.  They come running down, slide, bounce, flip and amazingly have no injuries.  Crazy.

                        Russ was clearly the best looking 68 year old Englishman at the water hole.

Random donkey at the water hole.  I´ve decided that donkeys are like squirrels here in Lencois.  They just walk around.  Donkey.

                                        THE REFRESHMENT STAND IN THE FOREST.

New and old friends.  This trip is a constant process of meeting and greeting, story telling and relaxing.  Muito Bom!!!!

Lencois

Good Morning from Lencois.  Lencois is the quaint little town that I have been living in while exploring the Chapada Diamantina.  Diamantina means diamond.  Two hundred years ago this was a diamond hot spot.  Boom town wealth hit Lencois, which means sheets, because diamond prospectors were so crazy to get here that they flocked here and only had sheets to hang over trees to call their homes.  It is now a tourist hot spot filled with cute restaurants, fun shops, and nice people.  Take a look.

I went past this church one night and it was rocking.  The pastor was giving a fire and brimstone Portuguese sermon that was off the charts.  A German girl with our group was so confused, ``
Why is he so angry?``  Ha!!  Jesus!!!

                                                     My place, Pousada Dos Duendes.

                    Dogs and Cats are everywhere.  No one seems to own them.  They are all friendly.

Blind Pew joins me for breakfast each morning.  Wants to be around people.  Totally like Hobbes (Lizzy´s cat).

I´ll end this section with Russ and the magic bus.  This is the bus for my pousada.  This is what picked me up from the Rodoviaria.  Russ is a 68 year old Brit out on holiday.  He caught up with his old army mates, whom he hadn´t seen in 50 years in Brazil.  World traveler and a hell of a guy.  Tchau for now.