With the time I started to distinguish the different kinds of travelers cruising through Brazil. The main characteristics were:
n The shade of skin colour: innocently white or a dark honey tone?
n The number of woven bracelets covering the arms and legs of a person: independent of neither age nor gender, everyone seemed to develop this affection for simple and a bit folkloric ornaments
n The growing apathy and disinterest: once the brain has reached its capacity to receive new information and stimuli, the traveler would slow down and simply drift like a bird in the wind. This usually would mean spending the whole days in a hostel without moving. Just hanging around in front of a computer, in bed or at the bar. If you tried to propose an activity involving more, the disinterested and resigned expression would teach you better.
n The increasing belief in Lady Fortune: pure acceptance of things the way they are without any attempt to change or to refuse.
One day I was travelling for several hours with a guy without shoes. Despite the wet floor of a boot, the cold air conditioning of a bus and the sharp stones of the pavement, he just walked barefoot with his backpack like a hobbit. I tried to be funny and made a joke:
- “Did you lose your shoes?”
A peaceful look full of Nirvana spirit:
- “Yes. Somewhere…. 2 days ago….”
It took my friend another 2 days to cover up his lower extremities.
RIO DE JANEIRO
I stayed in a huge hostel at the Copacabana beach. It was a constant party place with rooms of 24 beds (!!!) and, again, full of English fresh from school.
Straight from the beginning I had the feeling of
participating in a chess game. Your movements around the city were strictly limited according to the chess piece you got assigned to. For me, being a white, female foreigner, Rio only consisted
of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and Santa Teresa. Partying and going out after dusk was only allowed in male company without any valuables on you. All these rules did make you a bit paranoiac,
nevertheless Rio was an absolute highlight of my route!
Samba and Bossa Nova live every night, great juice bars with
around 40 different kinds of exotic fruits ready to be squeezed, markets with great jewellery and purses…
Of course I did not miss out on any tourist attractions, like the sunset at the Corcovado. Simply breathtaking!
What made Rio very dangerous was the fact, that you had nice districts right next to the favelas drowning in poverty. For some it was a troublesome point, for some…pure tourist attraction. Every hostel offered the so called “Favela tours”. Closed and safe in a car you would drive through a favela. Similar to a safari, only here you had real people playing the monkeys. Our hostel brought me in a state of shock by offering a “Favela Funk Party”. For 65 reals (around 22 Euros) you would get the chance to party with the locals from a favela. The price included the transfer, security and a separated VIP area. Not sure what you think of it, but for me it was just sick!
After so much city stress, I decided to take a break somewhere on a nice beach.
ILHA GRANDE & PARATY
Have you ever seen the commercial for Bounty
promising you the paradise of pleasure? Well, I am sure the film location was one of the beaches of Ilha Grande!
Fine sand, soft waves, palm trees heavy with coconuts and
…. couples everywhere. This island was made for pure relaxing, eating, drinking and making children I guess. J
