20 million people, that's a whole lot!! Crazy city Sao Paulo - not really too much to see (bueno, Interlagos and Ayrton Senna) and quit dangerous. I'm off to more quiter places today. Have to get a hang of Portugese now. E isso nao e muito facil, mas vou a apprender rapido! Tchau. Floris

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It´s true, people who come to Brasil come here for the beaches. In this way Brasil is very different from other countries in South America. Another way in which it is different (besides the Portugese language) is that you see mostly Brasilian travellers here. I´ve come accros a couple of scandinavians but that´s about it. A third difference (and for me the most annoying one) is that Brasil is a very dangerous country. You´ve got to watch your back at all times as robbery´s are a ´normal´ part of life here. All this together gives me a different sense of travelling. For sure I´m discovering a whole different people, different from the ones I´ve met in the last couple of months.

..these are a couple of towns I´ve visited in the last two weeks, after leaving the crazy city of Sao Paulo. Parati is a beautifull old town at the beach, two hours from Rio. Had a great time here with 3 irish guys (yes, yes, it´s definately good sometimes to hang out with Europeans and not having to think about the language). Ouro Preto is a Portugese Colonial town inside the country. Good stuff if you´re into churches & all.

3 1/2 hour flight to the north of the country, Fortaleza
I then took a 3 1/2 hour flight just to cross half of the country (can you imagine how big it is!) I ended up almost at the carribean coast; Fortaleza. I tell you, is wasn´t much to me! For good beaches you´ve got to take a 2 hour drive - the city itself has good nightlive but that´s about it. So after 8 hours in the beautifull bus I got to Natal. Ooh yeah! Again, it´s watch your back but the beaches are definately better here. Tonight we´re off to Chaplin, a popular beach club. Tonight we´re going out with Nilton (Brasil) and Jenny & Disa (Sweden) to the "Chaplin" bar here in Natal. Should be good. Beautifull Brasil - it´s quit an experience. Et c´est tout! Floris

In spite of what I thought, the Copacabana beach really is a beautifull beach! You have to take care here and there but besides that there´s nothing wrong with it (you have to like loads of people of course). I like Rio de Janeiro as a whole. Definately a lot different from Brasils economic center, Sao Paulo!

O Cristo Corcodova & a Pau Azucar (Sugerloaf)
Taking the little electric train up to the statue of Christ, high above the city of Rio, must have been one of the most unforgettable experiences during this trip (ehh, well, amongst many others I guess). This is the famous statue of the Christ, embracing and taking care of the whole of Rio de Janeiro.

The Sugerloaf is Rio´s gift to the postcard industry (quote LP). It´s a beautifull hill rising out of the sea in front of Rio (See the last thumbnailed picture on this page!!!) You can take a cable car ride up here. The views are absolutely magnificent!

Before getting to Rio I spent an unforgettable couple of days in Salvador, in the state of Bahia (1500 km north of Rio). This is the music, cultural & ethnic center of Brasil. Most of the population are black - ancestors of the former slaves. 24hrs a day (reggae) music is being played in the streets, at night there are free concerts and Capoeira demonstrations.

In Salvador I met up with Pablo (Montevideo), as well as Jaime (Barcelona), Michael (Switserland) and Atushi (Japan). Pablo and me bought a couple of Bongo´s and we spent the greater part of the night practicing in our room (to the enourmous pleasure of all our other room mates!) - yes, we´re that good!

After going to Morro de Sao Paulo it was time to leave. In fact, it´s now time to leave South America as a whole. Tonight I´m off to see the Miles family in Florida who I lived with for a year while in Michigan. It has been good - it has been great. Adeus.
Floris