Family Blog

Yesterday we went to the canyon of Itaimbezinho, one of the canyons in the south of Brazil. The road to the national park of "Aparados da Serra" where this canyon is placed was mostly unfortified. We had rent a VW Gol and the way the national park was a little bit exhausting for us because we can't drive fast. The Brazilian driver seems to ignore the condition of the road - we were passed several times.

The walk around the canyon was beautiful. You walk through rain forest (the Mata Atlântica) which were covered with moss and kind of grass (it seems to very humid most of the time). After 3 km of walking you have a good view down the canyon, about 700 meters deep.

On the way back we saw some skateboard driver on the road (some parts of the road were asphalted). Some minutes later a car comes up the hill with the skateboard drivers in tow. And the next downhill race starts. One skateboard driver we tried to follow but had some problems because he was too fast for us. But on the end of the asphalted road we got him.

We used the intercity bus from Curitiba to Florianopolis and arrived the day before yesterday in the late afternoon. Yesterday we explored the north of the island. Floripa has many, many beautiful beaches but unfortunately it was too cold for us to go into the water (it is winter here in Brazil). But the sun was shining and we walked along some beaches.

Today we went to Praia do Rosa and Imbituba to watch the whales. But the weather was cloudy and the sea a little bit stormy and no whales in sight. So we went back to Florianopolis. This time we went to the South of the island.

We used the Tourism Line to visit Curitiba. With this bus line you have the choice of 5 places of interest. One of our choice was the Oscar Niemeyer Museum - a great architecture.

One of the other attractions for us were the bus station - they look like a docking station for the next trip to the moon. Curitiba has a very good bus infrastructure and got the Globe Sustainable City Award in 2010.

On Sunday we visit the Iguaçu Falls, one of New Seven Wonders of Nature. The length of the whole waterfall is about 2.7 kilometer and you first saw the smaller part of the falls. And also this part is very impressive. The trail on the Brazilian side ends at Devil's Throat where a pedestrian bridge goes over half of the river and you can see (and feel) the amazing waterfall (about 80 m high). Independent from the weather you are wet when you go back from this bridge but it is worth to.

Near the Iguaçu Falls there is also a Bird's Park with many exotic birds from the near in a natural environment. Together with the waterfalls I took over 500 photos at this day.

On the 2nd day in Foz du Iguaçu we were in a churrascaria where you get grilled meat. Several meat waiter run around with a skewer with different sort of meats (or even grilled pineapple) and they will cut of a piece at your table if you want. It was a delicious evening.

Rio is after São Paulo the largest city in Brazil, but with much more green areas and lovely places. On the most famous view points, the Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue you have a great view over Rio and the Copaccabana. The trip to the statue with a cog railway (made in Switzerland) takes you back in time and is an experience you don't forget.

The ideas you have as European from Brazil you'll find most of it at the Copaccabana. The beach is full of life and in the evening you see people jogging or doing other kinds of sports, you see teams playing soccer or beach ball - no wonder Brazil is so good in these sports.

Our next destination is Salvador da Bahia - completely different than São Paulo. It is also a busy city but with colorful houses in the historic part. Many houses are renovated and the historic centre was declared in 1985 as World Heritage Site by the UNESCO.

Most of the Brazilians here have African roots and you can see a lot of African arts here. And you here a lot of music if you walk thru the streets. At some places you can see also men practicing Capoeira, a unique mix of dance and martial art.

One of the topographic feature is the division in a upper and lower town which is connected by the Elevador Lacerda, since 1873. The trip from the upper to the lower town costs only a few cent and is the fast way to get down to the ferry.

São Paulo is a big city with many skyscrapers and cement. But there are some nice places you should visit. One of it is the Catedral da Sé which looks like a big gothic church but which was built in the last century (from 1913 till 1967).

The Edifício do Banespa is a scyscraper with a viewing platform on the 35th floor. There you have 5 minutes to enjoy the view over São Paulo. But before you can enter the platform you have to show your passport at the entrance of the building.

Yesterday you could see the first reports of the protests in Brazil. One of the cause of the protests was the price rice of the public transportations. But the real cause of the protests is the dissatisfaction of the people with the politics - too much tax and too much corruption.

For more info you can read Carmen's article (in German) on aufschrieb.blogspot.de. She is studying in Florianópolis in the south of Brazil.

Last week our daughter started her flight to Florianopolis, Brazil where she will stay for one semester. Now she has arrived safely in Brazil. But she had to wait for more than 4 hours for her new home till somebody comes to let her in.

Welcome to Brazil