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From Diary 3.
1 .
Just like the sun, I’m
up early. That give me one hour to explore the beach and lagoon, 500 metres
down the road. It is vide, white and clean. Only a single type of shell, and
little else. A few fishermen are preparing. Their flat dinghies are used to
transport the nets out to the larger boats.
I do a short lop in the town, but then find the lagoon out of town. Some
white herons are nesting here, besides from them, it is so quiet.
I’m back to the little but intense buffet on the dot.
I had three old colonial towns lined up, but taught by yesterday’s time
pressure, I skip one. Might not be the right one, but the one with the
longest drive.
I start along the beach, allied by palms and banana plants. Then a bit inland
through huge and steep hills with grass and Indian oxen. When the hills
flattens out, huge cane plantations take over.
The first stop is Laranjjeiras, 400 kilometres down the coast. If you
can say, a town "have gone on date", this sure have. I might be spoiled, but I
find nothing interesting, not even coffee or dinner.
Well, next sight is yet another old colonial town; Sao Cristovao, not
that far away. On the
way, I see one of the spotted little wild cats
along the road, but fail to get a photo.
I thought my hotel were here as well, but the GPS point is
for the town - again. I have overwritten the hotel's coordinates. I enter the first
shop, and a real helpful lady leads me next door to the town’s cultural
centre. Here is another real great guy, who call the hotel and give me Wi-Fi
access. He get the GPS coordinates, and it aligns with what I found online.
Meanwhile, the lady have brought me bread and local produced coffee. Both
great.
Then, it is time to see the fourth oldest town in Brazil. Here
are many well
preserved colonial houses and some nice green areas along with several
churches.
I make a stop at a cafe, and is immediately recognised. Well, I'm the only
non-South American in town, I guess. I do another loop in the cobblestone
streets, and are pretty much greeted by everyone. I wished we had towns like
this in Denmark.
Then
it is a good hours drive to
the hotel at in Pontal, right down to the mighty Rio Real - which is
kind of a fjord. I get a good but expensive dish of pasta by my host. While it is being
prepared, I make a stroll along the riverside in the real short dusk. Mainly
small canoes in the clean water.
It have rained several times during the day, and the evening start with a
rather constant but light rain.
Highlights of the day
2.
 I’m ready to explore
the riverside at first crack of light, but the rain keep coming down rather
strong, and I can’t be bothered with the riverside then.
Breakfast at seven, and it is interesting, as it is not only local dishes,
the ingredients are unknown to me. But it tastes great, and worth waiting
for.
Then towards the nearest ATM, which I know will serve me, 165 kilometres
south. It is almost constant rain, and I pass two crashed cars with people
around. It is a beautiful
 area and drive, in wild hills. Some parts are
forests, and here are several “monkey bridges” which according to the signs
are for three fingered sloth.
I actually find a dead one, right next to one
of the bridges. I doubt, they use the bridges: Their habit is to spend a week
in one tree, then climb down to the ground to have a dump, and up the next
tree. They don't climb from tree to tree.
The ATM is in a holiday town at some lakes, but a bit empty, despite it is
weekend - well, and rain.
Then I head for my hotel in the huge city of Salvador. The last wild part of
the road is through huge sand dunes with a few cacti.
The hotel in central Salvador is a nice old city mansion, right among
my sights, and I can park right outside. I drop my things, and start exploring. Without really trying to, I
just walk from one sight to the next. And pretty much all buildings
in-between are worth a photo.
A single heavy shower hit the area, and the shopkeepers get busy. I seek
shelter in a restaurant which unfortunately doesn’t serve anything without
animals in, nor coffee. But they are hospitable, and I stay put, till I can
head on under my umbrella.
A coffee break in front of the oldest church in brazil,
 on a fancy square.
Then I head down to the harbour, with its wooden fishing boats. It is 60
meters down, and a huge de-tour.
At the
Mercado Models next to the harbour, I finally find some lunch. It is a huge
serve, but then again: I have eaten way better for a six of that price.
Before I'm finish, the market gets to close. Didn’t see that coming. Well,
they should open at nine in the morning.
I am really surprised about how few, who speak
 just a little English. It is
a relief, when they speak Spanish like my host, whom is from Argentina.
Just to have something to hunt, I look for a “sidecar” for my belt-bag. I do
find some, but their prices are ridiculous: three times what I paid for the
bag. This is sure tourist country, although it is Brazilian tourists.
I do a big loop the other way around the wall behind the harbour. This is
not where the tourists go.
Back in the old centre, I sit out another shower with a coffee, listening to
the rather good band, a few bars away. One more drizzle, one more coffee,
and then I am home at dusk.
Highlights of the day
3 . I find the tram, leading down to the harbour area. It is for free
downwards, it seems. I sign say: Use Mascara and show a mask. I have either,
and neither does the other man. It is an real old tram, but it does the job.
On one square, the huge trees are covered in epiphytic cacti: Rhipsalis.
Here are several huge art pieces. One is large hands with South America and
- eah.., another area.
I
 see Marcado Modela, which is disappointing souvenir-vise, but a
great building. I'm sure it was the old fishmarket. I walk around the
harbour, which have mainly wooden boats. None real big. When I have seen the
interesting part, I find the tram, which now have a long line. 36 in every
tour, and I look at people while I wait. And it is faster then the de-tour
around for sure.
I
pass three sculptures of what to me look like the Easter bonny gone
wrestler. Probably something else... I do the tourist area once more, and
get to buy some colourful glass pearls. I am actually hunting D-rings for my
new belly-bag, and figure I have to walk down to the mortals part of town
for that.
This is down from the fancy tourist part, on the other side of the mountain
from the harbour. Here are so many great looking old houses as well, but
only locals. I even find a huge range of D-rings.
I find a large market with colourful dresses for girls, household, hardware,
mannequins, ruins, smiling people, plants, and food in every form. It is one
main street and only a bit into the alleys.
I
eventually find my way back the the fancy old town, and see it all. One
house is covered in plants and empty inside. But her live hummingbirds and
agamas along with many insects. Some houses
 have the gables covered in
tiles, one doorway is from 1501 - which sounds odd. But it might be
re-cycled from the old country?
One area have a lot of instruments, another the leather shops. I find a
"side-car" for my belly-bag, and only later discover how mouldy it stinks.
At dusk, I head back to the hotel for the car, they out near the airport to
return it. He examines it really thoroughly, but can't find a scratch. Then
I wait over an hour for the lift to the airport, but I got the time. And
four hours more to spend my last Real on plenty of food.
I have driven 3959 kilometres, made 2022 photos and spend 11,000 DKK/€1460.
It have been a real pleasant surprise. I had not expected that many nice
people, and especially not that the country was this clean. I had hoped for
a bit more desert, but the nature was nice.
Highlights of the day
HIGHLIGHTS
FROM BRAZIL
|
Expenses |
DKK |
Real |
€ |
|
Flight (part) |
3873 |
2656 |
516 |
|
Insurance (1/5) |
120 |
82 |
16 |
|
Car + insurance |
1593 |
1093 |
212 |
|
Petrol |
2079 |
1426 |
277 |
|
Park & Toll |
337 |
231 |
45 |
|
Hotel |
1792 |
1229 |
239 |
|
Stuff |
193 |
133 |
26 |
|
Food |
961 |
659 |
128 |
|
Admission |
11 |
8 |
1 |
|
Total: |
10959 |
7516 |
1461 |
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