Monday 6^th March 2017

Sao Paolo. City Tour with Monika the guide. Very interesting architecture all around with Sao Paulo being a relatively new city. Even the Cathedral was built in the early 1900s with money from Portugal. Lots of works from the architect Oscar Niermeyer (sp?), with a fabulous painting of him up the side of a skyscraper. 

 

Interesting statue from Victor Brecheret of all the nationalities who colonised the area – indigenous, Africans, Oriental and Portuguese dragging a boat (portage).

 

 

 Passed the Tropic of Capricorn – didn’t stop – one little crappy sign at side of road.

 

On way to airport stopped at an ‘all you can eat’ Brazilian Churrasco restaurant. Stuff yourself with salads, and the waiters come round the tables constantly, carving off large slabs of beef, lamb, sausage, ribs and other less known animals.  Very tasty! Cost about 40R (Real) each i.e. £10. Mega-bargain.  Also very surprising as food etc in Brazil has been very expensive – about  same cost as London pricing, even in small towns.

Flew to Iguassu.

Collected by new guide Joao/John and to Hotel Continental Inn – very posh.  Still mid-30 degrees and quite humid so straight to pool and buckets of beer whilst floating in very warm water. Joined by new couple to our group – Mary from Australia and Susan from Canada. Found out that Susan actually originally from Sandown IOW – small world. They had previously known Gunna from a tour across South America in the 80s and hadn’t seen each other since. Few more beers needed.