Nosso primeiro dia na “Bonito” do MT! 😍

A vila de Bom Jardim fica no município de Nobres e levamos 2h de carro de Cuiabá até aqui. Estrada boa, tranquila de vir dirigindo.

Fomos direto para a flutuação no rio Salobra no Reino Encantado! E olha: é de fato encantador! A flutuação é uma delícia, no ritmo da correnteza fraquinha do rio, azul e transparente graças ao calcário, que se liga aos sedimentos e favorece a precipitação pro fundo, deixando a água cristalina. A sensação é de deslizar e voar embaixo d’água! Parece um sonho! 😍 Vimos muitos peixes da região: paulistinha, cascudo, piraputanga. As fotos chegam perto, mas não traduzem a integral beleza e o encanto do lugar. Não dá pra morrer sem viver isso! 💛

Depois, seguimos para mais uma flutuação no rio Salobra, agora no Aquário Encantado. Foi uma delícia também, mas um pouco de mais do mesmo da atração anterior, com o detalhe de que o rio estava com mais sedimento e menor visibilidade. Talvez seja porque a flutuação exige movimentos suaves e que não se pise no fundo do rio, justamente pra não levantar o sedimento. E quando muitos grupos já fizeram o percurso na sua frente, pode ser que isso aconteça. Logo, pra garantir, é melhor fazer os passeios de flutuação no primeiro horário do dia!

Na saída do rio, avistamos um mutu macho, esse pássaro preto com um cocar na cabeça kkk, que dizem ser tipo uma galinha silvestre!

De lá, seguimos para o Refúgio das Águas, onde almoçamos num self service no precinho e depois nos banhamos mais uma vez em outro ponto do rio Salobra. Foi gostoso, mas já estávamos cansadas por acordar cedo pra viagem até Bom Jardim e terminamos o dia por volta das 16h.

Viemos pra pousada e, depois de um belo banho, finalizamos o dia no restaurante do Lukinhas, do ladinho da pousada. Parece ser um dos pontos de encontro dos turistas de Bom Jardim. Fica em uma praça em que interagimos com a fauna local: doguinhos, gatos e até galinhas! Kkk o staff no Lukinhas é super agradável, a pizza é boa e a bebida gelada. 

Mais um dia delicioso nas maravilhas do interiorzão do Brasil! 🤠

Like many capitals in Brazil, the center of Cuiabá is quite degraded and it's not safe to wander around in certain areas. We walked for about 2 hours under a scorching sun (the hottest winter I've ever seen!!! 🥵) and then took an Uber to the riverbank. We drove past Vila Cuiabana, which is also abandoned and we couldn't visit.

Afterwards, we sat down for lunch at the Lacerda restaurant by the Cuiabá River. It was delightful to cool off there, where we found shade and cold beer. 😅

We rested in the afternoon in the air conditioning of the hotel, and in the evening we went to dinner at Mahalo Cozinha Criativa, one of the trendiest restaurants in the city, and I’ll tell you: it deserves all the fame it has! Beautiful and pleasant atmosphere, delicious dishes with local cuisine, and an extremely friendly and attentive staff. Without a doubt, it was worth the visit!

Nosso 1º dia em Cuiabá (MT). Muito sol e calor por aqui!!! Almoçamos no Choppão, comida boa e chopp SUPER gelado, numa caneca térmica que deixava geladinho até o fim 😁

Passeamos no fim de tarde no Parque das Águas. Valeu muito o passeio. O parque é bem cuidado, tinham muitas crianças, famílias e pessoas correndo. É cheio de animais também: MUUUUUITAAS capivaras lindinhas 🥰, pássaros, patos e até jacaré (que ficou tímido pra tirar fotos!)

Tomamos uns chopps no Cupim Bar, que fica bem na frente do lago e onde fizemos uma amiga: Lourinha, uma gatinha frajolinha que tava com um barrigão de grávida! 😻

Terminamos a noite ouvindo sertanejo 🤠 na Praça Popular, rua de bares e vida noturna da cidade. 

Foz do Iguaçu comes from the indigenous language of the Tupi Guaraní people and means great water. The waterfalls were discovered by Cabeza de Vaca in 1542, and we could admire them from both the Brazilian and the Argentine sides.

It is said that the Iguaçu is the largest in the world, the Salto Ángel (Venezuela) is the highest, and the Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) are the most beautiful.

The next superlative in Brazil for us is the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant Binational. It is the second-largest after the Three Gorges Dam in China. It stretches around 8km, stands nearly 200m high, and has a storage capacity of 29 million km³. This means that if the dam breaks, Buenos Aires will be 4m underwater.

The capital of Brazil is Brasília

Designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer, it was built in almost 4 years (completed in 1960) and even today gives off a futuristic, rather cool impression. There are no street names; residential areas, business districts, cultural zones, and hotel complexes are divided into sectors.

To realize all this quickly, about 35,000 workers were recruited from the North, who were sent to satellite towns after the city was completed. There is great poverty, crime, and not least the favelas, a climber plant, that favors the drug trade and clan activities.

The counterpart is Salvador de Bahia, which is romantically located at All Saints Bay.

The old town of Pelourinho is characterized by restaurants with excellent Bahian cuisine, Afro-Bahian souvenir shops, each bar features a live band with samba rhythms, reggae, depending on the mood, and the Capoeira dancers, among much more.

Since 1987, the city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with many funds flowing in from UNESCO, projects for street children were initiated, and the old town was colorfully restored in the Afro-Bahian style to stimulate tourism again.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJL6nfu__Q[/video]

Football is life for Brazilians,

when little Uruguay beats Brazil 1:2 in 1950, it is the end of the world. Seven people died, three from heart attacks.

If you say to a Brazilian “sete para um” in Belo Horizonte, he immediately knows you are “alemão.” The legendary football match against Germany in 2014 ended 1:7 for Germany :-))

Politically, Brazil had a president who in recent years gained a bad reputation due to right-wing populism, misogyny, homophobia, and being a supporter of gun ownership. Messiah Bolsonaro was president from 2019 to 2022. Currently, the office is held by Lula da Silva. His name stands for less deforestation in the Amazon; as the founder of the PT Workers' Party, he initiated a tax reform and is significantly involved in the expansion of the BRICS alliance.

Now for the history. The Portuguese were able to expel the Moors 250 years earlier than the Spaniards. The focus was on the spice trade; for example, cinnamon and pepper were very popular, along with the related discovery of new continents.

The Portuguese Pedro Álvares Cabral landed with the caravel, a sleek sailing ship with a shallow draft and excellent wind characteristics, in northern Brazil in the 15th century.

Nautical instruments such as armillary spheres and sextants were indispensable.

The conquest marked the beginning of colonization. Indigenous women were raped, the Tupi Guaraní were forced to work on sugarcane plantations, many died from European diseases, leading the Portuguese to intensify the slave trade from Africa.

The slaves developed Capoeira.

A dance or also a game, fluid movements where one does not make contact. The slaves disguised their training in hand-to-hand combat with it.

The Capoeira circle has been part of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity since 2014.

In the 17th century, the gold rush began in Brazil.

With the Lei Áurea, the golden law, slavery was finally abolished in Brazil in 1888 by Princess Isabella.

On November 15, 1889, following a military coup, the republic was founded.

Ouro Petro means black gold, located in the state of Minas Gerais in the central area of the gold rush region. 800 tons of gold were sent to Portugal in the 18th century, not including the gold, such as gold leaves that remained for decoration in the colonies.

The first project by Oscar Niemeyer was initiated in 1940 in Pampulha. Niemeyer adapted his works to the landscape. Soft contours, wavy shapes can be found in his architecture. The tiles and wall designs are done by Cândido Portinari, the Picasso of Brazil, who frequently collaborated with Niemeyer.

The religion of Candomblé was brought over through the slave trade. One of the gods is Yemanjá the sea goddess that comes from the nourishing deep waters, and her protective energy can be found wherever there are oceans. In Salvador de Bahia, Candomblé is honored and practiced.

Azulejos, the tile decorations in Brazil are hand-painted and signed.

It is a pleasure to watch the artist Tirentes.

Petrópolis is located about 20 km north of Rio de Janeiro. This suburb is characterized by villas, well-kept parks, and the summer residence of Brazilian Emperor Pedro II.

Built from 1840-1845, you can still experience the history in the rooms today.

In Petrópolis, there is also the 14 from Albert Santos-Dumont. He significantly influenced motorized air travel at the beginning of the 19th century.

Finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Christ the Redeemer looks down on us, Sugarloaf greets us, and Copacabana smiles.

Rio is located in Guanabara Bay, and from everywhere you can see Christ the Redeemer. His statue was planned to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of Brazil's independence in 1922. Since 2007, the monument has been one of the new seven wonders of the world.

The almost 400m high Sugarloaf is hundreds of millions of years old and is made of iron-rich granite. The Sugarloaf got its name from the sugar blocks that were shipped to Europe. The sugar was then scraped off for use.

Copacabana, Caipirinha, Aqua de Coco represents the lightness of life.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otu8OAaH9O4[/video]

A completely different style characterizes the architect Santiago Calatrava. He created a theater in the new port area of Rio de Janeiro.

The Sambódromo is a stadium for visitors for the annual samba parade. Participants take part in a competition and parade, dancing 700m past the spectators. The carnival lasts five days and ends on Fat Tuesday.

In the vicinity, there are about 70 samba schools.

Eduardo Kobra, a first-class street painter,

who has also worked with Banksy, here in the Speicherstadt of Rio, you can admire a conglomerate of different ethnicities.

Last but not least the

Famous steps of Escadaria Selarón

in the artist district of Santa Teresa.

Moqueca, a traditional fish stew, is a must-try.

By the way, Brazilians love diminutives, for example, cafezinho, the little coffee, casinha, the little house, or dinheirinho, the little tip.

But back to the culinary aspect. In the morning, Brazilians tend to eat fruit with a bit of cheese and guava jam, at lunch, a salad or a warm dish with beans, and in the evening, very hearty baked potatoes, mashed with meat, or as mentioned above a traditional fish stew with farofa made from cassava, and of course a beer.

Music is for Brazilians much more than entertainment; it is the heartbeat of their identity. Samba or soft Bossa Nova can be heard not only at Copacabana.

#Brazil,#Rio,#Moqueca,#Vakantio,#Katrin Fischbach,#Kobra,#Stairs,#Food,#Banksy,#Samba,#Copacabana,#Sugarloaf,#Redeemer,#Petropolis,#Capoeira

I was accompanied throughout the journey by my girlfriend Joyce, my travel and discovery partner. To tackle the dirt roads, trails, and more rustic accesses, we relied on my 'tank car', as some jokingly refer to it: a Suzuki Jimny, essential for reaching less explored and uniquely charming places.

In the first few days, we stayed in a chalet booked through Airbnb, where we were warmly welcomed by the owner, Denis, an extremely attentive person who shared various tips about waterfalls, trails, and dining spots in the area. Among the suggestions was the well-known restaurant Velho Chico, an experience that deserves to be shared another time.

An important detail is that the Nego Waterfall was about 4 km from the chalet, which greatly facilitated our movement and allowed us to enjoy the outing at a leisurely pace.

The first waterfall visited during the trip was the Nego Waterfall, located within a private property. With the Jimny, we were able to reach the property's main house before continuing on foot along the trail. We were warmly received by the owners, simple, humble, and welcoming people who carefully guided us along the way to the waterfall. A fee of R$ 25.00 per person was charged for access to the area, a fair price to enjoy a true natural paradise.

The owners make a living from dairy cattle, which is the basis for producing the traditional Canastra cheese, keeping a tradition alive that has been passed down through generations.

The walk to the Nego Waterfall was a show in itself. The trail passes through the mountain cuts, in a typical cerrado landscape, with open fields and resilient vegetation. Along the way, we encountered a few loose cows, a simple presence that added even more charm and authenticity to the experience.

As we approached the waterfall, we were enchanted by the beauty of that waterfall. The scene impressed with its harmony, as if every element — the rocks, the flow of water, and the waterfall itself — had been carefully chosen and positioned. The water flowed down with strength and elegance, carving its way between the stones, while the constant sound of the fall filled the entire environment.

Staying there for a few moments brought a rare sensation of pause and contemplation. Time seemed to move at a different pace. The contact with the cold water, contrasting with the dry weather of the cerrado, was invigorating. The rocks shaped by the water's action, the vegetation that emerged between the crevices, and the small natural pools formed different scenes within a few meters, revealing the patient work of nature over time.

Upon returning from the waterfall, we were invited to taste the Canastra cheese produced on-site. While we chatted, the owners suggested a new adventure: follow a difficult access trail that cut through the interior of the land and led to the highest part of the property. From there, it would be possible to reach other waterfall cascades and also observe the main fall from above.

We immediately accepted the offer. The route began with crossing a muddy pasture until we reached a rustic road, allowed only for 4x4 vehicles. From there, the landscape opened up into a splendid view, with a stream accompanying part of the path, making the journey even more special.

Along this route, new waterfalls and natural pools emerged, perfect for cooling off. This second part of the outing perfectly complemented the experience. I was able to capture striking photographs, both from the lower part of the waterfall, near the main fall, and from the upper part, observing the flow of water before it cascaded down the mountain.

All of this experience was made possible thanks to the hospitality and generosity of the hosts, especially Nivaldo, one of the owners, who guided us during this stage of the journey.

The Nego Waterfall marked the beginning of our journey through the waterfalls of Serra da Canastra. This account marks the first of many waterfalls known throughout the trip, each with its unique characteristics, landscapes, and experiences.

An outing that will forever linger in the memory of both my girlfriend Joyce and me, marked by natural beauty, unexpected adventure, simplicity, and the hospitality that faithfully translates the essence of Canastra roots.

Caring and fun team that promotes a ride full of laughter and fun.

Located in Socorro SP

Beautiful house equipped - with a jacuzzi on the heated external deck at 39 degrees.

Excellent for experiencing a magical moment for two.

THE COUPON IS ( jheny10 + special gift )

After saying goodbye to Maragogi, it was clear: next stop, Brazil's Caribbean. Sounds great, right? Well, it wasn't at first. The first beach? Well. More like a cacophony of local noise blasting from 5,000-watt cars. But 20 minutes of walking later: Boom. Palms like from a commercial, hardly anyone around, the ocean stretching to the horizon, everything so quiet that you can almost hear your brain finally winding down.

Evenings: Pasta. Or what was left of it, because: holiday. Everything closed. Carbonara with young Edam - a flavor declaration of war. No matter, we celebrated it like a three-star menu. The pool and terrace took care of the rest – reading, lounging, living.

Mornings then: 8 AM (!) yoga on the beach, sports, swimming in the middle of the ocean. Who are we suddenly? In Germany, I would have barely managed my first coffee by then. Then we headed towards Salvador, stopping at a motel with a view of the river, sunset deluxe. A quick visit to the shaky gym, Caipi in hand – and bam, another unforgettable day.

On the way to Salvador, there was another little highlight of the “light adventure vacation” category: a river, no bridge, just a ferry – and one that looks like it was cobbled together from spare parts of Mad Max. Six cars fit on it, but only if everyone holds their breath. Between the bumpers? Room for a single sheet of paper – sideways. Maybe. Still: no choice. Close your eyes and go for it.

Of course, all of this involves hands, feet, and wild gesticulating, because Portuguese still sounds like a song you can't sing along to. But somehow it works. It always does. Brazil manages it. In its own, wonderfully chaotic way.

Three hours of sunshine, 33 degrees, slight brain melt – a dream.
Communication? As always: a disaster. Our Portuguese remains at the level of a confused elementary school student with a concussion. Back on the beach: loungers, palm trees, soccer, paddle tennis. The full program of decadent vacation madness.
6 PM: Massage. On the beach. Under the palm trees. Even the annoying child has wandered off – probably scared of real relaxation. An hour of sea sounds, palm breeze, and whale songs. Totally absurd, completely wonderful.
Brazil has actually made it. Just barely.

After that: Sport. A whole hour in the gym. Emphasis on 'very large', because apparently Brazilians build gyms like football stadiums. Luckily, I still had my headlamp from the jungle – you never know. Maybe there's an alligator between the dumbbell benches or the trainer is actually a serial killer on a diet. Preparation is everything. Those who don't have a headlamp have already lost in life.

Next: Reading. So pseudo-intellectual flipping through a book to justify that I didn't fall into a food coma right away. Then picked up the car at the airport. Fun fact: Brazilian minutes are like dog years. 5 minutes mean 55 if you’re lucky. Still, everything went smoothly, even though we were close to losing 1,100 euros in credit card nirvana. Almost a disaster, but just almost. We are professionals at having good luck.

Then off to Galinhas, the place where we went snorkeling yesterday. We took backroads to Maragogi, where we found our accommodation. Right on the beach, palms like in a catalog, those thatched umbrellas where you never know if they're made of reeds, deer hair, or unicorn fur. Dreamy. And the best part: 40 Euros. Thanks to a Booking upgrade. Genius Level 3, baby. Years of enduring sham hotels and fake reviews finally paid off.

On-site, small talk with the boss right away. Tours for tomorrow? Bought. But only after we quickly booked an extra night – with a discount of course, because after 5 minutes we pretend we're living here. The beach? White like the backside of a privileged Scandinavian. In the evenings, the palms rise into the sky like designer decor, with warm lamps attached, as if someone tried to artificially recreate a catalog dream. Too perfect to not somehow feel wrong.

Oh yes, tomorrow a massage on the beach. Finally. The plan is watertight. If the massage doesn’t take place again tomorrow, we will finally give up. Brazil will then officially have failed in the wellness sector, Portuguese will triumph like an arrogant Latin fetishist, and English will die a quiet, undignified death in the sand. End of debate.

And then there's the silence. No cars, no airplanes, no hustle and bustle. Just animals that make you feel like you're in a bad horror movie: gigantic spiders that drive you insane with their gaze, alligators that come way too close, and birds that tell you for the hundredth time how fascinating their existence is. It’s breathtaking – as breathtaking as a 12-hour documentary about ants that you have to endure while trying not to destroy the trees.

Nevertheless, it was the highlight of the trip. This nature that we are still granted here is stunning – and almost a little frightening given how little of it we still have. 6100 kilometers of pure jungle that shows us that humanity has not yet destroyed everything. Not yet.

We headed down to the beach of Galinhas, where we were gently rocked out to sea in these charming Jangada boats. Then came the great snorkeling: watching fish, touching fish, getting a brief feel of what it's like to be the king of the seas. A true spectacle.

Back on land, we had another drink, basked in the sun a bit, all very professionally relaxed.

We got back into the Uber, this time with a driver who apparently regarded brakes as a rough concept.

Massage? Of course, that fell through again 😂

Food? Communication was about as fluid as a cement mixer – so quickly on to Plan B: scrounged together something edible from the supermarket.

At the end of the day: Netflix, feet up, all is well.

And tomorrow? For a mere 40 euros, a new room right on the beach. Maybe the massage will even work out this time. But who really believes in miracles anymore?

Instead, we went to Olinda. A colonial neighborhood, beautiful, a bit run down but in that charming way that makes you think immediately: I could throw everything away and start selling Caipirinhas here. We sat on a terrace overlooking the rooftops of Recife and for a moment, life was almost unreasonably good.

On the way back, we rolled past the harbor – weekly market, live music, the usual madness. Two Caipirinhas later, it was clear: staying here would be just fine. Massage? Pushed to tomorrow at 6 PM. Who cares. Tonight, we’ll eat well and lounge around on the beach. The nice thing about Sunday? No cars, Germany should take a page from this.

Recife – loud, wild, huge. And just right like that.

Actually – and I emphasize: actually – our flight was supposed to leave at 2:00 AM. That was the naive dream. The pious wish. The romantic illusion we once called a flight schedule. Instead, it was postponed by the hour. Like a poorly organized children's birthday party. Always nice: 'Just one more hour!' – until in the end nothing worked at all.

Why? Oh, a little fog cloud. Well, 'little' in the sense of: spanning the width of the Amazon, Godzilla could have disappeared in it, and Brazilian aviation collectively decided: 'Nah, we're not doing anything today.' Flights? No. Landings? God forbid. Welcome to the fog of Mordor.

So: flight canceled, mood on the ground. Literally. We then drove to the hostel – which at that moment felt more like a retreat into exile – where we got a 'private' room for the price of two beers and a mid-quality burrito. Four walls, two single beds, and the quiet promise that we might somehow survive it. We then went to sleep since we had stayed up all night. Well – lying on a terminal floor for hours, surrounded by mosquito spray, duty-free bags, and crying children, probably doesn't count as REM sleep.

During the day at least: beach. Sun. Good food. You might almost think life wants to apologize. 'Sorry for the flight fiasco, here, eat something delicious, drink Caipis, and look at the sea.' Thank you, universe. Very generous.

Now – 5:00 PM – we're back at the airport. New attempt, new flight, new luck. Or maybe not. Let’s see if this time any plane actually wants to take off.

You’ll hear from us. Maybe. If we don't get swallowed up by another 'weather phenomenon' first. In this sense: 😌✌️

Daily routine straight out of the survival manual: hiking, setting up tents, campfire, hammock. Eight participants, two guides. The guides were friendly and seemed like they had done this before. Lina was afraid of spiders. Understandable – the spiders were larger than some city apartments. The guides reassured her with words and machetes.

At the fire: Caipirinha, beer, conversations about life and what it’s worth when a spider can jump on your face at any moment. The conversations were deep. Or we were drunk. Probably both. Then night safari: no spiders, no snakes, just sounds one usually only hears in nightmares. At least we were spared from animal attacks. That was nice.

Next day: boat ride, piranhas, caimans. The usual jungle routine. You fish for what bites and pet what snaps. There were spiders. Big, hairy, with the charm of end bosses. Lina was on the verge of seeking a new purpose in life.

At night: absolute darkness. Caiman safari. You drive through the darkness and wonder when you lost control over your life. We found caimans. They didn’t find us scary. Briefly held, petted, photographed. Spiders along the way continued to be obnoxiously present.

Third day: visit to an indigenous tribe. Remote, self-sufficient, very real. The living conditions were… reduced. The dogs looked like they were from a sad documentary. We gave the children food, which felt somewhat meaningful for a moment. Then back to camp.

Last shower, last drama. Back at camp, a hairy giant spider crawled into my clothes – right on my hand. I screamed like a teenager in a 90s horror movie, but the people were quick to intervene and prevented my dramatic demise. Then back to Manaus. Flight to Recife.

Conclusion: Lots of nature, many animals, a lot of alcohol. No one died. Lina thought it was good too. That alone speaks for the program. We would do it again. Probably.

Now to the important things: on this street, there were eight Starbucks, more than in all of Hamburg. In one of these eight stores, we also had a caramel macchiato and clarified the organizational aspects regarding our Amazon trip.

Since we wanted to have a few Caipirinhas at a rooftop bar, we went to the highest skyscraper in the city. About 30 employees worked in this skyscraper, who were solely responsible for the elevators. Unfortunately, it didn't lead us to the desired success, despite all the people. The 28th floor was absolutely terrible. We weren't allowed to enter the 26th floor. The 24th floor was good, just without windows… and why? We had the wrong sticker😂but no worries, we dashed off to have steak and drink some cocktails.

Now it's time for the flight -> Manaus calls.

The laundromat caused a bit of a headache, as the annoying registration didn't work. All's well that ends well? Well, we now have children's clothing because the drying was too hot again. Yay…

By the way, São Paulo has more pizzerias than Rome and the worst traffic chaos in the world. We also prefer to stay in the safe neighborhoods, as some neighborhoods are extremely threatened by theft and threats.

In the evening, we had a Tomahawk steak. So things can't be that bad for us ☺️

At noon, we switched hotels, which also meant dealing with a few small dilemmas. Yesterday, I borrowed a bike from the bike shop, and now I was counting on Uber for luck. My bike was decoupled, and unfortunately, Lina's bike wasn't available. So, back to the hotel. After 15 minutes of waiting as paying customers = finally, Matze came to the rescue. We can't use Uber through their account. Mine was put back a whole 0.5 m, and fees were paid. Lioba's research led us to a quirky bike dealer just 10 minutes away. He provided us with very striking bikes from the underground garage (accessible only to him). Both bikes, well, let's just say, they were something else... Lacking alternatives, I jumped on the bike and off we went towards the airport or rather the other direction on the bike path. Shortly after, I realized that getting up off the bike was impossible. It turned out that the bike was completely painted. Not just the frame, but also the saddle and grips. This paint was now peeling off on us. My hands and pants were sticking to the bike... We’re talking about brown paint on my butt in black pants. It looked like Hans Entertainment had spent the night after his Müllermilch Challenge in the same underwear. At least my pants are now in the trash, and I would have liked to cut off my hands too. Back at the store, I paid a whole 2€, losing my ]]>https://vakantio.de/en/blog/svatzes-weltreise/haste-scheisse-am-schuhhttps://vakantio.de/en/blog/svatzes-weltreise/haste-scheisse-am-schuhTue, 15 Apr 2025 01:36:00 GMT-22.9616546-43.1654625Unfortunately, the very large landmark turned out to be a flop. Christoph, aka the 30m tall colleague on the rock, is really hard to reach. The train was not bookable, and the vans were an absolute organizational disaster. After a relaxed 2 hours, we made it to the top, to a crowded platform at the base of the statue. From there, of course, you have a fantastic view of Rio, but the statue itself is rather... boring? After walking through 100 influencer videos and destroying countless pictures of random dolls, the hangover from the night began. The lack of communication (only Portuguese) also negatively affected our mood. It felt like trying to casually stroll through Media Markt on Black Friday; it just doesn't work. So we “quickly” (1.5 hours) headed back to the hotel, where Lina and I wanted to spend some time for ourselves. I threw myself on the bike and leisurely cycled 25 KM on the perfect bike path through Ipanema and the favelas, a dream. Lina was lifting weights. In the evening, we decided to have a non-alcoholic night for once, went to the Forte from Copa, and had dinner. 

Starting at 2 PM, we treated ourselves to various Caipirinhas at Copa and Ipanema, so the evening turned out to be quite short. By 9 PM, we were drunk in bed; Lins couldn't take it anymore..

During the day, we ticked off the typical tourist spots (stairs, tram, church, downtown, royal palms). In the evening, we drank a few beers and had a very meat-heavy Brazilian BBQ. After a few Caipirinhas and nice walks on the beach, we collapsed into bed totally exhausted. But: the air conditioning is extremely loud, so we 'complained'. We then quickly had to change rooms. The next one is on the street, but it has a quieter climate and is significantly larger.

Just as a side note: English is virtually non-existent here. Many people don’t even react because they don’t feel addressed. That means, with any question (menu, bill, hello, how are you), nothing happens… nothing. What a pity.

So we flew directly and with legroom from Panama City to Manaus 🇧🇷

We spent the first day very relaxed. We went shopping, had brunch, and in the afternoon watched the Bayern game, sneaking in a few naps because we were both a bit under the weather 🤧 (probably from the air conditioning, yay 🥶) and super tired since we landed at 02:30 am 🥱

Our first day in the Amazon began with a jungle hike, where we passed various waterfalls, caves, and other nature spots 🤗🌿

After lunch, we headed to Presidente Figueredo, where we had the opportunity to swim.

In the evening, we were exhausted after over 12 hours of travel 😄😴 and just ate and then collapsed into bed.

The next day started early again, as there was also a lot planned for today.

First, we did a slightly different jungle hike than the day before, during which we saw monkeys 🐒 spiders 🕷️ and other small animals.

At noon, we ate together on a floating boat on the Rio Negro 🤗 and then set out to see the pink dolphins. We had the chance to swim with them, but I was horrified by them 😂 and Magge didn't find the experience so great either. The pink dolphins are also known as botos - which, in my opinion, makes it even creepier 😄 but well, some people liked it, and that's how it should be 😊

The highlight came when we were back on the boat to fish for piranhas 🤩 it was really fun and surprisingly calming 🎣 and we both quickly caught one 🐟

After sunset, we looked for caimans 🐊 and then headed back home.

On the last day, we spent more time in the city. We visited the theater and had coffee ☕️ did a bit of shopping and watched football again 😄

The excursions in the Amazon were really cool, but now we are also looking forward to a few days at the beach and in the sun 🔆🔥 and of course to carnival, because our final stop is: Rio de Janeiro 💃🏼

K&M 🤍

Our excursion today was so diverse, first to Sugarloaf Mountain which was not easy at 37 degrees and after a 45-minute wait, but the view made us forget all the hardships, simply unique. Back in Rio, we headed to Copacabana, a 5 km long sandy beach with countless restaurants. The water was 'only' 23 degrees warm, yet it was a refreshing escape for everyone after work. What surprised us a lot was how clean the city is and that there aren't many dropouts. We continued to the Sambodromo da Marques de Sapucai where the first preparations for the Rio Carnival, which starts on February 28, 2025 and lasts for 10 days, are already underway. Upon returning to our ship, we were greeted with cold washcloths and cool water, which we greatly appreciated after such a long trip. Adios Rio, our next destination is Buenos Aires, Argentina on January 25, so goodbye and see you soon.....................Ernst and Edith

After a one-hour delay due to a medical emergency overnight, we arrived in Rio de Janeiro at 10:30 AM. We then took a bus to the base station of the cogwheel train through the Tijuca National Park to Corcovado. We were certainly not the only ones, so we stood in line for half an hour in 40-degree heat before we were finally allowed to board the cogwheel train, it was so beautiful. The view from the top was simply breathtaking, Rio lay at our feet. We can't even describe this unique feeling. Then we headed to Copacabana, a long stretch of sandy beach that is visited not only during the day but also at night. Now we're back in the cabin and looking forward to a cold shower. Tomorrow we're off to Sugarloaf Mountain, bye

Morning wake-up at 6:30 AM, the sky is overcast, yet it’s already 27 degrees. As soon as we got off the ship, we were greeted by the Brazilian women with their hot rhythms. Salvador, a city of contrasts between rich and poor, with a minimum wage of 250 euros a month. It is said that people in Salvador prefer to celebrate festivals rather than work. Our excursion today takes us to the small fishing village of Praia do Forte. We visit the sea turtle rescue station, which has been protecting them from extinction for years. Swimming in the crystal-clear water was a refreshing break from the summer heat (about 33 degrees).