Posted by: Jonathan
So it has been some time since our last post - we have been waiting for something with a bit of substance to post about. Not that we don't have an adventure everyday but for the past two weeks the adventure substance level has been that of popcorn (the tasty movie theater kind with butter in the middle and top) but today the substance level went to steak and fully loaded baked potato (yes we miss normal food that much).
To bring you up to speed and build some suspense we will start out talking about the popcorn adventures. We said our goodbyes to the animals and caught a night bus from Rurre to Trinidad where we spent the day relaxing by the local swimming hole and exploring the town via scooter (Jenn has Harley fever after one lesson - she broke into second gear).
So it has been some time since our last post - we have been waiting for something with a bit of substance to post about. Not that we don't have an adventure everyday but for the past two weeks the adventure substance level has been that of popcorn (the tasty movie theater kind with butter in the middle and top) but today the substance level went to steak and fully loaded baked potato (yes we miss normal food that much).
To bring you up to speed and build some suspense we will start out talking about the popcorn adventures. We said our goodbyes to the animals and caught a night bus from Rurre to Trinidad where we spent the day relaxing by the local swimming hole and exploring the town via scooter (Jenn has Harley fever after one lesson - she broke into second gear).
From there we pressed on with back to back overnight buses to Santa Cruz. We spent three days, $280, and about 87 miles on foot running errands to obtain our Brazilian Visas. I would have added 10 hours of waiting in line at a bank but luckily the classic "I am not from here and don't know what I am doing" routine worked flawlessly. There were about 200 people in the bank waiting for various things each with a queue number printed from a computer kiosk located in the center of the bank. I strolled up to it and began clicking - it gave me three options for lines I could wait in. Not knowing which option was for transferring money to the Brazilian consulate's bank account - I chose all three... After printing out three separate tickets I thought maybe I should print Jenn out one in case we can't pay together... Standing in the center of the bank now with six tickets, a guard ushered me to an open counter before I caused more amazon rain forest destruction with my ticket printing fetish.
A few days later, armed with Brazilian visas, we took the "death train" to the Brazilian border. It is called that due to the unfortunate combination of people riding on the roof and frequent derailings. Neither which occurred on our 2pm train or really in the past 5 years but the name has stuck - which helps keep the ticket prices down. We walked across the border from Bolivia to Brazil which was straight forward (had to wait a few hours for the border guards, who slept in, to come into work and open up the country to us).
This is where we witnessed our first "locked up abroad" moment. At the first police checkpoint in Brazil a young, nicely dressed guy on our bus was pulled off along with some others. They were all searched, papers checked, and their luggage pulled out and searched. From my window I watched the officer empty the contents of the suitcase, feel out the false bottom, and cut it apart with his utility knife. Pealing away the layer revealed two large bags of cocaine. I almost felt bad for the guy laying on the asphalt being cuffed - wondering what he was getting paid if he had made it, if he had been set up as a decoy, or if he really contemplated the penalties of trafficking.
A few days later, armed with Brazilian visas, we took the "death train" to the Brazilian border. It is called that due to the unfortunate combination of people riding on the roof and frequent derailings. Neither which occurred on our 2pm train or really in the past 5 years but the name has stuck - which helps keep the ticket prices down. We walked across the border from Bolivia to Brazil which was straight forward (had to wait a few hours for the border guards, who slept in, to come into work and open up the country to us).
This is where we witnessed our first "locked up abroad" moment. At the first police checkpoint in Brazil a young, nicely dressed guy on our bus was pulled off along with some others. They were all searched, papers checked, and their luggage pulled out and searched. From my window I watched the officer empty the contents of the suitcase, feel out the false bottom, and cut it apart with his utility knife. Pealing away the layer revealed two large bags of cocaine. I almost felt bad for the guy laying on the asphalt being cuffed - wondering what he was getting paid if he had made it, if he had been set up as a decoy, or if he really contemplated the penalties of trafficking.
From there our bus rambled on (one passenger less) to a transfer town (where we missed our connection) and we were forced to find a hotel for the night. Out of money, the hotel owner agreed to drive me around to find an ATM if we stayed with him - fair enough. On our ride around town he roars up behind a cop car. He honks his horn, throws his hand out the window in the "come on seriously" gesture, swerves into the suicide lane and passes the cop accelerating to about 1.5 times the speed limit. I lean forward, check the side view mirror, and ask "wasn't that just a cop?" To which the driver replies in the affirmative. I lean forward again checking for blue lights and ask "you don't get tickets for that?" He responded negatively. I told him "where I come from going 70 kmh in a 40 zone while passing a cop in the suicide lane would guarantee a hefty hassle of a ticket." His response "sounds like people are too uptight where you come from." All I could do was smile - without even knowing where I was from I think he was on to something.
Enough about the popcorn, here is the steak. Our first real stop in Brazil was Bonito. A small town blessed with some astoundingly beautiful sights. First we hiked down into the Gruta do Lago Azul. A cave full of stalactites sweeping down the roof which, at the rear of the cave, plunged deep into the iridescent blue waters descending over 80 meters deep.
Enough about the popcorn, here is the steak. Our first real stop in Brazil was Bonito. A small town blessed with some astoundingly beautiful sights. First we hiked down into the Gruta do Lago Azul. A cave full of stalactites sweeping down the roof which, at the rear of the cave, plunged deep into the iridescent blue waters descending over 80 meters deep.
Bonito's charm doesn't stop there as we cashed in on a new trip favorite. We floated three kilometers down the Rio de Prata - a crystal clear river slicing through dense jungles. Imagine this: take snorkeling in the ocean with the colorful sea landscapes, fish, and pretty water but subtract the salt in the water, waves, and effort of swimming. Now take walking through the jungle with the noises, wild animals, and lush vegetation but take out the uncomfortable heat, annoying bugs, and effort of walking. Now put these two activities together - that is what we did. I look down and see the clearest water I have ever seen, teaming with fish, then I look up and see some of the most pristine jungle I have ever seen with monkeys swinging from the branches and toucans perched in the trees - all we had to do was sit back and let the current unveil what was behind the next bend. Absolutely UNREAL - words or pics don't do it justice but here is our best shot.
On a sidenote, while eating lunch, a full size parrot used my nappy head as a landing strip... twice.
The next day was spent massaging our jaws (from it gaping for 3-4 hours straight the day before) and biking to a municipal swimming area with Tom (tall Englishmen whom we met on Rio Prata the day before). It was a very relaxing day which proved to be well worth the $6 entrance fee.
We scored a ride in a compact car (four people with bags) with Miguel (awesomely friendly Spaniard working in Brazil) who was heading to Sao Paolo in his company car. From there we plan to work our way up the jungle backed, white sand beaches to Rio de Janeiro.
If I summed up my first impression of Brasil in one word it would be SHOCK. Not sure if it is the fantastically friendly people, the spectacular scenery, or the incredibly high prices...for everything.