Panama City 2011

April 11, Panama City, Panama

Slow relaxing start to day!  So Nice!

Went for a walk around the block this morning!  Definitely not a tourist area!  Sidewalks haver doorways into stores/shops, but the curb side is enclosed with permanent kiosks selling just about everything you can imagine!  Fruits, vegetables, watches, belts, clothes, shoes, phones and the list goes on and on!

Great to watch the street when you can!  The public buses are old school buses, decked out with great colourful paint jobs, and straight pipe mufflers going up the back of the bus. Very noisy as well!

Tried to find the bus station to the Canal, but could not find, so ended up in a taxi!

Great day just watching the boats go through the locks!  They get through fairly fast as well!  Less than 30 minutes.  Spent much more time there than I thought!  The area is well laid out for watching, with a running commentary (live) and 3 floors of displays and a short video!

Also got warned 2 times today about how dangerous some of the areas are!  This hotel is very close to one of the areas!  So have to be careful!  Have not had any problems, but then not out wandering the streets late at night!

April 10, Panama City, Panama

Awake very early.  Headed out to find coffee!

While just outside hotel, met one of the 'locals'.  She was cursing out the police across the street!  Said they were killing cats and dogs and that should be gased, the police that is!

Then off for coffee, and met Frank!  He is a taxi driver and is looking for clients!

Found the restaurant and met Freedom!  He is a poet and has at least 20 other jobs - car wash, parker, body guard, best friend, guide etc.

Apparently many people in New York know him!  A real character!  He also is officially licensed to accept donations!  I could not resist!!!  Especially after he recited a poem!

This was in the first hour of being on the street!

The rest of the day was very boring compared to this!

Spent the morning trying to work out accommodation for the Easter weekend.  All very busy!  No luck yet!

And then walked around the old city!  Amazing buildings!  Old colonial type!  Many in disrepair, but they have restored many, and many in the process, and the country is doing a great job of fixing up the area!

Many churches, a few squares, some street musicians and handicraft sellers!  Nice way to spend the afternoon

There was even a slow pitch game going on on the beach, it was low tide!

Then walked to the new section of the city!  All high rises, new or just being built!  Such a contrast!

Walked along the water all the way.  Very nice except got caught in a rain pouring (vs shower), but had jackets and founds some shelfter with many others!

A good day!

April 9, Panama City, Panama

Leisurely start, taxi at 9.30 for 12.15 flight!

Arrived very early, and not necessary as the airport in Rio is actually not that big!

After 7 1/2 hours on plan arrived in Panama.  Not really that comfortable and did not think that I would ever say that the buses in South America were more comfortable!

Ended up in last row and seats do not recline!

Oh well arrived and got to hotel.  It is hot and humid!

Hotel in older part of town, not a great first impression, but after next day, it does grow on you!

Early to bed!

Rio de Janerio, 2011

April 8, Rio de Janerio, Brazil

Did not do much today, very relaxing!

Went and spent the day at Ipenema Beach.  Great place, very busy, nice fine clean sand.  Wave fairly large but not too bad!

Best part is guys coming around with beers!  $2!!!!!  Life is good.......

Out for final dinner, and caiprihna, as last night in Brazil!

April 7, Rio de Janerio, Brazil

Got on a tour to Fevala Rochina.  This is a town that started with people just building houses on vacant land!  Very interesting.  Not much for roads, but many sidewalks worming through the various houses!  Actually just a suburb!  Close to areas that people worked, cheap rent, and usually no taxes and free electricity!  They just tap into the lines!  There are stores, and now the government is stepping in and building hospitals, roads and daycares!  Then tax the people!  Many are run by gangs!  The one we visited is just being fixed up by the government, but a gang still runs part of it!

This was the last thing done withe group!  We are no fending for ourselves!

Then after a 5 minute stop, dropped at another hotel, picked up for the city tour.  Started with a drive up to Christ the Redeemer, the large statue over looking the city of Rio!

But had to change to another bus that took us to the top!  Many hairpin curves to get there!  

Great views over the city!

Next stop was at the short street area where the Carnaval floats are judged.  Street not that wide, but the seating and judge booths are large!

Then to Lapa, the steps that are tiled with tiles from all over the world.  Interesting.

Dumped the tour here as they were heading to Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Walked over the the Cathedral.  Seats 8000 people.  Strange looking church, as it is built as a cone!  Huge!

Caught the Metro to Ipenema Beach where we watched the sunset and had hamburgers on the beach!  Very nice.

Caught the bus back to the hotel, but could have walked just as fast as the traffic is crazy!  2 streets with 3 or 4 lanes each, all feeding into 1 lane!

Sao Paulo, Paraty and Rio Brazil, 2011

April 6, Rio de Janerio, Brazil

Up early on on the bus, again!  Just over a 4 hour ride to Rio.  Got settled then most of us caught the local bus to Sugar Loaf Mountain.  The ride was wild!  No shocks on bus and a rough road.  Not a good combination, and of course we sat at the back of the bus, just to get the better ride!

Arrived and up we go!  2 sets of cable cars to get you to the top!  Very busy place as it is the place to be to see the sunset!  Was great!  People actually clapped their hands when the sun set!

Then off to Cocacabana Beach for dinner and drinks!  Celebrating another birthday!  There were 3 on this trip!  Great time.  Our last meal together as a group!

Tough start to trip but turned out to be very good!

April 5, Paraty, Brazil

Spent part of the morning and the afternoon on a boat trip.  Traveled to about 3 different islands. 

Able to do some snorkeling and swimming but the water was not that clear.  There was a turtle poking his head out of the water in the first bay, but did not see him under the water!

Got a bit of sun, but then just before the last stop, it started to pour rain!  Just as it has each afternoon here!

Even though it was raining some of us dived into the water for a swim.  Water was pouring off my head, and that was from the rain.

Got back into the town, and many of the streets had been flooded, but not by the rain but by the tide!

For some reason they built this city 300 years ago, and the streets flood with the tides.  Apparently it is only with full moon, but we are in middle of full moons!  Not sure why they have not built up the city to avoid this, but instead they have holes in walls to allow the water to flow in and out!  On some street, they also have bridges over the road and water!

April 4, Paraty, Brazil

Early start, out of hotel by 7 am and on the bus at 8.  Arrived at Paraty at about 2.30 pm.  Long bus ride again but drove through mountains that are mostly covered in forest/jungle!  Very lush!

Hit the coast and actually saw a South Atlantic beach.  Looks very nice.  Beaches at in small bays along the coast.  Most of the coast is very rocky, with the mountains running right up to the water.

Took a short walk around the city.  Apparently the some streets will flood with high tides and there is a lot of water in the streets.  The streets are cobble stoned.  Rocks and not the easiest to walk on.  Walked to the harbour and then back along the main street.  Most of the buildings in the old town are very well looked after with colourful doors.  The city was founded in 1660, and looks like the streets are just as they were.  Interest as I did see some electrical lines running out of buildings, some of them buried in between the rocks but some look like they have been buried under.  I can not imagine how much work that would be.

April 3, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Very noisy street!  Partied most of the night I think and room is over the street!

Relaxing morning but still on the road (or sidewalk) about 10.30 am.  Walked through the Republic park and down a huge shopping pedestrian mall.  Most stores closed!

Went to the large Cathedral.  Apparently it can hold up to 8000 people!  It was huge!

Then walked to a large park.  Took about 1 hour to get there, but still a great walk.  In a fairly rich area with many doctors' offices, including what looked like plastic surgeons.

Park was very nice with good sized lakes and lots of people.  Had lunch and then walking more.  Started to rain, so stopped under a shelter with most others, actually was pouring.

Ended up soaking wet, so caught a cab back to the hotel.

Out for dinner to a buffet, again.  You have to like a place that serves you endless amount of beef and chicken.  This time we were also offered ox.  Tried but found it very tough!

April 2, Sao Paulo, Brazil

In taxis, as this is how we are transported to and from the bus terminal, and off on bus for Sao Paulo at 9 am.  The ride took about 6 1/2 hours.  Nice ride, comfortable.  Seemed to go over a mountain range that was dense forest/jungle.

Ended up in a nice hotel in centre of city.  Will go out exploring a bit later and tomorrow.

Poured rain with lots of wind and even some thunder!

Headed out for something to eat, and after looking at several places, got shown one buffet!  We were not really looking for a buffet, always eat too much, and this was reals 22 ($15), but with all the hesitation he dropped the price to reals 15 ($10)!!!  Can not beat a bargin!  It was pretty good!

Brazil 2011

April 1, Curituba, Brazil

Arrived at bus station at 5.30 am!  Got some sleep, enough to keep me going for a bit anyway.

Amazingly able to check into room, so got cleaned up and off for breakfast.

Then to post office, to finally get some things mailed off!  That is a relief.  

Then took off walking.  Most of the others took the hop on hop off bus, but a couple of us decided to walk around.

Headed off to Tourist information for map.  Just outside there was a comedy being performed.  Want I can gather is that it is part of the fringe festival.  The play was all in Spanish, but still very good!

Saw many Theatres, about 4 in the same block!  All looked very nice.  Went inside the main one!  Very modern.

Wandered through a museum of Joao Turin, a sculptor that has done many bronze statutes.  Found that out from the book in side the museum.  Interesting.

Then kept walking around.  Wandered through a large park, which also had birds in large cages, and then into a demonstration.  From what we were told, some people were beaten by a cop.  Only a few people in march, but they had a police escort and they were blocking traffic.

Went to the 24 hour street where apparently everything stays open all the time, but seemed to be closed for construction!  Not sure.

Brazil 2011

March 31, on the night bus

Up and off to cross border into Brazil.  Not busy so did not take that long, which is nice.  One guy had received his visa in November last year, and had not entered the country, but after a long delay they let him in.  Good thing!  Not sure what the rules are now, whether it is 30, 60 or 90 days from date of issue!!!!

First stop was at airport to take a helicopter ride over falls, amazing!  10 minutes in air for $100 US, but well worth it!  Great views, and loud, but that was the girls screaming!

Then into a bird park, but also had caymans and boa constrictors! 

Then to visit to Brazilian side of Falls.  Brazil has only a small portion of all the falls, part of the Devil's throat, but the views are panoramic of all the falls!  Very nice.

The walks were very short but everyone seemed to be tired.

Then out for dinner to a local buffet! Brazilian realis $17.00, about $12, and all you can eat!  The amazing part is that almost no meat on the buffet.  They came around with huge skewers of meat and would slice off pieces on your plate!  Hot off the coals!  Very good.  Except they kept coming around and coming around.  Many different cuts of beef, and then the chicken and pork!

Then off to bus station for the night bus at 9.00 pm.  The last one!  (for this tour at least!)

Argentina and into Brazil 2011

March 30, Iguazu Falls, Argentina

Took a short ride to Iquazu National park.  About 2 kms along a metal grated walk way to visit to Devils Throat.  Many people on the walkway, but by the time I got to the end it poured rain. Actually a blessing as it cleared most of the people out and I used my water proof camera case, so only one taking photos.  Blurred a bit, bit still ok.

Then walked trails, the upper and lower trails, about 1 hour each.  Great as some of the trails are across the tops of some of the many falls in the area.  Unfortunately an accident on river last week where 2 people died in boating accident, caused the shut down the boat rides under the falls.  

Beautiful day in end with sun shining.

Went to Dinner show - singing and dancing - was ok, but is a musical type thing!

March 29, San Ignacio, Argentina

8.30 depart for a 2 hour bus ride in pouring rain.  Caught a taxi to estancia.  The water was flooding the streets!

Taxi could not make up hill, too slippery roads, so had to back down and go around a different road.  The road is red, and a good thing it appears to be covered in loose rocks, otherwise we would have slid around everywhere.  The ground is a lot of clay!

Had a super lunch, 3 or 4 courses of just meat, I lost track but other things as well.  Including small buns made from cassava flour!  Tasty!

Then took 1 1/2 hour horse ride around 650 hectare ranch, with 480 head of cattle.  Some of the grass is 6 feet tall!  The grass is actually grown under pine trees which are cut every 17 to 18 years.  Another cash crop.  They also grow cassava in between some of the rows of trees.

Then back into taxi, it had stopped raining while we were riding, and 2 hour bus ride to Puerto Iguazu.  We arrived about 8 pm.  

out for beers and to bed.  Exhausting day.  May modes of transport and covered a lot of ground.

Uruguay into Argentina (again) 2011

March 28, San Ignacio, Argentina

Arrived and settled by about 10.30.  Got a far bit of sleep!  Scary that I have adjusted to these overnight trips!  Maybe good as there is another on to come in a couple of days!

Spent part of afternoon wandering around the San Ignacio Jesuit church town site.  Built here in 1696, but founded in 1610 in Brazil and moved here.  Huge complex for about 4500 people.

The site was restored in 1940.  Nice place and good to wander around.  

Then went for hike in jungle/rain forest.  2 hour walk after a bone jarring ride on a wood bench in the back of a jeep with no shocks, over rough dirt/rocky roads!  The walk was nice with a look out over the river Parana, which eventually makes its way to the Amazon River!

Also went to the house site of Boorman, the exiled Nazi concentration camp leader.  That was a bit of a surprise.  Apparently there were also some research in the area for nuclear use.  Not sure about that though.  But they did build a fort/look out for protection.

Then went to see several sculptures that relate to the local native (Guanaco ???) myths and beliefs.  On the way back actually spotted a tarantula.  Still just a as scary as the one in Peru!

Did not see much for wildlife.  Few birds, couple of butterflies.

Then at night went to the sound and light show at the ruins.  This was very well done with 3D and 2D projections.  Told a story about the sight using 1 guy and what his life may have been like.  Very interesting.  

Dinner and to bed, very tired!

March 27, Over night bus to San Ignacio, Argentina

Back again, and I have lost track how many times we have entered Argentina!

Relaxing morning of a great breakfast!

Then caught a local bus to the Dayman Hot springs!

So nice to relax in hot springs, and soak up a bit of sun.  Several different pools and lots of grassy areas.  They also had different showers with multiple sprays.  

Caught the bus back to city centre and went for a good coffee!  Dinner and then waiting for taxi to border back into Argentina and then the overnight bus.

Left at 11.30 pm and arrived at Posadas, at 8 am, where changed to another bus for 1 hour ride.