Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildlife

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

The Auditorium


We wandered back the way we came and found the Museu Afro Brasil. Started a bit odd but worked its way to terrific as well. Oh, and free again.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Somehow, we missed, and I’ll say Al forgot, the biggest of them all - MAC - Museu de Arte Contenporânea. It was a HUGE building right next door to MAM but the entrances of the three we entered were so discreet it’s no wonder we missed the way in.

It’s actually really hard on your feet wandering around galleries and museums. My feet hurt less after a day on the Inca Trail than a day on the gallery trail. Al had planned on lunch at MAM but we were too early when we got there and didn’t want to walk back. Maybe lunch at Hotel Unique instead? It was only a few blocks away but when we got there Al wasn’t keen on going in wearing a t-shirt and I wasn’t going to push the point. Next plan was to catch the metro back towards the hotel. Little did I realise that we most likely walked further to the metro than it would have been to the hotel.

It was hot, mostly uphill and a long bloody way but eventually we got to a metro station, and went one stop! Luckily our last gallery stop was only a couple of hundred metres from the station.

More street art


MASP Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand - MASP was truly amazing. The gallery space is a concrete block elevated two stories up on four concrete legs.



There’s a lift but we chose the long and steep steps, of course. The gallery was very controversial when it was opened as its artworks were displayed on ‘crystal easels’ that were designed by the architect Lina Bo Bardi. The easels were removed in 1996 and replaced by a more ‘conventional gallery set-up, but in 2015 it returned to its original 1968 format and it’s spectacular. I can’t believe I didn’t take a single picture. Instead, pictures of the brochure will have to do.







The art was arranged in chronological order from 4 B.C. through to 2008 and includes amazing religious triptychs, English, Flemish, Italian and Dutch masters, Brasilian artists from the 1800’s through to current Sao Paulo artists. Along the way was the most astonishing collection that included Titian, Rembrandt, Van Gough, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Modigliani, Cezanne, Rodin and on and on. Truly amazing. The sad thing was we were both stuffed and really didn’t give it the time it deserved.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

We were close enough to the hotel to walk the last few blocks. Foot sore and just plain pooped, it was a relief to walk into the room and kick our shoes off. The pool nearly got a couple of visitors. Only nearly though



As they say there’s no rest for the wicked so we got cleaned up and went downstairs to the ‘bar’ and had a few drinks. Paulo who served us was so chuffed to be able to practice a few English words and we practiced a few Portuguese words in return.

We didn’t go far for dinner. Fogo de Chão was literally across the road from the hotel. The service was exceptional, the food and drink of the highest quality and by Jesus it was expensive. I was so tired I forgot to even read the bill and just paid it, and agreed to the service charge of BRL55. The total bill was BRL479. $200. We’re guessing you paid for everything that was put on the table from bread to the taro fries. I said yes to a caipirinha that was kind of mixed up at the table out of some reserve cachaca. It might have been a quarter of the bill for all I know. No matter how much it cost we had a fantastic evening.





Tasted of marzipan/almonds. Yuk!


How perfect. A floss dispenser!!

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Walking tour day. Al has researched this holiday like there’s no tomorrow. We did two tours offered by Sao Paulo Free Walking Tour – Villa Madalena in the morning and Paulista Avenue in the afternoon.

It was a subway ride to the starting point but the subway line that we wanted to use was closed. Showed my subway app to a guard/policeman who said omnibus and gratis, gave me a couple of tickets and pointed me back up to street level. The bus dropped us of at the station we needed to get off at and the SPFWT people where there waiting.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

The Villa Madalena tour is all about street art and it was terrific. Three hours with a fifteen minute break walking in the Pinheiros neighbourhood. We visited the ‘learner’ street first and then Batman Alley.

In and around 'Learner street'

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

More from around Learner Street

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Batman Alley

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Yes, we love street art...

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Amazing street art from tagging through to large building side murals.

We saw some amazing architecture along the way.







Not far from the end we walked down a street full of very cool restaurants and bars.





We thought the tour should have ended there and suppose we could have dropped out then but we stayed on until the end and caught the subway and bus back to Paulista Ave with a few people from the walking tour.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Very nice trip report. Looking forward to the rest.

 

[RB]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Not far from the end we walked down a street full of very cool restaurants and bars.

View attachment 100152

We thought the tour should have ended there and suppose we could have dropped out then but we stayed on until the end and caught the subway and bus back to Paulista Ave with a few people from the walking tour.

That looks like my type of bar! Always enjoy your reports & looking forward to the rest

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

We had enough time for a toilet break back at our room before joining the next tour, five minutes away at the top of our street, Augusta. The tour ‘guide’ Kristy was full of energy. Maybe too full. She was like a very loud energizer bunny.

Sunday is traffic free on Paulista


until 6pm and they have bands and djs playing all along the street. For Kristy it was often a losing battle trying to explain stuff to us over the music.

First stop was MASP and Kristy explained its history and how it was one level above ground and three below? Below? We’d paid BRL30 and only seen one level. Typical of us!

The other three floors MASP, with drag queen


We saw modern buildings, old restored and unrestored mansions, a rainforest park (I have never seen so many guys just going for it sitting on park benches) and a rose garden in our three and a bit hours.







Neither of us thought it was as good as the morning tour. Maybe it was the battle against the crowds.

Dinner at a very strange little Japanese fast food joint up the road.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Monday 5[SUP]th[/SUP] June, Sao Paulo
The plan was to take the third of three walking tours – Old Downtown – but the weather gods were against us. It was pouring when we woke up and rained on and off all day.

Restaurant, really good buffet breakfast


The rain pours down


It seemed to lighten up around 11 when we would have been joining the tour but I hate the rain and had no desire to wander around in it.

Instead we decided on a visit to just about the only gallery open on a Monday – Pinacoteca Pinacoteca
Subway open the whole way this time. Beautiful building, literally across the road from the subway station. Very interesting collection. Nice way to spend a couple of hours.






It’s actually in the old downtown area, or just outside it, that the tour would have walked through. We walked back to Republika subway station and I’m embarrassed to admit that I felt a little vulnerable walking there, for absolutely no valid reason. The streets, apart from one that was used as an open toilet, and not for number ones, were not the slightest bit threatening. I felt like a fool but that’s just the way it was.

We decided it was easiest to have dinner in the hotel but the best laid plans… There was a conference on and the restaurant was closed so we ventured out. Despite some initial resistance we got Al an umbrella at a small store just up the road from the hotel and away we went. We wandered a couple of blocks and ended up at Lanchonete da Cidade It was excellent. Great burgers and beers and even reasonably priced, for Brasil!

We finished packing when we got back to the hotel as we had to be in a taxi at 5am.

 

[donovan301]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Heya Big Pete,

Just curious if you have Iguacu Falls on the Agenda?

If so, from the Argentinian side, you get to walk through the boardwalks through many many many of the Waterfalls , and have a close up on the Devils Throat, I think it translates.
Tis truely EPIC...especially the Swallows that live amongst the mist of the Fall

That being said , if you are in Brasil you get to see the panoramic view of the falls.

Though from my opine, and those I have spoken to,

... the Argentine side, well, it will provide a FAR closer and MORE personal insight.....and contact to nature.

Also, if on either side, take the walk down the cliffs and take the Jetboat Ride.

If you don't take it, then be forewarned....it is Regretable not to do as such.

Travelling with you vicariously for nostalgia, and deep happy memories.

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bloody hell, all this talk, now I'm checking my Calendar !!!!!!!!!!

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Tuesday 6[SUP]th[/SUP] June, Sao Paulo - Pantanal
The rain was still bucketing down as we drove to Congonhas Airport, one of Sao Paulo’s three and its main domestic airport. It took 15 minutes to drive there and cost just over BRL40. We’d checked in the night before and had taken pictures of our boarding passes so it was bag drop only. I think from arriving to going through security took less than 10 minutes so we had a while to spare until boarding at 6.

That would have happened if we’d had a plane, but we didn’t. Departure time came and went and still no plane. They kept making announcements but we had no idea what was being said. No-one got up and walked away so a plane was obviously coming. And it did.

Our TAM A320 awaits


We took off 45 minutes late and arrived at Cuiaba 44 minutes late. The inflight service was a drink and snack of sweet cake and cheese and biscuits. We’d get used to this delight over the following two weeks.


Congonhas is literally surrounded by Sao Paulo.

I've never seen so many private jets, LARGE private jets. Every airport seemed to have hangers and aprons full of them


At the end of the runway you turn ABOVE houses. Maybe it was a favela. I'm not sure.


Sao Paulo is a sea of high rises. It's amazing.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Our driver was there waiting for us. He signalled that he needed to go and find the third for our tour to the Pantanal. We were introduced to Wynter, a professor in biomedical engineering who was finishing up a position at a uni in Rio. What an amazing woman!! Wynter was with us for two of our three nights.

We loaded up our Fiat Duplo and off we went.


It was about a two hour drive to Pousada Rio Claro, the last 45 minutes on a corrugated dirt ‘highway’ called the Transpantaneira.


The wildlife spotting started not long after we started on the highway.

Cayman in the water by the road.


Jabiru

Large herons (I think)


Some eagle(ish) kind of bird


or something

Even rhea. It was terrific.

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

We got to the lodge not long before 12.





We met our guide Juan from Pantanal Nature, dumped our bags in our not too bad at all room


and went to the dining room for lunch.


Our visit is at the start of the dry season. High season is apparently September. There was eight or nine other people in the dining room. I heard three Aussie accents, some Brasilians and some North Americans.

The pool

 

[bPeteb]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Heya Big Pete,

Just curious if you have Iguacu Falls on the Agenda?

Hey Donovan, it sure was, but it was this time last year if I have my dates right (I think)! Stayed Argentinian side and made a quick dash over to the Brasilian side, just like you suggest

 

[donovan301]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Hey Donovan, it sure was, but it was this time last year if I have my dates right (I think)! Stayed Argentinian side and made a quick dash over to the Brasilian side, just like you suggest

aHH, THATS Awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Glad you made it there.

Freakin' Epic spot, especiallythe 3 Ways River junction !!!!!!!!!At Sunset,

...never seen my Missus run so fast for a Sunset

 

[Mattg]

Re: Race around Brasil - two mad weeks in search of good food, architecture and wildl

Tuesday 6[SUP]th[/SUP] June, Sao Paulo - Pantanal
The rain was still bucketing down as we drove to Congonhas Airport, one of Sao Paulo’s three and its main domestic airport. It took 15 minutes to drive there and cost just over BRL40. We’d checked in the night before and had taken pictures of our boarding passes so it was bag drop only. I think from arriving to going through security took less than 10 minutes so we had a while to spare until boarding at 6.

That would have happened if we’d had a plane, but we didn’t. Departure time came and went and still no plane. They kept making announcements but we had no idea what was being said. No-one got up and walked away so a plane was obviously coming. And it did.

Our TAM A320 awaits
View attachment 100241

We took off 45 minutes late and arrived at Cuiaba 44 minutes late. The inflight service was a drink and snack of sweet cake and cheese and biscuits. We’d get used to this delight over the following two weeks.
View attachment 100242

I'm enjoying the trip report so far!

Having done a lot of flying around Brazil, I also found it quite frustrating that announcements were generally made in Portuguese only. It makes it quite difficult to work out what's going on unless you are lucky enough to find an English speaker willing to translate for you.

I also see that they haven't changed their snack offering since (at least) last year!