Tuesday 24th April 2012

Tuesday 24thApril 2012 no 18
Well the Brazilian BBQ did not work out last night.We walked the 4 klms to the restaurant in the cool of the evening just to find out the did not do BBQ for the evening meal,we then walked back to aTaxi stand and they took us to the Crockadoodle 

Andes

restaurant where they advertised they had   Crocodile meat
So all our taste buds are rearing to go salivating  ,but again we are dissapointed, no crock tonight, so we had steak in stead.And it was delious .
Taxi back to our hotel as we had about 350 Klm to ride.
Early breakfast and on the road at 8-30am We had the last look around this beautiful mountain village and headed to Sao Paulo.
But first Renato wanted to show us some of the best motorcycle roads in Brazil, and they were.Vic reckons it was one of the best roads he has ever ridden and he has ridden a few,80klms hot mix varied corners just magic.
Arriving at Sao Paulo at 3pm the traffic was dreadful, Renato was ducking and weaving through the traffic just like the Brazians do, forgetting we were behind him riding like Australians do.Bruno and Nina were getting stressed and asked him to keep in one lane and to go a little slowere as it was hard for them to keep up.  
Then we hit the major traffic motorcyclists were passing on the right and the left, cars pushing in, and with our huge panniers it was hard to keep out of the way.
Arriving at the hotel ,it had a very steep underground car park, Renato and Erica went down but parked at the end, Vic and I came down and there was no where to go. But with Vic's skill and daring we managed to miss everybody.Bruno refused to come down so Renato went and got his bike.
We had to wait until 7pm for our bags to arrive as we had to repack as we were going to leave at 4am.
Dinner was booked at 8pm at a real Brazilian BBQ restaurant called Bovinus
www.bovinus .com.br check it out ,it was the best meal and of course it was our last supper.
Saying goodbye to Erica in the foyer as her plane was not leaving till the afternoon we went to bed for a few hours sleep
 
Wednesday 25th  April 19
Early wake up call at 3-30am on the pick bus at 4am arrived at the Sao Paulo airport checked in for our flight to Santiago which was 4hours
Then a 3hour stop over and then the long haul to Sydney for 15hours on Qantas

Sure hope that you have enjoyed our Brazilian tour, no I did not get a Brazilian
Just had a great time

Monday 23 rd April

 Monday 23rd Arpril no17
The sun was shinning when we woke this morning so we decided to go for a short ride Renato wanted to show us some rock formations in the mountains about 50kl away.
After a beaut breakfast an d discussing it with Nina and Bruno they decided to stay back and explore tis wonderful village and have some time together,it was Renato Vic and I and Erica
Renato took Bruno's bike as we think he was too embarrassed to ride his own with all the dents and scratches, leaving at nine we rode through the village and headed for the mountains, the road was fantastic to ride it had many corners some very sharp and some not so.A couple of puppies ran out to attack Renatos bike so he gave them a quick kick, they did not attempt with us Erica just blew her horn,
As we climbed up the scenery was spectacular but we could not see any rock formations,we saw a motorcyclists with a couple of small trees strapped upwards on the back seat (thought we were back in China)
When we reached the top it was 1000feet above sea level,we rode into a little village that had cobblestones (wore a better bra today) took some photos and
Renato said that he had been bitten by a bee so Dr Vic got out his trusty tweezers and removed two stingers from his forehead (he rides with the visor open),
We are disappointed that we could not see any rock formations as the cloud cover came over so we decided to return to the village,on the way we see a garbage truck with three workers sitting and standing on the  back tray no OHS here.The ride was wonderful the roads are in good repair Renato then decided to take us to the Itapeva Peak which is situated 2035 mtres above sea level,so again we ride up and up many many corners the scenery is great, but the cloud cover is coming in, as this is a tourist lookout there where many cars, we could see about 20foot In front ,the view if you could see was the Paraiba valley below.
We arrived at the top and it s tourist paradise with little stalls selling every thing from woolie  jumpers gloves beanies and all the souvenir junk.But of course you could not see the view it was a white out,we headed back to the village got changed and had an expensive bite to eat and wandered the town.Erica had gone back to have a Nanna nap, we wandered for about 1hour then went to our pousada where we find Bruno and Nina Renato and Erica on the front verandah having a drop of red, of course we joined them with our bottle and a block of taste cheese
It was a very pleasurable day
Tonight for dinner we are heading for Brazilian BBQ as it is our last day on tour as we head ak to Sao Paulo tomorrow and be on the plane on Anzac day

Sunday 22nd April

Sunday 22nd April  no 16
Well what an eventful day
First it poured with rain all night ,we were all dishearten ,as the ride was to have taken us up over the mountains to see the spectacular views.
As we were packing our bags and getting ready to ride, Vic had some visitors in his helmet,the little red ants had mad a nest overnight. He was not impressed,as he was banging his helmet against the bed to make them scatter.
After he  was satisfied, we went to breakfast, it was still pouring the day looked very bleak.We had to ride up the mountain and through the cobble stoned tunnels .
All decked out in our wet weather gear we set off, it was not a very pleasant ride,in the dry the Brazilian drives go so fast in the wet they go soooooo slow.
Vic was in his element wet roads and lots of corners, he even passed some drivers in the tunnels.We rode ahead of the group and waited at the top for them to arrive.Bruno had stopped as he could not see as he had left his pin lock at home (anti fog visor) Renato had a dark visor and he wears glasses it was still pouring until we reached the top.
We were suppose to do 450klm but with the rain ,it slowed us down and time was getting away.
But then shit happened,Renato was going around a right hand corner and he hit a bump in the road, lost control and went across the road and hit the gavel, he went down.he did not hurt himself, but big damage to his bike.Vic did a band aid fix to some parts  after about 1hour of getting things rideable we were back on the road.The rain had gone and the roads were dry again
Stopped at a chicken take away Renato was real down, we reckon shock had got him.So we did not take the long way round, we missed the national park and headed straight to our destination along the highway arriving at about 4pm.
Bruno and Nina spotted a cable car running high into the mountains so we all quickly changed and headed for a ride.
It was fantastic we are1750 mtres above sea level and at 5pm it was 10 c.
Bloody freezing.This place is a beautiful holiday resort it is like a  little switzerland as it has a lot European architecture,dinner tonight was downtown under the fairy lights in the trees, they even put on a fire for us as the tempture was dropping fast.
Renato has suggested we go for little ride tomorrow as it s our rest day, we have not made up our mind

Saturday 21st April

Saturday 21st April no 15
Leaving Petropolis at 8-15 am , being a public holiday the traffic was not that bad from the hotel.
Stopping at a Palace to take some photos which was very picturesque as it was on a lake and very well maintained,riding further up the mountains to see the beautiful landscape the fog came in so we just took photos of each other.
Renato wanted to miss the traffic so he took us on a goat track, which was a road. It was terrible, the biggest pot holes with dogs and kids running about the place, trucks just missing us as we bounced along. In and out of bloody great pits.It went for about 10klms  Nina's hands were cramped up from hanging on it was like trying to  motorcross with luggage.
Leaving this dreadful  road we climbed higher and higher with many corners and sweepers it was in the national park which is about 2,000 hectares.we were supposed  to see the magnificent views ,but again it was cloudy.
We returned to the valley and rode the highway which was chockablock with traffic, and we rode down the breakdown lane then tried to maneuver through the traffic Bruno and Nina were getting blocked in as buses and trucks would not let them out to follow us.
Leaving the traffic behind we again head for the mountains ,riding many sweepers and even tunnels which are cut out of the rock no lights and cobblestone road, some even had bends in them, at the entrance some even had the jungle vines hanging , very interesting.
Coming down the mountain it starts to drizzle making the roads very slippery
Renato brings us to our destination it is a beautiful hotel over looking the bay,he tells us that there s 365 islands just in front of us, and many people hire boats and spend a day sailing.
We meet Nina a Bruno for a quite drink by the pool and Erica a Renato join us as we are heading for dinner
Nina Vic and I counted the speed bumps today and got 96
Tomorrows ride is to Campos do Jordao another 300 kl up the mountains again
Photos tomorrow as  I am to hungry to down load

Friday 20th April 2012

Friday 20 th April No 14
Today is our rest day, so we had an option to ride 300kls and see the country side of Petropolis or tour the city by foot and see many palaces  and museums,
As we had sat in the traffic all day yesterday we decide yo see the city on foot.

We set out on our tour with Renato at 9am again Erica was poorly must have been the ice cream not the alcohol .first we visited Albert Santos-Dumont who was a Brazilian aviation pioneer.he designed and built  and flew the first practical dirigibles.He was the first person to fly a around the Eiffel tower on the 19 th October 1901  even before the wright brothers got off the ground.There is dispute still going on to who was the the first to fly unaided.
He also made the fist European public flight of an airplane on 3rd Oct 1906.
He also invented of the wristwatch.
After our fill of all this history ,we moved onto the Princess  Izabella palace who used a gold quill to sign the law to liberate the slaves in Brazil  in 1888
Then we learnt that the city was the summer residence of the Brazilian Emperors and aristocrats of the 19 th century ,and was the official capital of state of Rio De Janeiro between 1894and 1903
Walking through the little market square we find little trinkets but we cant buy anything due the size of our panniers which are chockablock.

Stopped a little restaurant which was fast Italian food,you could pick what you wanted and watch it being cooked in front of you it was a great concept,Vic and I went healthy and had a grande salad..

Erica was still a little poorly and went back for a nap.

After a great lunch we headed back to the hotel to have a nanna nap, but before we got there we stopped a wonderful chocolate shoppe and had a taste of many pieces yummy so we bought some so much for our healthy lunch.
We now have a sugar lift and sit by the pool and drink two bottles of red wine to finish off the afternoon.
Dinner time we go to cafe around the corner and have the special of the evening and of course another bottle of red wine
Tomorrows ride is another 300klm to Angra dos Reis this is supposed to be the best motorcycling road in Brazil Phenomenal ride it says in the brochure  will let you know
Oh I forgot to mention, the toilet systems are not the best here, and you put all the used toilet paper in a bin supplied.Erica says she can't cope with this Bruno and Nina just grunt and get on with it. But this Brazil.

Thursday 19th April

Thursday 19 th April No 13
Well what can I say about today.It was to be the most breathtaking views of Serra dos Orgaos.
But it went pear shape in the morning, we left Buzios at 9am it is to be a 300klm ride to Petropolis, after we left Buzios Renato took us to look at some faveles on some back street somewhere,there were many speed bumps some very large, we bottomed out which in turn bounced open our pannier, so we stopped to close the pannier and check if there was any damage to the exhaust box.As we were checking, the rest turned but Erica did not corner mark, so we continues to the end of the road about 4klms and waited and waited for 20minutes, we rang Renato's number but no answer so we rang Cindy (his girl friend in Australia) to let him know we were ok,a car drove up to us and explained in Portuguese that they were way back at a service station.
We are getting real good at this language.
When we were all back together we rode along the waterfront and were pulled over by the police they were checking licenses and rego  one was carrying AK 47 rifle so no cheek from us ,every thing was in order but it took 1/2hour from our riding time we rode into the Serra Dos Orgaos which is an enormous national park which has bizarre shapes of its mountains, we were told that this all happened about 60million years ago during earthquakes. It is a rock climbers paradise We get half way up and we are stopped by road works which hold us up again for another 30minutes, time is running against us as the sun is now setting as we climb higher and higher with many many twists and turns,Vic's shoulders are aching ,and Bruno states he is over corners, but we soldier on.
The sun is now right in our face as we try to see the corners, cars and motorcycles are whizzing past us even a little old lady on a50cc scooter passes.we come to an intersection where we have to merge a motorcyclist is zigging and zagging thru this mess but he clips Bruno with the indicator light and gives Bruno a bit of a bump (he is not impressed)the traffic is at a stand still as people are trying to push in.
Finding our hotel at 6pm which is very nice just made it in before dark. It was a long hard ride, the roads are very good but we are still riding many cobblestone areas.The country side has very high mountains and is very green ,jungle all around with banana trees growing every where.
We had a quick shower and went to a little pizza joint around he corner
Again we are stuffed to morrow is a rest day

Wednesday 18 th April

Wednesday 18 th April  no 12
Well what a great day,we rushed thru breakfast which did not start til 8-30am and  we were picked up by bus at 9-30 by dodgie brothers tours(should have been 9 am)
After driving around Buzious for 1hour looking for clients ,in little posadas,in hidden locations and  then driven for an hour to a port.Many clients were unhappy as they had to wait up to two hours for the dogie brothers bus
After reaching the fishing dock, we embarked on a  schooner and set sail (well started the diesel motors) we put puttied along the bay the day was clear and the sun very strong it is now 11-45am ,next we arrive at a beautiful secluded beach ,where Vic a I hopped on a dinghy and went a shore for a swim.there must have been about 100 people on this "very  secluded"beach.

Nina a Bruno and Erica stayed on board as Erica was felling poorly, Vic and I had a beaut swim when the time came to return, we did not know which dingy to catch most of the people spoke Portuguese or spanish and did not speak a word of English so out came our charades and we made it back on board.
Next we came to a bay where we were supposed to see turtles and dolphins but again they avoided us, we we just dived overboard and swam, the water was cool and clear.Erica was feeling a little better as they were serving free caparines  (lime alcohol drink) it was delicious, but very powerful.
It is now 3-30pm we are ready for lunch ,so we set of to a self serve cafe fill our plates .Then  back on the bus we stop at a Fort built in the 1600s to ward of the Spanish  then off to the famous bikini street where there is over 200shops selling bikinis all colours and shapes  ,just enough to cover the private bits,I didn't have a chance no enough material  for my size.
We were dropped of at the market place at7 -30 pm said good bye to dodgie Brothers and the many people we met they were quite fun, as they tried to understand us and we them. we bought a couple of bottles of chile wine and walked back to our Pausada. Had a quick shower and was sitting down to dinner at9pm  had spaghetti marinara .
Back in our room as 10 30 pm and absolutely buggered.
Tomorrow we head for the hills our coast trip is now over
To Petropolis and the cool of the mountains