Belo Horizonte - Visiting the lovely Julia

Sooooo. After my week in Balneario Cambriou, i got a lift with Gustavo's friends back to Curitiba about 2 hours by car. Then from there, Gustavo and I went back to his grandparents apartment where he lives. They have the top 2 floors of a apartment block, and the views of Curitiba were amazing.

Later that night, just before the mid of night, i boarded the bus to Belo Horizonte.

Maybe 7 hours later i arrived. And Julia picked me up. Julia was for the past year on exchange with the Rotary Club of Chirnside Park in Australia. She also went to Mt Lilydale.

I'm sorry, it really frustrates me why some photos won't rotate, but you can tilt your head, right?

This photo is taken at a fresh produce market similar to the one i visited in Sao Paulo. Except this one had many stores selling protein shakes, and a pet animal section where all the birds looked diseased and the cats and dogs and any other sad looking animals were the kind of animals you wish you could buy all of them, just to save them from the horrific place, but theres not enough time to consider this because the isle smells so bad, that you just wanna leave.

with friends

Even before brazil, I knew these shots were so typical. The kind of Photo where everyone gathers in. Making it sometimes impossible to get a photo of just 3 people.

but here we did - this is Maria, she was also in Germany at one point on exchange. So we spoke German together, she also hosted one of the Aussies from 9810.

This was a private party that we went to, was out on a farm. You payed 30 Reals and an organised bus picked everyone up in the city, and we drove about 1 hour to the farm. Then it took everyone home. the music was 60's, 70's, and 80's themed, oh and alcohol included. And was much fun. Also i met many people who went to Australia on Exchange. Doing Exchange here is very common, when applying for Jobs or Uni, they look whether you have had international experiences.

On the Sunday, we went for lunch with the Family, and their friends. The restaurant was at an equestrian farm , there was no one riding this day, but there was horses there. This soup is typical Brazilian, made from beans, very salty and very delicious.

This little boy was so adorable, trying to feed the horse.

so

many

different

and

beautiful

coloured

Flowers

made me think of

Granny

We were meant to go for a walk in the National Park area, but it was monday, and mondays are the only days its shut.

so we went nearby and drank coconut water, and looked out onto the view of Belo

The man cut them open

so

that

we could eat the insides,

with a spoons made from the coco itself

carried the remains back to..

the people we got them from.. and payed

Then we walked back into town

This is the hill that was behind us when we sat.

We walked and got acai - which has a accent on the c but i don't know how to do that on this keyboard - is a typical brazilian fruit, this is a common thing to eat, its very sweet, refreshing and delicious.

Julia showed me where she attended High School and most of primary. A beautiful old building, right amongst all the other buildings and roads, but feels so far away from everything, with a layout like this.

This is Marista Village (Marista is the name of the school)

The village is the first 3 years in Primary school. And what it is, is a mini Village. Each classroom represents a different building found within each town, things like the post office, town hall, bank, library, police station anything found within your typical town, even a farm. It was the coolest thing, like a fairytale. a kids dream

with Traffic lights and all.

and mini Chairs. well mini for me.

Belo Horizonte. We went back to that National park a couple of days later.

and there was These funny little animals by the name of - well i couldn't actually find it in google - i believe are some kind of anteater.

The forest here is very dry - this was a nicely warm morning

Those funny creatures again.

Nursery in the middle of the park. Though not for purchase -- made me think of

mother

bus for fires.

This is what you see from Julias lounge room apartment window, the favelas

more campaigning.

Belo Horizonte is a very hilly city, and i enjoyed my time there

Balneario Cambriou

Balneario Cambriou was for me a flight from Sao Paulo to Curitiba, then a shuttle bus to the bus depot, the purchasing of a ticket, a 3 hour bus ride during the night, a short taxi ride to a hostel and a bed to sleep in.

On my first day there, i look the chair lift, to the top of the mountain. Thats the view. Oh and thats me.

This place reminds me of the gold coast.

At the top of the mountain was forest. Beautiful tropical plants and trees.

Another chair lift down the other side of the mountain, into a little bay and its touristic village

View of part of the village

Ride back up the sun starts to set.

Back over the other side, this is what i see.

The Day i turned 20.

I went paragliding.

This was the man that flew with me.

Paragliding is so amazing.

Completely a feeling of freedom

Seeing the world from up above, there has been nothing like it. Flying with the birds, and then over the top of them, was exciting looking down onto the birds, rather than up at them.

weeeee

crash landing

happiness

Thumbs up. life's great.

The couple that run the buisness

Georgia baby

We (2 girls and 1 guy from the hostel) went for a drive to the beach. Which ended up being a tour of beaches. By the end of the day we had visited 9 beaches.

1 - This is Giovanna and Francielle

I spent alot of time with them. They arrived a couple of days after me. They are from Curitiba. Many people from there, come here on the holidays, because it very close, and theres alot to do.

They had never been, so they were always interested in seeing places, and it worked out well.

2

3

4

5

6

On board the floating restarant played a band. I love the laughter of the man standing, he was always smiling. And the music was swell.

We only stopped here to show me, but it was this bar, restaraunt tucked between the rocky beach and the rocky hillside.

with palm umbrellas

7 - and it was freezing cold.

8 - the 9th was dark light, so i could not take a photo.

Hanging with Gustavo and his friends at his apartment. Gustavo is my friend from exchange, yet another rotary exchange student. He does not live here, but in Curitiba. He told me to go there, because he was, as it was the holiday weekend of Brazils independence. So i did, and we spent only some time together.

Some of Gustavo's friends.

Gustavo and I

I was there one week, which was great, i felt like i had a family. The people who worked there was very nice, i made friends with them. There was a girl that worked there, she was the fiance of the owner, so they lived in an apartment in the hostel building. We got along well, conversing most of the time with google translator, sometimes she would try to improve her english. When it got to Sunday, there was no more room for me (because of the long weekend), so she offered for me to stay in a room in their apartment. So I did.

Brazilians and Parties

coconut and choco cake..

When we were in this cafe, i felt like i was at home again. Because it was a cosy place, and we were drinking coffee which suited the chilli weather.

It was in this German town called Blumenau - where many germany migrants came. About 1 hour from base camp

Take note of the stubby holders

This is home to the second biggest October Fest - Munich being the first ofcoarse.

We went to a Zoo in another near by city. These are the only animals i will picture, as i did not like this Zoo it was very small, the tigers and lions were fat, and things were not pleasant.

Though the peacocks walked free

driving home, singing songs, laughing and having fun.

late night Pastel once again.

Campaigning elephants. That should win the vote.

Lets ride the pirate ship

lets make pirate friends

Lets relax

Lets enjoy the view

Lets play pirate

Lets sail the seas

The boat look us around the the point, where there is a jetty in the earlier photos. Though we didn't get off.

Tall trees, Large rocks and Green water.

an isolated house.

First time drinking coconut water, i was amazed at the fact that it actually water, and its so fresh, because its preserved inside the shell so no bacteria can enter. And with a spoon, you eat a soft layer in the center