The Brasilian biker gang we met at the border on trikes made from VWs.
Brasilian modern landscape on the way to Florianopolis from Pato Branco.
Deck of our Condo with the ocean behind the trees in the distance.
Yes, this is what it is all about.Crossing into Brasil for the first time was magical. We were riding over the Iguazu River bridge as the blue and white stripes turned to green and yellow, and an overwhelming joy came to my senses. Puerto de Iguazu became Foz do Iguazu, moved quickly through customs, and ran into a Portuguese Biker gang on trikes. Routes were exchanged with stories and photos, much to be determined because Portuguese is a very difficult language to interpret, a little like Spanish, however, with drastic differences. We moved through Foz do Iguazu and I noticed two very well maintained baseball fields off to the side. I knew that I was in for a treat.
Moving into the countryside of Southern Brasil blew all my expectations to the sky. The area has been drastically diminished of the original forests, and converted to mostly farm land, however, the rolling hills of Southern Brasil are wonderfully drastic and beautiful. It is a fairy tale landscape of the peaceful lands of the Shire. Lush green and yellows parade the landscape with farmers in John Deeres working hard as you pass the small towns of houses painted in bright colours. And the sunsets, I thought none in the world could compare to our beauty in Kansas. However, the sunsets in Southern Brasil compete very well to the pink and purple skies of western Kansas at dusk.
In two days, we covered almost 800 miles of Brasilian hill country. The country roads had more curves than the Brasilian women, and continued for ages. Ted and I had a wonderful time scraping the turns through the vast landscape of pines, soybean covered hills, cattle pastures, flowered ditches, butterflies weaving, and sweet fresh aromas lingering. What beauty.
We made it into Floranopolis late into the afternoon, and moved quickly through the city to the outskirts of the island, thinking the more remote beaches would be out there. After finding nothing, we stopped at the supermarket to ask, when a man on a Yamaha XT600, like Ted's, came up to see if we needed help. We were trying to determine a common language between us all, and it turned out to be German. Well!!! It turns out that he was born in Brasil from the decedents of full Germans and was brought up bilingual. His help was wonderful, and he found us a condominium only 100 feet from the beach. For a four room, fully furnished condo with kitchen and utilities, we are paying $38 USD per night. I think I may have enough money for a surf lesson after this one. Oh.....beautiful Brasil.
Moving into the countryside of Southern Brasil blew all my expectations to the sky. The area has been drastically diminished of the original forests, and converted to mostly farm land, however, the rolling hills of Southern Brasil are wonderfully drastic and beautiful. It is a fairy tale landscape of the peaceful lands of the Shire. Lush green and yellows parade the landscape with farmers in John Deeres working hard as you pass the small towns of houses painted in bright colours. And the sunsets, I thought none in the world could compare to our beauty in Kansas. However, the sunsets in Southern Brasil compete very well to the pink and purple skies of western Kansas at dusk.
In two days, we covered almost 800 miles of Brasilian hill country. The country roads had more curves than the Brasilian women, and continued for ages. Ted and I had a wonderful time scraping the turns through the vast landscape of pines, soybean covered hills, cattle pastures, flowered ditches, butterflies weaving, and sweet fresh aromas lingering. What beauty.
We made it into Floranopolis late into the afternoon, and moved quickly through the city to the outskirts of the island, thinking the more remote beaches would be out there. After finding nothing, we stopped at the supermarket to ask, when a man on a Yamaha XT600, like Ted's, came up to see if we needed help. We were trying to determine a common language between us all, and it turned out to be German. Well!!! It turns out that he was born in Brasil from the decedents of full Germans and was brought up bilingual. His help was wonderful, and he found us a condominium only 100 feet from the beach. For a four room, fully furnished condo with kitchen and utilities, we are paying $38 USD per night. I think I may have enough money for a surf lesson after this one. Oh.....beautiful Brasil.
