4 March 2017: IIha Grande Brazil

4 March 2017: IIha Grande, Brazil

This morning we arrived at 8h00 ,anchored just off this island which is largely undeveloped,it is 32km in length and the middle of the island is uninhabited.For almost a century it was closed by the government because it first housed a leper colony and then it was a jail for dangerous prisoners  which was closed in 1994.It has 1900 permanent inhabitants,our poor guide told us he chopped a tree down in his yard and that cost him a $10 000 fine,  so here you dont do anything like that or it will cost you dearly!!

 I went on a walking tour around town and then we went into the forest to a lake and the famous jail.I still cant believe that they kept people in the jail for it was  only closed in 1994 and looks terrible and scary,cant even imagine what it must have been like to live in a place like that ,a nightmare but the forest has claimed the place as its own again.Now i understand why the Indians in Alaska leave old houses just as they are for they said that nature will claim it back again in time.They also housed a leper colony here before it was used as a jail.

Must say the island seem to have a dark past for our guide said the first here were canniballs,then pirates,then slaves who were sold to the locals from the mainland ,then lepers,lastly very dangerous prisoners and after the prison was closed ,the tourist started coming, so a happy ending!Had a lovely day but did my bit of sweating,was very humid and hot so we all looked like we had had a swim!!! really bad.

Got a few nice pics of the island and sail away was another beautiful view.Travel companies offer day trips to beaches,mountain trails and waterfalls.Right on top of the one mountain there is a rock that looks like a parrots beak.So that was my day on the island.On the ship i went for my cocktail and peanuts at sunset and then i watched the crew getting the tables ready for a private dinner function, on the open deck under the stars! 

Looked beautiful,white linen table cloths and napkins,with lovely glasses for every course and silver cutlery, what a setting!!!! after such a fabulous day.We off to another dinner date and then i think a walk on deck 12 just to end the day.After that it is back to our little cabin on deck 4! ons gaaitjie!!!

5 Maart 2017 : Parati Brazil

Vandag weer getender om by die plekkie uit te kom en was n lang rit van 40 min om eers aan wal te kom.Daar het n kleurvolle besige jetty op ons gewag met hope toeriste en baie bote.Die hout dek het skoon gevoel jy gaan deurval maar natuurlik glad nie so nie,die spasie tussen die hout was net breer as gewoonlik en ek was te bly het my tekkies aan gehad.

Ook maar goed het my sambrieel ingepak want was nie lank nie toe reen dit te lekker en ons staptoer het voort gegaan in die reen.Ek het dit vreeslik geniet om te hoor van die pragtige klein dorpie met sy cobblestone strate,perdekarre en soos hy vertel Parati sometimes resembles Venice Italy for once a month there is a full moon and the tide is high seawater rises and covers the historic centre districts streets,dan is daar n paar bruggies om oor te stap.

Die ou mense in die dorpie kan dan kosteloos die perdekarre bestel om hulle orals heen te vervoer as die strate dan onder water is.Gelukkig hou dit nie baie lank aan nie en ook nie baie diep nie.Op die jetty was daar hope bote wat al die kleure van die reenboog geverf is.

Hier gebeur dinge teen eiland spoed,rustig ,more nog n dag,die bote word Schooners genoem.Ek wou graag op n toer gaan waar jy deur die rainforest ry met 4x4 en n waterval besoek maar hy was ongelukkig vol bespreek.More is ons in Buzios en dan volg Rio,so tot more ,mooi loop.

6 Maart 2017 : Buzios Brazil 

Another beautiful day in Brazil, Buzios was the town we visited today. I was lucky enough to go on a trolley tour through the town and see the  beautiful beaches.In 1964 Brigitte Bardot put this town on the map when she came here to escape the paparazzi and they even named a hotel after her the Rua das Pedras and made a bronze statue on the beachfront of her sitting on a suitcase.I sat down next to her and asked a stranger to take a picture for me.

Then we went on our trolley tour all over the town and to different beaches with the most beautiful views of this place.It was a rough and bumpy ride but i enjoyed being in the open air and seeing the place and we had a lovely witty funny guide telling us all about the place.After our tour i had time to visit a local store to stock up on a few things and then it was a last walk about and then back to the ship on the tender boat.

This morning i had the pleasant surprise of watching a program about the Karoo can you believe it here in this far away land and both farmers i know , Jenny Heydenrych from Jansenville and JP from Aberdeen could not believe it ,so it made me miss home even more,they are right when they say ,no place like home!!! your people and your things.Die plaas gewys ,hoe hulle boer,kos maak,afval kook,hoe die honde die bokke opppas, amazing, jou hart voel sommer vol en bree bors met trots jou plek, jou land,jou mense.Vamiddag was dit weer n moijto op dek 12 en toe is ek na die show vir die laaste aand op die skip want more klim baie gaste af en die nuwes klim weer op vir die volgende 3 weke.

Skoon uit die veld geslaan want die eerste aand dat ek so iets bywoon en min het ek geweet hierso was dit weer drankies en eetgoedtjies terwyl jy na die show kyk!! So toe vat ek maar weer n witwyntjie want nie kans gesien vir die champayne nie en toe kom die eetgoedtjies en my kans gebruik om caviaar te geniet maar wraggies nie eeers vir my lekker nie, proe so visserig,so nee dankie hulle kan maar hulle grand kos en drank hou!!!! Moes vir liefie lag ,hy se terwyl hy hout kap, drink mamma  wyn en eet caviaar!!! te lekker, hee heee  en dan proe dit nie eers vir my lekker nie.

Nou ja more is dit Rio so baie opgewonde,al klaar gese vat net die nodige geld en haal al jou juwele af ,maak my skoon op my senuwees, ook gese moet nie rondloop in die dok area nie want is gevaarlik so ek gaan op my toere en dan sal ek maar op die skip bly,ons sal maar alles van die skip verder bekyk.Die kaptein het vir ons gese dat ons so 6 uur more oggend verby die bekende strande gaan inseil so ek wil dit graag sien so more is dit vroeg opstaan om dit te beleef van dek 12,so tot more mooi loop.

7 March 2017: Rio De Janeiro

Still cant believe we are actually in Rio!!!! Arrived here early this morning and especially put our alarm clock on, to be on deck 12 when we sailed into this port.First we had a call at 5.20 and hubby was called out so i went up alone at first.Got one pic of the sun peeping through the clouds and then i was lucky enough to see the statue of Christ the Redeemer and Sugar loaf Mountain while we were sailing into Rio. Also had a lady called Terry Breen giving us background information while we were sailing in.

After breakfast i was off on my first tour of the day to Corcovado up the mountain to the Christ the Redeemer statue, and wow what a ride and experience it was.First we had a bus ride to the mountain and then we got on a train and went up the mountain through a thick dense forest,then you get in a lift and your last trek is up escalators to the statue,we were so lucky for the clouds and mist cleared and we had the most beautiful views of this amazing city.

The statue is huge and breathtaking very glad i could experience one of the seven wonders of the world.The statue was completed in 1931 and is 30 meters tall and 28 m with the arms stretched.Could also go into the little church that is under the statue and bought gifts on the mountain.On our way down we saw some wild tiny monkeys in the trees and they were fighting and making a lot of noise but was also great just to hear them in there natural habitat.Then we went to all the different sightseeing places in Rio and all along Copacabana beach.

Passed the botanical garden and would have loved to also visit them for looked amazing and the soccer stadium where the Olympics was held, very impressive.The slums against the mountain was quite something, the guide says it is a city in a city.So much history and interesting facts about this country ,would love to share but just too much.The area where we are docked they started redoing for the Olympics and are planning on doing a lot more so it is a very old area of the city.The only other thing that you see everywhere is graffiti on the walls which i though was terrible especially on the beautiful old buildings.

So with my 2 tours i got a good idea of the city and really enjoyed it,another passenger said it gives her the same feeling as Cape Town, so i was very impressed but she did say she thinks Cape Town is cleaner and i agree,can say that the beaches here are impressive and was so glad to see huge waves for the first time,all the other places dont really have big waves ,the sea is flat.

When i got back after five from my rondloping all i wanted was a cup of tea.So bye for now,tomorrow we get our new guests and sail out late afternoon,then the Amazon awaits!!!!