Road Trip: Final Thoughts and Pictures

I went back and read through my posts of the road trip and didn't find them that interesting.  I didn't have a lot of time to write while traveling.  The posts ended up being more of a recap of what we did, which I guess is fine.  However, as I look back, I would have preferred to describe more of my thoughts of the locations, people, and experiences along the way.  Therefore, since I didn't do it before, I thought I would jot down a few things from each place that stood out and were memorable to me.  Here they are in the order of the places we visited:

ILHA GRANDE

1.  My first impression was that the island is much bigger than I had expected.  The main island is 115 square miles, and there are a total of 365 islands in the area.  When I tell people that I live on a island they always imagine something small (must be something about the word island), but when they arrive here they understand how big it is.  That's how I felt about Ilha Grande.  With that being said, there is very, very little development there, and I think that's what makes it so appealing.  The total population of Ilha Grande is 3,000 people.  It felt like 100.

2.  The beaches on Ilha Grande are outrageous.  For those of you who like a little adventure mixed with pure beauty, this is a place you must visit in your lifetime.  We hiked for two hours on our first day and came across three beautiful beaches.  And if you have the means and the patience to travel by boat to the other beaches, you wouldn't believe how beautiful they are.  Each and every one of them are postcard material.  I can't imagine what they look like in the summer time with the water being even more turquoise.

3.  I continue to be amazed at the resourcefulness of the people who live on these remote beaches.  They live hours away from the rest of civilization with no electricity (only generators) and not much else.  However, they seem to be some of the happiest people in the world.  I think sometimes it pays to be simple.  

4.  The people on the island spoke a lot of English.  This is most likely a result of the fact that it is a very popular destination for international travelers (there were a lot of backpackers there).  I actually prefer to visit places that don't speak English.  I guess for most people it makes life a lot easier.  However, for those of us trying to learn Portuguese, this was not a good thing.

5.  The surf on Ilha Grande is all-time.  With the world shrinking (it's so easy to travel these days), the population growing, and surfing becoming more popular each day, I can't tell you how happy I was to be surfing great waves with only my friends.  This is NOT something I take for granted.  If you are ever searching for the ultimate feeling, try surfing a wave while your buddy is hollering the whole time all the while knowing that no one else in the world can hear you....

BUZIOS

1.  Buzios is a very likeable place.  It doesn't have the rugged feel of Ilha Grande but it was a nice change.  As I said earlier, the downtown is certainly the most charming area.  It is very "touristy" (Brazilians from other cities) but sometimes that is a good thing.  You could spend a lot of time just wandering around doing nothing....and we did exactly that.

2.  I actually enjoyed the beaches of Buzios.  They are not as beautiful as some of the ones we came across due to the multitude of houses that surround them, but they are certainly worthy.  And if you are willing to drive a little, you will see some incredible, incredible beaches (wait until you see the pictures).  

3.  The nightlife wasn't really happening during our visit because it is the off-season.  However, I can imagine it to be very good.  Both Privilege and Posh, two of the world's best clubs, opened up there recently so I would assume they have high expectations for the area.

4.  I found the people in Buzios to be a little snotty.  As I've said before, Brazilians are some of the most likeable people in the world.  However, I didn't get this vibe while there at all.  I think that with all the money pouring into the area and the big mansions being built, the people suddenly think that they are in the coolest place in the world.  I could certainly do without the attitude.  Maybe these people should visit Floripa before they decide that Buzios is the best place in the world (haha)!!!

RIO DE JANEIRO

1.  I'm not even sure where to start with Rio.  You could write a novel alone from a two day visit.  Before arriving Saturday, I had only been through the airport, the bus stop, and the area that surrounds those two places.  Let's just say that it couldn't be much worse.  There is trash everywhere, graffiti on every single thing, and unbelievable favellas.  I was hoping that there was more to Rio than just this.  It is too much of an international destination to have only what I had seen.

2.  The answer is that, yes, there is a lot more to Rio.  I liked Ipanema and Leblon the best.  These are very cool places with the same feel you get in the best neighborhoods of New York and San Francisco.  The only difference is that these neighborhoods have some of the most happening beaches in the world located just across the boardwalk.  Unfortunately, it rained while we were there so I didn't get to experience that aspect.  I'm not super anxious to return to Rio but when I do go, this is what I will be looking forward to most. 

3.  I was amazed at all of the international aspects of Rio.  I saw a lot more Americans (I'm not used to that here in Floripa) and people form other countries than I would have ever imagined.  I guess it's a popular spot to visit to say the least.  Also, like Ilha Grande, you could get by very easily without speaking any Portuguese. 

4.  I never really felt unsafe at any time during the trip.  I could easily see how someone would feel unsafe there, especially if it was the first visit to Brazil.  I guess I'm just acclimated to the culture by now and understand what to do and what not to do.  However, even with that being said, you can easily stick to the "safe" areas and hopefully never have a problem (I say hopefully with my fingers crossed).  But, never let your guard down.  When you're in a city where people advise you never to wear jewelry, it's probably better to be a little cautious.

FINAL THOUGHTS 

One of the best things about traveling is that it helps you gain perspective on the rest of the world.  Also, it helps you evaluate the place where you live.  You can see the good and the bad things of other areas and see how they compare.  The number one thing I learned while traveling is that Floripa HAS to be the best city in all of Brazil.  If you took all of the good things from each of the places I visited and put them in one city, you would have Floripa.  Wow, I'm started to sound like someone from Buzios.  Somebody punch me!

PICTURES

You can find all 267 of my pictures here: http://picasaweb.google.com/cpackard11/BrazilRoadTripJune2008 (copy and paste into your browser).  I know it seems daunting to go through that many pictures, but I thought it would be more fun than selecting only a few.  Plus, I think it is better for those of you (like my parents!) who want to share in the whole experience.  I added some commentary to make it a little more interesting.  Enjoy!