From hostel to hostel - discovering Brazil

Last Sunday morning we said goodbye to the Holandes Hostel in Ilha Grande and the great people there. Foz do Iguacu was our next destination, so we had to travel by bus from the coast and almost to the boarder between Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. It was a long travel that lasted for 24 hours, but the rumers about the great waterfalls there (that will make Niagra Falls look like a small saliva) made us want to experience it.

We're really starting to feel like backpackers.

So from one hostel to the other - or from one breakfast table to the other, we arrived to Fos do Iguacu. And after a little stretching in the kitchen and alot of weird looks from other travelers - probably thinking "crazy norwegians" - our bodies was starting to feel normal again after sitting many hours.

Iguacu Falls - viewpoint from the Brazilian side.

What we didn`t know about Iguacu Falls, was that there were alot of butterflies there. And we really mean alot. They were everywhere, and not afraid of people. This one came for a walk with us, sitting on Sandras hand for about 15 minutes. An other one landed on Jannes face! We`d love to post a photo of that, but the situation was too short and to special.

There were also an "adventure-trail" you could do near the Iguace Falls. That included rope-balance, canoopy and other things happening many meters above the ground that needed our full attention and balance. We`ll let the pictures speak for themselves. It was amazing, and alot of beautiful nature all around us. Sandra was our dedicated photographer.

It was definately hard work getting everything right without falling.

This was definately the most scary part - climbing up this post and jumping from it to a trapeze!

 This Sunday was a special day. Not only the fact that it was 10/10/2010, but it was also SWU music and art festival in Itu, São Paulo! We have been looking forward to this since we first tried to get the tickets in july, so the exitement was high. Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Joss Stone, Regina Spector, Sublime + +

the festival lineup!  yes, i know you´re jealous..

The festival area was on a huge farm outside sao paulo, it reminded alot of the Roskilde festival.

Beside the art and music, the festival also focused on engaging people in thinking about the environnement. Some exhibitions like this bus filled with grass, trees and plants, labyrinth made of cubes of garbage, stands from different organizations, etc, was some of the things we found there.

Dave matthews LIVE!! It was worth every penny.

Life as we like it

Sandra reconstructing a norwegian butter-commercial

So far, we`ve spent some wonderful days in Rio de Janeiro. The weather hasn`t been on our side, but the city has alot to offer anyway. Biking trips, visiting historical sites, almost getting robbed, seeing the famous "Seralon steps" aka "Lapa steps" and visiting Sugar Loaf are some of the things we`ve been up to.

In the hostel we have been staying, we`ve met many backpackers from different countries. We especially spent alot of time with the english couple Mike and Jayne. They`ve been traveling in South-America for three months and visiting places we are planning to see in this trip, and they gave us alot of good tips.

Hanging out with Mike and Jayne in the hostel kitchen

"Ceeeeelebrate good times, come on!" 28th of september was a celebrating day, Jannes birthday! The night before was spent in Academia de cachaça, and unfortunately (or luckily) we don`t have any pictures from this night of caipirinhas. The next day we treated ourself with a exclusive massage at a spa in Ipanema, plus a nice mexican dinner. She also got cupcakes, candles and balloons - you never get too old for that!

But Janne having a birthday was not the only special happening this day. In the evening Ole Martin came from Norway to visit Sandra and to travel with us for the next two weeks.

Visiting the "Lapa steps"

Here we met Seralon, an artist from Chile who started this art-project in 1996. He has devoted his life to adding colour to these 250 stairs in the centre of Lapa, Rio de Janerio. Most of the materials are donations – leftovers from construction sites all over the world and from people who simply want to be a part of his colourful creation. While the colours vary a little, you’ll notice the recurring theme of blue, green and yellow – the colours of the brazilian flag.

Carioca Acqueduct

Visiting the botanical garden in Rio.

Friday we left Rio de Janeiro and headed to Ilha Grande, an island outside the coast of Brazil. This place is free from cars, banks and the noise from the city. Rainforest covers the island, and it is famous for all its beautiful beaches.

The harbour in Ilha Grande

We are staying in Holandes Hostel for the weekend, a cheep but beautiful place that looks like it`s from a fairytale.

We live here! The fish lives in the pond.

From left to right: Dingo the dog, the three english backpackers we met on the boat to Ilha Grande: Rafi, Jeff and Tim, Ole Martin and Sandra. Janne is behind the camera as usual.

The first day in Ilha Grande we decided to hike! There are many trails around the island which all leads to different beaches. We did a three hour hike up and down mountains, passing three different beaches, and ended up in Lopes Mendes - a beach that was rated as one of the top ten beaches in the world by Vouge Magazine. Even though it was cloudy, the temperature was warm and the nature was beautiful.

The trail went throgh the rainforest, and we had to watch out for snakes and spiders.

When we came to the first beach after almost two hours, it was very refreshing to take a swim!

Lopes Mendes was perfect for yoga and exercising

From Abraao, the "city"-center, Dingo the dog followed us all the way to Lopes Mendes. He was like our own personal guide, and he knew the trails very well. Sadly we had to leave him behind when we took the boat back.