I got off the bus after what seemed to last for one million hours.... I arrived in a bus station and called Camila - the first thing she asked me was totally legitimate but it was also the hardest question for me to answer clearly... Where exactly are you?
We met about half an hour later - spent some time together but I had to go meet a couchsurfer for my first night in this huge city... It was the kind of situation in which I was too tired to remember that sleeping was my best option - so after we arrived at her place, we went on the balcony to chat a little bit - enjoying the beautiful view! What confirmed me that my couchsurfer was really a good person is that she had lived in Portugal and that we had had the same favorite supermarket! Pingo Doce! And in second place, Mini Preco!
Belo Horizonte - the name talks by itself - is a big city surrounded by mountains and the first thing I noticed were the views we could get from almost anywhere! Before coming to Brasil, I imagined that I could borrow or buy a bike and ride it in the big cities - some people told me it would be impossible because of the topography - I thought they were exagerating - but they were not... In six days in this city, I didn't see a single bike - it would have not even been heroic, but maybe funny... in the best case!
The next day was about visiting the city - the hippie market in the morning - and then a park on a hill - from where, once again, we could see the city! The temperature was above 35 degrees but I already talked about it...
Later, I was back with Camila and her family - a big family - 3 enthusiastic and entertaining generations living together - with a pool in which we can not swim, but we can at least get wet! It was the weekend preceding the Carnaval - so we ate barbecued meat and drank brasilian beer until late at night...
The next day we had planned to go to Ouro Preto - eveybody that I knew was caring more than me about me having a real carnaval experience - I did care a little bit but I hadn't made my itinerary according to it. Ouro Preto is a small city built on a few hills and if it had not been for gold, I don't think anyone would have built a city in this place... As I said, it would be really hard to ride a bike in Belo Horizonte - it was hard to simply WALK in the streets of Ouro Preto... but once more, the views were amazing! So as the sun was trying to kill me, I was trying to enjoy the place, the people, the music and the decorations that were all around us... In the end, the sun got the first round - but didn't kill me... We left and returned to BH!
The next two days were about getting my energy back - visiting a few more places in the city - talking and listening to some people - on a more personal level - saying goodbye to my super friendly brasilian couchsurfer and her family - and Camila's also extremely welcoming family and getting ready for another transition!
We met about half an hour later - spent some time together but I had to go meet a couchsurfer for my first night in this huge city... It was the kind of situation in which I was too tired to remember that sleeping was my best option - so after we arrived at her place, we went on the balcony to chat a little bit - enjoying the beautiful view! What confirmed me that my couchsurfer was really a good person is that she had lived in Portugal and that we had had the same favorite supermarket! Pingo Doce! And in second place, Mini Preco!
Belo Horizonte - the name talks by itself - is a big city surrounded by mountains and the first thing I noticed were the views we could get from almost anywhere! Before coming to Brasil, I imagined that I could borrow or buy a bike and ride it in the big cities - some people told me it would be impossible because of the topography - I thought they were exagerating - but they were not... In six days in this city, I didn't see a single bike - it would have not even been heroic, but maybe funny... in the best case!
The next day was about visiting the city - the hippie market in the morning - and then a park on a hill - from where, once again, we could see the city! The temperature was above 35 degrees but I already talked about it...
Later, I was back with Camila and her family - a big family - 3 enthusiastic and entertaining generations living together - with a pool in which we can not swim, but we can at least get wet! It was the weekend preceding the Carnaval - so we ate barbecued meat and drank brasilian beer until late at night...
The next day we had planned to go to Ouro Preto - eveybody that I knew was caring more than me about me having a real carnaval experience - I did care a little bit but I hadn't made my itinerary according to it. Ouro Preto is a small city built on a few hills and if it had not been for gold, I don't think anyone would have built a city in this place... As I said, it would be really hard to ride a bike in Belo Horizonte - it was hard to simply WALK in the streets of Ouro Preto... but once more, the views were amazing! So as the sun was trying to kill me, I was trying to enjoy the place, the people, the music and the decorations that were all around us... In the end, the sun got the first round - but didn't kill me... We left and returned to BH!
The next two days were about getting my energy back - visiting a few more places in the city - talking and listening to some people - on a more personal level - saying goodbye to my super friendly brasilian couchsurfer and her family - and Camila's also extremely welcoming family and getting ready for another transition!
Okay, now I want to go to Minas more than before. hahahaha
ReplyDeleteI told you that we have hills here, but you didn't believe me ! =P
I'm happy that you met good people there, but I can't believe that you just saw the carnaval one day. Really!
hahaha