Robert's Travel Blog

 I won't go into detail about grocery prices like I did in Uruguay (you're welcome), suffice to say that this cost R$50 ($9.50) and easily enough for four sandwiches plus snacks.  So that's grocery-wise a bit more than Colombia, but about 2/3 Argentina/Uruguay. Meat and cheese packaged in plastic are pricey compared to the deli versions, at least at the one I found here, where they're both about $4/lb. PS Stay away from Pringles, they're terrible, greasy not crispy. Every single local version of US snack foods I've tried in South America, like Pringles, Doritos, and Cheetos has been (1) overpriced and (2) from bad to horrible.  Try some of the local snacks, about 1/3 the price, and occasionally very good.  Or if they're terrible at least they were cheap!

. . . is to unhook and remove the TV from the wall: Then unplug the mini-fridge because you need to plug in the TV with the goofy Brazilian plug: A few more cables . . . . . . and you're there! I love my Beelink mini-pc!  

 I went to the Cathedral da Sé, but I'm kinda done with cathedrals, even if this one is "the third largest Gothic cathedral in the world."  They are all (by design, I know) a bit samey, and I feel just a wee bit guilty impinging on anyone's expression of their faith, misguided as it may be (dismissive, moi?). Anyways . . .  The only thing interesting about cathedrals/churches is the odd bits, like this 3D (wax? plaster?) sleeping/dead Jesus from the church of Saint Efigênia: On to the Instituto Cultural Tomie Ohtake!  Who?  Japanese/Brazilian artist I had never heard of, and neither have you.  My second (after Buenos Aires) successful Subway Navigation (free for "idosos" - old people, yay!), and in a neighborhood of interesting buildings.  The building houses the Instituto in the first two floors and the rest are I dunno, offices or something.  It's hard to get a decent pic of the wonderful building, here's my best: And the sensuous metal curves o...

Yesterday I did a 3h15m walking tour of the Centro Velho, which despite its name has mostly been redeveloped and features some amazing buildings.  On the way to get there, close to my hotel, is this "viaducto:" . . . which is now a bridge.  There used to be a river running through the center, but they covered it over and now it's a . . . wait for it . . . pedestrianized area.  This is the view from the viaduct: São Paulo is an architect's wet dream.  Even in the old center there are buildings like this: Of course, original bits remain, like the Teatro Municipal: . . . and a park with the "Kilometer Zero" marker, from which all street numbers and distances in São Paulo are measured: The walking tour guide described this building, now part of the city government, as "fascist architecture."  Do you agree? Lovely if somewhat foreboding Art Deco entrance: For dinner I went to the self-service all you can eat restaurant directly across the street from my...

I did a "free" (before $20 tip, of course!) walking tour of these two neighborhoods, both of which feature loads of graffiti/street art.  And both feature São Paulo's lack of building codes, so you'll see a modern high-rise next to a decaying two-story building. Pinheiros used to be the bohemian hippy district, but has now been developed.  Vila de Madalena is older and retains some of its original charm. One thing I really liked is that there are street plantings everywhere, like these: If you think I forgot the graffiti, no! Just to finish, this beautiful crown of thorns growing over a wall:

After too many days in the hotel McSuck, I'm treating myself to a four-star hotel (the rest have been three, surely the minimum!) for a few days. The room is the biggest so far.  However, I guess I wasn't paying too much attention to the map, because the hotel is located at the intersection of two highways (noisy!) View from my window: Despite it being a four-star hotel, the neighborhood is pretty terrible, including homeless encampments a block away: Parts of it are kinda pretty: PS First my wall socket adapter stopped working.  Sucks, but until I get a new one I can live without my PC and Alexa (Echo).  So I borrowed a USB charger from the front desk, but then my phone wouldn't charge.  Increasing panic -- now I have to buy a new phone?!? Well, it turns out you have to insert your key card in the slot (the one with the Chinese labels) by the door for anything but the lights to work. D'oh! PPS The only way to get a coffee in the hotel is as part of the over-priced (...

It's Brazil's national dish, so of course I had to try it!  A thick bean stew with various kinds of beef and pork, plus a pork chop in this case, accompanied by fried plantains, collard greens, and (it wouldn't be Brazilian without it) rice. One plateful would have been more than enough, and there was enough for two.  I gave it my best! But, you ask, how did it taste?  The stew was rich with tender meat, the collard greens bland (but a good foil for the unctuousness of the stew), the pork chop dry, the plantains tough, and the rice was . . . rice. So, yeah, I'd have it again.  It would have been a great meal for two, for US$8.50, a bargain for all that flesh.

First a respiratory virus, now a nasty cold, but it's too depressing being cooped in this hotel room all day, so luckily just two blocks north, across the railroad bridge, and opposite the train station: . . . is the gated Parque Jardim da Luz (Garden of Light Park), which covers several square blocks: Inside is the Pinacoteca, two art museums.  This is the main building: Lots of good stuff inside: The second building is architecturally interesting, but the only thing inside was an exhibition that wasn't very interesting, thus no photos of that. The park itself is beautiful and doubles as a sculpture garden, with lots of interesting/whimsical works: I only got through about half of the park, but I'll definitely be back!