Going to Cristo Redentor on Corcovado hill is a hard trip if you don’t have booked a tour. You’ll have to go by bus to Cosme Velho and from there a train (with quite long waiting times at the station) goes up on Corcovado hill. On the top you’ll have to take an elevator or walk some steps up to the largest Christ redeemer statue in the world.
Continue reading “The Big Dude”Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho
The Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, better known as Estádio do Maracanã (named after a bird living in this region), is the most important soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro. It was where Germany won the world cup in 2014, but it was also the place for one of the worst events in Brazilian soccer history: Brazil lost against Uruguay in the final of the world cup of 1950. Brazilians refer to this game as the Maracanaço.
Continue reading “Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho”Life in Vila do Abraão
Going to Vila do Abraão means a slow boat trip to Ilha Grande, enjoying nice views on the green island. As I arrived in the village I was expected by a luggage porter who carried my trunk with a pull-cart to my hotel, the Pousada Naturalia. I was really happy about this, because on the island there is nearly no pavement: Even the streets in the village were simply sand.
Continue reading “Life in Vila do Abraão”The L-shaped palm
I’m a big fan of the 1000 places to see before you die calendar. Every day I’m turning the page seeing places I’ve been to, places I’m going to in the near future. And sometimes I just memorize beautiful places. This is true for the Praia do Aventureiro and its famous L-shaped palm. I went there and then remembered that I’ve already seen it.
Restaurante Lua & Mar
Directly at the Praia do Canto in Vila do Abraão you’ll find the Restaurante Lua & Mar (luna and sea). You can sit directly at the shore, at daytime under a shadow-giving tree and enjoy good Brazilian sea food. I had my best dish in Brazil here: moqueca de camarones – fish stew with shrimps and coconut milk. Absolutely gorgeous.
Continue reading “Restaurante Lua & Mar”Restaurante e Bar Café do Mar
Café do Mar – that sounds like summertime, surfing, sun and cocktails. And that’s absolutely what it is. Sometimes they are making barbecues, but this place is by then absolutely overcrowded. Best come here in the afternoon and enjoy a nice coconut milkshake.
Continue reading “Restaurante e Bar Café do Mar”There is nothing like coco verde
Coconuts can be dangerous, especially when falling from a palm and striking you on the head. But it has to be considered an urban legend, that a considerable number of people per year die because of this fruit. In Vila do Abraão on Ilha Grande they can say: You have been warned.
Pousada Naturalia
When you arrive on Ilha Grande, in Vila do Abraão (belonging to Angra dos Reis, on the mainland) you first recognize that there are no paved roads and no cars. You walk through the sand and are happy, that there is someone transporting your luggage on a pull-cart. At the east-end of the village you leave the beach and after taking a small and short footpath up the hill you reach the Pousada Naturalia.
Continue reading “Pousada Naturalia”Jesus te ama
“O Senhor é o meu pastor;
nada me faltará.”
– Psalm 23:1.
Catholic state
I’ve been to many places where religion plays an important role, but Brazil seems to rule them all out. Christianity is of massive importance here and even the housenumber signs remind you to smile – because “Jesus loves you”. You can’t omit seeing catholic statements nearly everywhere.