In and around Taubate

A view over part of Taubate to the mountains in the distance. A great escape in summer when the heat and humidity become unbearable in the valley.

A cow's eye view over the valley floor and towards Taubate

June is "no cloud month"

Time for an epiphany

Bamboo is prolific in the North Atlantic Rain Forest that covers much of the central east coast of Brazil especially between Rio and Sao Paulo.

Many isolated and pristine beaches along the coast

Churches a plenty

The local "martial art" is called Capoeira and was developed by slaves during the 16th Century more as a dance so as to hide it's true potential as a formidable method of self defence. Always a circle and accompanied by various musical instruments. Break dancers can thank these guys for some of their moves. Cartwheels can be deadly!

Motor Racing is almost as big as football in Brazil and even gets broadcast in the nightclub. Presume the band don't mind...

Intrepid explorer




Farmland

Wetland with Cassiane

May day celebrations in the carnival arena


Wacky tree growths


Wacky tree


Many VWs still here - vans and beetles.


Market in full swing


Evening in full swing


Booze is cheap and plentiful


Regular parties (always involving a BBQ!!)

And the odd mexican night when the drunks come out. Well one drunk anyway.

More wildlife...

Guinea pigs...

Snakes in jars..


The ants, of the leaf cutter variety, are always on the move.


The horse and cart is a common sight.


Beach dweller


The reptilian addition to the local firewater, cachasa, doesn't add much to the flavour but if the mexicans can put a worm in bottles of mescal why not go one better?


A band from the UK on tour in South America playing 80's favourites. Didn't stay long.

House compilation for all you budding architects. A stark contrast to the way the majority of Brazilians live.


Another house


A green house


A prim and proper house


Two houses !

Farewell drinks for my colleague Matt returning to the UK. My turn in a week.

A very lively band.


And as I begin to pack my bags Brasil is being swept up in World Cup fever.

Adeus de Brasil - Goodbye from Brazil.

A beautiful country where I only met friendly and generous people.

Some treasured memories.

:) x

A week in Cusco, Peru

A trip to Peru and a nice view over the Andes

Lake Titicaca - Chilly fishing at 3800m (12,500ft)


Finally landed in Cusco, the former Inca capital, after an hours transfer out of Lima. Arrived in time for the national holiday of Corpus Christi (the body of Christ). People flocked to the town from far and wide to join the celebrations and parades.

Even the red carpet was rolled out, down which elaborate effigies of saints perched on wooden trellises were carefully lowered down onto the shoulders of attending men to transport around the plaza.

Plaza

Saint...?

Sinner...? (Or are Saints normally shot full of arrows?)

Our Lady of ....??

Traditional dance. A far cry from Samba, Tango or Robot


The traditional Corpus Christi meal served at numerous stalls at the back of the plaza. A combo of chicken, cheese, a polenta bread and yep, guines pig! As it was served by hand and was likely to have been sat out all day I politely declined.

Cusco itself is at 3,500m and it took 2 days for my altitude headache to subside. The surrounding area is dotted with ancient sites amid the spectacular scenery. A day trip to the Sacred Valley was no disappointment.

A granary carved out the hillside helped keep the vital corn and grain dry and inaccessible to thieves.

Sacred Valley

Llamas or alpacas?

Bus stop.


Native Andean women colouring Alpaca wool with natural dyes and subsequently spinning and weaving it into various items of clothing that are snapped up by the tourists.

Jesus keeping watch over Cusco

Inca King in the main square of Aguas Calientes, a town 30mins from Machu Picchu.

Here it is...Machu Picchu, the best preserved Inca citadel in South America, due mainly to the failure of the Spanish Conquistadors to discover it when they came, saw and pillaged just under 500 years ago whilst destroying native monuments and holy places and building Catholic churches in their place. It was only recently rediscovered in the early 20th century after being hidden from view by a camouflage layer of thick vegetation.

Nice terraces.


Great views

Airy

Be warned however, by mid morning the tourists overrun the place.

And as a final Peruvian treat the night before leaving I tucked into "cuy al horno"... roast guinea pig! Pretty unremarkable and yes similar to chicken but bonier and obviously not enough meat. Alpaca by the way is also not that memorable. Beefy mutton at best.