Just to finish the festive theme, here is the baby J in his manger adorning the clock tower plus some rather warm santas looking somewhat out of place

New Year went with a bang as we were entertained with a six hour barrage of fireworks and air bombs over the city. The beach was fully booked as most folk seem to head down for New Year which was a blessing as heavy rain washed away the bridge and route back. Those that went took 18 rather than 2 hrs to get back. A local village was also submerged but I believe thankfully no loss of life. It's rained nearly everyday since I arrived which was to be expected in such a tropical area but the duration of the downpours is way above the norm and has resulted in many landslides and floods across a lot of Sao Paulo State and Brazil in general.

After a two hour drive east you hit Ubatuba and the beach, one hour west and it's up into the mountains to Campos do Jordão, a sprawling Alpen styled mountain retreat with fine eateries, designer clothes shops and obligatory German beer. A playground of the wealthy set and a good spot to flee the heat of 1500m below. Surprising what a drop of a few degrees can have. This "chilliness" brings the locals out in their fashionable coats, hats and gloves. True brits stick to shorts and sandals (it was still 20 odd degrees!)

One of the many bizarre sights in this town

The wheels. Ford Ecosport Flex. Runs on petrol or alcohol so either depleting a natural resource or ripping down rainforest for sugar beet fields. Either way polluting the atmosphere!