Author Topic: Brazil bound (Read 8139 times)

gclan · « **Reply #25 on:** June 24, 2016, 08:03:04 AM »

Thanks for the pics feisty! Really interesting

Fizzie · « **Reply #26 on:** June 24, 2016, 08:10:17 AM »

The bit that gets me is all these shacks (& lets admit it, if they were here in Oz, they wouldn't even be a shack

), all with air-con units hanging out the windows / walls?

Aren't these people living like this because they're dirt poor? So how do they afford air-con? (& a new fridge!)

feisty · « **Reply #27 on:** June 24, 2016, 08:41:21 PM »

Not really shacks Fizzie. Most are 5 stories tall. Apparently many were built during boom periods after the 20's.
The workers who built the legitimate high rises in the cities would live in the carvelas and save money to build something on the patch of land they "occupied'.
Whilst not legal they built single story dwellings using the same techniques and standards they used to build the legitimate high rises.
They then realised they could sell the space above their house to someone for their house and so on and so on.
So there was no room left for roads as technically these building are illegal. Although various governments go through phases of making them legal or trying to pull them down.
However the people who live in these communities are the ones working at the many hotels and service industries. They earn reasonable money.
In the last 5 years banks have even opened up in these areas as well as gymnasiums, sushi restaurants and other forms of commerce.
I even passed an orthodontist surgery.......

Fascinating places

However I flew into Salvador last night. Some 1500km north of Rio.
Some pretty tragic buildings around. Does not appear to be anywhere near the same opportunities or money as in Rio.

feisty · « **Reply #28 on:** July 01, 2016, 07:55:20 PM »

Left the Amazonas region (Manaus). 3 flights today. In a three week trip we take 13 which is killing me.

Swan with the dolphins EDZ thanks for the tip. Misses caught her first fish ever. A piranha no less

Loved the Amazon. Just like the Murray but green with jungle, monkeys and big spiders

Fizzie · « **Reply #29 on:** July 02, 2016, 09:30:30 AM »

Feisty

Looks awesome!

Friend at Uni did 3 weeks on the Amazon on a research trip a few years ago & said it was amazing!

Couple of q

Is that a life jacket or just a harness to stop falling in?

& is it the hotel or the local jail!

feisty · « **Reply #30 on:** July 03, 2016, 10:41:19 AM »

Quote from: Fizzie on July 02, 2016, 09:30:30 AM

Feisty

Looks awesome!

Friend at Uni did 3 weeks on the Amazon on a research trip a few years ago & said it was amazing!

Couple of q

Is that a life jacket or just a harness to stop falling in?

& is it the hotel or the local jail!

Fizzie it's a cheapy life jacket they put around your waist instead of one your shoulder. Luckily we were the only 2 people swimming that afternoon. The place is run by locals and is only accessible by boat. As this is the low season they don't see much action.

The building was one part of a 2000 room hotel complex on the river that has since gone bust. Some of it is falling into the river.

Great place. Have since flown south to iguazu falls. Absolutely spectacular. They are right on the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.

I had dinner at a dodgy casino in Paraguay last night. Burgers and beers in Brazil tonight and breakfast in Argentina tomorrow all without travelling more than 10 km