Cuiaba

We're waiting at Brasilia airport for the next flight to Porto Alegre for the next World Cup match for Australia. So far Brazil has been wonderful, with plenty of very friendly people despite/because-of (?) the language barrier. Everyone is helpful and happy to answer our silly questions in broken Portuguese/English. Strangely enough, they always ask if we’re ‘Japonaise’. Maybe most of the Asians they see are Japanese?

Better photos from M’s camera will be coming after the trip, but I thought I’d share a few snaps from our first few days in Brazil.

The first meal I had on Brazilian soil was breakfast at Sao Paulo Guarulhos International Airport. A sweet and mostly healthy acai bowl with a side of bananas. Many of our other meals have been buffets with plenty of rice, beans and meat (delicious), or breakfast biscuits (definitely less so). One eats what’s around I suppose, although that probably doesn’t explain my newly formed Coke Zero habit. 

Onto what we did: the highlight so far has been the Australia v. Chile match of course. The atmosphere was incredible, with cheering fans and waves of excitement, with only the oppressive heat and sometimes splash of beer putting a very mild damper on things. It’s a pity about the result, but WE SAW AN AUSTRALIAN GOAL!!!! Hooray! Fingers crossed for a few more in the next two matches. 

Before the match though, we went on a very long walk around Cuiaba city. Rest stops in a park right in the centre of the city was needed.

The day following the game was dedicated to resting, and napping but the day after we tackled the Parque Nacional Chapada dos Guimareas. The weather was warm, but mostly tolerable, and with the help of a guide, we went on a 7km or so hike to see five waterfalls and a cave, complete with dips as needed to cool off. Seeing nature trumps seeing the city pretty much anywhere in my opinion. Food options in nature are lacking though, with unfortunately biscuits being the order of the day. 

Onto city #2!