In the rain…
A storm front has hit Buenos Aires, so it’s raining and thundering happily. It’s only supposed to last a day. I’ll use the time to clean up my PC, sort pictures and documents, check my spending, then maybe go for a swim or to a museum…. Tonight I’ll meet a friend for a beer. Oh, […] Read More
Buenas Aguas
I think I will not maintain the rhythm of the postings from Brazil in Buenos Aires. I have fallen into a kind of slow state. Well, it’s not that I am not doing anything, but it’s just the normal stuff. I’m most proud that I am going to the gym every day. Swimming. Not much, […] Read More
Sampa’s markets
My last full day in Brazil was market day for me. I went down to the Centro and into the Mercado Municipal de São Paulo. Well, first, I had to fight my way through. I got off at São Bento Metro, and ran into the masses of São Paulo. Think Oxford street at Christmas, just much, […] Read More
Forget Guacamole
The first drink Mauricio made me in Rio was a Vitamina with avocado. It was delicious. But basically any fruit can be used, I understand – check this recipe! Now I had another epiphany: An avocado popsicle! Forget the green mushy stuff to dip your tacos in! This is the real thing!!!! It’s from a store in […] Read More
Getting connected
So far, this trip has been far from lonely. Sure, I’m traveling on my own, but it has been easy to meet people in all different places. The best thing though is when friends connect you, like my friend Daniel did, whom I had met in San Francisco six years ago… A few Facebook messages […] Read More
Vila Mariana
So here’s my new neighborhood: Vila Mariana. South of the centre of the city, it’s one of São Paulo’s most bohemian neighborhoods. When I found the place on Airbnb I mailed a friend and former colleague, who had lived in São Paulo for three years, to inquire whether this area was a good one. ‘Book it’ was […] Read More
First impressions from São Paulo
I arrived at my new place a bit later than planned, but already with a nice impression of the city (is that an appropriate word for a metropolis of 11.1 million people in the city and 20,5 million in greater São Paulo?) just from the quick taxi ride into town. It’s huge, but looked quite well-off, […] Read More
Muqueca de Banana
I had to go back. Espírito Santa, the restaurant, I mean. This time: Muqueca de Banana, a stew of not overly-ripe Bananas in a coconut sauce. The bananas were actually rather vegetable-like, firm, you nearly had to use a knife… Of orange color, no idea what kind of banana that was. It came with rice and some […] Read More
Culinary delights of Santa Teresa
I had spotted that place when walking through the streets in Santa Teresa earlier, and noted that it had a big choice of vegetarian dishes. Salads, soups, vegetables…. So I strolled back Rua Almirante Alexandrino to Espírito Santa, leaving the Cozinha alemã on the sides, and sat down in this cosy, dark place. First thing: a suco de maracujá that […] Read More
On the Ipanema market
Wanted to go downtown again, but ran into the market on Praça General Osório, a semi-green spot in the middle of town, that also holds a sort of Hippie craft market on Sundays, and is the major bus stop. Tons of fresh fruit, too bad I had already had breakfast, I could have had fresh pineapple and tons […] Read More