The Vagrant Gypsy Life

Day 30 Tue 28/9 Seabra/Lencois

A rough night in the bus. Didnt sleep well. Way too uncomfortable and the bus felt like a commerial freezer! Reached Seabra an hour late at 09:00, but it suits me since it means that my wait for the bus to Lencois will be shorter. There is nobody else in the bus station but myself, the people who work there and a few flies to keep us company.

Lencois is a really pretty town bordering Chapa Diamantina. A shower, a walk around for an hour and then it is time for bed at 20:30!

Day 31 Wed 29/9 Lencois/ Chapada Diamantina

After talking to my roommate, I decide to join him on a tour. We join 11 Brasilians on a tour to Cachoeira do Fumaca. We drive to Vale do Copao, a pretty village with a huge alternative air, and then hike two hours to the waterfalls. It is way too early for there to be much water, but the canyon is breath-taking! Lunch at the top is an apple and a mango. After a two hour hike down, it is time to have some sugar cane juice! It has been ages since I have had any and it tasted like nectar! Refreshngly cold and squeezed right in front of me. It cost a whopping R1.5!

Then off to anothe waterfall to swim a while. It is refreshingly cold. An hour of swimming, taking photos and it is time to head home.

I have dinner with a retired banker from Rio, who is interested in Ayurveda and asks me quesions about India. He didnt speak any English. We conversed in Portuguese and Spanish! I had Muqueca de Peixe, a typical Bahian dish. It was utterly delicious! I am by now used to how waitresses and waiters react to my broken Portuguese. A nice day to wash away the memories of Brasilia.

Day 32 Thu 30/9 Lencois/ Chapada Diamantina

I am all alone at my Pousada, run by Patricia and Rodrigo, and their adorable two year old. I decide to go on another tour – Morro do Pai Inacio, Gruta Lapa Doce, Gruta Azul. The group of 9 had 5 people from the previous day`s tour. I have conversatons with the folk, but it is hard work!

Start the day off with a short hike to a lovely waterfall and more swimming! Off then to Morro do Pai Inacio for some grand views from the flat top of the hill. It is but a 20 min walk up to the top of the hill. The view is very rewarding and the guide has some amusing tales to narrate.

Lunch, a per kilo buffet, was a pretty basic affair and then we head out to Gruta Azul and swim at the lake nearby for an hour. The water is clear and there are plenty of fish to see. Gruta da Lapa Doce is a big cave and we walk in it for 45 minutes. Limestone rock formed into cave by water.

I have dinner with the folks from the tour. Nobody speaks English, and I have another night to try out my broken Spanish and Portuguese. It is the birthday of one of the folks and we sing Happy Birthday to him in 3 different languages.

Day 33 Fri 01/10 Lencois

I spent a lovely day, celebrating turning a year older. 2006, 2008 found me in Central Park and Salzburg, while I took the day off work in 07 & 08 and spent it alone in Seattle. Carrying on the traditon of celebrating my birthdays alone, I hike out solo to Ribeireo de Meio, a river where the slippery rock form a natural slide. I run into an Uruguyan couple on their honeymoon. We get talking and they invite me to contact them when I am in Montevideo. People, including myself, are so much more friendly and sociable when they are travelling and away from home.

Swim, slide, swim, dry out on the rock. Repeat. After 3-4 hours, even I got tired of the routine as more people show up at the Ribeireo. Off to Lencios, where I have an acai to quench my hunger. It is too hot to do much and I retire to my room to read my Lonely Planet and figure out how much time to spend in Lencois before heading out to Salvador.

Dinner is aracje, another typical Bahian dish. I wash it down with an orange juice and head to bed, exhausted after a lovely day.

Day 34 Sat 02/10 Lencois

I repeat Friday, except that I had a 3 hour hike before heading to Ribeireo. Hike, swim, dry on the rock, followed by Acai for lunch. The only thing that changes is that I try a tapioca pancake for dinner.

Head to the bus station to buy a ticket for Salvador

Day 35 Sun 03/10 Lencois/ Salvador, Bahia

6 hour long bus ride from Lencois to Salvador. I am too tired when I get to the hostel to do anything but lie around after dinner. Dinner at a per kilo place was the most disappointing fare since I have been to Brasil. I had been to Salvador and stayed in the same hostel 5 years ago. It looks as if little has changed, except that Natalia and Inbal, the owners have moved to Bogota.

Tags: Travel

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 3rd, 2010 at 19:37 and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.