(Sent: Sun, February 29, 2004 5:02 am)

Pronunciation guide:

	Paraty = pudachi
	Angra de Reis = Ung-hra thde Hey-ice
	Ilha Grande = ee-ya gran-gee
	Rio de Janeiro = Hio thde Jani-erdo
	São Paulo = Sow-wul Pa-wul-oh

Now you can read the place names correctly...

Ever heard of a place in Brazil called Paraty? That´s where I am right now. A small seaside villiage surrounded by huge mountains and lots of islands. It has a historical significance that draws lots of people, although I came because my book said it was pretty. It is too.

Based around an early mission, the original half of the town is filled with colour and activities, although the afternoon siesta is alive and well here. Each street, closed off to vehicles, is made from huge cobble-rocks and bows down in the middle to direct runoff waters into the nearby sea. It also does something very unique. The town is designed so that the streets are flushed with water that pours in from every high tide. Pretty cool. I´m waiting for a high tide now.

So that is where I am. And as you will know already, São Paulo is where I have been. Now that is a big city. It has lots of favellas (slums) which are litterally shanty towns built from any materials the people can get hold of. These are the most dangerous places in the city.

I lived in Centro (the old middle of town) where the atmosphere was charged but I didn´t see any immediate danger. During the day the whole city (not including Favellas) felt anywhere from reasonably safe to very safe. At night is a different story though, and I didn´t venture far at that point.

Everywhere you look in Centro there are homeless people sleeping on the streets. Even during the day they are there, sometimes in the middle of the pathway, catching whatever sleep they could get. Most people simply ignored them and ensured their paths did not connect. Others would stare while they walked past them, perhaps they were tourists.

My time in São Paulo was short but good. Travelling around most of the city by foot allowed me to see much more of the real life that happens out there. I found it when I got lost and wandered the streets for a while trying to find myself.

So now I am here in Paraty. Where next I hear you ask. Just north of here is Angra de Reis, gateway to Ilha Grande. That is where I will be tomorrow. Of course if you are wondering about Rio, then that is my last stop in Brazil and one of the most beautiful too... and the most dangerous. I will be there from (Tue) 2nd to the 4th of March.

Have a great day. Rob.