Sao Jorge, Goias (Brasil)
This was the first week that I spent travelling by myself in Brasil. I had left my comfort zone and entered the real world of Brasil, well sort of… Going to a national park like I did is not an everyday thing for Brasilians. Ok, the national park is about 250km north of Brasilia, the capital of Brasil. It has the same sort of beginning as Australia’s capital, Canberra. Sorry for people out there who thought it was Sydney. It is surprising how many people from outside Australia think that Sydney is Australia’s capital. Anyway, Rio was Brasil’s capital until about 50 years ago, when the President of Brasil, at the time, Juscelino Kubitschek or JK to the locals, decided to move the capital to the centre of Brasil and build a city from nothing. Basically it is the same idea as Canberra, after the capital was moved from Melbourne. OK, enough of the history lesson… 
I flew into Brasilia, with Guiletta (Lorena’s friend) and where we were met by the tour operator and other members of the group. Quick introductions and we were on our way to the park, some 3hrs drive away. The countryside is so dry here and it reminds me of being around Swan Hill, never ending paddocks of dry grass with the occasional hill and valley. I think it is beautiful country, but many here don’t like it as it is to dry. Here is a map of the state of Goias, showing the Federal District and the National Park to the north.
The week was full of fun and I think that I have seen enough waterfalls to last me for some time now. That said, I am planning on seeing one of the world’s biggest and best, Foz de Iguaçu. (The Iguaçu Falls, for the English speakers reading this…). Being the only non Portuguese speaker in the group, I had a bit of trouble understanding 
what was going on, but it is surprising the number of people who can speak English in Brasil. All in the group could, I think even those who said they couldn’t speak English, could still say a few words. However I managed to get by and even managed to understand what was being said about the plants and landscape at by the end of the week. It is amazing how much your brain will understand, when put to the test. Some in the group thought it was very funny when I started taking off the tour guide. I hope that you enjoy the photographs of me either in or next to water.
While at the National Park, we stayed in a small village called Sao Jorge. Now SJ has a constant population of around 500 and most of the time they are either in 1 of 3 states… 1. working in a local shop or acting as a tour guide (working), 2. Sleeping off the effects of No.3. and the last state of 3. high on the wacky tabacky… They are an “alternative lifestyle” community. About the only sane ones in the community are the Bomberios (Firefighters and Lifeguards from the Park, as they have to be switched on.) That said, it was a lovely little town with dirt roads, small restaurants that catered for a maximum of 20 people and little hotels and not to mention the small craft market. They also had a musical festival while we were there, but I think the local acts were a little off key and they went late into the night, which meant I caught up on sleep next to the pools… what a life…
During the week we had a standard routine of getting up, breakfast of cake and coffee and various fruits and fresh fruit juice. (I left the bread, cheese and ham alone, but the breakfasts here are just great. After breakfast it was on the road or should I say track. We would walk for a couple of Km’s, take a few photos of ourselves, waterfalls, plants, etc. and then all jump into a natural pool in the river for about an hour. This would be repeated 3 or 4 times per day and by the end I was just about running between pools, as it was so hot and the pools were so refreshing. I didn’t get sun-burnt either and this photograph shows why… Stupid Gringo…heheheEnjoy the photos, as they tell you more than I could.
My traveling group...
