The Beauty of Bolivia

The transportation push to the border of Brazil/Bolivia was a long one. We took a 15 hour overnight bus, then bought a second bus ticket and an hour later boarded an 8 hour bus that took us to the border town of Corumba. Unfortunately we arrived too late as the border had closed for the day (who closes a border at 1PM?). We awoke the next day and headed to the bus station where Brazilian immigration gave us our exit stamp (why it is not done at the actual border I have no idea), and then caught a local bus to the Bolivian border.

We had heard horror stories about Americans crossing into Bolivia. At the end of 2007 Bolivia decided that Americans should pay a $135 fee to enter and word on the street was that if you did not have all of your correct paperwork (copy of passport, yellow fever vaccination, proof of sufficient funds, onward travel documentation, etc.) in hand that they would demand an even higher sum. We were not about to let that happen, so we came prepared. Surprisingly, absolutely none of our prep work was necessary. As we walked into the immigration office the ’officials’ looked up, asked for our passports and then broke out huge smiles. “American!” they yelled. “You must pay $135 each!!!!” When we nodded ‘yes’ expressionless. They seemed even more excited that we did not put up a fight and gave us the visa paperwork to fill out. As we handed over the cash there was much happy chatter accompanied by even bigger smiles as the official smelled the money, held it up in the air and yelled triumphantly, “dollars!” That was when we realized that every worker in the room was going home with A LOT of money that day. Obviously they don’t get many Americans through this border crossing. Aside from that, the workers were very nice to us, even asking Chad to translate some English writing for them from another person's application. We walked out of the office and into Bolivia $270 poorer but with a valid 5 year visa, just in case we want to book a return visit!

A quick 15 minute cab ride brought us to the dusty quiet town of Quijarro where “The Death Train” was waiting on it’s tracks to take us to Santa Cruz. Yes, our next mode of transportation was nicknamed “The Death Train”. We were lucky enough to get on the train that afternoon and avoided another night at the border. We were welcomed by a broken air conditioner in our carriage and hordes of sweaty people transporting all sorts of goods. Lucky for us, that was the worst of our journey and the ‘Death Train’ had more bark than bite. It was slightly entertaining as it rattled down the tracks at an incredibly slow pace, shaking and swaying as if it would fall to one side at any minute. We spent 15 hours bouncing about, but we did get to enjoy a few Hollywood movies dubbed over in Spanish and a freezing cold night as the air conditioner finally decided it was going to work overtime.

We arrived in Santa Cruz, the second largest city in Bolivia, completely exhausted from our past week and in need of some decent sleep and a shower. We were excited to finally be in Bolivia and even more excited to see a good friend of ours Brian Asby, who happened to be working in Santa Cruz for a few weeks. We could not believe our luck that the timing worked out and we decided to spend a few extra days in Santa Cruz to catch up. Santa Cruz was a pleasant city with a central plaza and streetside cafes. The weather was nice and we were able to catch up on internet, laundry and some good meals. We met up with Brian a couple different nights and shared travel stories and got updates on life back in the USA. It actually felt like a little slice of home as we sipped some cold beers and reminisced, something I think all three of us really appreciated!

Santa Cruz was pleasant and comfortable but we bid Brian farewell and decided to head into the countryside to see a different side of Bolivia. Our destination was the small village of Samaipata, tucked into the Bolivian mountains a 3 hour taxi ride outside Santa Cruz (total cost of taxi was about $7!). Upon arrival in Samaipata we immediately felt like we may have found a future home for us. Within our first hours of being in town we had gone for a run and found a cozy little bar serving microbrews and Samaipata jumped to one of our favorite small towns of the trip without trying. The town was picture perfect in every way, a village that had not been found yet by the masses of backpackers roaming South America.

We spent 3 days in Samaipata, and loved every single second if it. We visited the local market daily, buying fruit and vegetables from the indigenous women. We wandered up and down the cobbelstone streets, petting the many sleeping dogs, popping into cafes and shops, sitting in the park plaza and taking photos of the old buildings and churches. At night there were some very cool pubs to visit and we treated ourselves to one of the best meals of our trip at a local restaurant that served fresh, organic vegetarian food. We didn’t just stick in town though. We ventured to a nearby national park on a tour with a Spanish speaking guide and three 50 year olds from Spain. The views were amazing and the hiking trails great, but let’s just say that we don’t speak Spanish and were in MUCH better shape than the chain smoking Spaniards.

Samaipata solidified our love for Bolivia. The country is dirt cheap, the people are friendly, the food is decent (okay not decent if you are a vegetarian), there are more things to do than days in the month and they produce wine in the southwest that can be had for under 3 dollars a bottle. Bolivia has definitely caught our attention. Maybe we will be using that 5 year visa in the future after all.

Breathtaking Iguazu

There have only been a few individual sights that have left us absolutely in awe on this trip. We have witnessed some amazing things; the moment Iguazu Falls came into our view we knew we were seeing something truly special. After missing Victoria Falls in Africa, it became a priority to make it to Iguazu. We made the trip to the Brazil and Argentina border, and boy, the falls did not disappoint.

We arrived in the town of Foz do Iguazu after a 24 hour bus ride from Rio and immediately realized the place was packed with other backpackers and tour groups. We searched for a place to stay for a few hours but ended up sharing a triple with a German women because it was the only option available that would not break our budget. Let’s just say it was an interesting accommodation experience. The next morning we caught an early bus out to the park to view the falls. We decided to see the falls from the Brazilian side only although many people choose to view it from both countries. The Brazilian side gives you an overall view of the falls, a panorama picture that displays the enormity of the area. The Argentinean side is described as an up close view which made us worry that we might now get a close encounter from the Brazil shore. Fortunately this was not the case.

The Falls are absolutely spectacular. Yes, we did get the panorama view but we were also able to go out on walkways and viewing platforms into “The Devil’s Throat” to get an intimate experience with the power of the falls. The walkways were crowded with large tour groups but that didn’t lessen the experience. The falls are so massive they are capable of really entertaining a large crowd of viewers. Their power and beauty is a rush on the senses and can be seen, felt, heard, smelled and tasted (I guess you could taste the mist if you really wanted to). Viewing the falls together definitely enhanced the experience as we both were quite giddy at the beautiful sight.

We spent a half day viewing the falls and surrounding park before heading back to the city. We needed to stack up on some supplies, change some money and prepare ourselves for the big transportation push to the border and on to Bolivia.

Coffee, Sand and a Redeemer - Welcome to Brazil

Brazil has a split personality when it comes to a traveler’s budget. Our flight to Sao Paulo brought with it $50 rooms (triple our normal lodging budget) which have become the norm for the rest of our stay here. Transportation completes the double financial whammy with day long bus rides costing around $40 and overnight rides as high as $85. On top of all this, Brazil also welcomes you with an Americans only visa fee of $135; in the Brazilian’s defense it is a ‘reciprocal’ fee of what we charge them so there is not much room to complain! The saving grace, besides the beautiful sites and people, is that food here is dirt cheap, like India cheap. Our daily budget for food and drink is sub $10 with the potential of being the most affordable country on our trip when it comes to filling our stomachs.

With our heads adjusted to this new country (and continent) we left Sao Paulo after two days and headed inland 5 hours by bus to the countryside village of Carmo de Minas. A former manager of mine, Victor, is married to a wonderful Brazilian, Maria, and we were lucky enough to be able to visit Maria’s family for a few days during our trip. To make things sweeter, it should be noted that Maria’s family, the Chaib’s, are sixth generation coffee farmers and above all, wonderful people with sitcom like humor.

We arrived to the regional hub of Sao Laurencao on a Monday evening and were welcomed by Maria’s brother, Pedro. Immediately we felt like we were visiting old friends as Pedro gave us a quick tour of their small hometown village and drove us to the Chaib household. There we were welcomed by Pedro’s parents, Marly and Ibraim, as well as his sisters, Nazira and Dinha. Marly had prepared a welcome meal for us and we immediately felt at home as we attempted to polish up our Portuguese over a delicious meal.

We had three nights in Carmo de Minas and would be staying at the Chaib coffee ‘farm’. The family owns the home in the village where they live but also have a second home or farm house 5 kilometers outside of town on the coffee plantation. Pedro drove us out that first night and we were filled with excitement as we wound down dirt roads over hills and through fields to arrive at the farm. We were welcomed by the guard dog, Nero, who is a Brazilian Fila (cross between a mastiff/bloodhound/bulldog) and would act as our housemate for our stay. The farm consists of a house and multiple buildings with coffee equipment, a woodshop, silo, lab and stable complete with horses and cows wandering about. The home itself has 3 bedrooms and Colleen and I settled in quite comfortably.

Our days at the farm were spent learning about the coffee industry and what goes into running a successful coffee plantation (the Chaib’s coffee has won awards beating out all other farms in a country that produces more coffee than any other in the world). Ibraim took us out in his vintage Gurgel automobile into the plantation fields and showed us how they plant, maintain (he jokingly put us to work cutting weeds) and harvest the beans. Ibraim kept me constantly entertained with his sense of humor as he polished his English and I attempted to speak my blend of Spanish influenced Portuguese. Pedro showed us around the various buildings and demonstrated how they dehusk, sort and transport the beans to the local co-op where they are then rated for quality and stored until sale. On the final day we even sorted our own batch of beans, then roasted them for the coffee we drank (yes we, Colleen even sampled!) for breakfast on our final day. I must again mention the delicious food we had at the farm! Each morning we had fresh baked bread cooked on a woodburing stove, fresh made cheese, fruits, yogurt and Marly’s famous granola. Lunches are the big meal each day in Brazil and we would head back into the village around noon for a large sit-down meal. I can say with certainty that we have not eaten better on our trip!

We could not have asked for more welcoming hosts and a more unique experience than we had at Carmo de Minas. On top of all this we learned so much about an industry that I had never took enough time to really think about (how the coffee I drink every day gets into my cup?). We hope some day to have a return visit to the farm but hopefully before then we can repay the Chaib’s hospitality stateside and welcome them into our home.

On a Saturday morning we waved goodbye to the Chaib’s and hopped on a bus headed for Rio de Janeiro. 6 hours later we arrived at a slightly chaotic bus station, hopped a cab to a cable car, and after an hour and a half of riding the wrong line, finally arrived at our guesthouse. We have heard from multiple travelers that Rio is the most beautiful city in the world and while it was attractive, San Francisco still holds that honor in my eyes. We stayed for 4 days in the hills in the artist neighborhood of Santa Teresa where we had a mini apartment to cook meals and enjoyed a Brazilian beer or two at local cafes. We took day trips to both Copacabana and Ipanema beaches; they were both beautiful and lined with the urban landscape as a back drop. We also discovered that people at the beaches, and Rio streets for that matter, tend to lean toward ‘less is more’ when it comes to clothes and swimsuits. We also spent a very hot long day at Christ the Redeemer. The lines were quite long for the tram ride to the top and it turned into one of the more expensive sites we have visited on the trip. Colleen questioned whether the long wait and crowded viewpoint (it was a Sunday) were worth the trip but I disagree. The view from 700 meters above the streets and beaches is inspiring and it gives you a full view of the metropolis. It is a must do when visiting Rio and if you can get past the hordes of people posing like JC in front of the statue for pictures, it makes for a worthwhile afternoon break up out of the city.

The Waiting Game

Visas are an important part of any trip and luckily we have been able to get most of our visas at border crossings and airports. We have had to get a few in advance, India in San Francisco and Vietnam in Cambodia, and knew we would need to spend a few days in a major town collecting our final 2 ‘advance’ visas, Brazil and China. Brazil is an odd visa, you have to get it within 90 days of your arrival in their country, but you are required to obtain it in your home country. Basically, this means if you are 8 months into an around the world trip, you are going to have some troubles, and that is exactly what happened to us when we arrived back in Singapore.

We were going back and forth on which visa to get in Singapore and which to get in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is said to be the easiest place in the world to get a China visa, so we opted to attempt Brazil in Singapore. We arrived at the Brazil consulate early on a Monday morning, with applications and all supporting documents that they might need. As soon as we opened our mouths we were shot down. We were not permanent residents of Singapore so we could not get a visa there we were told. The consulate worker went as far as to tell us to “thank Bush” for our problem. Clearly that did not go over well with us but we bit our tongues and asked him to reconsider. I even threw in a few tears hoping they would help the situation. Eventually the worker told us he would send a telegram(do people still use these??) to Brazil asking for special permission. At this point we even questioned wanting to go to Brazil, but our around the world ticket had us landing in Sao Paulo and we had no other options for flights. We were told to come back the next day. No updates the following day and it seemed they were just stringing us along. Frustrations mounted at this point and we decided to hit up a local microbrewery to let off some steam. We had only had one drink, bought at a corner market, in the previous three weeks of travel in Malaysia so we figured this was as good of time as any for a cold one. We were happily informed on arrival that Canadian brewer had just released his ‘Oktoberfest’ beer and we had an afternoon fest of our own while discussing our options for moving forward with the visas.

On the third day we headed back to the consulate, hoping to get some answers. By this time we had already spent a total of 6 nights in Singapore and we were becoming impatient. We had planned to head up to Malaysia to a tiny little island off the coast for the week, but the visa was more important, so we had to cancel our reservations. After being given no update and sitting in the waiting room for over an hour, they finally decided to give us visas. Victory! Did we mention the visa few for Americans is $142? Reciprocity fee.

We had four nights remaining before our flight to Hong Kong and we knew we needed a break from Singapore. The easiest option was an hour ferry ride off the coast to the small Indonesian island of Bintan. We had not expected to visit Indonesia on the trip but the opportunity presented itself and we hopped on the ferry with no reservations or real knowledge of the place we were heading. Unaware to us, while on the ferry a large earthquake hit Indonesia. The news was broadcast worldwide and we had no idea anything had happened. We were on the ferry and felt nothing and the island sustained no damage. We had no email connection during our four day stay and unfortunately this lead to a storm of worried emails from friends and family. The island turned out to be relaxing and rather quiet. Our resort was rural and rather simple but had an authentic feel and was run by local townspeople. We stayed in a wood bungalow, perched on stilts over the water and spent the days and nights reading, playing cards, and enjoying some great local beer.

Our flight to Hong Kong was uneventful. For once we were not questioned at check-in as we had converted our paper tickets to electronic tickets at the American Airlines office in Singapore. Due to high accommodation costs in HK we spend our first night in the YWCA before transferring to one of our nicer hotels of the trip. We had caught a web special for multi-night stays and we were actually upgraded at check-in. Once again, bright and early we found ourselves waiting in a massive line outside the Chinese consulate. We were extremely worried about this visa. We had a flight 5 days later and Chad already had a cancelled Chinese visa in his passport from his trip to Tibet 5 years ago. We waited patiently in line and when we finally made it upstairs handed our application in with no issues. They didn’t even want any of the supporting documents that we had spent a few hours putting together the night before. They told us to come back on Thursday and off we went. No drama or problems, what a difference from Brazil. We now had another 4 days stretching ahead of us while we waited to pick up our passports.

Hong Kong is a pretty amazing city. High-rises control the skyline and fancy malls line the streets. All this working on passports in already expensive cities was starting to take a beating on our wallets, so we spent hours wandering around the city. We found free internet at the local library, browsed some high end malls, rode the historic tram to the peak overlooking the city, hopped the low cost ferry and subway system around town, and put together meals from the local supermarket. On our third night in town we met up with a friend from college, Brian, and his wife Elodie for drinks. The couple had moved to HK on a 2 year commitment with work and were now entering their second year in the city. They really had enjoyed their time in the city, had started a family and were actually looking into extending their stay. They played great hosts to us treating us to a night at a local brewery, inviting us to the historic horse tracks the following evening and allowing us to crash at their apartment our final night in town. Once again, friends on the other side of the world have shown us such great hospitality and we are truly grateful.