Rio de Janiero, Copacabana and Ipanema

22 November 2011
Time for some FUN so headed for Rio to sightsee and sunbath and have some laughs with my sister Liz.  Rio is a great city - there is a lovely old city, the many beaches including Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, the famous Cristo Redentor (the huge statue of Christ Redeemer that looks over the city) and Sugar Loaf (the hill in the bay with great views up to Cristo and the coastline).

We stayed on the beach at Copacabana - a great spot with a rooftop pool - splurged just this once!
The song "The Girl from Ipanema" was penned in a bar in Ipaema so, of course, we visited that and had a not so great lunch there - more cheese on a pizza than you could ever imagine - they love their cheese here and have profiterole cheese balls for breakfast with CAKE !!!!  I'm sure there must be a huge amount of heart disease because they are also surprised when you ask about walking anywhere - everyone goes either by bus, small van transport or taxi - they think walking for a half hour is ridiculous and way too far!!!
Just here for 2 days but saw most of the sights, the water was like ice so didn't swim - just people-watched!

Favelas next to Highrise

The Girls fom Ipanema

South America Part 1 - Sao Paulo then to Iguazu Falls

Sao Paulo is the 3rd largest city in the world - it has been described as "a monster - with 21 million people and more skyscrapers than could ever possibly be counted" and I agree.  It is huge and one has to be so careful of your gear and being watched - it doesn't make it that comfortable.....I was going to the Mercardo Municipal and was harrassed by a lady in a park and I realised it isn't a place to be on my own.....a little too dangerous. My sister Liz arrived (husbands conference) by sheer coincidence, so it was great to have her company for a few days.  This is the view taken from the Banc Edificio Altino Arantes near Sao Bento Metro - 34 stories high (3rd highest building in Sao Paulo) and free for the view (open 10 - 3pm).

 To make matter worse the Hostel I had booked into was not that great so I immediately booked to go by bus to Iguazu Falls - leaving 6pm and arriving 9am on "Leito" seats that almost fully recline - about $120 AUD each way.

Iguazu from the Argentinian side shows the expanse of the falls and the highlight of this side is the Garganta del Diablo (Devils Throat) - where the Iguazu River narrows and 1million litres a second pour out - this is spectacular, deafening and slightly dampening ;-)
From the Brazil side it is a totally different view - so much closer to the falls and a great view over to the Argentinian side.

Bilbao, The Pyrenees and Barcelona - out of order time wise

25 Sept 2011
I staggered into Bilbao - Hostel Pension Mardones a terrific place in the old town in Calle Jardines 4 (2nd and 3rd Floors) after leaving the walk of the Camino de Santiago at Logrono - 164 kms + - I was proud of my achievement but it faded into insignificance when you talk to others who have walked from Holland or Germany and are still going on to finish the 795kms of the Camino starting in St Jean Pied de Port - many of them have done 1400 - 1500 kms walking !!! So in that light 164kms is a drop in the ocean but I was proud of it neverthe less...

Bilbao was beautiful - with an old city of winding narrow streets and a new huge one which held the main attraction for my journey there - the Guggenheim Museum....if you are interested in reading about it here is a good link http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao - the building itself was just amazing - an architectural wonder and although the painting and installations inside were very interesting with some odd pieces, the building was just AMAZING.....
28 Sept 2011

After this I headed for a respite in a beautiful place in the Pyrenees where I walked to the Breche de Roland, standing there with Spanish Pyrenees on one side and French Pyrenees on the other was just spectacular. Then another day a hard bike riding to Cauterets then hired a car in Lourdes and drove to Col du Tourmalet (of Tour de France fame), a walk then a scenic ride up to the Pic du Midi

Pic du Midi

..After the Pyrenees started to cool - we headed for the warmth and art work of Barcelona...on 12 Oct 2011
Stayed at the Casa Gracia Hostel. 116 Passeig de Gracia - the best accomodation in the heart of Barcelona - short walk to everything including Metro and very lovely people running it.

Casa Batallo

Casa Mila balconies - nothing is as it seems..

La Sagrada Familia (front)

La Sagrada Familia (back)

Inside Casa Batallo

12 Oct 2011

AH..... Barcelona - a huge city famous for the amazing Gaudi buildings - went into the Casa Batallo - a sight to behold - nothing has a normal angle or shape - built around 1912 - he was a genius and I'm sure a little mad at times. He is said to have had his creations built and if he didn't like them he would demand they were pulled down and started again.....He had a rich benefactor Guell who he sent broke. One building he had built 5 times - I'm glad he wasn't using my money.

The Cathedral, La Sagrada Familia was started in 1883 and still not finished - they think 2020 but not sure - work still going on everyday...spectacular doesn't even begin to describe it.

A few days spare so headed for Spanish Island of Menorca, part of the Balearic Islands, staying in Mao (Mahon) - overnight ferry.  Once there hired bikes and attempted part of the Cami de Cavalls - the hardest ride I have ever done - rocky in a lot of parts and at times carried the bike, but a great achievement and I was so proud of myself after my days riding - even managed to fall over the top of the handle bars as I pulled on the front brakes much harder than the back in a time of rocky panic

Then to Turkey.....