End of Third Week in Sao Paulo

Weather is wonderful, warm feet but no AC needed for me. I’m in Sao Paulo and finishing off my third week here. I have moved every week and ready to move again Saturday. The schools are wonderful with so many caring teachers. I really enjoy working with them. Last Thursday I went out with some friends to Bourbon Street a club with the New Orleans’s theme. A great evening but going to bed at 2 and waking up again at 5:30 is rough, then staying alert all the next day takes effort and no sitting for long. That weekend I went on Saturday with another friend to the beach at Riveria De Laurenzo. A beautiful beach, the water was lovely even if it was raining. The drive there was through a mountain with a beautiful rain forest with trees with so many colours of flowers and so many types of foliage. Still didn’t see a monkey!  On Sunday I took the subway and explored Liberdade the Oriental sector and went to the market there.  I also saw a huge, huge cathedral in that area. The metro is a great way to get around.

 I’m in a new area, moved from near Paulista to Pacaembu. Pacembu is a nice area with high buildings but still some lower level homes. The school here is an old Spanish house and is beautiful Wish I could have seen it furnished as a house. My hotel is a residence hotel with flats, it is 24 stories I think. Tuesday I came down with food poisoning. Felt quite yucky for 24 hours but I’m as good as new today (Thursday).

Saturday I fly out to Rio and spend a week there at a school very close to the beach, I’m holing I can walk the beach to school. They say it is an excellent area. Then the next week its off to the North and Campina Grande. 

At beach with Keity

Bourbon Street with the girls

View from Second hotel

Passion fruit on the vine

Stadium view from Pacaembu hotel

Beautiful Cathedral

In back of cathedral

The front I think

My third hotel

Stadium view from hotel

Beautiful cathedral near Liberdade

Sugar cane waiting to be juiced

Juicing sugar cane

One of many orchids just hanging off trees

Sao Paulo at night, Sao Bernardo area

Liberdade

Republica Market, Sao Paulo

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Sunday I had a chance to explore Sao Paulo and look for some Markets. I walked to the Anna Rosa metro station and took the train to a market that sold Peruvian hand crafts but they were all too bulky. I’ll be flying domestic to two schools and the baggage allowance is much less than from Toronto. I took the metro to Republica Square where there is a big market. I did some Xmas shopping (2015) and bought some cut and uncut stones. The subway is quite easy to negotiate and can cover a lot of territory. (My tracker said I walked 8 km). Sao Paulo is a huge city.

They sell so many crafts and interesting items at the markets. Breakfast at the hotel is very good and last night I ate at the restaurant from the menu. Tonight I was so hungry since breakfast was my last bite of food and I avoid street food unless it’s deep-fried. I had a nice surprise. They serve a buffet every night but Saturday, and it was so good. Monday, was my first day at Chacara Klabin school, another great group of people and cute kids. Today was the first day of ballet lessons after school, the little girls in pink ballet suits are so cute.

I just have to say it again ……it is so wonderful to have a local phone here. I can text local and always have a map.

At Republica Market

At Republica Market

Republica

Peruvian Market

Republica Market

Sao Paulo Matro

River in Sao Paulo

Bought 2 from these fellows

Market food

Republica Market

Selling stones

Labradorite and Lapis lazuli

Moving Hotels and Schools Feb 28, 2015

View out the dining room window at L'Opera Hotel, Sao Paulo

Crazy tiled house I pass on the way to school

This is how you cut a cake Brazil style

Looking from my new hotel, Nova Comfort Paulista

View from my new hotel, Nova Comfort Paulista

View from my new hotel, Nova Comfort Paulista

My schools in Sao Paulo this Feb-March

My whole route Feb-Mar and May

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Friday was my last day at Alto De Pimheiros, it was a great week which flew by so quickly. Wonderful people. Today Saturday a taxi was scheduled to come pick me up at 12 noon. Well I waited till 1:00 and when there was still no sign of the taxi I asked the hotel to find me another. It was about a 25 minute drive through Sao Paulo. I arrived at my new hotel, Nova Comfort Paulista, in other words a comfort Inn. Wondering about Monday when the same taxi company is scheduled to pick me up in the morning. I’ll give them 10 minutes then get my own taxi.  The hotel is fine, not the Sheraton, but clean, smells Ok, has a safe for valuables, fast internet and has a nice restaurant.

I’m so glad to have a Brazil SIM card. I could follow my taxi route and speak through the translator when needed. I finished my report for my last school so tomorrow is free. This is my second Sao Paulo school, one more here, then it’s off to Rio for a week then way up to Campina Grande.  In May I’ll be three weeks in Sao Paulo and the last week waaaay over in Rio Branco in the West. See maps, the Sao Paulo map shows my 3 schools this time and the next map shows the whole two trips including Campina Grande school and the Rio Branco school.