On Location - Brazil

Do not judge a book by its cover, as the saying goes, if Brazil and its function as a book would surely cover the city of Rio de Janeiro and girls in fancy dress feathered. But Brazil is much more varied than just the beautiful city of Rio, which has built its reputation. There is literally something for everyone and often on a large scale. The huge Amazon forest is a paradise for nature and the largest tropical rainforest in the world,central western savanna area is home to the Pantanal, the largest wetland in the world and the best area for game viewing, while Brazil also has 4,300 miles of white sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees. How can you collect, it excels at more than football.

My last trip was for me to comment on the historic El Salvador, a vibrant city, alive and kicking with the strong influence of his African origins. Tuesday evening, the colonial quarter with its cobbled streets, a vibrantBeat of the street gangs of up to play, while the locals come to eat, drink and dance drums. One gets the feeling is not just for visitors, this is a party for no other reason for a Tuesday. During the day things quieter and you get the time to stroll and enjoy the beautiful colonial churches and colorful houses. Most have been restored and are now museums, shops and boutiques interspersed with small hotel restaurants, an intriguing mixAfrican and Brazilian cooking, with ingredients such as coconut, ginger, chilli, coriander and fish.

I was also fortunate to have a private flight for the eco-resort Kiaroa instead. This is a small hotel 30 minutes south of Salvador by plane over the end of the peninsula Marau. The same flight is a scenic adventure, beyond the lush southern coast of Bahia, we landed on a strip 50 meters from the private reception. Although it is a 5 star resort with all amenitiesone would expect if you feel comfortable and relaxed, especially after the hustle and bustle of Salvador. Of the 28 rooms, most of the bungalows with private pools, tropical gardens, a beautiful. The hotel overlooks a long sandy beach, almost private, in its emptiness, and on a peninsula, you get the benefit of both sunrise and sunset, a twice daily treatment.

Back to Salvador and then I coconut north on the highway. A nice 90 minutes by car along the empty beachesand palms, I arrived at the fishing village of Praia do Forte. Immediately my pulse slowed down, as I slipped into the local way of life. Praia do Forte is a pretty village on the coast at home, the great success Tamar Turtle Reserve, which was launched in 1980 in Brazil to save the five species of sea turtles from extinction.

Rio - My trip to my favorite city in the world over. Fun, lively and with a great natural setting, press the building into the space between the golden beachesand tropical bays and the slope, dripping vegetation.